And the thing is a lot of people don’t even realise half the time that they’re in the way and invading other people’s personal space. It’s like there’s a social code of propriety and at least semi-correct public behaviour that only about 48% of people have signed up to. The other half won’t budge unless you literally push past them in the aisle or on the underground.

People with BO as well, like really really strong BO, strong enough to stink out a corner shop...they must know fgs!!

Technically it's a village, but it's virtually adjacent to the town (where I grew up) so I've always just seen it as a big neighborhood :joker:

When I moved here I had to stand on the other side of the barrel on Boxing Day :hehe:
(Which won't make sense to people not from nearby)

Another one (save for being roped-into unnecessary small-talk but that’s something that applies even when it’s at home if you’re surrounded by socially-extraverted folk who can’t be in silence for more than two waking seconds) is when you walk into a restaurant (and the like) and the staff expect you to have your order ready to tell them (literally the minute you pop your head through the other side of the door). Can you not at least give someone 5 minutes?

The forced small-talk thing is a real pet-peeve though (wherever it happens). What’s really awkward in social contexts is forcing empty conversation with people who aren’t interested (unless they’ve signalled to you in some intuitive way that they don’t mind having a bit of chit-chat with you) but generally when you’re out-and-about it’s best not to go up to people wearing headphones (it’s just as-much an introvert’s non-verbal cue that they don’t want to be disturbed as it is a sign of someone just listening to music) and talk to them unnecessarily (by all-means, grab their attention if it’s something you really do actually-need to communicate with them). I still expect people to be polite but that can be done non-verbally or with a simple cordial greeting that doesn’t force them to reply on-the-spot. Silence really isn’t awkward unless you make it like-so.

I find that at takeaways when as soon as you walk in they look at you expecting your order straight away when there's a row of 6 different boards to consider

Restaurants I don't mind as its easier to say you need a couple more minutes and I prefer attentive waiting staff to those who leave you for ages. Worst thing is when they seat you with menus but don't take a drinks order early on and only come back to you a while later for the whole order, I want to enjoy a drink while I consider the menu damn it :fist:

To be fair, I tend to just ask for drinks straight-up in the occasions that I do dine-out (not that I have for a while because of how expensive and tight everything is at the moment) but I know what you mean.

Agreed about attentive staff (so long as they don’t ask you what you’re having as soon-as lay-eye on you) being better than the ones who leave you hanging for half-an-hour but when it’s busy I understand. I think there’s a balance to strike between giving people a minute to order and disappearing for ages.

At grocery stores when the bagger or cashier can't properly bag. I used to be a bagger and was so careful but everyone else seems to put food together with toiletries and pet food, crushed bread, bags that are so heavy they rip open or so light you have to take twice as long getting them inside.

I’ve always bag my own stuff but the fact that I use self-service check-outs a lot more than standard-tills probably helps with that. I tend-to just take a big Waitrose/Home-Bargain/s bag and a few little Morrisons bags I’ve accumulated and take it from there when I’m shopping. But even at-that I’m not exact about the way things are packed, so long as nothing gets squished and I know where to look for whatever-items I’ve bagged.

Women with pushchairs do that to , very selfish.

Is there anything you guys do to recharge from all the selfishness and lack of consideration that’s out there once you’re back in your space and you have a chance to (literally, even) shut the door on the world? Any favourite routines you dive into after a long week of silent public-aggravation (other than wine/beer-slushing - that’s too-obvious)?

I personally just let the bitterness build up.

And how’s that working-out for you?

:joker:

No one bags the shopping in the UK, in some shops (Aldi) they dont even give you time to bag you are expected to fire it back into the trolley and wheel away to bag it in a different location.

There is also a big push for self service tills do you have those, basically where you do everything yourself, scan the bar code and bag

Ocado home delivery bag everything up for you, take the bags out of the pallets and hand them to you and then refund the cost of the bags at the next visit if you return them. No other home delivery does that

I have a few, I hate it when people just drop litter, same with dog poo that is left ,people who decide to have a chat in the middle of the shops or pavements, cars parking on pavements unless there is no alternative, ill manners, people who walk their dogs in extreme heat after being told not to, unruly kids, Waiters who hang around your table while your eating I think a lot of the human race is annoying to be honest :laugh:

it would be easier to say the world annoys you :joker:

Your probably spot on Bots,:laugh: The world is fine it's some of the people in it that spoil it.:wavey:

I used to get my shopping delivered this was pre pandemic but tbh I do like to go out and see what is on offer :laugh:

Has anyone-else noticed a weird lack of sympathy that’s been present (to varying degrees) in public spaces since the hottest part of the pandemic ended? I feel like someone could slip and sprain their ankle on a wet aisle in Morrisons and only two people would bat an eyelid (and I’m not even talking about central London). Little-over ten years ago more people-than-not would give their last spare pound-coin just for someone short of bus-fare to be able to board but these days people seem more-and-more selfish and unsympathetic. I know naturally-cold personas have always existed (and in itself it’s not even such a bad thing) but basic public courtesy seems to have decreased in the past 10 years. Even in places like Liverpool (where it’s definitely still there but not to the extent that it was).

Hasn't been working in my favor so far, but I'm gonna keep trying. I'm no quitter.

Oh that's awful. There is one store in town that doesn't bag and I don't step foot in the place, I just consider it so cheap and rude of them. I wouldn't be able to stand people hurrying me or not giving me space, either. I will take my time and they can wait or change their business practices to accomodate the people waiting behind me.

Shut curtains....bloody disgrace at half 8 in the morning.

I know people can be annoying (especially if you’re quite reticent/shy and feel all the loud intrusiveness of all the hyper.-outgoing people out there with a certain discomfort) but I try not to let it get to me on a deep level because I remind myself that they could-well be nice people and annoyed by some of the stuff that peeves me off (people hogging your space in shopping aisles and whatnot); they just might-not realise they’re doing it (they might be half-asleep; they might have a lot on their mind). It’s still annoying but I prefer to reserve all the bitterness I’m internally-capable of for the people who (in my eyes) deserve it. where unassuming strangers are concerned it’s not personal. It’s still hella-annoying, but it’s nothing personal still.

Drivers insisting on you taking the right-of-way when you’re on-foot and taking a breather before you cross the road.

Nice gesture, love/buddy, but I legit. need to catch my breath so you might-as-well drive-off, trust-me.