Backlash

[Sergei82]

Or I am suffering from poor spacial awareness as well?

Er. Yes. A personal hate of mine is the way many people who wear backpacks seem to forget that it protudes quite a distance from their back.

That is nothing. In my childhood I used to carry my fishing rod on my shoulder while going fishing. People were quite scared to approach me, especially from behind.

But my point was: will you chase people around to tell them about their backpacks??? Just move the whole guy away using your hands if his backpack is irritating you.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Or I am suffering from poor spacial awareness as well?

Er. Yes. A personal hate of mine is the way many people who wear backpacks seem to forget that it protudes quite a distance from their back.

That is nothing. In my childhood I used to carry my fishing rod on my shoulder while going fishing. People were quite scared to approach me, especially from behind.

But my point was: will you chase people around to tell them about their backpacks??? Just move the whole guy away using your hands if his backpack is irritating you.

I reckon your 'bulk' as opposed to your height, may well have intimidated most from 'moving' you away.

While not exactly PC here, with your build and a large backpack you would fit to old saying to a "T". You know the one, right? Like a bull in a china shop!

[Sergei82]

While not exactly PC here, with your build and a large backpack you would fit to old saying to a "T". You know the one, right? Like a bull in a china shop!

dunno

[JR8]

But my point was: will you chase people around to tell them about their backpacks??? Just move the whole guy away using your hands if his backpack is irritating you.

I've experienced it too.

In the experiment I mentioned earlier of 'letting people walk into me'; I had one woman who did precisely that. She then pursued me across a piazza in a shopping mall.

She was bordering on hysteria (having lost self-control).

Her: You walked into me, I want you to apologise!!!
Me: No no, you were not looking where you were walking, it was you that walked into me. So I'd like you to apologise.

and so on...

In the end I just gave her a 'brief yet clear verbal instruction' and went on my way.

[JR8]

Like a bull in a china shop!

SG as a social china (China?) shop. An interesting analogy

[movingtospore]

Well, the other day..I was pacing in front of a building off Orchard late one night waiting for hubby to pick me up. Couple local gals hanging out around the taxi queue. One glared at me as said: "You know, in Singapore, we queue for taxis. The end of the queue is here." I started to laugh (the worst thing to you can do to a SC) and said: "Darling, how fabulous for you. However, I'm not waiting for a taxi. And you, my dear, are wasting years out of your life waiting in queues when if you actually thought for minute, which I know is difficult for you, and walked across the street over there, you'd probably be able to flag one down quite quickly. Hope that helps." To which she sputtered for several minutes, checked her phone, sputtered, checked her phone, and then stomped off with her friend after fruitlessly waiting for a taxi a while more.

Actually I wasn't quite that eloquent. But the effect was the same.

[rajagainstthemachine]

Well, the other day..I was pacing in front of a building off Orchard late one night waiting for hubby to pick me up. Couple local gals hanging out around the taxi queue. One glared at me as said: "You know, in Singapore, we queue for taxis. The end of the queue is here." I started to laugh (the worst thing to you can do to a SC) and said: "Darling, how fabulous for you. However, I'm not waiting for a taxi. And you, my dear, are wasting years out of your life waiting in queues when if you actually thought for minute, which I know is difficult for you, and walked across the street over there, you'd probably be able to flag one down quite quickly. Hope that helps." To which she sputtered for several minutes, checked her phone, sputtered, checked her phone, and then stomped off with her friend after fruitlessly waiting for a taxi a while more.

Actually I wasn't quite that eloquent. But the effect was the same.

you aren't going to believe this, but one fine evening after I had a few fine beers at Clarke Quay I staggered to the streets to hail a cab and there was quite a crowd at the taxi stand.
I pretended to hang around and then walked to the street a good 300 meters ahead and crossed over to the other side.
I was the only guy in the middle of the street trying to flag down a cab within 10 minutes of standing there, 6 drunks decide to form a queue behind me patiently waiting their turn for a cab in the middle of the road forming an imaginary taxi queue.Then when another drunk sees our lil imaginary line he walks ahead of our queue when the 6 drunks throw a lil fit over this perceived injustice and start swearing at him.
thats when a cab arrived I waved he stopped and I buggered off shaking my head in absolute bemusement and disbelief.

[Brah]

[I guess it's interesting to differentiate between the general 'blur like sotong' / no spacial awareness issue and specific anti-foreigner actions.

I'm glad you mentioned this, as there is quite a difference between the common everyday local (and it' not only locals who do this of course, but I don't see it nearly as much with foreingers) who won't respect other people's space out of rudness, ignorance or lack of awareness, and, the kind of thing that happened to me.

With all that's been in the news about anti-foreinger sentiment, I have to wonder if my experience was an isolated incident or the shape of more to come.

[Global Player]

Sourpuss galore here. All you guys with spacial awareness (or rather social awareness) issues should be put together in JR Yamanote Line in Tokyo and circle the whole day. Or Shanghai Line 2 from People's Square to Century Avenue during rush hour is also a nice one. You have difficulties to breath let alone turning around. You'll wish yourself back to Singapore...

[sundaymorningstaple]

Like a bull in a china shop!

SG as a social china (China?) shop. An interesting analogy

I figured you would pick up on that one. I had to explain it to Sergei last night at the gathering. lol

[Mi Amigo]

Like a bull in a china shop!

SG as a social china (China?) shop. An interesting analogy

I figured you would pick up on that one. I had to explain it to Sergei last night at the gathering. lol

Aha, now I understand why you guys were talking about bulls and china shops.

[Mi Amigo]

Sourpuss galore here. All you guys with spacial awareness (or rather social awareness) issues should be put together in JR Yamanote Line in Tokyo and circle the whole day. Or Shanghai Line 2 from People's Square to Century Avenue during rush hour is also a nice one. You have difficulties to breath let alone turning around. You'll wish yourself back to Singapore...

Well I don't know the Shanghai Line but I'm quite familiar with the Yamanote Line at rush hour. It certainly is extremely crowded (being tall helps me to keep breathing normally), but there's a huge difference in the behaviour of the commuters in my experience. Orderly lines to board the trains, LETTING ALL THE &%*ING PEOPLE OFF FIRST (sorry for the outburst ) and general respect for fellow travellers; all of which are frequently lacking here. I've never seen (nor can imagine) a Japanese commuter stumbling into another person because they WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO WHERE THEY WERE GOING (oops, there's that caps-lock button again ), and if such an incident were to occur there would undoubtedly follow a lot of bowing and apologising on the part of the careless one.

[nakatago]

Sourpuss galore here. All you guys with spacial awareness (or rather social awareness) issues should be put together in JR Yamanote Line in Tokyo and circle the whole day. Or Shanghai Line 2 from People's Square to Century Avenue during rush hour is also a nice one. You have difficulties to breath let alone turning around. You'll wish yourself back to Singapore...

Being packed into a crowded train is one thing. But if there's plenty of space, you're standing out of the way, you're making eye contact and that someone still bumps into you, I think we all know that's a problem.

[Brah]

Sourpuss galore here. All you guys with spacial awareness (or rather social awareness) issues should be put together in JR Yamanote Line in Tokyo and circle the whole day....You have difficulties to breath let alone turning around. You'll wish yourself back to Singapore...

Been there done that. It's really an unfair comparison, as even with exponentially more people the Japanese manage to respect other people's space, when there is space....

We're not talking crowded trains, we're talking hogging the walkways unnecessarily.

Edit: Just saw Mi Amigo's and Naka's reponses, so mine is redundant....

[zzm9980]

Beijing has the sample problem as Singapore, and a uniquely mainland china solution: an uncle who stands outside the door and pushes people in. I literally saw them falling over each other as he shouted for them to move into the middle of the cabin. It was great. I will film it next time.