Forced Off The Sidewalk

Post Reply New Topic

Does anyone else get annoyed when people walk side by side taking up the whole sidewalk? It happens to me all the time that groups walk 4 in a row on the sidewalk and im walking towards them going in the direction they came from. I guess it my aspie sheepishness but i always step off the sidewalk to let them pass. I find it irritating that if i continue in my direction of travel and eventually meet them face to face, they get irritated, give me looks, or whatever. why is their use of the sidewalk more important then mine? I have given up, i will just step off the sidewalk until they pass, its like i have to show deferrence to them, my priorities must be less important then theirs.

I used to have this problem. Now I just walk with purpose and turn my shoulders slightly to the side. They get the hint and move.

It only gets annoying when I am in a hurry.

Nobody ever gets in my way.

So close to a shoulder brush, and let it remain subtle. And the confident, unstated, matter-of-fact undertone is that your priorities and my priorities are equally important.

(they're into their group, they hardly see you at all, you're not in their world. Their world is their immediately social environment. And that's okay. And the method of turning one's shoulders slightly to the side and coming close to a shoulder brush, seems like a good next step. And then we can get feedback and figure out a good next step past that.)

Happens to me too. In my case, I just remember that I'm (often) hated because my savior was hated too. I get treated like trash, despite my large frame and (reportedly) intimidating look.

Walking in the middle of the sidewalk and crashing into them will only start a fight or worse (I live in a very crime-ridden part of my city). As frustrating as it is, avoiding a violent encounter is the most logical course of action, in my opinion. I suppose if you're a woman, it's different because most guys aren't gonna want to start something unless they are crazy thugs.

In similar situations, I generally just keep walking and attempt to slip past them. They're usually willing to move aside.

One of the few things I like about the people in Buffalo regardless of race, economic class, or age people move to avoid blocking the sidewalk. They sort turn to the side with a waist pivot to avoid bumping shoulders. I been in Birmingham, Alabama and Bluefield, Virginia I noticed a lot of people did not do the waist pivot when on the sidewalk to make room for the person coming the opposite way. This pissed me off to the point I started not to do it almost knocking another person over when he did not notice me and walked into my shoulder. I guess I felt they thought I was not worthy enough to move out of my way.

This is one more reason i hate the mall too, same type of behavior but no place to step out of the way, i found myself in victorias secret once because i was trying to make way for an oncoming group of five, THAT opened up a whole other can of worms!

I've had this problem too.. no idea it had anything to do with body language, but I'd rather get out of the way rather than bump into anyone.

That used to bother me. But I have lost respect for people who have no consideration. If I can tell they are not going to be polite, I will walk straight at them. I don't look at them I just keep coming. LOL! They will MOVE! Otherwise it's just going to be akward for them. It's all about playing a game of chicken. Don't give in, people aren't as bold as they often come across.

I get so frustrated with it that I just walk in the road instead. There was a bus driver once who decided to honk his horn. Following so close, stupidly close, I decided to point-blank stop in my tracks. Needless to say there WAS contact.

That driver's actions carried over to the passengers who probably wondered why the sudden stop and why the driver didn't anticipate such a thing on a busy section of road where I live.

And I'd do it again, too.

On the same road, there was a few people walking slowing, in my way. So I walked in to the road (again) this time, I was not alone. There was a speeding vehicle coming towards me, on the WRONG side of the road, doing 35-40mph without slowing down. The driver seemed to think nothing of it with their flashing lights and siren.
They should watch out for pedestrians really. After that vehicle passed, I got a few extra looks my way.

ho-hum... I won't change how I progress on the roads. Maybe I'll become more defensive and just stop dead when there is a narrow section and it's me versus them (2+ people)

No, i just walk straight through them. Eventually they get the hint of not taking up more than 50% of the sidewalk.

Yeah, someone had to tell me it was a body language thing. Apparently I gave off the "I'm going to get out of the way so there's no need for you to move" vibe.

I have this problem, as well. It happens to me, at the mall, all the time. I also find, that if I move over, I don't have to look at them.

oh i hate it when this happens. people can be so rude!