Vent: How close is too close?

[MushyMushy]

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.

As far as I'm concerned, it does block it some, just not the whole belt. I keep the cart right at my hip and I'm standing right in front of the CC machine, and they'll have the end of the belt to start loading onto and maybe a foot in front of the cart. There's really no need to get any closer to me than that, especially with a moving belt.

 

[sunnyday123]

When someone gets too close in any line, DD and I have a routine we fall into.

Me: OMG are you ok? *fake loud whisper* Do you have gas?
Her: *grabbing belly* ohhhhh...my belly really hurts...do you think it was that chili dog???? moaning ensues...
Me: We better hurry before you blow!


They usually take 4 BIG steps back. I HATE people in my personal space.

 

[tonilea]

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.

Yep, I have a big, heavy purse and I swing around with it a bit.

 

[Wishing on a star]

When someone gets too close in any line, DD and I have a routine we fall into.

Me: OMG are you ok? *fake loud whisper* Do you have gas?
Her: *grabbing belly* ohhhhh...my belly really hurts...do you think it was that chili dog???? moaning ensues...
Me: We better hurry before you blow!


They usually take 4 BIG steps back. I HATE people in my personal space.

If the person was close/rude enough... I might go with the classic... e x c u s e m e ??????

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I unload my stuff on the counter and walk around my cart, so the cart is a barrier between me and the person in back of me. I always give the person in front of me at least a cart's length of privacy. I can't stand tailgaters, in person or in the car!

 

[Jaclynfett]

This thread is great, luckily I haven't had it happen in awhile. My biggest peeve is if I'm helping to bag and the person behind me pretty much takes my spot where I need to put my credit card. Wish sometime they'd treat!!

 

[PattnFmly]

No one was even near me today! I went late to the grocery store and I guess most other people were done ... no one was behind me at all, even after I'd paid! And I promise, I wasn't too close to the guy in front of me, I unloaded from the side as usual and had all my stuff on the belt before his was totally bagged. But just don't ask me about the lady beside me who left her cart behind my car .... that's another thread !!!

 

[ghoulishgirl]

Years ago, I was talking to a friend about this issue and she said she would pick up an impulse item-usually gum- look at it, then drop it directly between her feet, then bend over at the waist and bump the person behind her with her rear end. I thought it was brillant! Unfortunately, I'm unable to touch my toes without bending my knees

 

[Disfan1]

I work as a cashier in an electronics store and I have seen customers put their items ON TOP of the items that the person in front of them is purchasing. I don't understand why someone would do that because it takes MORE time to sort out who is buying what after the items get mixed up.

 

[Stucas]

I had this happen to me last nigh at lowes. Dh was paying and I took literally ONE step backwards to unblock the credit card thingy for him and seriously hurt my ankle. Stupid man behind me had his cart RIGHT there, (these are the garden center carts mind you...with the bottom baskets with the sharp plastic edges) I almost fell onto his flowers which is when he finally told whoever was pushing the cart to back up, and put his hand behind me and kind of pushed so I wouldn't fall. I suppose he was trying to be nice, but after I hurt my ankle enough to have to limp I don't want some crazy person touching me. I also don't suppose the horrible mood I was already in helped the death defying glare I gave to that man.

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

My DS (he's 11) and I both like our personal space. Once, (and with no advice or prodding from me), he bent over in line (with his tush right up next to the other person) and laid a huge toot! He stood up and seemingly sheepishly said, "Oh, I guess that was the bean burrito I just ate," and laughed hysterically. The person gave me a "don't you know how rude your kids is look" and I looked at my son and said, "well, that's one way to teach people about personal space!"

Me, I just look at them and ask if they'd like to go before me since they're trying to go through me!

Thanks for the laugh everyone! This thread has been a real chuckler for me today and it's a day that has really needed a few chuckles!

K

 

[dismom2005]

I know this is slightly different but at the gym over the weekend there were at least 10 open bikes and I went on one 2 bikes to the end. Someone came and took the bike right next to me leaving 7 open bikes to their left. Maybe it was their favorite bike or something but it made me feel like someone was right on top of me for no good reason.

 

[TnTsParty]

I hate when people get all up in your personal space. I am cracking up over the kids bending over and tooting on people or acting like they are going to. I do the hair toss thing, move around on my feet etc something to let the person know that they are just a bit too close. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. People sometimes can be so clueless.

 

[MovieJunkie]

This happened to me yesterday in the form of SITTING too close. A young group (teen) girls came to the pool where I was just reading poolside, and decided to pull their chaise lounges so they were touching mine. So everytime they moved, my chair moved! It was so annoyed I had to leave...I'm not good at confrontation

 

[wowsmom]

My DS (he's 11) and I both like our personal space. Once, (and with no advice or prodding from me), he bent over in line (with his tush right up next to the other person) and laid a huge toot! He stood up and seemingly sheepishly said, "Oh, I guess that was the bean burrito I just ate," and laughed hysterically. The person gave me a "don't you know how rude your kids is look" and I looked at my son and said, "well, that's one way to teach people about personal space!"

Me, I just look at them and ask if they'd like to go before me since they're trying to go through me!

Thanks for the laugh everyone! This thread has been a real chuckler for me today and it's a day that has really needed a few chuckles!

K

Okay, this had me laughing! I could see my 11 year old doing that, too. (Or at least thinking about doing it)

Last week, I was in the passport office and the guy was looking over my application, then suddenly looked up and past me and said "You'll need to back up. You are way too close." Seems some woman was standing right behind me - I'm glad he was looking to protect all my personal info that she could probably see!

 

[61292cna]

Whilemost of the time i'm not real confrontational, one a bad day you could get one of the following:

For regular carts I usually give the cart a little hip slip thingy back at them & then say "oh my I'm so sorry I didn't realize that was your cart up my a>>."

For space issues the usual remark is: "you're only allowed to stand that close, if you plan to start handing me fifties, I'm not a cheap girl!"

 

[MushyMushy]

I know this is slightly different but at the gym over the weekend there were at least 10 open bikes and I went on one 2 bikes to the end. Someone came and took the bike right next to me leaving 7 open bikes to their left. Maybe it was their favorite bike or something but it made me feel like someone was right on top of me for no good reason.

I know what you mean! I hate when that happens at movie theaters.

At my gym, there are 7 treadmills, but only 2 of them are any good and they're right beside each other. The other 5 all have something wrong with them. They're usable, but just not the *best* to walk on like the other 2. So, I don't mind when I'm on one of the good ones and someone takes the other, and I bet other people don't mind when I do that too.

Now if they'd only replace the crappy ones!

 

[Belle102498]

Hi everyone!

I literally can't stand when people are too close to me...I mean it... literally
I have MS, and when people are too close in front or behind me, I have a tendency to topple. I can't tell you how many times my husband has had to catch me because people are too close.

Sometimes I wish he would just let me fall on them...did I mention I was a might pooh sized

You would think that being that close watching someone sway would make them back up. Not in my experience! That seems to make them get closer! And then they give me a dirty look when I lean/sway too close to them, or even just in their direction! EXCUSE ME FOR FALLING ON YOU! I didn't see you hiding back there!

 

[Tikitoi]

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.

Same here

 

[OceanAnnie]

I've had the too close for comfort feeling from time to time.

I have a problem with people crowding me while I'm shopping! I'll be all alone looking at an item (like clothing) and as soon as I show any interest or linger in a certain area, that's it. I've had people come out of the woodwork grabbing stuff from around me. Recently, I stood right in front of an item I was interested in and someone reached around me and grabbed it! I was looking right at it and was juggling some items in my hands in order to get it. It made me so mad! I gave her eye darts and went on my way.

Another space thing for me, is the reverse of the OP's problem. People that stand in the middle of aisles looking at things and either won't move to let me pass or give me a huffy breath because I need to go through. Even when they move, they are stingy with the space. They don't like to give it, but they sure like to take it!

Something happened today at checkout, where this guy got chatty with the cashier while paying and the conversation continued while the cashier started ringing my stuff! The customer was blocking my view of the register and I just bit my tongue. But I was thinking, "My space now. Give it up already.". I mean wasn't in a rush, but he had his turn. I was up to bat.