How do you keep people from standing too close to you in lines?

Honestly, it’s annoying but as long as I’m properly masked I don’t care. But I do understand your frustration.

crop dusting

I know this is gross but I have the gift of long, loud farts. I also look a bit psycho these days from COVID quarantine. So very comfortable turning around and locking eyes al la Divine.....

“There’s more where that came from”.

I carry a golf umbrella.

People have become even ruder and more entitled, especially after the pandemic. I'm not sure if it's ignorance or they are trying to start something - or both - but this happens to me all the time. People don't respect others' personal space or boundaries.

I would have kindly asked her to enjoy her conversation on the phone further back, please.

[quote] I know this is gross but I have the gift of long, loud farts.

Today I had been farting all day and was worried about it until I got in line, I wanted to work up a fart to make her back off hoping it stunk to high heaven but couldn't make it happen.

“Have you been exposed to leprosy before?”

Shit your pants.

Hiss at them, OP.

But seriously, a forceful reminder to maintain distance ("six feet..."), followed by a friendly "...we're too close to conquering this virus to slip up now" works for me. That and showing them I'm standing ten feet behind the person ahead of me.

Fart loudly! And often.

Start performing jumping jacks.

Get your cardio in and get them to bacthefucup

Why didn’t you poke her with your umbrella?

OP, luckily I am able to use words to speak to other people.

Kindly remind them that they need to keep their distance. If their attitude meter goes off, promptly, and without hesitation, bitch slap the cretinous motherfucker. Then run.

I slowly count to ten while imagining the opening credits of Dynasty. I then execute a flawless Joan Collins pivot while hissing "I've had sufficient!" at the wretched space invader.

[quote] OP, luckily I am able to use words to speak to other people.

Well apparently you are unable to read.

as I stated in the OP. "it is so uncomfortable to have to still stand there after saying something and my experience is it doesn't stop them from standing too close to say something."

Start making a huge snot hocking noise like you're about spit a giant snot wad in her face.

Or start picking your nose and eating it sexually while staring right in her eyes.

You seem like a big pansy, OP. Grow a spine.

A fart is a good idea but I’m not gifted in this area in the way r3 is. Aren’t there fart making devices one could carry, like on a keychain, for those of us not talented enough?

Scream and shout ‘get 2 meters back from me you fucking cunt! Do you not know there’s a pandemic raging?’” All the while wildly swinging your arms about , foaming at the mouth and muttering and act like you are spastic.

People tend to give me a wide berth.

I haven’t lived in NYC for 15 years. But a simple, “get the FUCK away from me, bitch” comes back like Viggo Mortensen’s hitman skills in A History of Violence.

With shopping carts, I give a sudden hip check - especially if they touch my heel.

With people, I take out my phone and do an absent-minded back-up / whirl around with my elbows out - “Oh, sorry. Please forgive me.”

Another favorite is, “I CAN SMELL YOUR BREATH! MY GOD! BACK UP, PLEASE!”

When you get to the front of the vaccine line, tell them that she wasn't social distancing, and also maybe lie a bit and say she took off her mask. Maybe they will deny her the vaccine.

Opening up any sort of communication with these people isn't worth it. The other day, I made a face under my mask at a man choosing to sit directly across from me on a mostly empty bus and he immediately went off. "You think I'm sick? You people are the sick ones! Fucking ridiculous!!!"

I said nothing and got off at the next stop. I'm not risking the droplet exposure of some rabid idiot pulling off his mask to rant and rave about a brow furrowing in his general direction.

I also often kick my feet behind me as if I'm a special horse. That generally scares people.

Space permitting, I have also told the guy in front of me, "I'm behind you, but I'm going to stand over there to make a call; please hold my place."

"When you're going up the stairs and you take a step, kick the other leg up high behind you to keep people from following too close."

Jack Handey, Deep Thoughts

Loudly announce "It's time for Prancercise!"

Depends on who’s back there. You might actually want them to get a little closer.

[quote]I have had people push shopping carts right against my ass and then keep bumping it, constantly hitting my ass

Pics please.

I keep my shopping cart behind me while I'm in line.

A loud uncovered hideous cough will part any crowd like you’re the Queen of Bloody England

Since I'm vaccinated 'n all I feel like I shouldn't even have to wait in line.

I start yelling hysterically at my invisible friend and make sudden “methy moves”

SLAP THEIR FACE, SLAP THEIR FACE VICIOUSLY!!!

I’ll kick my leg behind me like I’m stretching or doing ballet.

Piss on them

Hold your phone to your head and loudly say “What do you mean I tested positive for COVID [quote]and [quote]ringworm? I’m a grown man, check those lab results again.”

The problem self-corrects.

Fart

Spencer Gifts sells fart spray. Works like a charm.

Serenade them.

[quote] You seem like a big pansy, OP. Grow a spine.

Oh I have totally gone off on people but it only seems to work until the line starts to advance again and then they are right back up on top of me again, it also makes standing there the rest of the time uncomfortable for everyone including the people with me if I am not alone. People pushing shopping carts against my ass, I have tried bending over quickly which shoves their cart back into them, that seemed to work that time, I just don't understand why anyone would do that in the first place. As I said above one time I put a hand on my hip and turned quickly hitting her boobs hard, this after I had already politely asked her to back off twice, as soon as the line started to advance she was right back on top of me rubbing her purse on my ass.

I have pretty well decided that there are just some people who think being in a waiting line requires people stand as close as they can and nothing you do will stop them. I have thought about letting them go ahead of me, but I don't want to reward their behavior.

Fart.

So we're leaving our mother's basements now? Since when? Why didn't you guys tell me?

I wear a ship steering wheel around my waist whose spokes are studded with sharp spines. Any old homemade vintage-era ship's steering wheel and dungeon spikes will usually do.

I fart loudly.

None of this happens – you’re quite bored.

Has anyone said fart yet? Tee hee I'm so original!

Lose your weight and the space around you will increase exponentially.

As the line moves forward, I stand still to allow six feet between me and the person ahead of me. That makes the person behind me very antsy.

I thought I was going to have to beat down a guy in line at the PO when I asked him to back up and he shot back "I'm not in the cult!". I replied " No, you're in the Post Office. Back the fuck up. "

Could have gone either way but he backed off.

What R31 said. Even if I don't need a shopping cart, I'll get one just to keep it behind me in line. I also have seasonal allergies so I sniffle loudly or even fake a sneeze. That usually backs them up a bit.

I was in an AutoZone a few months ago and a guy asked me to back up. I was less than 6 feet and on my phone waiting in line. I was honestly shocked, then a flash of annoyance, followers by defiance occurred in my head. But I did step back as requested but slowly. T be frank, I was sort of pissed at being called out. It wasn’t logical but that’s how my lizard brain took the request. Just not used to that type of interaction from strangers.

I say to OP, make a grand show of you keeping a distance form the people in front of you in a line. Be careful if you decide to call out someone behind you because you don’t know what thoughts can be running through their head.

Since I try to avoid any crowds, I've only had a problem once in a line with a couple with obvious attitude behind me. I asked them to stay back, got the "make me" attitude, so I said "you're obviously in a hurry" and let them go ahead of me so I could manage the distance. Irritating, but solved the problem.

While having my groceries checked out one time, the woman behind me was very close behind me. There were no other people in the line...so no one was behind her, forcing her to move up. Before I paid via the cc machine, I turned and gave her a dirty look. Even the cashier showed snark and said to her, "I see you're going to pay for her groceries." Finally, she moved back a little. I hate when people are too close. It's obtuse and obnoxious. Maybe an "accidental" jab with your elbow might help.