GenGap, I am so sorry to hear about people pushing you when you were having such severe problems with your back. Sometimes people pushed me too, and it usually made me lose control of my cane with the tip landing hard on their toes. Sometimes I even apologized. :lol:
My Pet Peeve (part 1)
- Thread starter gc
- Start date
I'm gonna be a Pollyanna here - because I'm one of the creeps in a crowd who give people their space - tell them to move ahead, stop and give the right of way in traffic - smile - wave and generally act like most people think: a fool who is being taken...
I get more payback from it - makes my own day fun because I've counted the smiles and surprised looks I get for chatting at people in the supermarket, waiting in line at the post office, driving in traffic (especially parking lots where it's every driver for himself).....and find I seem to enjoy my day more if I pack in the little bits of giving through my day.
Sounds corny I know.... but I've adopted a less stress attitude for myself and putting it into practice has been great for me.
My life isn't about saving seconds or even minutes any more - or being first in line at anything - I can wait - make someone's day a bit better.... and feel good about it.
Back to the OP - My Pet Peeve:
Children/pets left unattended in hot cars in the summertime - then I call in the cavalry - a habit of mine to check cars when I am heading for the big stores and markets..
I get more payback from it - makes my own day fun because I've counted the smiles and surprised looks I get for chatting at people in the supermarket, waiting in line at the post office, driving in traffic (especially parking lots where it's every driver for himself).....and find I seem to enjoy my day more if I pack in the little bits of giving through my day.
Sounds corny I know.... but I've adopted a less stress attitude for myself and putting it into practice has been great for me.
My life isn't about saving seconds or even minutes any more - or being first in line at anything - I can wait - make someone's day a bit better.... and feel good about it.
Back to the OP - My Pet Peeve:
Children/pets left unattended in hot cars in the summertime - then I call in the cavalry - a habit of mine to check cars when I am heading for the big stores and markets..
I walk my speed, it differs day to day, but thats the speed I walk. People seem to think I am in a rush because I have long legs and good lungs. Walking is pleasant, having to watch your step so that you don't step on someones heals or trip up is unpleasant. So I pass people when I can. England was the first place where I saw a sign telling people to stay on the right side of escalators so that people could pass them. Paris has them in places as well. I routinely take the stairs in airports instead of the escalators because it is faster and more pleasant. Going down stairs is more like controlled falling for me, my legs move at a blur and I don't really consciously think about where the stairs are. My body just seems to know. Walking is pleasant for me, and I hope everybody I pass feels the same way.
Its a little annoying on the elevator when someone is needlessly blocking your way. I am not an idiot though, I am not going to shove someone with crutches, a cane, a walking stick - in fact, I don't shove anyone at all. I will loudly say, "Excuse me," to somebody standing in the middle and not holding onto the handrails, or two people side by side not holding onto the handrails. Quite plainly, it is dangerous to clump up on an escalator or moving sidewalk, people generally need more time dismounting near the end then they can get in a large crowd of people. Children love to take their time at the end and you have to watch out for that too, heck I did it when I was young, wouldn't be right for me to injure them in their delight.
I generally find the escalators unpleasant. I take stairs when they are available, but they often aren't. On a flight with 200+ people, maybe there will be four people on the stairs with me after the flight. Moving sidewalks are the same game, the worst is when the carts are forbidden but people take them anyways, generally I stay off them when I see those people.
Yeah, it used to peeve me off too. Then I realized something interesting. I realized that if instead of people, the other pedestrians (or drivers) were robots, they wouldn't bother me. If they were robots they would follow the rules and wouldn't change their minds and I wouldn't be annoyed. I realized I was annoyed because I wanted to be alone. Now I just walk my speed, make allowances for other people and try to enjoy life.
Still, there are two situations that trouble me. Walking up to the single check out in a store, you realize the person in front of you is a lot slower than you. You can pass them, but you will just pull into the lineup as you do. You have too much time to think, is it polite to pass? Its not like you are in a hurry, this is your normal speed. You aren't in the lineup yet, but you both know that it is the destination. What the heck do you do? Drag your heels or overtake them?
Its the situation more than the person that drives me nuts. I really don't know what to do and I have so much time to think about it.
Sorry for the long boring post.
Its a little annoying on the elevator when someone is needlessly blocking your way. I am not an idiot though, I am not going to shove someone with crutches, a cane, a walking stick - in fact, I don't shove anyone at all. I will loudly say, "Excuse me," to somebody standing in the middle and not holding onto the handrails, or two people side by side not holding onto the handrails. Quite plainly, it is dangerous to clump up on an escalator or moving sidewalk, people generally need more time dismounting near the end then they can get in a large crowd of people. Children love to take their time at the end and you have to watch out for that too, heck I did it when I was young, wouldn't be right for me to injure them in their delight.
I generally find the escalators unpleasant. I take stairs when they are available, but they often aren't. On a flight with 200+ people, maybe there will be four people on the stairs with me after the flight. Moving sidewalks are the same game, the worst is when the carts are forbidden but people take them anyways, generally I stay off them when I see those people.
Yeah, it used to peeve me off too. Then I realized something interesting. I realized that if instead of people, the other pedestrians (or drivers) were robots, they wouldn't bother me. If they were robots they would follow the rules and wouldn't change their minds and I wouldn't be annoyed. I realized I was annoyed because I wanted to be alone. Now I just walk my speed, make allowances for other people and try to enjoy life.
Still, there are two situations that trouble me. Walking up to the single check out in a store, you realize the person in front of you is a lot slower than you. You can pass them, but you will just pull into the lineup as you do. You have too much time to think, is it polite to pass? Its not like you are in a hurry, this is your normal speed. You aren't in the lineup yet, but you both know that it is the destination. What the heck do you do? Drag your heels or overtake them?
Its the situation more than the person that drives me nuts. I really don't know what to do and I have so much time to think about it.
Sorry for the long boring post.
Have you ever while going down the stairs started to think about the stairs and feel like you were going to fall? I have to not think about going down or I stumble. Sounds nuts but it's true
So the escalator at our local mall was broken. There are no stairs at this mall. The weirdest feeling ever was stepping on to the escalator that's not moving. I had to stop and adjust my perceptions. It was so incredibly weird.
I know what you mean. I will take the stairs rather than an out-of-service escalator given the choice.
Your post was not boring at all. In fact, I found it to be a very interesting read.:smile:
I definitely have. I try not to think about it. Just walking becomes painfully clumsy when you think about it. Ever consciously controlled your breathing and then been terrified of stopping because you weren't sure if your body would pick it up again?
If you are going your normal speed, then I don't expect you to slow down to accommodate me. What really bugs me are the people who suddenly speed up so that they can beat me to the cashier. I feel like tripping them...but I'm just too damn polite! :lol::lol::lol:
What you are observing is not confined to disabled persons. I have seen people speed up to beat me and I go a 'normal' pace.
If I am feeling particularly rambunctious that day, I speed up myself and we have a race. Sometimes we arrive at exactly the same time. If that happens, or if I beat them slightly, I then do a polite 'after you' and give them a big smile. I know my point is made as they are forced to say thank you but you know deep down their blood is boiling. Its almost like a sport. Yes, I can be evil at times.
From the first steps going down a stopped escalator I get real dizzy...going up is ok though 0_o
Being polite is over-rated ;-)
Next time, stick your foot out and watch them fly :lol::lol::lol:
Aw that's a hoot - I wondered when all the leprechauns would come out to play.... if I ever get old enough to use a cane - it's gonna be used hehe
Wots a tolchukking?? Sounds wonderful unless it's related to upchukking.....ick
Wots a tolchukking?? Sounds wonderful unless it's related to upchukking.....ick
It is the word for "beating up" that is used by the characters in the movie 'A Clockwork Orange'. If you have not watched that movie before, I would highly recommend it, my fine young Droog.
Many years ago, my daughters and I were going down an escalator, along with another young girl, (15),who was part of our fast pitch team, She said, "When I am behind an old lady/man on an escalator,
I 'just' feel like pushing them right down the escalator, don't you guys feel the same?".
Long pause, some side glances, and the answer "no" haven't thought about that at all. She seemed
very serious, and had a mean expression, 'was not joking' at all, thought of her in a different light
from that day on, and kept an eye on my elderly mother, when on escalators, with her around.;-)
I 'just' feel like pushing them right down the escalator, don't you guys feel the same?".
Long pause, some side glances, and the answer "no" haven't thought about that at all. She seemed
very serious, and had a mean expression, 'was not joking' at all, thought of her in a different light
from that day on, and kept an eye on my elderly mother, when on escalators, with her around.;-)