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Community: Real Life

Random stoppers


Jess M

Jess, 20, is studying magazine journalism. She loves being near the sea, hanging out with friends and shopping.

Jess has had enough of individuals roaming our streets and shopping centres without any care for their surroundings.

I can guarantee that if I'm running late and trying to walk quickly then any efforts I make are pointless, thanks to my pet hate while out shopping: the random stopper. When I walk through town it's almost as though I've left reality and entered a computer game, like the sort where you are trying to weave hectically through obstacles within a time limit. You don't want to be stopped by these aimless and incredibly annoying characters.

What really makes me mad, however, is that people don't just stop in front of you when you're hurrying. You can be trying to have a relaxing stroll, behind a couple or a lone offender, and they just grind to a halt. It happens so often to me now that it's beyond a joke. It makes my blood boil! Once I was walking through Southampton's West Quay Shopping Centre, heading towards H&M to meet a friend. No matter what direction I travelled in, or however many 'random stoppers' I tried to dodge, there was always another in my path. The art of walking in a straight line is becoming impossible and people are starting to walk in a peculiar zigzag style.

If you aren't a confrontational person, you may find yourself huffing and gritting your teeth. You know the feeling. What you really want to do is scream at the top of your voice: "Get out of my way!" This leads to irrational thoughts passing through your mind. Occasionally you might get a bit flustered with anger at the person's ignorance towards you. The first thought that usually passes through my mind is that this person has just taken up some of my valuable moving time - can't they tell I'm in a rush?

"I always assure myself that I couldn't possibly be one of these rude people ruining everyone else's shopping trip or Sunday afternoon stroll."

These people usually stop in a split second. They don't give any warning, change their pace or acknowledge your presence. They're completely oblivious to the fact that you've just nearly ended up walking into the back of them. It's really frustrating when you watch them effortlessly digging around in their bags for what seems to be nothing in particular, or when stop to stare at something in the nearest shop window. I always wonder; why don't they just think and move to the side so that they are out of our way? If they really need to faff around then they should do it somewhere else.

Of course you know that you would never be so inconsiderate to other members of the public. I do sometimes wonder whether or not I have ever committed this bad-mannered act. I always assure myself that I couldn't possibly be one of these rude people ruining everyone else's shopping trip or Sunday afternoon stroll.

So how can we stop this? I'd introduce a walking etiquette which means that if people want to stop then they have to make sure they step to the side to let others pass.  Now, I've got some shopping to do.

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