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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

why do people sit on me in a queue?

62 replies

primarynoodle · 05/01/2015 13:50

moving closer to me does not make you reach the till any quicker and the queue isnt big enough to have to be sardines in order to not be a nuisance to other shoppers....

iabu in thinking that people have lost all sense of personal space in queues and this is JUST NOT ON!!!!

im about to start a riot at the customer services checkout in primarni!!!!!

OP posts:

LoisWilkerson15 · 05/01/2015 15:44

Just turn round and face them, nose to nose with a big fucking jokeresque grin. Works every time!

CheeseBuster · 05/01/2015 15:45

Oh birds I don't think I'd twirl a basket at an elderly, frail woman walking backwards. More the impatient able bodied ones. I'm only 5ft and I don't think people understand how claustrophobic it is to turn around and be able to see nothing but some strangers body. They move so close because they seem to be focusing over my head as though I'm invisible these are the people I basket twirl at.

HappyAgainOneDay · 05/01/2015 15:46

NorbertDentressangle By the time I'd said, "Excuse me" three times, I would have told the child, "For the last time, will you get out of my way?" in a cross voice. If the parents don't do it, someone else must. You were carrying out what I would call private business.

PickleSarnie · 05/01/2015 15:47

Or people that hover right in front of the cashier in a supermarket when youre in the bag packing bit. Stand back damn it. Its not your turn and it wont make me pack my bags any quicker. In fact, its almost certain to make me pack reeeealllly sllloooowly.

PickleSarnie · 05/01/2015 15:48

aaaargh. Not sure where those silly question marks came from.

bubalou · 05/01/2015 16:00

Oh my god!!!!!!

This is my BIGGEST pet hate!

I get so fed up - particularly in post office, cash point queue etc.

If they don't get the hint from me turning round and looking at them I always take a step back and when I inevitably bump into them because they are practically stood up my arse I say 'sorry I didn't really you were stood so close behind me'.

Twats!!!!

fieldfare · 05/01/2015 16:01

It gets my goat too.
But then I'm a bit bolshy so don't think twice about asking for more space.

BlackeyedSantaStuckUpAChimney · 05/01/2015 16:06

hair in a pony tail soon sorts out those too close behind. being whipped across the face with it stings. a quick turn of the head when someone has bashed you in the back of the legs with their bag soon gets you some personal space.

ds would also be a good deterrant. flailing arms and legs would clear several feet of space around us.

sliceofsoup · 05/01/2015 16:09

For some reason, Lidl seems to be a really bad spot for this. Twice I have had the person behind stand right beside me, actually touching me, while I was entering my PIN. Its so bloody rude.

The first time it happened it was a woman, and the whole way up the queue she was standing so close behind me I could feel her breath on my neck. Every time I moved to get away from her she moved with me FFS.

I came so bloody close to actually saying something, but I dont like confrontation so I chickened out. I regret it to this day.

The second was a man. Just as rude. He was standing right over me as I put the pin in.

NorbertDentressangle · 05/01/2015 16:13

HappyAgainOneDay - I know I should've said something but it was 5am and I hadn't had my coffee or breakfast yet so wasn't thinking straight!

MrsMoppandBucket · 05/01/2015 16:14

I got the rage about this in Waterstones the other day. What gets me is people who don't 'tuck-in' when they stop in the middle of a shop and block the aisles.

While I was in the queue a women behind me was so busy bossing her companion about that she poked me in the back with her enormous handbag. I turned around and looked at her but she just disregarded me.

There were two tills open and there was a man with two children at the first till. The man allowed his daughter who was about 7 or 8 to just sit on the floor in the middle of the walk way in front of the tills. He didn't tell her to get up and when it was my turn to go to the second till I had to ask her to move. I couldn't have got past without stepping on her otherwise.

I finished paying for my stuff and on my way out a couple stopped and had a nice little chat in front of the only exit. Had to ask them to move.

When I finally got through the door I found that the family from the tills were now stood deciding where they wanted to go next, three abreast and blocking the entire pavement. I had to ask them to move again!!

If you want to stop and chat, stand to the side people!!

Damnautocorrect · 05/01/2015 16:17

An old lady physically moved me once, I was so shocked I couldn't say anything!!! I like personal space, I've no idea why people feel the need to invade it

DoristheNovice · 05/01/2015 16:25

I feel your pain. I had this happen to me today. I could actually feel her breath on my neck. Urgh.

fieldfare · 05/01/2015 16:30

Omg, someone's breath on the back of your neck?! Why on earth don't you just ask them to back up a bit?! It doesn't have to be a confrontation or aggressive, but if it makes you feel uncomfortable enough to post about it why not say something there and then to stop it?

PoppySausage · 05/01/2015 16:30

Oh the people who lean on your bag really make me mad! Then you move, they follow and resume lean... Grrrr

CakeAndWineAreAFoodGroup · 05/01/2015 16:50

A well timed eggy fart does wonders to maintain your personal space.

MinceSpy · 05/01/2015 17:09

Oh Zippy that has me crying with laughter!!!

PickleSarnie · 05/01/2015 17:14

Bit different, but I was on an unbelievably packed tube. Certainly no room to read a paper - I couldn't even lift my arm. A really tall woman next to me though was using my head to rest her paper on. I get that you don't really get the chance for much personal space on the tube (which is why I hate it so much) but to actually use me to create space for herself was bloody rude. Bloke on other side of the carriage saw me getting more and more annoyed and shouted out "Oi, you, yes you with the paper on that ladies' head. Stop it. It's rude and annoying". I could have kissed him. If that hadn't have been weirder than a woman using my head as a paper rest obviously

oldestmumaintheworld · 05/01/2015 17:32

Oh Pickle, I feel your pain. I've got so annoyed with people creeping up on me in queues and getting too close that now I say 'Please go ahead of me if you are in such a hurry'. This probably works though because I am ancient, bolshy and don't care about the tutters. I've found that men are particularly bad. I usually smile broadly while saying it. In the past (when younger) might not have been brave enough so maybe it's one of the advantages of getting older. But might also be as a result of teaching my daughter how to deal with bottom pinchers/twichers/gropers on the tube. Stand up straight and say loudly 'please get your hand off me' I was taught this in the 70s by my Dad. Works every time.

Lunastarfish · 05/01/2015 17:33

I got into a huge argument with a woman at the Eiffel tower for pushing me when queuing for the second lift. There was absolutely no where for me to go and pushing me want going to make the lift come any faster!!

peppersaunt · 05/01/2015 18:04

My pet peeve is the ones who stand beside me rather than behind me, though the attempts to climb up my bum are a close second!

chocolateorsalad · 05/01/2015 18:07

YANBU.

And I fucking hate when you finally reach they till, they practically breathe down your neck while you pay. Had a woman almost side-by-side to me once while at a self-service ticket machine. I asked her if she was alright in the end because no amount of side eye was giving her the hint to back off!

Original poster

primarynoodle · 05/01/2015 18:20

side eye

OP posts:

sliceofsoup · 05/01/2015 18:48

I am much more prepared to say something now when I am out and about. Maybe too much sometimes.

The reason I didn't say anything was also because I was younger then and she was probably late 60s and looked a bit posh. I dont know why but I felt I couldn't disrespect my elders.

VodkaJelly · 05/01/2015 19:57

Fart, a loud rumbler with a leg lift and shake at the end always works for DP, I was quite repulsed at first but find it funny now. He doesnt do it often but by God it works, people are normally jumping backwards to get away.

I read on here somewhere a lovely retort which i am saving up to use. Turn to the twat who is virtually pressed up against you and say "The last person who got that close to my arse bought me dinner first".

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