Would You Intrude on This Couple

[MushyMushy]

No, sounds like there was plenty of room to roam and I would have kept some distance so as not to interrupt their lunch.

This reminds me of a few weeks ago when I took my daughters to a movie. We were the only people in the theater, and were sitting in the back/top row. A woman entered the theater and came up the stairs and sat in the chair directly in front of my daughter. I thought it was so strange.

Yeah, I don't get people who do that!

It's hard enough to find a bit of personal space while you're in public, so I never understand when the next people who enter an area (be it a park, movie theater, whatever) gravitates to the first people who are there.

I wouldn't have cared if we liked that particular area or not, I wouldn't have intruded on the couple sitting there. Now if there had been a good many other people in the park, it would be completely different and I would have gone where I wanted. But I just think it's strange when people do that sort of thing. I also think it's strange when a person or people walk into an area that's quiet and calm and make a bunch of noise. It's like they're completely unaware of their environment, or maybe they just don't care.

 

[Arielle22]

This is the same thing as going to a beach and sitting close to another person. If I go to the beach I try to sit a reasonable distance away from other people. Only if it is packed will I let in close proximilty to another blanket.

I agree that the adults should have moved the children to another location.

 

[Handbag Lady]

They were totally intruding!


If it was packed, it would be a different story.


This is exactly what happens to us at the beach. We find a nice area AWAY from people so we don't have to hear them, see them or deal with them. I'll be darned if not 80% of the time, some other family has to come and set-up their blanket 10 feet from us when the WHOLE beach is open.

We usually just get up and move and give them dirty looks.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Yeah, I don't get people who do that!

It's hard enough to find a bit of personal space while you're in public, so I never understand when the next people who enter an area (be it a park, movie theater, whatever) gravitates to the first people who are there.

I wouldn't have cared if we liked that particular area or not, I wouldn't have intruded on the couple sitting there. Now if there had been a good many other people in the park, it would be completely different and I would have gone where I wanted. But I just think it's strange when people do that sort of thing. I also think it's strange when a person or people walk into an area that's quiet and calm and make a bunch of noise. It's like they're completely unaware of their environment, or maybe they just don't care.

That's it in a nutshell. Most people walk around thinking only of themselves and believing that the planet and everyone on it revolves around them and the rest of us should be so grateful for their presence.

As for the movie theatre thing, I've witnessed that type of phenomenon more than I care to. The one that kills me is the empty parking lot "herding" mentality. It seem that if yours is the only car in the parking lot then no matter where you're parked, the next car to come in has to park either directly in front of your car or right next to your car.

I used to think that it was because I had a great spot right next to the door, so everyone naturally parked near the door. But when I tried an experiment where I parked two rows back, it never failed that the next people who came in parked near my car.

Go figure.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I think it is odd. It would be like walking onto an empty bus except for a couple in the back and choosing a seat directly next to the couple. It seems unnecessary and strange when there are so many other places to go, especially with kids.

 

[Dancemom03]

After reading three pages I am still clueless. Yes, other people have different tolerances, and I'd certainly never sit in front of someone at the movies or take a parking space someone else was waiting for. I naturally assume the best of everyone. I've taught my children to be polite. We'd likely have figured you were friendly b/c you were lunching in the park instead of a table at a restraurant. Unless my child/pet/self was actually within a few feet of you or doing something to obviously annoy you besides running to a lake/playing in the grass/taking a picture, I'd certainly never guess that our presence in a public outdoor area could possibly bother you that much.
If the couple had looked especially intimate, or been making out, then I'd have headed the other way once I noticed them but really, it's a public park. You don't own it and there's no way the mom could have known you'd be offended or wanted privacy in advance. To assume she did, and was rude, borders on more than a just little self-centered to me.

To resent her presence in "your area" from the moment you heard them begin down the trail is what seems rude to me. Because you didn't want to be bothered with children at that moment you probably noticed them much sooner than they noticed you. I'm sorry your moment was interrupted but frankly, in a public park it could have been a school bus full of kids on a field trip instead of just one small family unit.

This could be a family with children used to going to that spot. It could also be someone who's never been there before and unaware of other options. More likely though, mom & grandmom probably never even noticed you prior to getting there and once there, if it occurred to them then, it sounds as though they'd have had to climb back up the hill to leave and walk further on to choose another place. Maybe there's even a disability that isn't visible to make them not want to go much further.

FTR - I apologize for my children, pets, self - & pretty much anything else you can think of - constantly. My saying "sorry" to someone we pass doesn't mean I know I've intruded or offended them. It's a courtesy - my way of being polite, if you will. In reality it's almost as perfunctory as me saying "hello", "how're you?", or instead of/in addition to "excuse me" in an aisle of the grocery store. Maybe, like me, she was brought up with lots of Catholic guilt and apologizes to everyone for everything, even though there's no visible reason to.

 

[MIGrandma]

After reading three pages I am still clueless. Yes, other people have different tolerances, and I'd certainly never sit in front of someone at the movies or take a parking space someone else was waiting for. I naturally assume the best of everyone. I've taught my children to be polite. We'd likely have figured you were friendly b/c you were lunching in the park instead of a table at a restraurant. Unless my child/pet/self was actually within a few feet of you or doing something to obviously annoy you besides running to a lake/playing in the grass/taking a picture, I'd certainly never guess that our presence in a public outdoor area could possibly bother you that much.
If the couple had looked especially intimate, or been making out, then I'd have headed the other way once I noticed them but really, it's a public park. You don't own it and there's no way the mom could have known you'd be offended or wanted privacy in advance. To assume she did, and was rude, borders on more than a just little self-centered to me.

To resent her presence in "your area" from the moment you heard them begin down the trail is what seems rude to me. Because you didn't want to be bothered with children at that moment you probably noticed them much sooner than they noticed you. I'm sorry your moment was interrupted but frankly, in a public park it could have been a school bus full of kids on a field trip instead of just one small family unit.

This could be a family with children used to going to that spot. It could also be someone who's never been there before and unaware of other options. More likely though, mom & grandmom probably never even noticed you prior to getting there and once there, if it occurred to them then, it sounds as though they'd have had to climb back up the hill to leave and walk further on to choose another place. Maybe there's even a disability that isn't visible to make them not want to go much further.

FTR - I apologize for my children, pets, self - & pretty much anything else you can think of - constantly. My saying "sorry" to someone we pass doesn't mean I know I've intruded or offended them. It's a courtesy - my way of being polite, if you will. In reality it's almost as perfunctory as me saying "hello", "how're you?", or instead of/in addition to "excuse me" in an aisle of the grocery store. Maybe, like me, she was brought up with lots of Catholic guilt and apologizes to everyone for everything, even though there's no visible reason to.

Yes, the two children were literally 1-2 FEET from the front of the picnic table we were sitting at. This area I'm talking about was a very small, secluded area of the park. The mother standing near us was just a few feet away as well, and with the children running back and forth DIRECTLY in front of us, it was definitely annoying. If the family would have come down to just look at the lake (even though as I've said before there were other places in the empty park to look at the lake) and stayed only a couple of minutes it would have been different. But they did stay during most of our lunch, with the kids running back and forth several times directly in front of the table (the table was situated just a few feet from the drop off to the lake). And maybe that is why she said "sorry", I don't know. But if it were me, and I felt I should say "sorry" to them I would have herded my children out of there and gone to a different spot in the empty park. I guess we should have tried a little "making out", maybe they would have left quicker!!

And I truly don't feel I was "self-centered" in wishing they would have stayed away. As I said, it was an empty park. Many other areas they could have gone to, to look at/play near the lake. If the park would have been busy I wouldn't have given it a thought. But to be the ONLY people there, and then having them come down and be bothersome and noisy and so close to us was just annoying.

And no, there was no walking/mobility issues with any of them, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to make it down the steep hill to get to the spot we were at.

As I said, it was an annoyance. I'm sure there are things in life that annoy you too.

 

[tlbwriter]

Your earlier post did not say the children were 1-2 feet away from you. That's an intrusion into your personal space, in my opinion. From your first post I got the impression they could have been several yards away.

 

[MIGrandma]

Your earlier post did not say the children were 1-2 feet away from you. That's an intrusion into your personal space, in my opinion. From your first post I got the impression they could have been several yards away.

In my OP I said the children were running back and forth DIRECTLY in front of the table we were sitting at. I guess, to me, when someone says "directly in front of" it means they were extremely close. If they would have been several yards away, I would not have said directly in front of.

And that's why it annoyed me, they were way too close to us.

 

[Wishing on a star]

YES, that was intrusion....

I don't think you should have to be in your own home to have a little respect and your 'three feet of personal space'...

These people with the kids were clearly self-absorbed and/or clueless if they had a nice sized public park, and decided that they had to be 3 feet from this couple.

Yes, IMHO, very RUDE....

But then, hey, there are a lot of 'those parents/grandparents' who feel that no matter what, they own the whole darned place, and let their children run amok, and annoy other people.

Doesn't matter if it is a park, or a restaurant, or where....
Respect and common courtesy should apply.

 

[mumom95]

OK, let me get all this straight:

According to the DIS kids aren't allowed to run around making noise at Walmart or restaurants. (which I agree with)

They can't play around in their neighborhood because someone might come by and kidnap them.

And now they aren't allowed to run around and make noise at a public park if there are other people there eating.

Yet, the kids get criticized for staying home and watching tv or playing video games and not getting enough exercise.

Wow, I feel sorry for kids today. They can't win.

 

[Jennasis]

OK, let me get all this straight:

According to the DIS kids aren't allowed to run around making noise at Walmart or restaurants. (which I agree with)

They can't play around in their neighborhood because someone might come by and kidnap them.

And now they aren't allowed to run around and make noise at a public park if there are other people there eating.

Yet, the kids get criticized for staying home and watching tv or playing video games and not getting enough exercise.

Wow, I feel sorry for kids today. They can't win.

There's always their own yards.

I'm of the old school opinion of "children should be seen and not heard". Yup...grumpy old lady here.

I'd be mighty tempted to start making out with DH in the scenario the OP describes. Bet the other family would move along then.

 

[palmtreegirl]

It's a public park, I don't think they did anything wrong.

 

[Deb in IA]

It's a public park, I don't think they did anything wrong.

I agree.

Yes, the two children were literally 1-2 FEET from the front of the picnic table we were sitting at.

I guess they mistook you for someone who likes kids.

 

[Michelle and crew]

I agree.



I guess they mistook you for someone who likes kids.

Public parks are public areas. If you want privacy, go home, get a room or go to your car. All places paid for by you for your private use.

 

[tlbwriter]

Whether or not one likes kids, 1-2 feet is pretty close. I'd never stand that close to a stranger (kid OR adult) unless we were in line, or on a WDW bus.

 

[RitaE]

Well - I frequently take a very noisy rambunctious running his tail off up and down the grassy area extremely energetic 8 year old boy to the park.

If any of you happen to get annoyed by our presence, I'm sorr......

Well no actually I'm not.

 

[LuvLDM]

It's a public park, I don't think they did anything wrong.

I agree.
Op, sorry but you sound like a grumpy old lady.

 

[PaulaSue]

I would go anywhere in the park that was safe. Who cares if others were there????

 

[npmommie]

No, maybe I didn't explain it well enough in my original post. The ground was pretty level at that spot until you got to the edge where it went downhill to that secluded area by the lake with the one picnic table. So you could see the secluded area when you were by the edge, then go downhill to it, then have to walk back uphill to get back to the major portion of the park.



You're right, I definitely was annoyed. The older I get the less tolerant I am of loud children. The park was so nice and quiet, then we found this nice secluded area that was even better. And when I heard them starting to come down the hill I was wishing they wouldn't. They had the entire rest of the park to play/walk around in, why they had to choose the area where we were at was what I didn't understand. Now if that had been the only place to see the lake, I would have understood, but it wasn't. Then the kids were running around in the small area and being very noisy, and right up beside our table. Then Grandma comes down the hill and wants to take pictures. I leaned over to DH and whispered "they'll probably ask us to take a picture of all of them next." Thankfully they didn't. I just like space, and with the park being totally empty I just didn't understand why they felt they had to be right beside us. It was annoying, I'll admit it. And I never would have done that to another couple had it been me with my young children. We would have gone down further away so as not to intrude on the couple trying to enjoy their lunch in peace and quiet.

wow
I am always flabergasted by folks who are annoyed by children after theirs are already grown. Do you think back in the day your kids never once annoyed anyone else in public? LOL
this was a public park. kids play in open spaces like this. they make noise when they play.

I don't know if this was already asked, but you keep saying the park was empty, whey didn't you just move to another area if you wanted quiet so much.
not trying to be snarky, just wondering?
I mean I know you were there first, but if it annoyed you as much as you are saying why not just get up and move.

OK, let me get all this straight:

According to the DIS kids aren't allowed to run around making noise at Walmart or restaurants. (which I agree with)

They can't play around in their neighborhood because someone might come by and kidnap them.

And now they aren't allowed to run around and make noise at a public park if there are other people there eating.

Yet, the kids get criticized for staying home and watching tv or playing video games and not getting enough exercise.

Wow, I feel sorry for kids today. They can't win.

I agree

There's always their own yards.

I'm of the old school opinion of "children should be seen and not heard". Yup...grumpy old lady here.

I'd be mighty tempted to start making out with DH in the scenario the OP describes. Bet the other family would move along then.

you must not have kids.
that is such an old fashioned way.

Well - I frequently take a very noisy rambunctious running his tail off up and down the grassy area extremely energetic 8 year old boy to the park.

If any of you happen to get annoyed by our presence, I'm sorr......

Well no actually I'm not.