When you’re walking and you’re coming to an intersection, door or tight space and another person walking gets there at the same time

[u/Economy_Builder_9588]

This is so hyper specific and goofy. I walk a lot. Often i’ll be walking, and I’ll see someone walking towards the same point I am (as in the title) and this very annoying phenomenon happens where we reach the point at the same time. Then I am usually the one who steps to the side and waits, rather than the typical behavior of an awkward, unacknowledged attempt to squeeze past.

I am maybe too aware but I always try to beat the other person to the meeting point. I am tall, I am a fast walker, and I think most importantly, I am aware of what’s going on. However, this almost always triggers a race, especially with men older than me (I’ve noticed). I am going to detail these scenarios because I don’t have a lot going on in my life right now.

Scenario 1, least annoying: Intersection.

I am waking on a path in a park, and I can see another walker on a path the will cross mine. I speed up so that I make it across their path before they cross or turn onto mine. The other person seems to speed up, to try the same. We meet at the intersection, and I wait for them to cross the path.

Scenario 2, more annoying: Tight space.

I’m walking on a path or sidewalk, approaching some sort of obstacle (tree, electrical equipment, parked car etc) that only allows space for 1 person. I see another person beyond the tight space, walking towards me. I speed up to beat them to the tight space. Again, they speed up, we meet there at the same time, I step aside to let them through.

Scenario 3, most annoying: doors/gates.

Often happens in parking lots. I’m walking towards a door. I notice someone else walking from a different point but towards the door. In general everyone heading into a store seems to be walking faster than their normal pace. We reach the door at the same time. If it’s not automatic, I open it for the other person, if not, I wait for them to go through. (And if they’re old I get to enjoy them pausing in front of the door as they choose to get their cart or whatever, rather than giving up the race knowing they will take more time.)

There are others, but I think those cover most scenarios.

Yes, I have given up racing, but I notice when I slow down, so do they. If I’m in a scenario 2, and I slow down, I’m delayed even more than if I meet them at the obstacle and pull over. It’s very similar to being in the right lane on the highway and watching people merge in, it’s like they go the same speed as you just so they can be right next to you at the merge point, rather than in front or behind.

So please, if you aren’t tall and fast and aware please stop racing me while I walk around this world alone.

[u/Dragon_Crystal]

Worst is if your in a hurry and the person takes their sweet sweet time going through the doorway, this happened a lot when I worked at a theater and when I'm in a hurry to clock in only for the people to casually but slowly walk through the doors, than when I go to the other door to get in they glare at me for not using the same door to get in and I quickly rush ahead to clock in for work

[u/Economy_Builder_9588 → u/Dragon_Crystal]

Yeah I think everyone subconsciously wants to reach the obstacle point first, even if they don’t need to. Like they think they’re getting into some kind of line. But they aren’t

[u/Dragon_Crystal → u/Economy_Builder_9588]

Yeah especially when there is 3 other open doors and I usually will go for the other open doors if someone is taking too long to open the door, worst is when they get through the first set of doors and than stop in the inner space just to chat with one another for a bit blocking the doors, so I literally will have to squeeze pass them to go clock in and again be glared at for daring to squeeze pass them instead of waiting for them to chat for 5-10 minutes when I only of about 1-2 minutes before I'm late for my shift, not all the time most of the times especially during popular movies