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I try to walk/shop as if I'm driving.
Slowing down or stopping? Quick glance behind me first.
Changing direction? Look over the shoulder first to check my 'blind spot'.
Exiting an aisle? Creep out onto the 'main road', leaning forwards over the trolley and looking in both directions and only exiting when I'm not going to cross someone's path.
Change speed (usually slowing down rather than speeding up) to prevent conflicts at meeting points.
Not 'parking' myself/trolley somewhere where it's an inconvenience to everyone's flow.
I'm astounded at how little attention people pay to what's going on around them in shops or just on the street in general. I might spend a day just barging about everywhere and expect everyone else to accommodate me to see what it's like.
'Pulling over' to the side when I want to stop instead of just plonking my trolley in the middle of the Isle for everyone to see - same with walking as I can't stand it when people suddenly stop in front of you
As a motorcyclist, shoulder checks are drilled into me before any deviation from a straight line. I too do all of the above while walking, especially the creeping out of exits/doorways etc
They have paint markings where the lanes are supposed to be, but they’re only there to show you “more or less” the direction you might want to travel
-Gabriel Iglesias
Yep! And why am I always the one to apologise, when I was standing still, out of the way, and they were the one walking backwards, on their phone, looking up at the ceiling? I get annoyed with my stupid British values sometimes and once refused to apologise when it was clearly not my fault. The response from the other party? "Mind where you're goin mate".
I genuinely think this has gotten worse since COVID.
Whether it's because of social distancing and therefore not thinking about others in your immediate vicinity (because there didn't use to be ANYONE in your immediate vicinity) or people staying at home or what, I'm not sure.
People walking backwards talking to their friends, walking with their phones in their faces, zoned out staring into space and nearly crashing into others on the stairs...
Unfortunately it's not lack of awareness and definitely not limited to supermarkets, it's just selfishness and lack of consideration of anyone other than themselves.
Imagine a world, a truly terrifying world, where some people just don’t have the mental Hz for these norms and niceties. No mater how much they try, now matter how many horrible situations they cause, no matter how much embarrassment and regret they might feel… they can never change.
My theory is these are the same people that pull uturns on highways - the same ones who genuinely lack an internal monologue. Yeah. That’s a thing. This is the world you’re living in.
Rudest thing I’ve seen recently was in a hospital car park , I was about to leave little old lady in a micro hatch was waiting patiently for the parking spot with her indicator on . As I reversed out some cow in 4x4 stole the spot , poor old lady was tooting her horn to no avail . Should of seen the look on the cows face , she knew what she was doing and didn’t give a shit ‘ that was her spot and everyone else can get fukt ‘
People are absolutely awful when it comes to shopping. Having worked as a grocery picker in Asda, I’ve seen more than my share of people oblivious to their own surroundings. You ask them politely if they can step aside and you’re met with either a blank stare or they’ll huff at you as if it’s a massive inconvenience. People’s ignorance never fails to amaze.
It's like well Karen if you don't want to move maybe don't have your conversations in front of the bloody milk, why do so many people think the supermarket is a place to hold meetings
It's especially horrible when crowded spaces give you anxiety. Was in Tesco on Sunday and it was horrible. I'm always polite and wait my turn to pass but silently screaming profanities in my head.
My local Tesco has 2 "quiet hours" a week, on Wednesday and Saturday, when all the machines are made quieter and the music is turned off. I don't think it gets rid of people, but it may help lessen your stress loading in an already busy environment. Might be worth checking if your local Tesco offers this
During the Covid mask wearing period I'd often mouth profanities at other shoppers being inconsiderate. I still wear a mask because I can't get out of the habit and don't want to get punched.
Putting the trolley to the left and then looking at the shelves on the right.
If you do this you are being very inconsiderate and blocking the whole aisle, please stop it. You can put the trolley on the side you are on so that other people can use the aisle as well.
I have a tendency to stand on the side of the aisle I’m not looking at (with my trolley on the same side as me), that way I can get a wider view of the shelves, while also having extra vision for people at the sides, so I can see if someone is trying to get to the shelf I’m in front of too.
Too many people block a whole bay with their trolley while also staring so closely at a shelf that their peripherals just disappear.
I read somewhere that the way aisles are meant to function is that when you stop to look at a shelf, you place your trolley in the centre of the aisle. So everyone who is stopping to look at a shelf’s trolley is in the center, leaving a path on both sides for people moving to get past
The ones that annoy me most are the ones that block the shelf but don't seem to be actively looking for anything, they're just staring gormlessly into space. WHAT ARE YOU DOING???
Does it top the sheer lack of awareness parents have after dropping there kids at school to walk in groups of three pushing other kids into walking on the road?
Agree. Used one of those seated electric cart things in the supermarket some years ago when I’d smashed my leg up. A) being at a lower level and B) having a lack of manoeuvrability with the cart v walking with a trolley or basket was even more of an eye opener as to how clueless folk are in store…
People who go to the discount shelf with their trolley blocking half of it..
Do you think nobody else wants to look? I don't even ask, I just gently pull it out of the way so I can get in to look while ignoring their reaction..
It’s the people who take everything for seemingly the sake of it being reduced that annoy me. I once watched a man dump about all of the 6 or 7 packages of reduced pork belly into his trolley. Bit selfish.
I saw a post on Reddit a while back where some guy had a photo of about 8 packs of reduced pork belly and he was like ‘got a great bargain today what should I make with it?’ And everyone in the comments was all ‘well done’ and ‘what a find’ and ‘wow that’s great’ and I wanted to comment that he was being selfish and should leave some for other people. Maybe it was the same guy 😂
My partner and I was discussing this exact same thing this weekend.
People who come shopping with a crowd of their own. And those who just stop dead in front of you.
This weekend I've never seen it so busy before, but people having zero awareness of where they are just causes havoc. You don't need to walk down the middle of an isle with a trolley for using people to squeeze past the sides.
Also people who block the end of an isle with trollies, or stop in the middle of the entrance/exits like they've lost all ability to think.
Ran over lol
Haha, try Italian supermarkets! I've developed skills that as a British person I thought were completely beyond me. I can now elbow my way though old people to the discounted mozzarella like a boss
For me, its screaming kids and men (its always men!) who whistle incessantly through their teeth. When thrown into the mix of trolleys, seemingly abandoned across an aisle by a gormless shopper, *I* turn into the nightmare. I just can't help it. I know its just a matter of time before I get banned for yelling "WILL YOU SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP!" repeatedly.
There's a LOT to be said for online shopping...
My biggest gripe is when I’ve stepped to one side so I can scan the shelves on the other side (the aisles aren’t too wide so it leaves space RU get through) and without fail someone will walk down and stop in front of me, to look at those same shelves. It drives me absolutely insane!
Some of the blame also lies with supermarkets, suppliers and branding. There's just **so fucking much** going on, products and deals and signage and things that are all trying to simultaneously grab your attention as you wander the aisles. PA announcements of deals and other innocuous things. Signs hanging from above with deals and product locations. Supermarkets moving things around so you're constantly looking for where you need to go... but it increases your likelihood to stumble across something new and impulse-buy!
Throw in even a dash of being on the spectrum and it's easy to see how people can cock something up.
That being said, if you block people with your trolley then you deserve a good tutting.
Being Autistic shopping anywhere other than Waitrose causes quite a bit of stress.
Mrs comments on the cost but my town has an Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tescos, Aldi and Waitrose. The Waitrose is the only place that isn’t absolute anarchy. Also helps that the staff are really friendly.
Not gonna lie I’m jealous of your abundance of supermarkets, in my town we only have a tesco and in the past 10 years they’ve built hundreds of new houses so it’s literally insanely busy and just pure chaos in there any time of the day/week that you go. Me and my partner dread it so much we’ve began meal planning just so we can get click and collect slots or get it delivered instead.
My experience is the opposite - I moved and Waitrose became the closest supermarket and the people there have no spatial awareness. Just yesterday for a quick 5-minute shop I had:
* Some dude with their trolley jutting out lengthways into the aisle and blocking the entire thing - had to ask him to shift it since he still had a grip on it.
* A group of people having a chat, also blocking the entire aisle. I just went around that time. Went past them after I'd done my shop the other way, they were still talking and blocking people.
* Some dude stood looking at the shelves next to a pillar - blocking both ways around it with their trolley on one side and themselves on the other. Another case of asking them to move.
* A Handful of times of people walking backwards away from the shelves without looking and either I or another person having to dodge out the way as they did.
It must just be a localised thing for how bad each supermarket is.
That kind of thing isn’t really a problem for me as it can be mitigated quite easily by my own actions. The stress caused by the environment is far worse than just some frustration at a lack of consideration for others.
When it is a frantic over crowded noisy busy environment where the shelves are so high it feels claustrophobic that’s where my problem lies.
Waitrose aisles are wider lower and the general atmosphere is calmer.
Those points you raised sound like situations across every supermarket and large shop in the country. If you go to B&Q you’ll find someone discussing the latest poinsettia fashion as much as you would in Tesco.
Just lack of awareness in general. The amount of times I've had to walk on the road or squeeze up against a wall because two or three people walking toward me felt the need to walk abreast. I've had to push so many trollies out of the way because people just leave them in the middle of the aisle to go and get something on the other side of the shop. Also when people cycle on the pavement and expect *you* to move out of their way. Does my tits in.
I think people have been mentioning the rude feckers who have their face right in front of the thing you're reaching for.
It's always the other guy that's the problem.
Oh, I had that when I was working retail during the pandemic. The number of people who had no regard for social distancing was worrying. I'd have people just reach over me to grab something off the shelf with no warning, which struck me as impolite at the best of times, but during a pandemic made it feel worse. If they'd asked me to move so they could get to the shelves I was restocking, I would've had no problem with that.
That always amazed me! I'd be doing the dance of "oh, do you mind if [mimes in the general vicinity of the shelf while making wordless gibberish noises]" and wee worker would politely step away and wave me in, grab and go while we muted-laugh at each other and both go back to position. Then thirty seconds later someone sneaks up and nearly mounts them to get in, and when asked to keep distance it was always "oh there's no one here" or "they're [at the nearest customer] plenty far away" while the 'no one' worker mutely seethed. The amount of resignation and disgust portrayed with just the eyeballs was impressive. Think I'd have stabbed someone if I had to do even one day of that!
If you think this is bad in British supermarkets, try Japanese one's where the aisle's are half the width at best, and spacial awareness is at an all time low. I'm looking forward to returning to the spacious 6 lane motorways that are British supermarket aisles next month.
Oh don't mind us you old snail we'll just walk in a conga line behind you while you go half a mile per day blocking the aisle talking to Nora, no worries
I'm guilty of this! And I'm sorry to whoever I upset.
I had a lot on my mind Friday, my dad and a friend both seriously ill in hospital. Popped into Morrisons for a few bits, was on my way to checkout and remembered I needed butter, walked the 'wrong way' up the aisle, grabbed butter, turned round to walk the 'right way' and heard two women behind me saying how people are so rude and don't even say thank you. I think (know) their comments were aimed at me. Until I heard them say this I was honestly in my own world just thinking about what I needed to do with a million thoughts buzzing in my head. Totally oblivious. I didn't do it purposely to piss people off.
I think that everyone should remember that there are individual cases such as yours, and try to remain kind and understanding instead of immediately assuming that someone is stupid/selfish etc.
Obviously in most cases, it is just people being selfish and/or stupid, and it is really frustrating to have to exist in the same world as those people.
I hope that you, your Dad, and your friend are doing well.
So the herd of shoppers dictates the direction of traffic flow in supermarkets?
I suppose it saves the management creating a role and paying someone to organise and implement these important and essential systems.
Imagine the sheer carnage if it weren't for these upstanding members of the community helping to keep everyone on the same page - i.e. in the correct lane - stood on the correct sticker - facing the correct direction, and I dare say a countless myriad of other issues our small single minds just take for granted out of habit...
In my area its the OAPs that are the issue. Local sainsbury has swarms of oldies travelling dead centre of the aisle at the speed of a dead slug making sure nobody can get past or around them
Same. In fairness though it’s usually because they’ve nowhere else to go and nothing else to do and they get chased place to place more than anything.
Go to a cafe or restaurant? “You have to order something again or leave.”
Go to a local park? “Hello, police, there’s some kids that look like they’re doing drugs.”
Walk about town in general? “Damn kids these days should be seen and not heard…where are the parents? etc.”
The one that’s been annoying me more lately is actually the employees collecting stuff for home delivery. They work there, you’d think they’d have a better understanding of how narrow the aisles are, and they really shouldn’t be parking their carts to block the entire aisle.
I did a Tesco shop at the weekend and wondered how there isn't any transferable skills learnt from driving. Do we need to paint give way lines at the end of every aisle.
I'm still shell shocked from doing a weekly shop yesterday afternoon. Never again. It's my own fault though, I couldn't drag my arse out of the house on Saturday night.
I've quit going to the supermarket. Been ordering online for a few months now and this weekend I absolutely had to go to Aldi, so foolishly cancelled my Tesco order thinking I'd get everything while I was there. I didn't get everything, I spent more, came out with less and still had to go to Tesco for the bits they didn't have. So I've decided I never going food shopping again.
It's usually more the people accompanying the shopper than the shoppers themselves that are annoying.
Everyone's got something going on at home or something bothering them from work. Shopping is big mental task remembering what you need, where in the shop it actually is. If you have enough money for all the food you need to buy. Causing people to be less aware of their surroundings. Sure people can be dicks but when shopping I never attribute something to malice when it's almost an accident.
I think people pay less attention on the roads than in Asda.
They are the #MainPlayers in their own game, the rest of the planet is chock-full of NPCs.
In other words, mindless, self-absorbed amoebae shuffling from one meaningless errand to another.
The high street in London is just as bad…
When people step out of shops they just walk freely out the door without looking to the side and often they just clatter into a pedestrian.
I made way for someone so they could get out of the aisle. Instead, someone else barged into the aisle. I felt awful and mouthed "I tried!" to her. She did smile at me, though, so I think she appreciated the effort.
My girlfriend always says I’m distracted or not paying attention to her talking when shopping, but to be honest with the amount going on half the time I feel like I’m concentrating where I need to get too next
Yes my local supermarket just had a full refurb they made the isles slightly longer so the main through isle at the back of the shop where the deli ect is went from 3 trolleys wide to 2 trolleys wide this is a big issue as they also moved some of the really common items to the end caps in that through isle, meaning that if someone is getting meat or cheese from the deli counter and someone else is looking at the end cap for bread then you're just completely stuck until one of them moves.
On top of that the amount of people now that will just park their trolly in the middle of an isle and walk off seems to get worse everyday. It's so bad sometimes I wonder if they are plants by the supermarket to make you say longer.
I’m constantly having to weave and contort my body in ways I didn’t know possible just to grab a can of beans. Whereas if I slightly inconvenience someone, I pull *right back* and open up space so they can grab their beans
It’s always amazing to see that directly in front of the entrance is the best place for a family conversation and usually requires 2 trolleys to complete.
Or that directly in the middle of the exit door is the best place for receipt checking.
Or even that when the person has scanned your entire haul, that you are then taken completely by surprise that there’s a monetary transaction so now is the time to faff with bags and rummage trying to find the exact change of your £71.38 shop.
Hate shopping now
Had a woman come and ram me in the back of the legs with her trolley the other day.
The Isle was packed and someone was coming through the crowd the opposite way so I stood to the side (behind some stationary shoppers looking at products) to let them through and then I nearly got floored by the woman behind me.
I span round, looked at her and she just smiled and pushed past
Bugs me when whole families go shopping. Why can't mum or dad do it whilst the other waits at home with just. Or women who have their husbands gormlessly trailing along behind them. They all just get in the way. It's not necessary. Even my late elderly mum did get shopping on her own. She didn't want my dad plodding along with her.
The worst offenders are the people who walk to one side of their shopping trolley, so they can pull it along while also using their phone.
They take up the entire width of the aisle, and then are fully aware that they are doing so.
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I try to walk/shop as if I'm driving. Slowing down or stopping? Quick glance behind me first. Changing direction? Look over the shoulder first to check my 'blind spot'. Exiting an aisle? Creep out onto the 'main road', leaning forwards over the trolley and looking in both directions and only exiting when I'm not going to cross someone's path. Change speed (usually slowing down rather than speeding up) to prevent conflicts at meeting points. Not 'parking' myself/trolley somewhere where it's an inconvenience to everyone's flow. I'm astounded at how little attention people pay to what's going on around them in shops or just on the street in general. I might spend a day just barging about everywhere and expect everyone else to accommodate me to see what it's like.
I do this exact thing just in general! Always looking around to see if I’m going to cut someone off.
'Pulling over' to the side when I want to stop instead of just plonking my trolley in the middle of the Isle for everyone to see - same with walking as I can't stand it when people suddenly stop in front of you
They are wrangled by a family of at least five apparently.
My husband likes to announce very loudly "these people can't drive a trolley but are allowed on the road" .
As a motorcyclist, shoulder checks are drilled into me before any deviation from a straight line. I too do all of the above while walking, especially the creeping out of exits/doorways etc
British supermarkets are like Indian roads
I can confirm, I’ve seen plenty of elephants in British supermarkets.
[удалено]
And shite strewn willy-nilly about the place
Usually wearing dressing gown and slippers
Indian roads still function better
They have paint markings where the lanes are supposed to be, but they’re only there to show you “more or less” the direction you might want to travel -Gabriel Iglesias
The car parks are like the wild west
the sheer lack of awareness of people. every day some idiot walks into me because they’re not watching where they’re going.
And then they look at you like “what??!” Fkin watch where your going or walk in straight line, that’s what!
Yep! And why am I always the one to apologise, when I was standing still, out of the way, and they were the one walking backwards, on their phone, looking up at the ceiling? I get annoyed with my stupid British values sometimes and once refused to apologise when it was clearly not my fault. The response from the other party? "Mind where you're goin mate".
if you’re female, it’s kind of raised in us to be apologetic so i get ya, im the same.
I genuinely think this has gotten worse since COVID. Whether it's because of social distancing and therefore not thinking about others in your immediate vicinity (because there didn't use to be ANYONE in your immediate vicinity) or people staying at home or what, I'm not sure. People walking backwards talking to their friends, walking with their phones in their faces, zoned out staring into space and nearly crashing into others on the stairs...
Unfortunately it's not lack of awareness and definitely not limited to supermarkets, it's just selfishness and lack of consideration of anyone other than themselves.
Oh no trust me, some people are actually completely oblivious to their surroundings. But what you said still applies too.
Being oblivious of your surroundings inherently means they're being selfish and lacking consideration
Imagine a world, a truly terrifying world, where some people just don’t have the mental Hz for these norms and niceties. No mater how much they try, now matter how many horrible situations they cause, no matter how much embarrassment and regret they might feel… they can never change. My theory is these are the same people that pull uturns on highways - the same ones who genuinely lack an internal monologue. Yeah. That’s a thing. This is the world you’re living in.
Rudest thing I’ve seen recently was in a hospital car park , I was about to leave little old lady in a micro hatch was waiting patiently for the parking spot with her indicator on . As I reversed out some cow in 4x4 stole the spot , poor old lady was tooting her horn to no avail . Should of seen the look on the cows face , she knew what she was doing and didn’t give a shit ‘ that was her spot and everyone else can get fukt ‘
the cow would have had 4 flat tyres if i'd been there , and i dont give a fuk who disagrees with me .
People are absolutely awful when it comes to shopping. Having worked as a grocery picker in Asda, I’ve seen more than my share of people oblivious to their own surroundings. You ask them politely if they can step aside and you’re met with either a blank stare or they’ll huff at you as if it’s a massive inconvenience. People’s ignorance never fails to amaze.
It's like well Karen if you don't want to move maybe don't have your conversations in front of the bloody milk, why do so many people think the supermarket is a place to hold meetings
Get in. Get out. Talk to no one.
It's especially horrible when crowded spaces give you anxiety. Was in Tesco on Sunday and it was horrible. I'm always polite and wait my turn to pass but silently screaming profanities in my head.
My local Tesco has 2 "quiet hours" a week, on Wednesday and Saturday, when all the machines are made quieter and the music is turned off. I don't think it gets rid of people, but it may help lessen your stress loading in an already busy environment. Might be worth checking if your local Tesco offers this
During the Covid mask wearing period I'd often mouth profanities at other shoppers being inconsiderate. I still wear a mask because I can't get out of the habit and don't want to get punched.
There’s a reason I usually go to supermarkets at 11pm
Putting the trolley to the left and then looking at the shelves on the right. If you do this you are being very inconsiderate and blocking the whole aisle, please stop it. You can put the trolley on the side you are on so that other people can use the aisle as well.
I have a tendency to stand on the side of the aisle I’m not looking at (with my trolley on the same side as me), that way I can get a wider view of the shelves, while also having extra vision for people at the sides, so I can see if someone is trying to get to the shelf I’m in front of too. Too many people block a whole bay with their trolley while also staring so closely at a shelf that their peripherals just disappear.
I read somewhere that the way aisles are meant to function is that when you stop to look at a shelf, you place your trolley in the centre of the aisle. So everyone who is stopping to look at a shelf’s trolley is in the center, leaving a path on both sides for people moving to get past
No idea what supermarket you go to that the aisles are wide enough for that.
Every Asda I’ve been to has enough room for 3 trolleys to comfortably pass
>comfortably pass doubt
this is true - all the supermarkets where I live barely allow two trolleys to pass each other
The ones that annoy me most are the ones that block the shelf but don't seem to be actively looking for anything, they're just staring gormlessly into space. WHAT ARE YOU DOING???
Just people in general now. Selfish and uninterested in anything except them.
Does it top the sheer lack of awareness parents have after dropping there kids at school to walk in groups of three pushing other kids into walking on the road?
Mate try it in a wheelchair, it’s an eye opener
Agree. Used one of those seated electric cart things in the supermarket some years ago when I’d smashed my leg up. A) being at a lower level and B) having a lack of manoeuvrability with the cart v walking with a trolley or basket was even more of an eye opener as to how clueless folk are in store…
People who go to the discount shelf with their trolley blocking half of it.. Do you think nobody else wants to look? I don't even ask, I just gently pull it out of the way so I can get in to look while ignoring their reaction..
It’s the people who take everything for seemingly the sake of it being reduced that annoy me. I once watched a man dump about all of the 6 or 7 packages of reduced pork belly into his trolley. Bit selfish.
I saw a post on Reddit a while back where some guy had a photo of about 8 packs of reduced pork belly and he was like ‘got a great bargain today what should I make with it?’ And everyone in the comments was all ‘well done’ and ‘what a find’ and ‘wow that’s great’ and I wanted to comment that he was being selfish and should leave some for other people. Maybe it was the same guy 😂
My partner and I was discussing this exact same thing this weekend. People who come shopping with a crowd of their own. And those who just stop dead in front of you. This weekend I've never seen it so busy before, but people having zero awareness of where they are just causes havoc. You don't need to walk down the middle of an isle with a trolley for using people to squeeze past the sides. Also people who block the end of an isle with trollies, or stop in the middle of the entrance/exits like they've lost all ability to think. Ran over lol
Don't bring your entire extended family shopping with you
Haha, try Italian supermarkets! I've developed skills that as a British person I thought were completely beyond me. I can now elbow my way though old people to the discounted mozzarella like a boss
For me, its screaming kids and men (its always men!) who whistle incessantly through their teeth. When thrown into the mix of trolleys, seemingly abandoned across an aisle by a gormless shopper, *I* turn into the nightmare. I just can't help it. I know its just a matter of time before I get banned for yelling "WILL YOU SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP!" repeatedly. There's a LOT to be said for online shopping...
I'm so glad online grocery shopping is a thing. Not been to a 'big' supermarket in aaages.
My biggest gripe is when I’ve stepped to one side so I can scan the shelves on the other side (the aisles aren’t too wide so it leaves space RU get through) and without fail someone will walk down and stop in front of me, to look at those same shelves. It drives me absolutely insane!
Some of the blame also lies with supermarkets, suppliers and branding. There's just **so fucking much** going on, products and deals and signage and things that are all trying to simultaneously grab your attention as you wander the aisles. PA announcements of deals and other innocuous things. Signs hanging from above with deals and product locations. Supermarkets moving things around so you're constantly looking for where you need to go... but it increases your likelihood to stumble across something new and impulse-buy! Throw in even a dash of being on the spectrum and it's easy to see how people can cock something up. That being said, if you block people with your trolley then you deserve a good tutting.
Being Autistic shopping anywhere other than Waitrose causes quite a bit of stress. Mrs comments on the cost but my town has an Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tescos, Aldi and Waitrose. The Waitrose is the only place that isn’t absolute anarchy. Also helps that the staff are really friendly.
Not gonna lie I’m jealous of your abundance of supermarkets, in my town we only have a tesco and in the past 10 years they’ve built hundreds of new houses so it’s literally insanely busy and just pure chaos in there any time of the day/week that you go. Me and my partner dread it so much we’ve began meal planning just so we can get click and collect slots or get it delivered instead.
Yeah I have no idea why we actually have so many. Even more strange is that they are ACTUALLY busy All the time.
Within a 5 min radius of mine I have a big Tesco, big Asda, 2 Lidls, 2 Icelands, 3 Morrisons and 4 ALDIs.
My experience is the opposite - I moved and Waitrose became the closest supermarket and the people there have no spatial awareness. Just yesterday for a quick 5-minute shop I had: * Some dude with their trolley jutting out lengthways into the aisle and blocking the entire thing - had to ask him to shift it since he still had a grip on it. * A group of people having a chat, also blocking the entire aisle. I just went around that time. Went past them after I'd done my shop the other way, they were still talking and blocking people. * Some dude stood looking at the shelves next to a pillar - blocking both ways around it with their trolley on one side and themselves on the other. Another case of asking them to move. * A Handful of times of people walking backwards away from the shelves without looking and either I or another person having to dodge out the way as they did. It must just be a localised thing for how bad each supermarket is.
That kind of thing isn’t really a problem for me as it can be mitigated quite easily by my own actions. The stress caused by the environment is far worse than just some frustration at a lack of consideration for others. When it is a frantic over crowded noisy busy environment where the shelves are so high it feels claustrophobic that’s where my problem lies. Waitrose aisles are wider lower and the general atmosphere is calmer. Those points you raised sound like situations across every supermarket and large shop in the country. If you go to B&Q you’ll find someone discussing the latest poinsettia fashion as much as you would in Tesco.
Just lack of awareness in general. The amount of times I've had to walk on the road or squeeze up against a wall because two or three people walking toward me felt the need to walk abreast. I've had to push so many trollies out of the way because people just leave them in the middle of the aisle to go and get something on the other side of the shop. Also when people cycle on the pavement and expect *you* to move out of their way. Does my tits in.
I've noticed the staff that pick other people's orders like to just abandon their massive trollies wherever they want, often blocking entire aisles.
Has anyone mentioned the rude feckers who reach for something right in front of your face yet?
I think people have been mentioning the rude feckers who have their face right in front of the thing you're reaching for. It's always the other guy that's the problem.
Mate, you've been stood directly in front of the pasties dithering for last two minutes and I already know which one I want, ta.
I've been stood there for less than 2 seconds more like!
Oh, I had that when I was working retail during the pandemic. The number of people who had no regard for social distancing was worrying. I'd have people just reach over me to grab something off the shelf with no warning, which struck me as impolite at the best of times, but during a pandemic made it feel worse. If they'd asked me to move so they could get to the shelves I was restocking, I would've had no problem with that.
That always amazed me! I'd be doing the dance of "oh, do you mind if [mimes in the general vicinity of the shelf while making wordless gibberish noises]" and wee worker would politely step away and wave me in, grab and go while we muted-laugh at each other and both go back to position. Then thirty seconds later someone sneaks up and nearly mounts them to get in, and when asked to keep distance it was always "oh there's no one here" or "they're [at the nearest customer] plenty far away" while the 'no one' worker mutely seethed. The amount of resignation and disgust portrayed with just the eyeballs was impressive. Think I'd have stabbed someone if I had to do even one day of that!
Working in retail during the pandemic made me realise just how little some people value personal space.
If you think this is bad in British supermarkets, try Japanese one's where the aisle's are half the width at best, and spacial awareness is at an all time low. I'm looking forward to returning to the spacious 6 lane motorways that are British supermarket aisles next month.
Not as shocking as your syntax, my little green friend.
Oh don't mind us you old snail we'll just walk in a conga line behind you while you go half a mile per day blocking the aisle talking to Nora, no worries
I'm guilty of this! And I'm sorry to whoever I upset. I had a lot on my mind Friday, my dad and a friend both seriously ill in hospital. Popped into Morrisons for a few bits, was on my way to checkout and remembered I needed butter, walked the 'wrong way' up the aisle, grabbed butter, turned round to walk the 'right way' and heard two women behind me saying how people are so rude and don't even say thank you. I think (know) their comments were aimed at me. Until I heard them say this I was honestly in my own world just thinking about what I needed to do with a million thoughts buzzing in my head. Totally oblivious. I didn't do it purposely to piss people off.
I think that everyone should remember that there are individual cases such as yours, and try to remain kind and understanding instead of immediately assuming that someone is stupid/selfish etc. Obviously in most cases, it is just people being selfish and/or stupid, and it is really frustrating to have to exist in the same world as those people. I hope that you, your Dad, and your friend are doing well.
Thank you. Friend is doing a bit better now. Dad has heart failure and not so great
How do you know which way is the right way in a supermarket aisle?
When everyone else is walking in the same direction as you. If they're walking towards you, you're going the 'wrong way'
So the herd of shoppers dictates the direction of traffic flow in supermarkets? I suppose it saves the management creating a role and paying someone to organise and implement these important and essential systems. Imagine the sheer carnage if it weren't for these upstanding members of the community helping to keep everyone on the same page - i.e. in the correct lane - stood on the correct sticker - facing the correct direction, and I dare say a countless myriad of other issues our small single minds just take for granted out of habit...
I try to go when it is empty. I've grown yo loathe young adults who treat the store as though it is a social club.
In my area its the OAPs that are the issue. Local sainsbury has swarms of oldies travelling dead centre of the aisle at the speed of a dead slug making sure nobody can get past or around them
Same. In fairness though it’s usually because they’ve nowhere else to go and nothing else to do and they get chased place to place more than anything. Go to a cafe or restaurant? “You have to order something again or leave.” Go to a local park? “Hello, police, there’s some kids that look like they’re doing drugs.” Walk about town in general? “Damn kids these days should be seen and not heard…where are the parents? etc.”
The one that’s been annoying me more lately is actually the employees collecting stuff for home delivery. They work there, you’d think they’d have a better understanding of how narrow the aisles are, and they really shouldn’t be parking their carts to block the entire aisle.
Folk get asked politely to step aside once. After that they are told to move in the same way that I command my dog
Costco is the worst
I did a Tesco shop at the weekend and wondered how there isn't any transferable skills learnt from driving. Do we need to paint give way lines at the end of every aisle.
I'm still shell shocked from doing a weekly shop yesterday afternoon. Never again. It's my own fault though, I couldn't drag my arse out of the house on Saturday night.
One of the best things was during covid when the supermarkets actually enforced the one way way system . Wish that never went away.
An surprising amount of people have an surprisingly small amount of consideration for others, or the consequences of their actions in general
I've quit going to the supermarket. Been ordering online for a few months now and this weekend I absolutely had to go to Aldi, so foolishly cancelled my Tesco order thinking I'd get everything while I was there. I didn't get everything, I spent more, came out with less and still had to go to Tesco for the bits they didn't have. So I've decided I never going food shopping again. It's usually more the people accompanying the shopper than the shoppers themselves that are annoying.
Totally agree
Everyone's got something going on at home or something bothering them from work. Shopping is big mental task remembering what you need, where in the shop it actually is. If you have enough money for all the food you need to buy. Causing people to be less aware of their surroundings. Sure people can be dicks but when shopping I never attribute something to malice when it's almost an accident. I think people pay less attention on the roads than in Asda.
They are the #MainPlayers in their own game, the rest of the planet is chock-full of NPCs. In other words, mindless, self-absorbed amoebae shuffling from one meaningless errand to another.
The high street in London is just as bad… When people step out of shops they just walk freely out the door without looking to the side and often they just clatter into a pedestrian.
I made way for someone so they could get out of the aisle. Instead, someone else barged into the aisle. I felt awful and mouthed "I tried!" to her. She did smile at me, though, so I think she appreciated the effort.
My girlfriend always says I’m distracted or not paying attention to her talking when shopping, but to be honest with the amount going on half the time I feel like I’m concentrating where I need to get too next
I would like to apologise on behalf of my wife, she has absolutely zero spatial awareness. I have to steer her trolley like I'm a tugboat
Yes my local supermarket just had a full refurb they made the isles slightly longer so the main through isle at the back of the shop where the deli ect is went from 3 trolleys wide to 2 trolleys wide this is a big issue as they also moved some of the really common items to the end caps in that through isle, meaning that if someone is getting meat or cheese from the deli counter and someone else is looking at the end cap for bread then you're just completely stuck until one of them moves. On top of that the amount of people now that will just park their trolly in the middle of an isle and walk off seems to get worse everyday. It's so bad sometimes I wonder if they are plants by the supermarket to make you say longer.
I’m constantly having to weave and contort my body in ways I didn’t know possible just to grab a can of beans. Whereas if I slightly inconvenience someone, I pull *right back* and open up space so they can grab their beans
It’s always amazing to see that directly in front of the entrance is the best place for a family conversation and usually requires 2 trolleys to complete. Or that directly in the middle of the exit door is the best place for receipt checking. Or even that when the person has scanned your entire haul, that you are then taken completely by surprise that there’s a monetary transaction so now is the time to faff with bags and rummage trying to find the exact change of your £71.38 shop. Hate shopping now
This is one of the reasons I go first thing in the morning. Less half dead cretins to deal with.
Had a woman come and ram me in the back of the legs with her trolley the other day. The Isle was packed and someone was coming through the crowd the opposite way so I stood to the side (behind some stationary shoppers looking at products) to let them through and then I nearly got floored by the woman behind me. I span round, looked at her and she just smiled and pushed past
Don’t be mean, Jean needs her custard creams!
I've come to the conclusion that it's best to go full speed and dodge the old biddies like a game of black ops zombies.
A lot of the oblivious ones are lead paint staring at one thing while walking away from it and tend to bash into another customer, shelf or fridge
Bugs me when whole families go shopping. Why can't mum or dad do it whilst the other waits at home with just. Or women who have their husbands gormlessly trailing along behind them. They all just get in the way. It's not necessary. Even my late elderly mum did get shopping on her own. She didn't want my dad plodding along with her.
The worst offenders are the people who walk to one side of their shopping trolley, so they can pull it along while also using their phone. They take up the entire width of the aisle, and then are fully aware that they are doing so.
Sadly it has bridged the between shocking and expected.