couples walking through shops holding hands

[DosDuchas]

Has anyone ever BARGED through the barrier they create and shouted STOP HOLDING HANDS FGS YOU ANNOYING PEOPLE?
( or perhaps something snappier?)

marks and spencer today - it was like british bloody bulldog, especially when the man LEADS the woman through the shops, swerving past racks of clothes, creating a four foot wide barrier

Well this is getting ridiculous. A couple who like to hold hands must neither be teens or cuddly elderly folk. They are also alleged to consider themselves more important than others, they walk too slowly, they assume the pavements and roads are just for them, they are selfish, they probably share a couple-y email account. All this is guesswork and assumption and bollocks.

This thread has become a pile of demonizing crap. Hand holding is an act of affection. Blocking the pavements is a bit rude, but it's not usually, or even always, because a couple likes to hold hands. Gangs of schoolkids also block pavements, as do old folk. Why not just have a thread about pavement blockers.

Honestly, when holding hands becomes a Mumsnet crime I really will give up.

Yes, and I have a bit of a pet theory that not all those old couples are holding hands because of a lifetime of love; sometimes they are just holding each other up.

No, Miss, it hasn't.

Hold hands, don't hold hands.

But, if you hold hands, it generally nessates walking two abreast. If you walk two abreast and refuse to let go of one another, you will get in the way of other people.

So when I am walking down the street holding my daughters hand, and a couple walk towards us clinging onto one another, ONE of us has to give way. As you can tell my my annoyance, it's generally me. Not because people are being deliberately rude, but because they are oblivious.

It's meant I've been barged into, shoved, had to let go of my daughter, leap into the road and press myself up against the side of a shop. I really shouldn't have to do that.

I don't object to hand holding per se but if it is busy and you insist on walking two abreast, it's an obstruction.

I don't know, I have learned lots from Mumsnet over the years.

That the five year old in a buggy might have mobility problems.

That the fussy eater might have issues with food that embarass her and mess up her life.

Hopefully some people will read this thread and realise that the slim attractive woman clinging to her DP's hand and refusing to let go might not be doing it because her lurve is more important than you getting down the pavement quickly. She might be doing it because she's likely to fall in the gutter if she lets go.

I am not really interested in why people hold hands Tinkly, as long as they don't force me or my children off the pavement because of it.

It's basic manners. Very basic. My junior school aged child has mastered it.

DH and I always hold hands when not pushing a pushchair or holding kids hands.

A good piece of advice to a newly married couple is 'never stop holding hands.'

If you barged through us I'd think you were a sad, childish, violent fuckwit.

Holding hands is one thing.
Today I saw a couple crossing the road together stop in the middle of the road to hug. Seriously, wtf?

But surely you'd move to single file if you were blocking the pavement, Madame, then no barging will happen.

You'd hope ... not round here

I am convinced the hand holders live in my town. ALL OF THEM!

Holding hands and not separating if you are blocking people is rude.

I completely agree there. Telling people they only hold hands as they have something to prove, is pathetic and rude.

When we all go out as a family (7 of us) I am very conscious of taking up the path so we get behind in a line when people are coming past or if they are behind us.

FWIW there is a Harold Shipman look alike in every town too

At least one

People holding hands don't bother me, looks cute to me especially if it's an elderly couple.

People who amble slowly, especially on the underground during rush hour, people who sudden stop dead in a flow of walking traffic fuckers, people who take up the whole pavement for selfish reasons, people who block you...if they are holding hands doing those things then they piss me off.

A good piece of advice to a newly married couple is 'never stop holding hands.'

True story, when DH and I were newly weds we were given this very piece of advice.

DH and I hold hands, it's habit now - I just don't think and I reach for his hand and he mine. I don't see what difference it makes if we're holding hands or just walking side by side, we're clearly together. Would you barge through a couple of people who were obviously together talking? Or would you move around?

irritating, if you were taking up a narrow path I'd barge through if you didn't move to single file. No reason why I should walk in the road, surely?

I hold my DHs hand. We are one of those awful couples who will hug in a supermarket queue. If someone is coming on the path, we tend to go single file.

What pisses me off though, are the people who decide to stop and chat in the centre of the path/aisle so everyone else has to circumnavigate them. If you want to stop and chat, just move to the side - it's not that difficult.

No reason why I should walk in the road, surely?

No, no reason why you should. DH and I are considerate to other path users, don't you be fretting.

I was walking through town today and ventured into some shops all the while holding hands with dh - wondering to myself how many strangers I was pissing off

Perhaps if you held someone's hand you wouldn't have anger management issues? Just a thought...

Ah yes, hand holding, the cure to all anger issues on what planet

Helps with a sense of humour too apparently. You should try it, fiveacres...

Holding someone's hand doesn't help with anger issues.

Thus, it was rather a shit 'joke'!

irritating, if you were taking up a narrow path I'd barge through if you didn't move to single file. No reason why I should walk in the road, surely?

Oh dear, anger issues. Anger management may help with that.

*I am not really interested in why people hold hands Tinkly, as long as they don't force me or my children off the pavement because of it.

It's basic manners. Very basic. My junior school aged child has mastered it.*

carry on in your own little bubble then Fiveacres. Heaven forbid you should look beyond the obvious.

Or holding hands, which isn't generally known to assist with anger issues!

However, someone only has an anger 'problem' if the anger is disproportionate to the offence.

It is perfectly reasonable and not indicative of an anger problem to be irritated by people behaving in a manner that is inconsiderate and selfish.

How does that denote anger issues?