You’re a nice guy and everything, but stop standing so close to me! You do it to everyone; guys, girls, and even people you don’t know very well! Whenever I move away you just move closer again, are you trying to intimidate people? Or are you just socially awkward? We all think it’s fucking creepy, cut it out!
—One foot at LEAST!
This article appears in May 14-20, 2009.
The guy is going to end up in your lap if you don’t vocalize these sentiments. LTWWB may be popular but it’s not so popular that you should think bitching here will earn you even a foot of personal space. SPEAK to each other people. It’s the only way to get the point across.
ESP + LTWWB = FUTILITY
I hate close talkers!
When I first saw this bitch, I thought 3 inches meant something else…
ROTFLMAO @ Dr. Fever
Close talker
The next time he does it, recoil and back away until you fall over backwards- Kramer-style. Maybe he’ll get the hint.
maybe the other person has issues with their hearing?
or maybe they have cultural differences that involves being up-close during interpersonal interactions?
fuck off, OP, text them from now on, you whiney schmuck. if you don’t like people speaking to you, stay the fuck inside and become an invalid.
the most ridiculous thing i hear from people is them complaining about “their personal space” like its some rule that others have to follow.
Fuck off, NGF. I like my personal space.
Next time someone stands too close, OP just back away a little bit. They’ll get the hint.
Unless you’re in a crowded space, which in that case suck it up.
I’m with pretty kitty. Sometimes people just get too close.
NGF, If they had hearing loss, more than likely they would stand back in order to see your lips and body language.
Last week my pencil-necked boss did the same fucking thing while I was sitting at my computer. He’s been doing this for a couple of months now and I was getting more than a little peeved. He asked me a question – I sprang up, nudged him out of the way and yelled: ‘MOVE!’ to get to my files. He not only jumped about three feet but he’s been eyeing me warily ever since.
says who, falling angel? not every person who is heard of hearing looks to read lips or body language. i’ve had deaf roommates and worked with the hard-of-hearing before.
most people who have excellent hearing can barely read body language.
if people “get too close” then move the fuck back! there’s no law or social rule saying that “personal space must be observed and respected”. personally i find it a crock that people feel so entitled that getting “close” to them is a violoation on par with rape or assault.
I find it annoying too when people do that. I might be inclined to inquire about it, politely but bluntly. Especially considering that he does it to everyone so clearly you’re not just crazy or being singled out. Maybe he just doesn’t realize for some odd reason that he’s being wierd…maybe autism or ADHD?
NGF it’s common courtesy to respect someone’s personal space. In no way has the OP put this on par with rape or assault, stop being so fucking dramatic.
Mole Rat, how did you come up with Autism and ADHD? That makes absolutely no sense. Close talking is not a symptom of either and both are consistently misdiagnosed anyway.
OP, if he’s not taking the hint when you back away tell him, you know with words and stuff, to back off.
Because a symptom of both autism and ADHD is difficulty in learning accepted social behaviors. I figured that when I used words and stuff, like the word “maybe,” that I was communicating that it was a possibility, rather than an actual diagnosis. My bad.
NGF: I studied Deaf culture; I have friends that are Deaf, deaf( yes deaf was put down twice purposely) and Hard of hearing. Although I don’t know everything, I think it’s safe to say I might know a smidgen about it. Not everyone may use body language or lip reading as a tool to better understand the words coming out of another mouth (however I would take a stab that these people are recently deaf). And don’t get me confused, I’m not saying that lip reading means that you are able to understand every word clearly and concisely purely by lip reading, I know of very few that do. Using the example that “most people who have excellent hearing can barely read body language” doesn’t work for me. People who have excellent hearing depend on their hearing alone to communicate with other people.
NGF, I’m also curious..I am purely guessing right now, I could be complete wrong, but are you a taller fella? I only ask because if you were, people getting close to you might not be as uncomfortable and intimidating to you, because they are not able to get right in your face (if they are shorter). I’m not trying to be rude or offensive in that question, just curious if that might make a difference.
I wouldn’t consider myself tall. Very broad/wide shouldered though.
Linda Mosher is a close talker. Maybe she’s hard of hearing. I know I am, but I don’t lean in, I just smile and nod. No pirate shirts, yet.
Cool, thanks NGF, guess that wasn’t the case:)
Um, if the person was near deaf, the OP wouldn’t be bitching right now, they would probably know if they were/weren’t. Violation of personal space is annoying. But it’s plain creepy/frightening that the offender is that clueless to not take body language clues. Tell it to his face that you need some space, if he’s even worth interacting with anymore.