to wonder how so many people manage to stand blocking entrances, completely oblivious of other people!?

[DiotimaofMantinea]

Today I have tried to enter two different shops and both times there were people standing in the doorway, completely oblivious to the fact that people were trying to get in and that they were blocking their way.

I am always so conscious of people around me and not standing in peoples way as it makes me feel uncomfortable and is obviously inconsiderate but I find so many people seem to be completely oblivious to the fact that they don't exist in a vacuum. Not really an AIBU but just a little first world rant, humour me.

[Whoohoo75]

This really annoys me too! And people who stand and have a full on chat in supermarket aisles :-O

[wasonthelist]

My "favourite" is people who stop dead at the top of escalators.

I'd like to spend one day as one of those people who never notices there's anyone else in the world - it would be a really interesting to experience.

[deydododatdodontdeydo]

OP, I'm the same - I'm always conscious of other people behind me, coming my way, not wanting to get in their way.
The other ones are leaving an entrance and they stop as soon as they leave the building, start looking around, patting their pockets, and there's a queue of people piling up behind them.
Like you say, they are oblivious.

[Peachypeaches]

We arrived at Disneyland Paris on the train, hundreds of people got off and you have to go up an escalator to exit the platform. The family in front of us stopped at very top of the escalator to sort out their bags! I'm normally a very quiet and polite person, but had no choice but to bellow out MOVE!! in a really loud shout that echoed around the whole station. It worked though!

[Queenbean]

Drives me mad. The worst for me is people who stand scattered across the pavement when waiting for a bus. Get in a queue and let me past, you oiks

[myownprivateidaho]

Well I'm sure you're super considerate, but by definition no one is aware they're blocking something when they haven't realised they're blocking something. So I doubt that anyone feels much differently from you.

[Wooterus]

Yep, drives me bloody nuts. See also: people who walk onto a tube/train platform and stop dead, so nobody else can get into the platform behind them.

I hope living in London has made me a much more considerate tourist - when I'm somewhere unfamiliar and get off a train, I try to have some idea which direction I need to go in and GO (or move somewhere unobtrusive while I work it out), rather than dithering about in the way. I have a friend who sometimes says to these people, "Hello, the world is still happening around you!"

YA deffo NBU.

[wasonthelist]

by definition no one is aware they're blocking something when they haven't realised they're blocking something. So I doubt that anyone feels much differently from you

I fundamentally disagree - the awareness of others and the polite approach of not getting in people's way was part of my upbringing - possibly to an excessive degree. Whilst I agree people who aren't brought up like this don't have any awareness - they certainly do feel differently, as they unburdened by concerns for anyone else in this context.

[headinhands]

DH does this to me at home. Comes in to a room to talk to me then stands looking at his phone in the doorway, always the doorway.

[CodyKing]

DD does it when people have shopping bags to brings in - I'm tripping over her all the way up the hall - drives me batty

She's going to be one of those isn't she??

[FallenAngel22]

This drives me crazy too. It's even worse when people can see you trying to navigate around them with a polite "excuse me please" and then they take age to move like you've asked them for the holy grail or something.

[limitedperiodonly]

I hate groups of people who stand in the doorways of restaurants and bars debating whether to go in.

I've noticed this is a strong Italian trait.

Once inside, it changes. The people who stand at the bar when they've got their drink and don't move aside to let you get yours, are usually English.

[Hidingtonothing]

My SF does this, I'm sure it's deliberate! I agree there are oblivious people but I also think there are people who like to be purposely awkward and obstructive and I find them even harder to fathom.

[Foxyloxy1plus1]

Those who put their supermarket trolley in front of the produce, so you can't see what there is, or plonk themselves in front of the shelf you want to see, pondering their choices, oblivious to the fact that anyone else may want to actually choose something.

Walking in front of me and swerving to enter a shop, tripping me up in the process.

[Queenbean]

by definition no one is aware they're blocking something when they haven't realised they're blocking something

Well that's the point isn't it. They're a bunch of thoughtless arseholes who should be more considerate and aware of people around them.

[BagPusscatnip]

OP I'm with you all the way. My nearest station to work is Holborn and I am always amazed at the amount of people who have stopped dead at the entrance, the top and bottom of escalators and after they go through the ticket barrier. How can they not know?!?!?

[nbee84]

And a family/group that are spread across a nice wide pavement walking really slow. Do you you really need to block off the whole width???

[limitedperiodonly]

It's always men that clutter up the bar area. When I was in my 20s it was ok because someone always said: 'All right love? Want to squeeze in?' I'd think: 'Yes, I am quite thirsty.'

Then they'd say: 'Crowded in here tonight, isn't it?' And I'd think: 'Not over there, it's not. Why don't you try standing there instead so people can get to the fucking bar?'

I never said this, I just simpered. Now I'm much older and itching to say it, no one gives me the chance. I could die of thirst some nights and no one would notice

[monkeywithacowface]

Oh this pisses me off no end on the school. Yes you just stand in the middle of the gate with your buggies and chat so no one can get in or out. Fucking idiots! Honestly how hard is it to walk and talk? Or at least move two or three meters to the left.

[TwinkleTwinkleLittleBat]

Yes, yes! Infuriating.

Also when I'm looking a something in a shop, I think it's very rude to practically elbow me out of the way or stand in front of me to look at the same thing

[bloodyteenagers]

Oh, yes the idiots that stand at the top of the escalator, standing in the way of people wanting to get off. I always shout move.

Or the people on the bus/tube who get on and stand by the doors. Doors open and they stay there, people trying to manoeuvre around them with bags, luggage, buggies whatever. 20 stops later they finally get off, and usually stand in front of the doors whilst they decide what they are going to do next.

Talking about tubes. The ones that stand at the doors, blocking you from getting off. I had a stand off with an idiot doing this. I'm on the tube, door opens (its the single door on the carriages) and this guy is stood there, blocking me. Any closer and he would have been kissing the door lol. I said excuse me. He stood there. He asks me are you going to move so I can get on? I refused and said no, you need to stop blocking my exit. Doors closed, his face was a picture, turned an odd colour as he banged on the button to get the doors opened. I'm sure I could see steam as the tube started moving..

[Paintedhandprints]

Oh yes, this is soooooo irritating. I like to check behind before pulling over into an alcove with the pushchair.
People who stand in front of you when perusing a shelf of produce. It seems very deliberate. People who stand with their trollies diagonally across the supermarket aisle too. Who does this? Why do they not know or care they are causing an obstruction? Grr.

[Ezzie29]

God I can't stand people like this!

Another one is when two people are talking but walking away from each other, and they keep turning their heads so they can still see each other - so they're not looking where they are going. Nearly had people collide into me!

Also people who, regardless of body size, somehow manage to take up a whole pavement so I can't get past and have to trail behind at a snail's pace.

Thing is I tend to be in my own world a lot so I have a feeling I can be one of those people sometimes

[NiteFlights]

I work in a setting where this kind of behaviour is very obvious. Some people appear to have no awareness either of how close they are to things or of others sharing the same space. It's infuriating. I've wondered whether men would be likely to do it more than women (feeling entitled to take up more space) but from observation I don't think so.

People who don't stand aside when a tube train pulls in are the worst. I'm sure I was taught that one should let people out of a space before going in, but it's pretty obvious anyway, isn't it??

[happystory]

I'm afraid my mother is one of these! Despite talking to me non stop the whole time she stays with me, she will suddenly start some lengthy anecdote in Marks and Spencer, and stop dead to tell me. Apparently walking AND talking is not an option