How fast are you? Do slow people irritate you?

I do question whether those rushing around like their pants are in fire really stop long enough to consider the best course of action rather than just taking that immediately apparent.
Yes, I can up the pace, but I find organisation must underpin all activity, ‘else what’s the point.
To me there’s nothing like a slow amble, stopping and looking and noticing things and others.

AreWeThereYet

I'm rarely in a rush but I am focussed on what I am doing and like to get things finished.

I am a bit impatient though with ditherers. I didn't mind standing in the queue in Sainsbury this morning. I didn't mind watching the woman in front very slowly unloading her basket, watching the cashier, and then very slowly loading her bag at the other end while taking a phone call. (From her daughter, confirming that she would be at the right place for pick-up, not at the place which is too far away and not at the other place where there are steps. And not in 5 minutes after all, it would take 10 minutes more to get there as the shop was so busy. For anyone interested.) I lost it a bit though when she then had to empty her handbag to find her purse, which was then emptied but didn't contain her card, and then empty her pockets to find her card which turned out to be in her bag after all. By the time she had repacked her handbag and pockets I was nearly screaming at her in frustration (but no, I didn't).

This is a lack of social awareness aka ignorance!

For all those who hurtle through life:

Leisure
by William Henry Davies

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Enjoy 🙂

Used to be a brisk walker and dog walker..now after mild stroke am as slow as a snail..my right leg doesn't co-operate with my brain and end up in enormous pain and frustration..dragging right leg as foot becomes numb....know my daughter gets bit irritated as I did with my own mother who had terrible arthritis..don't judge us slow people ..just to keep our legs moving is a trial sometimes - feel very sad that people have no patience or tolerance at times...

I am hugely patient with anyone who is older or has any difficulties for one reason or another. Not so when people are lazy and don't respect other people's time.

MrsKen33

I don’t mind people being slow. It’s when they dither about in front of me I get irritated. This way, that way. Make up your mind!

I was just about to write this. Be a slowcoach if you want to but please be aware there may be others behind you that don’t want to go at your speed. Just move over a bit and we can all be happy.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I used to walk really quickly but when my husband – now dead – developed terminal cancer, I walked at his pace. I recently had a really brutal dose of Covid and am lacking energy and rather slow. Perhaps I irritate people, but maybe their haste irritates me.

absent

I used to walk really quickly but when my husband – now dead – developed terminal cancer, I walked at his pace. I recently had a really brutal dose of Covid and am lacking energy and rather slow. Perhaps I irritate people, but maybe their haste irritates me.

Well said. I used to go to a book group and there was one particularly bossy, self opinionated lady. Another slower lady used to try and express her views on the book and Mrs Bossy would tell her to hurry up and keep tutting. I then piped up and said that we were all entitled to our say and asked Mrs Slow some questions to encourage her to speak. Mrs Bossy had to be quiet as she has 15 sets of eyes on her! Ha!

My sister is the only one who complains that I walk slowly, drive slowly and take too long over the washing up. But there are no hard feelings. The time she mentioned that I drive slowly I had been following her on roads unfamiliar to me, in a hired car unfamiliar to me, on the opposite side of the road I was used to. Afterwards we were walking from the car park and she said "You even walk slowly!". ( Actually, I had slowed down a bit because I was searching my pockets for something.)

I think I may be a "little" OCD as I spend some time thinking out a plan for doing something, but when I do get started, I know what I'm doing, and don't dither. So out me in the "slow and methodical" category.

DH certainly walks faster than I do. But when we get to the front door, I am the one who has their key ready - he doesn't start looking for it till he's right there. I don't see many people faffing at the till to find their card, cash, loyalty card etc, , or I don't notice because I'm busy unloading my own trolley, but that wouldn't annoy me very much, I don't think.

I am one of the methodical ones

I walk slowly, not because I can't walk quickly but because I like to take in and enjoy what is going on around me. I'm a dreamer and a ponderer and have a meditative approach. I have a simple life.

Personally I find speedy people rather disturbing and I have no doubt they would find me very irritating!

Philippa, I stoped going walking with a group, because whatever magnificent view, the sight of a very rare orchid, a king fisher by the Canal, etc, etc, you just couldn't stop for even a few seconds to admire. For me, there was absolutely no point in walking in such amazing places, head down, and not take time to wonder. I much prefer walking on my own, and take time to admire.

I don’t think I m either speedy or a slow coach I can be either depending who I m with My 86 year old friend has slowed down a lot so we walk very slowly and it doesn’t annoy me at all my other friend is faster than me so when I with her I m charging along, surely life’s about fitting in with whoever you want robe with
On my own I m somewhere in between I can meander when out in the woods or on the beach I can charge when I want to get the shopping out the way
I m not speedy doing housework but I can be quite speedy at work
My mum was the charger Dad the slower methodical one I think I m a bit of both I m not as methodical as dad but not as rushed as mum

If I'm doing something I like to get the h* on with it, and I usually walk fast. But I do know the value of also stopping to stare, and wonder. If I'm ahead of my schedule then I can relax and look about me, and enjoy life. My pet 'hate' is people who chatter and dally about at the supermarket check-out and I must confess that older people doddering about does get on my nerves! However, I also remember that some are lonely and a smiley face at the till may be the only conversation they get that day, so bre...athe

I walk quickly,too and I really find it hard with shufflers. It sounds bad but I actually stopped going for walks with a much younger fellow walker because I couldn’t stand trying to go at her ultra slow pace. I never told her because I didn’t want to upset her. I do things pretty quickly because in life I have had to. We had a lot of kids, I worked and everything has to be done at a speed to get through things. I don’t get impatient in supermarkets, though because I feel a bit of sympathy for the slow ones - there is usually a reason and I tend to think there but for the grace of God etc etc.

I’m fast - walk fast, work fast, shop fast etc. Massively annoying yo get behind somebody at the checkout who stands motionless while their shopping is being scanned and then only at the end starts to search their bag for their purse/wallet and the long search for their card!

It's not so much slowness that bothers me but dithering about does...if that makes sense?
If a person is struggling due to a difficulty, I have endless patience and will help in any way I can but faffing around with no awareness of others drives me insane!
As an example, Saturday, walking to the shops. fairly narrow pavement next to a busy road - several women with prams strolling along , side by side blocking the whole pavement. Inside the shops...one person waited until the items had gone through the till before packing them and then not paying until all the items were in their bag, another with two items who then spent a good few mins' digging her purse out , faffing!!

StoneofDestiny

I’m fast - walk fast, work fast, shop fast etc. Massively annoying yo get behind somebody at the checkout who stands motionless while their shopping is being scanned and then only at the end starts to search their bag for their purse/wallet and the long search for their card!

Are we related?!!!

Well one reason for the “dithering” could be them not wanting to have the card on show but safely tooked away ‘til it’s needed.
Then they panic when it is not in the proper slot in their bag because they rushed in the previous shop and didn’t take the time to put it away. 🙂

I have become a much slower walker and slower at chores.However I have also become much better at being patient.Age and stiff joints has its compensations.

I am very quick on the uptake and impatient with people who aren't. but I'm the slowest in our Nordic Walkers group so not physically fast.

Dee1012 yes these new fangled perambulater things should have rear view mirrors and indicators on 😉 and while we’re about it maybe widen the pavements (so narrowing the roads where necessary) and create “fast lanes” for people who know where they’re going then strolling lanes for toddlers and their parent/grandparent/carer and otherwise incapacitated citizens, …then finally an inside lane for the window shoppers, and texters and handbag furtlers. (They know who they are).
Do you think it could catch on?😁

Maybe it’s lack of empathy that makes people irritated with slow people? I have arthritis in my feet which makes it painful to walk so I’m one of the slow movers. I try to keep aware of others but it’s hard for me to keep checking behind. Also I have arthritis in my hands and my fingers are deformed so it’s difficult to quickly use my purse. I’m in pain most of the time but it’s not discernible.

Our pavements now are full of outdoor cafes, since Covid, so there is very little ‘passing room’. I don’t mind though because I think the pavement cafes are wonderful. Nothing better than having a coffee and watching the world go by though the cost of a small cup is now $5 round here.

I used to rush about and try to get things done quickly, so slow people irritated me. Now that my own mobility is poor I have more patience with slowcoaches.

I tend to plan things better to save myself effort. For example, if I have to take something into another room or upstairs I ask myself if there is anything there I may need to bring back for another task so I can make both journeys count.