About personal space

Likely about personal space and the fear of stepping backwards and falling over the basket. 

 

And are you sure he was "kicking" the basket, or simply pushing it away with his foot?  "Kicking" is a hostile term indicative of aggressive behaviour.

 

Think about it. A foot (12") is not a great distance. When you take a step, that distance is usually more than 12".  If that basket was behind him and he happened to step back, he would bang into the basket. He could simply hit his foot, or possibly lose his balance entirely.

 

In addition to that, being on the larger size (speaking from personal experience), his line of vision to the ground is obscured by his girth, adding another risk. His personal space is larger than that of someone who is thin and can see all the way around and to the ground without obstruction.

 

I find that so many people these days have no respect for personal space.  Standing a foot away from someone in line isn't going to get you through the checkout or to the bank machine, any sooner than if you stood 2 feet away.

 

 

 

 

If he was actually kicking it away, then that's an obnoxious reaction. Especially as it's behind him, not in front. Was he planning on walking backwards through the line? I think he over-reacted.
For my personal comfort level, a foot is quite close to be standing in line, but I know this is different for everyone.

If I were the guy in that situation I would have moved the basket away, too, not kicking it hard but definitely pushing it farther away. I have poor peripheral vision up and down (it's okay side to side) and I've tripped over a few carelessly placed shopping baskets and boxes on the floor of stores! I just can't see the floor in front of me if I'm looking straight ahead. Maybe he's tripped over a few, too, no matter what the reason putting a basket on the floor that close to someone is inviting an accident.

I think he over reacted......seriously, it's not that big of deal and like it was already said....he's not going to be walking backwards through the line.

 

 

I absolutely HATE it when people are within a foot of me, behind me in line. I step back on accident and I step on them or their baskets, hurt myself or they get angry for bumping into them. There's absolutely NO reason for people to be so close behind me in line (Especially when they reek of cigs or other foul smell).. it's not going to make the line go any faster! I have pushed baskets and/or carts back away from me when it's too close (never kick or shove, but pushed it back and with an "Excuse me" to those close to me)

 

So the guy probably felt the same way as I do.

People should not park a basket, or themselves for that matter, that close to another person in line. Often, people do take a step backwards, whether to take a closer look at a magazine, grab a pop or to move the cart to remove an unwieldy package from the cart, or just to shift the empty cart; if you nose the cart to the belt/rurntable, you have to back up more than one step to get the cart out of there. Nothing quite like backing up into a cart, basket or human - any of the options get the other person upset that you got in their way. Common sense says stay back at least two feet.

I am very adamant about my personal space from someone I don't know. If they get too close behind me in line, I will step backward on their feet, if they push their cart into me, I will push it back.  I can see no reason to crowd someone when there is plenty of room, It is just rude, so I will be rude right back, even though I try not to be a rude person in any other situation. If it is someone I know and like, they can hang on me like a a cheap suit.

I think he probably could have used some manners, but then she could have used some as well. I HATE when people get too close to me, especially when there is no reason for it. It is one of the reasons I don't ever do Black Friday shopping. Odds are, I'm going to get into it with someone pushing and shoving, and it's probably going to end badly, so I don't bother. Saving a dollar on walmart underwear isn't worth a misdemeanor on my record. LOL!!!

I have a "thing" about personal space, too, so placing the basket right behind me would have made me a tad nervous, simply because I'd worry about backing into it and losing my balance.  The guy didn't have to kick the basket, though; all he had to do was ask the woman to move it and explain that he didn't want to back into the basket, esp since he was a large man. That's what I would have done.

 

The kicking? Yes, that was rude and obnoxious. There are other ways of dealing with things. But maybe he was in a bad mood or something already. Not that it excuses him.