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I have always been a slowpoke. It’s my natural pace. I figure it’s how I’m wired…I have had to learn to speed up, like at the dinner table as a child and walking, and I do know where to stand on a busy escalator but, just saying my natural bent is to be slow. I don’t do things fast unless I have to and it’s work related. Otherwise it’s just not my way of doing things. Why should I speed up unless I’m in danger or there's an emergency.
I can't stand slowpokes: principally people who walk very slowly on the sidewalk or who sit there on escalators. However, even people who are slow in doing things drive me up the wall.
Are you the same way? If so, why? Surely it's a psychological issue.
I'm a fast-paced, impatient person, and I definitely can't stand slowness. But I noticed that slow people are also very calm, and they are likely great to have in an emergency because while someone like me will be panicking, they'll be the calm and quiet ones to calm everyone else down. At least based on the slow people I know in my own life. Ha ha.
I can't stand slowpokes: principally people who walk very slowly on the sidewalk or who sit there on escalators. However, even people who are slow in doing things drive me up the wall.
Are you the same way? If so, why? Surely it's a psychological issue.
On the roads, they only bother me if they hold up traffic by sitting in the far left lane, the passing lane, or if on a regular highway, hold up a line of cars, completely oblivious to the mile long line of traffic behind them (this happened in Maine a LOT). Look in the rearview mirror, notice, pull to the side and let people pass. Go on your slow merry way after that if you want.
I don't care about people walking slow on sidewalks or escalators.
I do mind when they hold up lines at the DMV, for example, because they want to argue about what paperwork they need - they're not going to win that fight - just accept and go get the papers. If people would do that, maybe the lines at the DMV wouldn't take hours to get through, even with an appointment.
Or in the grocery store when they stand there while the checker rings up their huge cart load of purchases, and only when the checker gives them the total do they start fumbling around in their purse or wallet looking for their money or card. Really. You had no idea you had to pay for those? The reason it bothers me is because it's not an isolated incident, and the lines are already long -we've already been waiting and waiting and waiting...again, notice people behind you - prepare to swipe the card or have your money ready.
I try not to be one of those people who holds others up in line or on the road. If someone wants to pass me, I don't care - as long as they aren't some jerk who wants to pass me because he's all bothered that I passed him because he was going slow - cause that happens too often. Get over it. So I passed you. So what.
When I'm at the store or DMV, I make sure I have what I need to have, ready. At the DMV, it's mainly about me not having to come back, but I also know that no one likes being at the DMV, so let me get my little thing that I need taken care of and move that line along. Same with the store - have the money ready, swipe, pin, thank you so much, have a great day, good bye.
And I'm also not a jerk in the parking lot. If I see that someone wants the spot, I don't dawdle, I get going so they can have the spot. I've never understood those power hungry twits who know you want their spot, and take their sweet arse time about it just to make you wait. There was actually a study done on that some years back - that people would purposefully dink around if they saw someone waiting for their spot. I wonder what kind of crappy lives they lead that they get some pleasure out of doing that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joey2k
What do you mean "sit there on escalators"? Do you mean standing still and letting the escalator move you up or down? If so that's kind of the point of escalators.
I do get annoyed when someone stops/blocks an entire aisle or walkway without regard for people who might want to get through. Also when a group of more than one person insist on walking side by side across an entire aisle preventing anyone from passing them.
This happens so much here. There are a lot of families with multiple kids, the parents, the grandparents, and they hog up the entire sidewalk, and yes, weave all over it making it impossible to pass unless you walk into the street - which I do. A lot. They don't seem to be aware that other people use that sidewalk, not just them. (I'd say they are aware, they just don't care - which is selfish, and that's a trait I can't stand.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by ironpony
I also don't get why people stand still on escalators, when walking down up and down them goes faster. Why is that?
It's rare that I have to use escalators, but let's say I'm coming off of a flight and I have a chance to use an escalator. I'm going to, and I'm not going to move. Looking at me, you would never know that I have an injury to my spine. That injury, for 19 years, has caused me a lot of pain. If I've been on a cramped up seat on a plane, when I stand up, the pain is almost unbearable. Now I have to walk - it's even more painful. If I see an escalator, I'm going to get on it, I'm not going to move - I'm still in pain from standing after being cramped in a small, tiny seat on a plane, but it's not as bad as the pain from walking after that.
You can't judge people by what they look like. Like I said, you would never know I have that pain. Or those with fibromyalgia - you can't tell who has it just by looking at them. My sister has MS - walking long distances is very hard for her, and walking up and down steps requires assistance. But that hasn't stopped people from giving her dirty looks for parking in a handicap spot, even with placard displayed, and she has every right to do, because you don't know she has MS just by looking at her - at least not yet, anyway.
I try to stay to the right on escalators, but here's the thing - the reason I don't really mind a person who walks slow on the sidewalk or even a group - despite the group being selfish, is that there's a way off the sidewalk to go around. And on escalators, a simple "excuse me" works.
Last edited by Three Wolves In Snow; 02-04-2019 at 04:34 PM..
For the record I stand on escalators sometimes in the middle with both hands outstretched on either side. I am cognizant of my surroundings so if someone wants to make like they are a stuntman in an action movie and run up or down the escalator I step aside and say pardon me. If they trip and get their scalp ripped off when their hair slips through the folds I'll step over them.
There was some diligence done on escalator etiquette and it turns out that it is not only unsafe and against some codes to walk on an escalator but it is not time saving. I like to rush around but I always defer to the safest mode of behavior.
But if someone is a healthy-looking adult and can walk, just walking at 1 mile per hour, particularly while looking at a phone and weaving around- that irks me. Move it!
When I moved to Texas, one of the first things I noticed were people moving really, really slow. Maybe because I moved from the EU, where people are used to walk, and walk briskly.
I actually asked and was told that they don't rush because of the weather. The intense heat and high humidity is very exhausting, they sweat easily, skin get flushed, body heats up.
There could be also other factors - some people are not used to walk, especially in the car dependent cities. Some have problems with their weight. Some get so used to walk slow, they move slow even when is cool.
Funny things - when I was walking at work, my normal pace - I was told to "stop running around" because it makes people nervous, and creates atmosphere that some emergency is happening...
I can't stand slowpokes: principally people who walk very slowly on the sidewalk or who sit there on escalators. However, even people who are slow in doing things drive me up the wall.
Are you the same way? If so, why? Surely it's a psychological issue.
Interesting subject.
So many years ago when I was a stay at home mom, had no set schedule and plenty of time to accomplish everything I had tons of patience. I was in no hurry to do anything.
Now that I have a very tight time schedule between work, raising / transporting kids, running the house... o have zero patience. I am hurrying to get everything done. For instance I drive over 25k miles a year. If I went the speed limit I would never get anything done.
I'm from Philly. The Northeastern US, especially within the boundaries of its largest cities, is as fast-paced as it gets. I have places to be, whether it's catching the El (our subway-elevated train), getting to the office, attending an event, or something else. I don't have time to be stuck behind someone who feels the need to walk slowly in the second largest city on the East Coast, and neither does anyone else. Either get the f**k out of my way or go home to the suburbs! Walking slowly in Philly is a dead giveaway that you're either a tourist or a suburbanite.
One thing I love about NYC is that it's socially acceptable to push people out of the way. I do it all of the time when I'm up there, and to a lesser extent when I'm home in Philly.
One thing I love about NYC is that it's socially acceptable to push people out of the way. I do it all of the time when I'm up there, and to a lesser extent when I'm home in Philly.
This is a dubious assertion. I'd like to see a poll.
I also don't get why people stand still on escalators, when walking down up and down them goes faster. Why is that?
Wake up. Stairs are difficult for a lot of people. Why do you think escalators even exist? Especially if you have luggage. Sheesh.
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