Last Night's Commute: An Open Letter

[gnomi]

Dear Lady Blocking the Exit,

When I say, "Excuse me, coming out," that is not an invitation to block my path. When I then say again, "Excuse me, coming out," most people clear a path to the door. Since your spoken, heartfelt response of "I don't know what to do" seemed to be seeking information, I responded "Move out of the way to the door." I hope this better educates you as to how to respond when someone in the future asks you to excuse them as they are attempting to get off the bus.

Yours in the name of education and fostering communications,

That chick who *didn't* hit you with her tote bag on the way out despite your best efforts to get hit therewith

Comments

[madknits.livejournal.com]

Tote bag? Honey, why else are you carrying all those knitting needles?

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

You have a point. Though I'd already put the knitting away, since I was getting off the bus. :-)

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

I've always found that a well-spoken "Move it or lose it" works pretty well ;)

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

My exhortations to people in my way decrease in civility the more times I have to repeat myself. In the end, I'm doing the "Excuse-me-plus-elbow-throw" I perfected on the buses in Israel.

[limonchika.livejournal.com]

I'm all over the "Elbows Out" stance. It's not my fault if the person blocking my way gets hit!

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

It's totally a defensive move! Especially getting off the Red Line at Park Street at rush hour!

(That's my story and I'm sticking to it.) :-)

[aunt-becca.livejournal.com]

you show much restraint :) How you didn't "accidentally" poke her with a needle is beyond me...

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

::snerk:: You and madknits think alike.

[jenwrites.livejournal.com]

I wonder if she's got some sort of cognitive disability. That's the only way I can grok her "I don't know what to do" comment.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

It's possible, though I think that "I don't know what to do" was shorthand for "I have nowhere to really move because these other people are blocking any movement I can make." Though moving directly into my escape route was worse than had she just stayed where she'd been previously, because I could've gotten around her then.

[tapuz.livejournal.com]

yeah, I was thinking the shorthand, most likely.

When I am tired and stressed, I sometimes melt into flail n' fail at times like that, and in the pressure honestly can't tell which way is best to move, especially if there are people disembarking on multiple sides of me.

In all cases, not a fun situation, alas.

[half-double.livejournal.com]

I wonder if she's got some sort of cognitive disability.

That was my first thought, too. Or maybe her first time ever on public transit. How exciting! Not for gnomi, of course. But exciting in general.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I've had lots of encounters with "first time on public transit" folks. It's always... an adventure.

[reporteraliza.livejournal.com]

I would have hit her with the tote bag.