Getting in the way in shops

Post Reply New Topic

This is exactly what I mean. I stand there awkwardly, then when a lot of people all go up the aisle and seem to all be going in the same direction and towards me, I get anxious, and keep on continuously looking both sides like I'm forever on my gaurd to avoid being told to move out of somebody's way.



But sometimes when I'm looking for something, somebody always comes up from behind me and needs the item which is directly where I'm standing (this is usually caused by Murphy's Law .) I know other people get in my way too, but I always seem to be in the way. And just yesterday at the bus stop I was in the way. This bus stop is usually quiet, one what nobody really waits at often (that is why I like waiting there ), but then somebody just appeared and wanted to read a poster that was displayed behind me. I mean - what are the odds of that?! Sometimes I wonder if I went and stood in the middle of a massive field I'll still be in somebody's way. Probably a helicopter will probably want to land exactly where I'm standing or something!
But anyway - it's a good idea what you said about trying to interest myself in other items in the shop. I think the more you look like you're looking at things, the more other people might patiently wait for you to finish, instead of having to barge past you. But it still annoys me when I'm standing in one exact spot and a person comes along and needs the exact item that's directly where I'm standing. But now I've sarcastically made up a little game - whenever I'm standing there, I think to myself, ''right, that person coming is going to want this item right here, because I'm standing right here!'' And most probably 98 percent of the time I'm right.

From what you described, it sounds like it happens to everybody. People get in my way too all the time and I just have to wait. If they are just standing there doing nothing, I say excuse me. I think you are just running into lot of rude people if they get pissy with you or try and invade your personal space or if they shove right by you or reach their hands in front of you. I am guilty of doing those things and I found it it was actually rude to do it. I even heard it's rude to push the clothes to the side when someone is looking at them and bam I push the clothes towards them. Perhaps you are so aware of this because of your anxiety about people and the low self esteem and being too self conscious. Then the more crowded the store is, more rude people you will see. Everyone is just in the way.

I laughed at the helicopter part. I wasn't sure if you were being sarcastic but I thought it was funny.

I was being sarcastic, yes.
But things just seem to be against me all the time, like where ever I go something or somebody comes along, making me become in the way. Like the other month I was walking innocently on the pavement (or the sidewalk), and I noticed a van was slowly driving right up on the pavement behind me! I thought, ''for Christ sake!''

Same here, and not just in shops. I mostly experience it when driving through shopping streets on my bicycle (which I do every day). Even when it's a calm day, it seems like they just don't think about anyone else (I've actually had a number of people literally say that I should be the one paying attention, while they're allowed to jump onto the street right in front of you). They distribute themselves in the most annoying way possible, taking the street instead of the pavement (what's it there for if not for pedestrians?), walking on the middle of the street or in such a way that you're forced to zig-zag around them, making irregular movements without even looking who else is there. It's so annoying.

I personally don't get in the way very often, though it still happens now and then. I generally spend quite a bit of time in shops figuring out where all the other people are going and focusing on that. That helps a lot, even though it's quite intensive.