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My silliest pet peeve happens when I’m walking down the sidewalk and there is a group of two or more folks walking the opposite direction who refuse to move over and give everyone else room to walk past them.
Occasionally, I’ve had to step into the road for a moment to get past that wall of obliviousness because they won’t even acknowledge a polite “excuse me!” (If concerned elders of my family read this, please note I only do it as a last resort on very quiet streets).
It’s totally understandable why someone might need more than half or even all of a narrow sidewalk if they’re using a bulky mobility device like a motorized scooter, pushing a stroller, carrying an oversized load, or otherwise in genuine need of lots of extra space. This pet peeve is not directed at them in any way.
But nobody who is able-bodied and walking with empty hands should be taking up 100% of the sidewalk. It’s only polite to remain aware of one’s surroundings, pause, walk behind your friends for 10 seconds, and allow the rest of us to exist in public spaces, too.
This irritates me more than it probably should. Thus ends my rant. 😉
Totally understandable, IMO. It’s the same with me in a shopping cnetre — when parents and/ or kids are walking in front of me and strolling and not worried that there are people behind them trying to pass — it’s a very small mall, with lots of pop-up stories, so traffic has two paths, and they tend to flow in one direction. And I am forver stuck behind people who stroll like they have all the time in the world.
That sounds very irritating. Sorry to hear you have to deal with it, too.
Yep yep yep! Sometimes if someone is walking towards me and doing this, I just look away very obviously (trying to look like I didn’t notice them). That way they’re forced to move out of the way or bump into me.
I don’t know why I do this but it almost always works so that they move. And I cheer inside like I won a prize hahaha.
My post: https://whiskeyonmykindleblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/22/wednesday-challenge-my-silliest-pet-peeves/
I’ll have to try that next time! Good advice.
My favorite walking/running peeve is when the people have a group of children and don’t get the children to merge into a single-file line to let ANYONE pass on the sidewalk or they simply ignore the children all the way around because they’re too involved in their conversation. I’ve had to deal with this very often at the trails where I walk and there are horses there, too. People ride their horses on the trails. Do the people with kids let them run all over when the horses near, too? Don’t they realize it can spook the horse? Sorry. Rant over. 🙂 Good post.
Thank you, Megan. And, yes, that’s really annoying (and dangerous, too, when horses are involved).
I loved your GIF! I totally agree with you. It happens to me all the time. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! Glad you liked it and sorry this happens to you, too.
Oh I agree with you there. The other thing I hate is two or more people in a narrow space talking and don’t care if other people want to get by. Grrr. http://pmprescott.blogspot.com/2020/04/wednesday-challenge-042220.html
For sure. 🙂
OMG, yes. This is a very annoying pet peeve and — depending on the group — it can feel quite scary at times, too. Some groups seem to try to take up more space when they see someone approaching from the opposite direction. (Though I haven’t noticed this since we all started social distancing, luckily.)
Yes, it definitely can feel scary at times. One good thing about social/physical distancing is that this isn’t common anymore.
Yes!! If I’m out walking with my husband we’ll automatically go to a single-line of walking to give room for others. Except now, we actually go out of our way (including walking into the street) to avoid any person(s). Great post!
Thanks for visiting mine. 🙂
Good for you! And you’re welcome.
I encounter this in the grocery store a LOT. These aisles are small enough as it is, do you and your kids really need to take it all up?
https://nerdyreadergirl.wordpress.com/2020/04/22/wednesday-weekly-blogging-challenge-april-22-2020/
I hear you there! Some folks do have to take their kids shopping, but they could at least teach them to walk single file. Ha.
I’m yet to find a way to politely ask people to move over to the side so I can walk past them. Sigh!!
Yeah, it’s tricky for sure.
This is my life right now, too. I have walked out into the street (after looking both ways, of course) to avoid people. I’ve unfortunately had a few cross my path who weren’t wearing face coverings and I’ve panicked over it, but I’m concentrating on doing my part.
Sorry you’re dealing with it, too! Sheesh.
This is a great one, Lydia! I didn’t even think of this one, but we experience this a lot on all the greenways we have around. And especially now! Please just give an inch. Thanks for sharing today.
Thank you! I sure hope this trend ends soon.
We have a trail on an old electric train right-of-way running close to our house. I hate when people in spandex ride up on bikes behind you, while you’re walking, and they don’t say anything! Shouting “On your left,” or “Passing on your left,” would warn me. But not saying anything means that you’re suddenly there, startling me on my enjoyable nature walk. Or running into my husband, who tends not to walk in a straight line, but meanders a couple of feet in either direction. People just aren’t polite, then they bitch about the lack of manners these days–when they’re some of the biggest offenders!
I always walk to the right when they say “on your right,” too. It should totally be the opposite way around.
I hope you have quiet, pleasant walks this spring among – but not too close to – other polite people. 🙂
I get it. I’m usually the one with the stroller and the trail of kids behind me walking like little ducklings. But people have done that to me where I had to stop on the sidewalk to allow them to pass when I knew if I kept going I would hit them with the stroller. Maybe if I didn’t have a baby in the stroller I’d just run them over. lol
Oh, too funny!
I totally get this one. Particularly now. It baffles me when people don’t do this NOW, of all times.
Exactly!
Oh, I am sooo with you on this one. Especially at the moment when we’re meant to be social distancing. I’m being driven mad by joggers who will not keep their distance on my morning walks. The selfishness of it makes me want to scream at them.
I totally hear you there. Ugh.
I agree. Particularly right now when we have to keep a long way apart.
For sure!
Loved the aside to the concerned elders. HA!
I also agree that this peeve is not silly, but entirely legitimate. One of my pet peeves, whicj is probably totally unfair and the fault of my wonky brain is when cyclists yell “On your left/right!” While I appreciate the warning, I inevitably move in whatever direction they’ve called out. I wish they would say “Move right/left!” I think I’d react to that more sensibly.
Ruth
Heh, thank you. And I totally agree with you on the move right/left thing.
This drives me nuts too! It should be common courtesy to move aver a bit!
Precisely!
That isn’t too silly! It’s quite annoying a rude! LOL