One of my frustrations in Airports are people who meander. Some people wander slowly through airports because they are lost or confused or stressed and some because they are day dreaming. These individuals (and groups) walk slowly on travelators, stop for discussions at the top of escalators, hold the button on the lifts (elevators) and bunch at the doors of airports. Drives me crazy!!
I am always trying to minimise my time in an airport, so I want to plow through. I am also familiar with airports and how to quickly get to gates. I have to remember, not everyone is as adept at airports. This video shows one man’s attempt to deal with the situation.
Would it work in your airport?!!
Seems like a cultural thing, so probably wouldn’t work over here. Of course, if you spoke kungfu-Japanese while doing it people would probably move.
Of course, more people will move if you just say “excuse me”. 🙂
“more” -> “most”
Lolol. Too funny
You are right. Most people will move if asked politely. However, sadly Mike, in airports again and again, I find people can be oblivious. Not sure if its stress, fear, confusion or what but I have seen people standing on escalators, travelators and at elevator (lift) doors unable to comprehend that the person behind them is saying excuse me again and again.
The most annoying thing as where there are people movers (like at DEN where they are a few hundred feet long) and you have a group of people taking up the whole people mover and not moving at all and you are stuck behind them for a minute with nowhere to go. Other than that I don’t have much of a problem with meanderers because I can easily get around them.
So I take it, you won’t be buying one of these gadgets soon?!
I do appreciate escalators and travelators that have signs saying keep left or right when standing. Makes things much easier when you say “excuse me” because you can point to the sign!
That bell idea is great. The worst experience I have (and it’s at least every other week) is when a group of people are coming toward me, spread out in a line to take over the entire hallway. I, of course, walk on the right. No one moves out of the way for me. I have to stop, one of them realizes he or she is about to walk into me, also stops as if to challenge, and finally walks around me.
Yes, the slowness could be due to confusion, inexperience, stupidity, rudeness…etc., or it could be due to the fact that they’ve planned ahead and have no need to rush anywhere and is wondering, as you impatiently push by them, why everyone waits til the last moment to rush to wherever they need to go.
Just one plausible reason you don’t mention. 🙂
Looks like it works! I think it’s a bit rude, as I’m sure saying a polite excuse me will mostly do just fine in majority of the cases.
For the most part, slow walkers don’t bother me unless I’m in a hurry.
You can easily get around them.
I’d be really annoyed if this is used in the airport. Unless one is rushing to get to a really tight connection (should it be so tight in the first place?), what’s the rush? They may neither be lost, confused or stressed. (Speaking as someone who knows my way around airports, but still thinks it’s important to slow down and smell the roses sometimes. For some people, that could be the airport!)
Oblivious walker is another story if you attempted to say ‘excuse me’ multiple times. I do like signage (especially in the UK) that says “stay to the right” and most people abide by it. I don’t see that sort of signage in the states as often.
Good point! Their organisational ability does not excuse blocking the way for other people though.!