Is it just me, or do people not seem to be moving out of the way of moving vehicles lately?

It’s not just parking lots. More and more people seem unaware of what is around them. Not concerned how they may be affecting others, blocking others.

In parking lots and on the road in general it is a real safety issue though. I know pedestrians have right of way, but if you are dead, who cares that you had the right of way. I said to someone recently that “these kids were never taught to make sure the driver makes eye contact with them before crossing.” The person had no idea what I was talking about.

Honestly, the majority of the time people are doing the right thing, but it happens enough that people seem to be oblivious that it is noticeable.

@Dutchess_III You’re right!! I’ve been noticing this myself lately. Whether it’s getting out of the way for a vehicle, a shopping cart or just someone trying to walk past, I have seen more and more people that simply will not move.

It seems very aggressive to me – as if they are, as you said, challenging you to run into them. As to why? I have no clue. But I have definitely noticed it!

You are so right. This is becoming some type of rude trend., I’ve noticed this happening more and more.
I’m not sure if it the fact that they have those damn phones, or music in their ears, and this makes them oblivious or what.

Could it be another facet of twisting “I have my rights!” around to the point of idiocy?
I’m glad I wasn’t imagining things….

I was leaving a dog walk today and had to back my car out of the parking spot. People were standing behind me with their dogs, I couldn’t really see the dogs and they didn’t seem to be moving out of the way. Scared the hell out of me!

I’ve definitely noticed…not that I drive or anything. Are we still urbanizing? Maybe the post-farmers not used to it yet. After all, they want to make up for all those cattle that gave them dirty looks and kept ambling on when they were driving through the country.

It’s not you. In Baltimore MD, you see it all the time…along with the preference of young people to walk in the street…as if we didn’t have sidewalks.

And I concur with an earlier post that mentioned this being an “I have my rights…” thing.

I do it because I can.

So while it infuriates me to see people disregard their own safety where motor vehicles are involved, I’ve learned to temper my displeasure when I encounter a group of kids in the middle of the street blocking traffic. Now, I either back up and choose another route…or park where I am until they decide to move.

Even just waking from a parking lot to a destination, people will just stop where they are and won’t move off the path or get out of the way – it is not just cars – and it is a variety of ethnicities that I see doing it, too. I blame the loss of ‘common’ courtesy and ‘common’ sense. People are just so self-absorbed anymore.

I just ran into that today. After an hour of standing in the aisles waiting for people to get out of the way, I was backing out of my parking space when a car decided she just HAD to get by before I pulled out. I swear some of the dust came off my bumper she squeaked by so close.

And knowing this, there are still those drivers that think it’s ok to drive 40 or 50 mph in the parking lot! Recipe for disaster.

Haha..I JUST had some guy walk right in front of me without even LOOKING the other day. Good thing I was looking. I am forever blown away at the total oblivious lack of awareness people seem to operate in. Freaking amazing!
Hellooooo….there is a whole big world around you if you would just OPEN your EYES! Gah!

Can’t tell you the number of times in a supermarket I’ve had to get out of the way for a shopper yacking on the phone and pushing a cart, paying no attention to anyone else… or watched a pedestrian zombie-walking across the street or in a parking lot talking or texting and paying no attention to cars… or had to stop suddenly for a driver backing up out of a parking space with phone cupped to ear and paying no heed to what’s behind the car… and on and on. Makes me want to scream!!!

And don’t let anything get between their eyes and their iPhone.

@dxs yeah. I saw two students crossing the street Friday while looking at mobile phones. Never even noticed the light had changed for traffic to proceed.

In-credible.

@SABOTEUR I saw two people on their phones bump heads once. Absolutely hilarious.

@dxs I’d swear you’d made that up if I hadn’t had plenty of previous observation concerning the zombification of America. Hilarious but very sad.

Heh…well..I actually confronted Mr. Duh in the parking lot, I walked right up to his truck and said ” Nice going, guess you’re the type that is ” like wow man, blend with the traffic.” He kinda laughed and said ” well, I’m a pretty relaxed type.”
I replied..” Well, you would have been in a permanent state of relaxation underneath my car, all 3,740 lbs. of it.” He really had nothing else to say when I was done with him. lol

Just mow the fuckers down & claim diminished responsibility on account of loitering flotsam.

I don’t think this is a new phenomenon at all. Have you ever been to a Wal-Mart? It happens every single time we go.

Oh how I despise Wal-Mart with a deep and unrelenting passion.

After reading these it also makes me wonder if it has something to do with that attitude of they have to stop. Or, it will be their fault. I can’t tell you how many people I know who will brake nbthe road if they are pissed at some other driver on the road to get back at them in anger. If they crash they figure it will be the fault of the guy behind them. Who gives a fuck?! The crash happened, and other people might also crash because of it. Either these people in the lots are unaware, or they just figure if anyone crashes into them it will be their fault. It’s like a power trip of sorts maybe?

@janbb Your answer really hit me. How is that people don’t uderstand what we can’t see when we are driving? My husband’s cousin’s toddler was killed that way. It was an accident, not really what you described, but the child was playing behind a car and the car backed up. I drive a truck sometimes and I have so many blind spots it’s ridiculous. Dangerous!

This kind of thing is the natural consequence of our ethos of individualism. Instead of being concerned about how we can coordinate our actions with everyone else so that things work smoothly, we’ve be become a nation of competitors who aren’t going to give an inch of their rightful turf.

Isn’t it exactly the same thing that we’re seeing in our government?

^^^In parts of our government.

It’s utterly stupid. Stupid.