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Why cant people respect personal space?

13 replies

user1497207191 · 24/06/2020 07:55

After the last 3 months, I thought people would actually have some common sense. But no.

I've been shielding (properly, not the "shielding when it suits me kind"). Yesterday had to take our rabbit to the vets. It's like GPs where you wait outside and then phone you when you can go in. When they phoned, they said to go in and wait outside room 1. So I go in and there is the large waiting room area. Room 1 to the left, room 2 to the right, each with a single chair 2 or 3 metres from the door, and loads of yellow/black striped tape on the floor clearly segretating the two halves of the waiting room. It's empty when I go in. I leave bunny in its carrier by the door as instructed and walk back to sit in the chair. A couple of minutes later, the vet opens the door, we have a 2 metre chat and he takes bunny away. Later, he puts bunny back outside, tells me what's the problem and says he's prescribing the drugs etc and will be 5 mins or so, so after hes gone, I go to get bunny and sit down again. I'm thinking how well organised it is, how safe it is etc.

Then this stupid woman walks in. Completely ignores the signs, markings etc and comes straight over to me. Stands right in front of me and asks where room 2 is. So I point over to the other side of the room and she heads over there. The vet opens the door, but shes literally stood inches from the door so he tells her to stand back. She takes one step back, still less than 2m, so he tells her to go sit on the chair. So she goes over and picks up the chair and brings it back and puts it right nect to the door. So he tells her to move it back. Eventually, she's 2m away and they have a conversation about her cat and he takes it away. Then, she picks up her chair and brings it over and puts in next to mine and sits down, less than 1m away and starts chatting and wanting to look at bunny etc. I say I need space as I'm shielding and stand up, and walk to the other side of the room, but she follows me and starts talking about her cat etc, less than 2m away. Finally the vet reappears, gives me the medicine and I excape.

Just why can some people not follow simple instructions and are incapable of social distancing even when told to? People need to learn how to respect other peoples' space. I can understand crowded places, but this was a big empty waiting room. I hope the majority have more common sense than this woman.

OP posts:
Finfintytint · 24/06/2020 08:06

Some people are a bit thick or just don’t care.
I had woman bound up to me in the supermarket while I was wiping the trolley down. She brushed past my shoulder and then reached across me. Told her to keep back and her reply was “ it’s ok, it doesn’t matter”.

Realitea · 24/06/2020 08:12

Gosh I’d be raging at that lady! I think some people are just unable to follow rules or she’s in denial. Or just thick

ekidmxcl · 24/06/2020 08:22

Some people are not just twats but nasty, selfish and give no shits about anything at all. Not your life, probably not even theirs.

Yesterday I was in a (food) shop and me and 4 other people were in an aisle all observing the 2m. We were waiting for one person to finish what they were getting. It was VERY clear what was going on. A man approached, saw the situation, clearly thought fuck that I'm not waiting. Walked within a few inches of me, approached the person at the shelf (again a few inches) I was waiting to access and took what he wanted. Gave NO shits, broke rules deliberately and brazenly and nobody dared to challenge him.

And re current affairs, this type of individual who ignores any rules or norms around him is the type of person who I believe causes other problems in society like racism. A person who has no trouble violating social norms would have no trouble being racist. Your average ordinary person isn't racist.

I don't know how society deals with the type of person I described and I firmly believe most of society's problems are caused by a very small number of people like this person.

Orangeblossom78 · 24/06/2020 08:28

But you aren't shielding if you are at the vets? Confused- we had the letter to end it yesterday and it said not until the end of July

YinuCeatleAyru · 24/06/2020 08:28

I don't think that's typical. she sounds developmentally challenged. have you let the vets know what happened? obviously they will already know about her behaviour with their staff but maybe don't know what she did with you. she should be barred from coming into the premises again until the covid crisis is over - she can drop off her cat at the front door and come back later.

Orangeblossom78 · 24/06/2020 08:29

PS Our vets makes people wait outside and collects the pets from there. Seeing as you are vulnerable maybe you could request that in future? Seems might be sensible

BogRollBOGOF · 24/06/2020 08:44

Stupid. The original global pandemic. No vaccine. We have to learn live with it. Wink

I'll be a bit kinder... with the unfamiliarity and variation of the roolz in different settings it is a bit bewildering and can make people do daft things as they're trying to make sense of the protocol in an individual setting.
I've been to 3 different chippies. 3 different protocols.
1: entrance and exit (opposite to normal) go in, stay in. 2 at a time.
2: served at door. Order side, collection side, step back on wide pavement to wait.
3: go in. Order. Go out. Go in to collect.

cologne4711 · 24/06/2020 08:47

Yesterday I was in a (food) shop and me and 4 other people were in an aisle all observing the 2m. We were waiting for one person to finish what they were getting. It was VERY clear what was going on. A man approached, saw the situation, clearly thought fuck that I'm not waiting. Walked within a few inches of me, approached the person at the shelf (again a few inches) I was waiting to access and took what he wanted. Gave NO shits, broke rules deliberately and brazenly and nobody dared to challenge him

I wouldn't have waited either and I'm not a racist sociopath. Just not waiting while someone dithers around choosing what brand of marmalade they want. Admittedly I don't know how narrow the aisle was, but generally they're not 2m wide. I wear a face covering, get what I need and am gone - in the vanishingly unlikely case I have the virus, I can't pass it on in that timeframe.

However, I agree that people don't understand personal space. In the OP's case it sounds like the woman may have had problems - most people would have said sorry and stepped back if someone was shielding. But in most cases I think it's deliberate eg standing really close to people on platforms because you're in the best place for the door and they want to intimidate you into moving up a bit so they can get that place. And don't get me started on the couples and groups who refuse to walk single file on paths.

My mum said someone pushed past the queue for her local pharmacy yesterday but she gave the lady the benefit of the doubt as she had a guide dog so may not have seen the queue and said nobody else said anything.

nether · 24/06/2020 08:49

Agree with the bit thick and don't care

People who are additinally vulnerable are having a hard time at the moment.

If there was a default setting if 'keep 2m away from strangers' mindset (unless you've chosen to go inside premises with a lower set distance) then I think everyone wouid both feel safer and be safer.

I think something of that underlies '2m or 1m+' idea, but think the 'it's gone down tom1m!!!!!' headlines have holed that, probably irretrievably. Which is a pity

Kerberos · 24/06/2020 08:54

I have noticed that those who are wearing face masks seem to be less bothered about 2m than those who aren't.

picklemewalnuts · 24/06/2020 08:59

Some people are very herd minded. They cling to the familiar, and follow other people. It's the kind of driver who follows right up your tail despite not being in a rush.

For someone like that being isolated and separate is uncomfortable- they probably don't realise, they subconsciously behave so as to rarely experience it.

ekidmxcl · 24/06/2020 09:18

Cologne: you say you wouldn’t pass the virus on, ok probably true. But you actually are responsible for accepting the rules of the shop, which are clearly stated on the door, 2m distance. It’s so that everyone feels OK in there and they continue coming. It is not up to you to break their rules because you think it’s ok.

picklemewalnuts · 24/06/2020 09:26

Cologne the guide dog thing is different- dogs don't know about corona virus and queuing. He keeps doing what he's been trained to do, regardless.

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