When People Stop To Talk...

[Rageaholic]

in the middle of a parking lot.

This happened today. I was waiting for these people to cross and get to their car. Their car happens to be on the opposite side of mine, but they don't get in... They stop to talk right in the middle of the parking lot! I should mention this was a pretty narrow parking lot and that they were not even 20 feet behind me.

Fortunately they were only talking for a minute or two, but seriously? Is that really the best place to stop and talk? I know this sounds minor, but it's the minor things that push your buttons.

[bara]

Ahaha, Im with you on this one.

I deliver pizzas currently and I love it when they stop to talk in the middle of the road.

[ExRetailDrone]

Ugh, I totally know what you mean! Although not with parking lots. With escalators! So often my husband and I will be going up or down an escalator, and the people in front of us will randomly decide to stop right in front of the goddamned place you get on the escalator. I mean, WTF? Who thinks that's a good idea? If you're not sure you want to keep going down another floor, then move to the side and figure it out! Don't make me almost crash into you and send you flying down the escalator anyway

This happens way more often than it should, too >.<

Don't even get me started on the people who rush ahead of me on the sidewalk, and then as soon as they are in front of me, they slow down to a near stop so I then have to maneuver around them and try not to hit anyone else while doing so.

Maybe it's something in the water here >.>

[HYHYBT]

Never heard of it happening at escalators before. Is it something that mainly happens when there's more than one flight of them? That's rare around here, so I might simply not have run into it.

As for the car thing... I've seen people do that in the street. I've even *done* it, though never on a street that had other traffic at the time, and ready to move if another car came along. I'm not comfortable doing it, but it's an awkward situation, especially when the meeting is an accident and the other person is someone you need to talk to, because you're pointed opposite ways, making it a bit difficult to follow them to a more convenient place. But again, at least stay alert to what's going on around you and move if you're in the way.

[Nekojin]

Along the same lines, people who stop to talk right in the middle of a supermarket aisle. Or, just as bad, park their cart on one side of the aisle while they're browsing things on the other side of the aisle, effectively blocking the entire aisle.

[Rageaholic]

Wow, glad I'm not the only one who's sick of this. Yeah, people can find the most inconvenient places to get in your way. Parking lots are just one of many. I mean, escalators? Some people are asking to get run over.

I find myself getting annoyed by sidewalk hogs on my bike. The people who take up the whole sidewalk walking at a snails pace. Then when you pass them, they act like you're the rude one.

I even get annoyed for other people. I was at a small band concert last week and this woman was trying to film them. Out of nowhere comes rudeasses of the year who stand right in her line of sight talking to each other. They even tell her "sorry" but proceed to stand their for the next several minutes.

Stupid inconsiderate people give me the urge to play human bowling to knock this idiots out of the way.

[Giggle Goose]

Ditto. Same with stopping to talk in the middle of the mall when it is crowded and there are people trying to get by. Not as much of a hazard as escalator or parking lot, but still awkward and annoying!

[ExRetailDrone]

Never heard of it happening at escalators before. Is it something that mainly happens when there's more than one flight of them? That's rare around here, so I might simply not have run into it.

Yes, it happens usually when there are multiple flights and the people are going from one flight to the next. I had never witnessed such a thing before moving halfway around the world, though. But I'm not sure if that has to do with being in Asia, or with now living in a larger (1.5m people) city. Either way, it annoys the everliving shit out of me, and I wish I could rant at them, but they probably wouldn't understand what I'm saying. Damn language barrier. And even if I could rant at them, I would then just be seen as the rude foreigner >.>

[BrenDAnn]

Yeah...Around here, that is a very, very common annoyance. Of course, around here, it's taken to a whole other level. People will stop in the middle of the damn road, sit in their vehicles, and talk to one another. I think the most annoying was when I came upon a couple of trucks (pick-ups, not semis) sitting at an intersection, almost completely blocking my path. Much death glaring from me and head shaking from my dad in the passenger seat ensued. People just don't give a shit about anyone but themselves, really. It's ridiculous!

[Greenday]

I have a solution that works nearly every time in the parking lot. I just start backing out anyway. When they realize they are about to be hit, they get out of the way in a hurry.

[blas87]

Ugh, the people in their vehicles that have to stop and talk to each other.

And damn if anyone else wants to use that road!

[XCashier]

Doesn't matter if it's a parking lot, road, sidewalk, corridor...any time people hold up traffic by stopping in the middle of it, that's irritating, annoying and just plain rude.

Wanna chat with your friends? Look, there's a nice park bench underneath that pretty shade tree, why don't you go over there, sit down and chat to your hearts' content?

Gotta answer that text? Look, bus stop bench right there, you can go over there, sit down and text.

Need to make a call? That building's casting plenty of shade, go over there, lean against the wall, talk 'til your throat is sore.

There is almost always an alternative to stopping in the middle of a traffic zone and blocking everyone else! Stop being selfish and start thinking about the rest of us!

[HYHYBT]

It's the "I'll only be a second" thought process.