Is anyone like this in crowds?

Post Reply New Topic

My motor skills and my proprioceptive sense are so poor, I find it difficult to steer a shopping cart when it's not crowded, and impossible when it is. I prefer loading up one of those baskets instead. It doesn't hold as much, but I live by myself, and there's not much variety in what I eat, so I don't buy that many items anyway.

Only more in bigger towns/cities that I'm not used to. I used to do it a lot more as a kid, but I've kinda gotten used to my city so I don't do it as much.

Do you mean like when they have someone posted at the entrance of the store, trying to force a "free sample" on you? I hate that, too. I don't know why it bugs me so much, but it does. Several years ago I was in a mall, and this 20-something year old guy came at me with this scary gadget. It was supposed to be some kind of head massager. Oh, here's a picture. http://www.skymall.com/images/products/ ... 44887d.jpg

The guy came at me and wanted to "massage" my head with one of those things! I usually just think, "Get away from me!" but that time I actually said it. Who in their right mind would want some total stranger jumping out of nowhere and massaging their head with a sharp metal object??


A good rule of thumb, for anyone who works in a place where they are asked to offer things to passersby: If the person swerves out of the way to avoid you, that means leave them alone.

Sometimes when I'm near crowds I just ignore them, but it depends on my mood. I look at people so I know when to get out of their way. It's usually them that get in my way.

Oh and those people handling out free samples are just trying to do their job. I might one day end up with a job like that. Just say 'no thanks, not interested' and be on your way. Don't hate them for it, they probably feel stupid doing it.

I cut them slack. I just ignore them and move on. Same as for people who ask "Can I help you find anything?" "Are you finding everything alright?" At least they back off when you say "No" to the first question and "yes" to the second one.

I should clarify. I don't get mad at them or hate them. (The guy with the head massager freaked me out though, because he came at me with it pointed at my head, and didn't back off when I moved away. "IT FEELS GOOD!! ! GIVE IT A TRY!! !!")

If I'm having a "don't bug me" kind of day, then I just steer clear of them. Otherwise, I say no thanks. I probably make myself sound a lot more intolerant of humanity than I actually am, because WP is the only place where I can get these little things off my chest.

I avoid crowds as much as I can. Otherwise, I use my Ipod to isolate myself and avoid anybody selling or promoting stuff. But I am very very careful about bumping into people, standing in their way or getting into their personal space as I hate it when others do that to me.

I don't hate them doing it and understand that it is their job and that someone has to do it. I usually just put in my earbuds and pretend I don't hear them or actually listen to music on full volume. Nothing quite like storming through a crowded mall listening to heavy metal on full volume I just try to avoid them mainly, especially when they are trying to sell me a female product when I am clearly not a female...

I hate ite when people park their trolley in the middle of an isle, or let a child drive them. The swerve all over the place and you can't get pass them.

Personally, when I am with so many people in the crowds, guess what: I will just shut myself out from the cares and troubles of the world... And sometimes I just sing Duran Duran songs without others knowing in my head. They really make me feel cool and calm me down...

I like to think I negotiate my way through crowds fairly skilfully these days, though I still don't like it. I'm best shopping alone because with others I can't so much make my own decisions on how to move about, and the companion(s) can end up forcing me into navigational situations I can't easily deal with. And if we're in a shop for the companion to buy something I'm not interested in, I start feeling worse about the crowds.

Even when I'm alone, I hate it when I'm walking and I see that my path ahead is blocked by people. Many times I just take a different route rather than walking forwards and trying to negotiate my way through it. But sometimes I try that, and am usually surprised to find that most people will notice me and make a bit more room for me to get by.....I've also managed to say "excuse me please" in a reasonably "firm but fair" kind of voice, which often works. It took me a long time to get my trolley rage under control though. Some people just don't seem to know there's anybody else in the shop And why do they always have an assistant stacking the very shelf I want to get something from, blocking my way with their huge supply trolleys?

The sounds affect me as well. I don't consciously hear much usually but the general racket seems to gradually sap my energy and make me fratchety. And these days most of the big shops are playing muzak and horrible advertising soundbites

Shopping is pretty much the only time I have to negotiate crowds. Parts of my workplace can get pretty crowded but I usually manage to steer clear of those. I'd never go to a crowded place or take a crowded route anywhere unless I had to. I like a large crowd when I'm performing my music, but I rarely get one, and when I do it feels different because there's a nice well-defined barrier between me and the crowd - the stage itself is usually free of the buggers.