Just stand still (if there aren’t people behind you). They’ll figure it out and you don’t run the risk of losing your balance by a stray hip check while midstep. Plus it’s mildly annoying
What works for me is I just look straight ahead and walk confidently in a straight line (on my section of path) and 99% of them time they’ll shift over. If they don’t think you’re going to move then they will, and it’s only fair. If you comply before you even get near them then they obviously aren’t going to move.
There’s a trick that always works if they’re looking at you, even if you’re in a crowd.
You just have to look down and in front of you. Like looking at the ground where you’re gonna take the next 2-3 steps. Never look at them.
You can even use this while zigzagging in a crowd of people that are all going the opposite direction to you, as long as they can see you looking at the ground, they’ll move.
They must think you’re not paying attention or something and since they don’t want to bump into you, and you’re always telegraphing where you’ll go, they always move.
Can confirm, I learned about this many years ago and it works. As long as you don’t acknowledge that you see the other person, they know you are not going to move and they move instead.
Get a cane and you can really have fun. People will do the “I’m not moving anywhere” routine down the sidewalk right up until you get close enough for it to click that they’re about to body slam a disabled person. 10% still smack into you, but the 90% that dance out of the way are amusing.
If I don’t have my kids with me, I do. I don’t crash into them, but I stop when I get to them and make them go around. The lack of courtesy of some people needs to be challenged. It’s mostly people in their early 20s in my experience, but I’ll wait out whoever. Tired of this shit.
I’ll move a little to avoid conflict but I’m 6’-5” and one of these days I’m just gunna stand there and DARE them to cause a fuss.
Same with the metro. My elbows are sticking out more and more walking off it like GET OUT OF MY FUCKING WAY I NEED TO LEAVE SO YOU CAN GET ON. One of these days, if I line up right in fromt of someone, I’m straight up gunna say “well, idiot, you gunna move out of the fucking way or what?”
Tall and wide-shouldered but never have this kind of subway standoff. I considered stuff I might be doing differently, in case you’d like to try one of them:
I usually look past people toward where I’m going. It’s a subtle cue but most pedestrians read it. This works well to avoid sidewalk collisions also.
I tend to twist sideways while moving in tight spaces, lower my front shoulder slightly, and duck a bit through train doors. I think that body language might be doing a lot of work to signal where I’m going.
If someone is oblivious to the above, I’ll make eye contact and smile, and that’s usually enough for them to realize I can’t get past. If they’re facing away I’ll say something like “pardon me, this is my stop” and if they can’t hear me either I’ll touch their arm or back to get their attention.
Oh, I 100% do all that stuff, it’s how I’m avoiding conflict so far. At some point it just gets fristrating to have to accomodate these people. The nice thing about being tall is that I’ll have the excuse of “oh sorry I guess I didn’t see ya there”. For the most part I’m fairly non-confrontational and it’s more of a fantasy but my god I’ve been getting real tired of stupid lately especially when I have to make up for it.
Damn, that sounds frustrating as hell. Honestly don’t know what I’d do if someone just… blocked me like that. I guess just slowly push past them? Awkward.
I HATE THAT SHIT! So many times I just want to play chicken with one of them
Just stand still (if there aren’t people behind you). They’ll figure it out and you don’t run the risk of losing your balance by a stray hip check while midstep. Plus it’s mildly annoying
What works for me is I just look straight ahead and walk confidently in a straight line (on my section of path) and 99% of them time they’ll shift over. If they don’t think you’re going to move then they will, and it’s only fair. If you comply before you even get near them then they obviously aren’t going to move.
and broaden your shoulders when you do just to get the point across
There’s a trick that always works if they’re looking at you, even if you’re in a crowd.
You just have to look down and in front of you. Like looking at the ground where you’re gonna take the next 2-3 steps. Never look at them.
You can even use this while zigzagging in a crowd of people that are all going the opposite direction to you, as long as they can see you looking at the ground, they’ll move.
They must think you’re not paying attention or something and since they don’t want to bump into you, and you’re always telegraphing where you’ll go, they always move.
I’m on the taller side, I find if I look over and past people into the distance, never even acknowledging them, they part like the red sea.
Can confirm, I learned about this many years ago and it works. As long as you don’t acknowledge that you see the other person, they know you are not going to move and they move instead.
great way to get hit by a bicycle
Get a cane and you can really have fun. People will do the “I’m not moving anywhere” routine down the sidewalk right up until you get close enough for it to click that they’re about to body slam a disabled person. 10% still smack into you, but the 90% that dance out of the way are amusing.
Have used a cane for a year, can confirm
If I don’t have my kids with me, I do. I don’t crash into them, but I stop when I get to them and make them go around. The lack of courtesy of some people needs to be challenged. It’s mostly people in their early 20s in my experience, but I’ll wait out whoever. Tired of this shit.
This is exactly what I do. Worked every time so far.
I’ll move a little to avoid conflict but I’m 6’-5” and one of these days I’m just gunna stand there and DARE them to cause a fuss.
Same with the metro. My elbows are sticking out more and more walking off it like GET OUT OF MY FUCKING WAY I NEED TO LEAVE SO YOU CAN GET ON. One of these days, if I line up right in fromt of someone, I’m straight up gunna say “well, idiot, you gunna move out of the fucking way or what?”
Tall and wide-shouldered but never have this kind of subway standoff. I considered stuff I might be doing differently, in case you’d like to try one of them:
Hopefully one of these work for you!
Oh, I 100% do all that stuff, it’s how I’m avoiding conflict so far. At some point it just gets fristrating to have to accomodate these people. The nice thing about being tall is that I’ll have the excuse of “oh sorry I guess I didn’t see ya there”. For the most part I’m fairly non-confrontational and it’s more of a fantasy but my god I’ve been getting real tired of stupid lately especially when I have to make up for it.
Damn, that sounds frustrating as hell. Honestly don’t know what I’d do if someone just… blocked me like that. I guess just slowly push past them? Awkward.
Literally I just whip out my phone and look absent minded in that situation.
So far no collisions
I just drop my zipper. Odds are neither will be even close to in my way.
I think if you stop and they run into you, that’s technically a foul.