AIBU to think it's weird to sit 1 seat away when the rest of the room is empty?!

[early30smum]

DD has a gym class tonight. Too far for me to go home and get back in time so am waiting in the reception area. Me and precisely 1 other person. Approx 25 seats all around the room all the same kind and yet this 1 lady sits ONE seat away from me (they are close together!) when she could have sat anywhere. Not like there is a plug or anything she's using near the seat. AIBU to think it's a little odd? I'd always choose to sit further away if there was space?!

People are like sheep.

YANBU and the same goes for buses, restaurants...

I think it's quite sweet that someone has chosen to sit near you.

And cinemas. Loads of people do this in cinemas. A whole empty cinema and they sit in front of my seat.

Maybe she was hoping to chat or make a new friend. Some people take their kids to these things hoping to meet new mum friends. X

Could be all sorts of reasons - maybe she did fancy / hope for a chat, or maybe she chose that part of the room for the same reasons as you.... better light / view of the door / view out the window / not wanting to be by a radiator / whatever.

I've found people always do this...winds me up. I'd go the loo and sit somewhere else when I go back.

She's gone now. She definitely didn't want to chat- she was on her phone the whole time! I would totally get the wanting to make friends thing if it was for younger children etc but this place is very much drop and go (unless you live too far!) you can't watch the kids etc. no window, no radiator, honestly there was no reason to chose this particular seat. Might just be me though-I don't like being too near people so maybe am just over sensitive to thinking why on earth would you actively choose that seat.

I give you this. Massive car park and they park right beside me so I can't get the rear back door open.

I was fuming!!!!

Yanbu, I like my own space. I despise people who sit / stand close to me for no good reason.

You need to eat more garlic.

If that doesn't work then try herring. Problem solved.

The car park thing happens to me a lot. I really don't get it. I move the car again if it's before I got out.

Early I hate being too close to people too, I feel your pain. I probably would have gone to the toilet, and when coming back moved to another row of seats

Wips that is the most annoying thing ever! I always park far away to avoid 'car neighbours'.
We need a new parking thread - I miss those!

I thought there was an unspoken rule about this? There certainly is on my bus. 1st you take a vacant row odds, then evens until they're all taken. Then the aisle seats odds 1st, then evens. It's a rule surely?

YANBU

Seriously I think people who do this are utter twats who have no sense of personal space or like to make people feel uncomfortable.

1 seat away isn't terrible, not like right beside you, but still pretty odd.

I went to the cinema a few weeks ago, booked premier seats online because they are slightly more comfortable for my bad back, and noticed there were no other bookings for the screening at that time.

We turn up on the day and take our seats, entire cinema is empty for ages. About 6 other people turn up gradually and take random seats scattered all over. Then two arse holes turn up and sit in 2 premier seats right beside us.

Why even do that? Twats.

There were 2 empty rows of premier seats, and the rest the our row also empty. I didn't want to spend the whole film feeling uncomfortable with my back and needing to switch positions, and was worried I would annoy them by fidgeting. So I glared at them and moved a few seats along. They looked ever so put out that we moved. But who the hell wants to sit that close to strangers?!

I have to agree. We (me and DH) have also been in the cinema with only 20 in the whole auditorium that fits 200, and someone will come along and sit right in front of us, or right next to us. And I'm like

We have also moved before too. And yeah they do look annoyed LOL. Why? I don't even know them FGS!

I have been somewhere with say, 40 seats, and there has been just one other person - or two - and I won't sit next to someone, but probably 5 seats away. So I don't seem rude, but don't invade their personal space IYSWIM...

OMG the cinema thing! DH and I used to go to a small local cinema on a Sunday lunchtime. Often there would be no-one else there. If anyone came in, they would, without fail, make a beeline for us and sit right in front, behind or next to us despite the completely empty cinema.

People are just weird. I think that's basically it.

worst case of unnecessary space-nearness is in the gym changing rooms. I mean, really, why?

Do you mean she left one empty chair between you?

That I'd be fine with. Maybe she didn't want to appear antisocial by sitting at the other end of the room!

The very next chair in an empty room - weird and would make me feel all pinched toes and uncomfortable!

Near enough to start a conversation, or a comfort buffer zone if other people were to have appeared. Not so far away as to make you concerned you smell, not so near as to make you sweat