Vent: How close is too close?

[richmond282]

In the past couple of weeks, I've noticed people in checkout lines standing REALLY close. You know you pull up your buggy to the end of the counter. Then you walk around to the side and pay. Well, several times in the past few weeks the next person in line drops their cart off and stands right next to me to wait their turn. Now I don't mean a respectable distance away. I mean inches away. Like we could share the same pants. What's up with that? Why is this OK? It makes me especially nervous if I'm using my debit card and have to enter a pin #. Can they not wait for me to move? The cashier is not even ringing their stuff up yet! It's called personal space.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

This happened to me last night at Taco Bell! There was a group of about 5 teenagers in line behind me and they were very close, so close I could have touched them without fully extending my arm. No personal space whatsoever! I kept inching forward or to the side and htey would just move closer. It was driving me bananas!

The sort of socially acceptable thing around here is when the person in front of you steps up to the counter you wait at the end of the posts that mark where the line is (giving several feet of space). Well, they were right behind me. It made me very nervous. I know it doesn't matter that anybody knows what I'm ordering, but it was weird and uncomfortable and I didn't appreciate having somebody right there as I was trying to pay. I finally turned around and asked them to back up but they looked at my like I had 3 heads. It's like they had never heard of personal space.

 

[Stacerita]

If I can do a hair toss and hit them, they are too close.

 

[LuvN~Travel]

That is one of the biggest pet peeves of mine at work. I hate to say something to people when they stand too close to each other, but I know that my customers do like to have some elbow room when I am waiting on them. And, despite have two signs up about being in line properly, people STILL 'tailgate' when they are in line. I understand about those that are elderly and in ill health and need to lean on the counter, but when there are only a few in line there is no reason other than those for virtually standing on someone else's toes!

I've had some people get upset when I said something, but I have noticed that they are the first to get upset if someone else does it to them! lol

Kim

 

[MushyMushy]

I hate people invading my personal space!!! I get panicky when I'm in crowds. I think it's a form of social anxiety, but I'm not sure what. I mean, I get scared to death if I'm closed in a big crowd.

I use my husband or the cart to be a buffer between me and other people. I'll pull the cart from behind me to put it between me and the other person. I can tell once in a while that someone is irritated that they can't move up closer. WHY? If the belt is full of my things, it's not like they can start putting their stuff on anyway. Also, even when more space opens up on the belt, there is plenty of room for them to put theirs. I don't get why it's so important for people to move up that they're breathing down someone's neck. Maybe someone will come in and explain themselves -- I'm sure there'll be at least one person telling me I'm rude for not letting them get too close to me.

 

[MermaidsMom]

I've had some people get upset when I said something, but I have noticed that they are the first to get upset if someone else does it to them! lol

Kim

YES!!!! I see this all the time and have complained about it to my family when I shop at a particular store! I now am very careful about how I position myself with my cart.....I hate the stress of it all and cannot understand why people do this!

 

[golfgal]

I love it when your things are being loaded up and the person behind you gives you the evil eye for standing at the credit card machine expecting you to move out of their way. I just glare back. On the reverse, if you are done paying, get out of the way. Or when people don't move forward to the CC machine so you can't unload your stuff.

If they were that close to me I would certainly turn and give them "the look" to back off. If they don't get it I will shift my feet closer to them to get them to move back. If they really don't get it I will ask them "did you need something"? That really confuses some people .

 

[hentob]

I always do the fake "sorry I bumped into you" act.

I just act like a bull in a China shop and move all over the place.

They usually back off.

 

[MinnieMe87]

If they don't get it I will shift my feet closer to them to get them to move back. If they really don't get it I will ask them "did you need something"? That really confuses some people .

I love that! I'm so doing this the next time someone gets too close to me!

I've had people bump into me while moving to be closer to me that have given me dirty looks like it's my fault when I turn to look at them after being bumped. Uh..hello...I'm totally not the one who bumped you! Maybe I should have hit the deck and started crying and grabbing my ankle or something. Though, that wouldn't have solved anything..but would have been kinda funny!

 

[torinsmom]

I use the cart too. I go in front of the cart and load from there, then put the bags in the cart there as well. That means I have the 2-3 feet of the cart between me and the next person.

Marsha

 

[Sleepy]

The people here don't believe in personal space. In fact, it is as if you are invisible. I can sit on an empty train. At the next stop, one person can step on and out of 40 seats, they will choose to sit in the one next to me. I often wonder if they are afraid.

 

[ericamanda01]

When someone I don't know stands too close to me it really freaks me out. Now when it happens I turn around and face the person, if it puts me right in their face they tend to back up once they realize just how close they are to me. I know it may look crazy, but I HATE having a stranger that close.

 

[Saphire]

I also have personal space issues and get anxious when strangers are too close. Elevators, concerts, subways, and even Disney can become problems. My DH stands between me and the people behind us when in line...I cannot stand it when I can feel them right behind me. If I can take one step back and bump into them, they are way too close!

 

[DawnCt1]

Strangers typically keep 36 inches of personal space between each other. Friends, about 18 inches. I would have no problem saying, "Could you give me a little more room please, I like my space". and then smile.

 

[anniemae]

OMG this happened to me the other day at the supermarket. I usually use the cart as a buffer and unload from the front, but I was just picking up milk, so I didn't have a cart. The guy behind me was inches from me. I felt like saying, "back off buddy, you aren't going to get waited on any faster!" He was so close! I move around a lot and "accidently" bump the close standers so they back off. Or I swing my purse around my shoulder so it bumps them so they know they are too close.

 

[RC Fan]

I had this guy rushing me at the grocery store checkout, so I asked if he wanted to pay for my order as well. That seemed to back him off. I despise people in my personal space.

 

[PattnFmly]

I don't invade others' space, and usually stand beside my cart in the grocery store so that the lines can bunch up some, and move forward out of the food aisles. I haven't noticed people in my space per se lately, just once in awhile. But I have to ask ... are those of you putting your cart behind you to unload the food onto the belt, blocking the belt for the person behind you? As in, once your food is up and you put down the divider, am I able to start putting up my food onto the belt? I like to have all my food on the belt before the cashier starts ringing it up, that's how I check for double ring ups and wrong prices. I watch on the big screen as they go along so I can correct any problems right then and there, without having to wait in line at customer service or return to the store later that day. I would be mighty peeved if I couldn't start once the person in front of me had all their stuff on the belt.

 

[minniebeth]

The personal space thing at the grocery check-out drives me insane.
It's not only other adults for me, but kids as well. Hey, I love kids, but still need my space. When I have my own kids with me, I make sure they are giving the person in front of us acceptable space and voice pretty loudly for them to be considerate as a hint to others.

 

[krcit]

I have been known to ask people if they would like to get in my pocket. Seriously, they could not get any closer unless they were on top of me. It's my biggest pet peeve

 

[JR6ooo4]

I mess with their heads. If I am about three people back and there are more behind me, when the line moves, fake a step forward. then the "too close" person has even bumped into me before. Hehehehehhe

or when the line moves and I don't, and there is only about a four foot gap. I can almost hear the frustration fuming behind me. Hehehehehee

Yes. I want at the least, a half arms length all around me. and I leave 8-10 feet when someone is at any register.

Mikeeee