to wish tall people would all F off sometimes

[LaMaG]

OK, I know I am BU. I am 5'3", so not tiny. I went to a gig last night to a group that I was a huge fan of as a teenager and as soon as I arrived I realised there was no televised screen therefore I would not see anything. I should have seen it coming, it was a summer festival tent, not a venue as such with facilities. I moved around a bit eventually catching glimpses of the band every now again only to be immediately blocked again by a big person standing in front.

This weekend I also had my DD's gymnastics display which was a local thing with fold up chairs in a gym. A child sat in front of me and only then did I realise the huge relief I felt as I had been anxious a big man would sit in front and that was it ruined for me. Yes I could have craned my neck and been uncomfortable but DD would not have seen me and she was really nervous and needed to keep looking to me for reassurance.

It just got me thinking of all the times in my life I have paid to see something but just spent my time looking at the back of big stupid necks and shoulders, of feeling like my face was shoved into an arm pit. I have lost interest in live music and certain other things for this very reason but we are supposed to just put up with it, tough luck its your fault for being smaller.

Would it really be unreasonable for allowances to be made. I get there are many working problems with segregation by size but it seems to me that its not completely unworkable. For example there could be a priority viewing area in the front of gigs for people under 5'5", if they chose to move there. Or in a more casual setting, would be it unreasonable to ask - God forbid - that a taller person sits on the back row. I find it hard to believe tall people are all so selfish, I'm sure many would comply but this needs to be organised and normalised. It would be no more unfair than a person paying for a ticket not to see what they paid for.

I think op is getting a hard time. She's asking for a bit of consideration.
I get what you mean as I am shorter than you and even when people in the row in front of me stood up at a gig recently (in a tiered football stadium) I still couldn't see when I also stood up behind them.

So why can’t the tall person sit in the front with their partner and hope that no midgets are behind them?

I think she’s just rude TBH!

This is rude. "Midget" ffs

I'm 5 foot 1 and can imagine most seating etc is harder for tall people. I never feel hemmed in anywhere I'm seated. My husband is 5 foot 9 so not particularly tall and struggles enough in some places so it must be hard for 6 foot plus people. I don't like gigs unless you're seated anyway and would always pick a decent seat with good viewing space anyway. Same with cars. Anyone of average height looks so tiny and squashed in my lovely mini!

Like many others have pointed out, there are many situations where life is simpler for a short person (flights for example). Where do we draw the line OP? Cause you haven’t experienced the agony of having really long legs underneath the seat in front for a 10 hour flight. Maybe we should be prioritised.

That's mean. I can't say I'm bitter about being short, I quite like it. But im not nasty about tall people either. No one chooses their height.

I go to the theatre with the kids a bit and obviously they are v short. I try and book front of the circle or back row of stalls where they can sit on a couple of stacked booster cushions without bothering anyone or barring that right by aisle so you look at an angle to the stage and can generally see between people. If you know your view might be limited anyway going with back/near front at side gets you cheaper tickets 🤷🏼‍♀️

As a tall person with lots of disadvantages (buying clothes, sitting in a car/plane, backache), being able to see at gigs and musicals is one of the perks and I won’t apologise.

I think everyone under 5ft 8in should be culled, for the general improvement of the human race..

See, I can be nasty and awful too!

I suppose there is almost always someone taller though. I am 5'7" and have been to concerts where I still can't see.

@blahblahblah1654 the op is very bitter.

@BlastedPimples yeah I see what you mean there!

I've adapted too but draw the line at trying to get anything out of the bottom of freezers in the supermarket. I don't want to end face down in one with my little legs flaying around.

Why do they put small sized shoes high up anyway? Madness and no thought for us at all.

Exactly the same here. I'm 4'11 and just don't bother. I spent my childrens' childhoods hardly seeing a glimpse of them in their plays and concerts. Tall, usually male, loud people, with big hair always ended up in front of me. 🙄

im with you OP

YABVU - as a tall person myself almost 6ft I used to go to an exercise class. I always arrived early to secure my preferred spot at the back of the class (where I could see the instructor and wouldn’t be in the way of any person of your height and I made sure I was so close to the back that no sane smaller person would try to stand behind me). Then right at the last minute or as the class was starting or already under way an entitled shorter person of a similar height to you or more than one person would come along and either insist on trying to stand directly behind me (although I would say its ok you can go in front of me) or else they would try to stand next to me allowing me no arm room to do the exercises properly and making me feel squashed in. They would spend the rest of the class tutting, sighing and craning their necks to try and see over me, through me or see to the side of me and making me feel very awkward and uncomfortable.

At a concert if its fairly chilled and its a tiny person or if I am watching something and i am near the front I will often move or ask if someone want to go in front (especially if I M with DH who is even smaller). But men much taller than me never do this and its everyone for themselves.

If going to watch my children in a school play or concert or something like gymnastics I would get off my backside and make the effort to get there very early and find the best seat I could even if its at the front or the edge so I have more leg room, so my child could see me and I can see them and to ensure I wasn’t squashing my legs too much or impinging on anyone else as little as possible.

As a short person I would ensure I always arrived early not behave in such an entitled way and if I couldn’t do this I wouldn’t moan or complain loudly I would sit quietly and learn a lesson for next time and or maybe take a cushion for next time.

That should have said taller for DH who is 6ft 4 not smaller.

I often see a small person who has bagged an end seat or a front seat with more leg room but its tough I have to get there early or suffer in silence.

I feel your pain. I think the problem is that tall people have no idea what it is like not to be tall - to them, they are the norm. The number of tall and wide people who will plunk themselves in front of me, because it hasn't even crossed their mind that they are completely blocking my view. They have moved to wear they can see, which is reasonable to them, and have never considered that they may be of a size that will impact on those being them.

At 5foot 1, I am pretty much resigned to not seeing things/having a restricted view. It is the reality of my life, while having a great view and blocking others is the reality of big people's lives.

I mean festival tents are the worst, otherwise you can usually muscle to the front or get a surprisingly good view from the bar (my preferred these days). There’s a cohort of incredibly annoying young women who will jab their finger at your shoulder and go Can I go in front please?? when you’re clinging to the railing, maybe join their ranks

I’m 5ft but flying on easy jet is a doddle so nyah

At 4 ft 11 I feel your pain. There is nothing worse than a tall person sitting in front or standing in front of a short person, they have zero understanding of how irrating it is not being able to see! I no longer go to gigs, concerts for this very reason.

i used to queue up hours before doors open for gigs to get to the front row to enjoy the band I had paid money to see. If someone moved me to the back because I’m taller than most women I’d be really miffed!

We'll have gigs, you can be seated in comfort in aeroplanes and trains and have access to the full range of trousers in any shop.

Believe me, tall women are constantly reminded we're taking up more space than is appropriate for our sex.

Wow I've always hated being tall, it's been a source of constant anxiety my whole life being the freakish one next to any group of friends I've ever had. Nice to see from the vitriol here that I've always been right to worry about what people think about me, despite it being out of my control!

If you have an issue with being able to see due to height, you need to get to places early enough to get the spot you want.

Being at the back when you're tall might not mean you can't see, but whatever you've payed for will just be off in the distance - tall people don't have superpower vision! How about lower priced tickets for anyone happy to stay at the back and just see vaguely what's going on.

Also how about shorter folk stop sitting at the table seats on trains, and the extra legroom seats on planes etc, and leave those for tall people - agter all, it's just considerate!

I am 5’3 and I think you are bonkers, particularly in the standing up example.
However, with the garden chairs example I wish more people would arrange them “bricklaying” stile, so each row is placed with the middle of the chair lined up in between the two chairs in front. It’s easy to do and would make life easier for us short ones.