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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to find it annoying when I'm looking at something in a store and someone leans over me?

75 replies

FlutteringButterflie · 03/09/2013 22:29

I know it's stupid but it really annoys me.

Today I was in Superdrug looking buying a nail varnish, two women stand behind really close behind me, leaning over me, one even had her arm resting on my should at one point.

I had been looking at the nail varnishs at the point for 20-30 seconds.

The other week I was shopping, looking through one rail of clothes on the wall trying to find my size when a woman starts shifting through the same rail, wandered off and then came back and did it again.

Unless someone is taking a ridiculous amount of time I could sort of understand, but when I want to look I patiently wait my turn until the person is done.

Aibu?

OP posts:
Toughtimes30 · 04/09/2013 07:48

Oh and people that stand too close at cash points!

mumofboyo · 04/09/2013 08:54

Crikey TwoAndTwo, at my local Tesco when they're bringing out the marked down trolly at the end of the day there's always loads of people hanging about and then descend on it as soon as those flappy door's open. They're like a pack of starving vultures! And they are so determined to get there marked down bread rolls that they actually ram you out of the way. I hate it. So bloody rude!

DownstairsMixUp · 04/09/2013 09:07

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

hermioneweasley · 04/09/2013 09:13

I give people a few seconds and then politely ask if I can grab what I need. It's not a private viewing gallery.

WhatAFunnyPotato · 04/09/2013 09:16

Ooh, this makes my blood boil. But especially when they say "sorry" as they push past....um, a simple "excuse me" would have removed the need for your rudeness and subsequent apology.

"Sorry" does not mean "excuse me, do you mind if..." Angry

JamNan · 04/09/2013 09:19

Be attentive when this happens - it is a ploy sometimes used by pickpockets. You are NBU OP.

CremeEggThief · 04/09/2013 09:19

YANBU.
Wait your turn for a minute, and if they're still dithering, say "Excuse me/ Do you mind if I grab this", etc.

WetGrass · 04/09/2013 09:55

Two words:

online

shopping

mumofboyo · 04/09/2013 10:22

Online shopping is great until you run out of milk and bread mid week and don't buy enough to get to the £25 minimum spend, or if you can get something cheaper from another shop that doesn't deliver. I always end up spending loads more if I rely solely upon online shopping Sad

OnTheBottomWithAWomensWeekly · 04/09/2013 10:38

Someone isn't allowed to look at the same rail of clothes as you? How much personal space do you need?

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 04/09/2013 10:46

Can I ask....does anyone else find it intensely annoying when shop staff barge you out of the way as they restock shelves etc? I KNOW they have to do their job...I worked in retail for years....but I always used to wait for customers to finish what they were doing....their time was more important.

WhenSheWasBadSheWasHopeful · 04/09/2013 10:58

I hate people invading my space too. I want to invent some sort of force field thing so they can't get within a foot of me.

I also hate ditherers, I really shouldn't leave my house at all.

MurderOfGoths · 04/09/2013 12:27

This bugs me no end, especially as I'm only 4ft 10 so people seem to think it's ok to just reach over my head. Just ask me to move if you want something FFS.

MurderOfGoths · 04/09/2013 12:28

NeoMaxi When I was in retail we were taught that our primary purpose was to serve customers and make it easy for them to shop so restocking could and should wait.

BigBoobiedBertha · 04/09/2013 12:39

Are you sure you didn't accidentally step in front of the women when they were already looking at the shelf? You might have been focussed on what you wanted and not been aware of them. It happens. I hate it when I am looking at the shelf and somebody stands in front of me. I have to then say excuse me to get something and some of them seem a bit surprised to see me there at all but it wasn't like I had just appeared. I was there first!

I must admit I am tempted, at times, to reach over/round people who do this just to make a point.

Can't say if YABU - you obviously don't think you stepped in front of them but do you know for sure you didn't?!

MrsMangoBiscuit · 04/09/2013 12:54

This fucks me off too. I'm 6' tall, 38wks+ pregnant and the size of a small house. It's not like you can't see me! I don't dither, if I want to work out which offer is better, I will stand back and make sure I'm not blocking anyone's way. This weekend, a woman kept doing this to DH. He's normally very laid back, but even he had had enough. She was actually pushing in front of him, barging in with her elbows! No idea why she thought that was ok. Even 3yo DD said she was rude!

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 04/09/2013 13:09

MurderofGoths me too! I was told to stop what I was doing and wait...but I keep being almost shoulder barged by great big lads in our local sainsbury's....they're always shoving and pushing and once, one of them put his meaty paw on my 5 year old's shoulder and shuffled her aside!

lougle · 04/09/2013 13:52

I was at a supermarket and saw a DVD collection DH might want. I thought about it then walked away. At the till, in the queue, I changed my mind. I went over to the DVD area and a man was there with his wife looking at the new DVD release that makes part of the DVD collection.

I knew I wanted the collection. There was only one. He was deciding what he wanted, trailing his fingers between the billboard, the individual DVD and the collection.

As he moved away from the collection I leaned forward and took it. He possibly would have chosen the collection, in time. I did feel guilt as I heard the woman saying 'well you won't be getting it now, love...' However, I decided that if he wanted it that much he would have held it in his hand while deciding and if it is still on the shelf it's there for the taking.

diddl · 04/09/2013 14:01

Hellooo!!!

(Jumps up & down & waves to get 5ft self noticedGrin)

Had this today in supermarket.

I had just put my shopping on the belt-couldn't reach the divider-well, maybe with a bit of effort, so I'd left it for the moment.

Guy behind reached right round to get it.

The person in front of me wasn't even being served yet-the one in front of them was just paying!Hmm

Parmarella · 04/09/2013 14:14

Oh I do this.

I am 6ft and just teach over short ditherers.

I am very focussed when I shop, and it would not occur to me to wait until someone has checked all the different colours of nail varnish. I would never touch anyone or bump anyone, bug reaching for something on the shelf above a small ditherer... Yes I do that.

Would NOT do of if the person dithering by the nail varnish was a 6ft 4 bloke though, mainly as I would be unable yo reach over them...

I also browse the same rails as other people, including 6ft4 blokes, instead of waiting till they finished, murmuring politely "oh, don't mind me" whilst inwardly imploding with rage.

Think of your blood pressure people!

Parmarella · 04/09/2013 14:16

I also get dividers! Wow I am baaaaaaad

diddl · 04/09/2013 14:23

I wasn't dithering!

There was no need for him to reach around me.

He would have had plenty of time to put his stuff out if he'd waited until I could reach the divider, or he could reach it without invading my space.

Why would you do that?

Parmarella · 04/09/2013 14:26

I like having my stuff safely wedged between 2 dividers.

Don't see how reaching around someone, without touching them, is a problem

Flossyfloof · 04/09/2013 14:29

I have just got back from the gym. I was there standing in front of a side mirror in no-one's way, doing some weights. I suppose I was about 18" away from the mirror. the dozy bloody cleaner decided she was going to clean the mirror right in front of me and guess what - like a dickhead I stepped back! Then I thought no sod it she has the whole of the bloody gym to clean and I am going to be standing here ten mins max, so I stepped forward again and carried on. Had she said Oh ever so sorry but there's a big smear there do you mind if I clean it? I wouldn't have had a problem. I don't think. I do get a bit arsey though so I might have done.

diddl · 04/09/2013 14:35

"I like having my stuff safely wedged between 2 dividers."

No one is stopping you-you just don't need to reach around people-wait until you can get it without doing that!

"Don't see how reaching around someone, without touching them, is a problem"-just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it isn't!