Crowds - I hate 'em!

[P95Carry]

Once again I think age plays a part, tho never was keen on being elbow to elbow with a loada strangers. My wife sometimes says ''Are we anti-social'' because we do not go out a whole lot - at least, not into crowded places.

I say ''no, we are just not hyper sociable'' - but we have friends, we bike a lot - I guess it is being choosy over who one spends time with.

Two or three weeks back, met my son and we went to county fair for tractor pulling - grandstand was fortunately not too crowded so we had space around us but at times in similar situations I have found myself crowded in - to point of discomfort. Now this is not to say that the crowd is full of BG's!! - probably a good bunch of folks for most part. but I do like my ''space'' - my personal zone of comfort if you will.

This translates too, to run-of-mill situations like checkout at store, queue at fast food place etc. I don't think it is a threat factor per se, no paranoia - more that it gives me less room for manouver. Feeling ''squeezed''.

So - I do not from choice these days go into such situations - maybe it is a wish to better be able to flee a threat zone if needed - a means to be able to avoid confrontation should it occur.

Even if I were a ball game freak (which I ain't) I doubt I would go to a game to watch - for this very reason, as well as possibly not being able to carry.

Yep - age is catchin' up - and I like my space!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Moondoggie]

Sounds a lot like my wife and I, Chris.

Crowds didn't used to bother me, although I do recall a strong feeling of "not belonging" amongst large groups of folks unless I happened to be attending with several friends.

These days if someone were to give me tickets to something like a University of Nebraska football game (80,000 folks) I wouldn't even consider going.

I didn't even stick around very long at the awards ceremony at the recent Area 3 USPSA match, even though I worked the match (plus 2 days prior on setup crew) as a RO. Way too many strangers for my comfort level.

My wife has a very strong particular dislike for movie theaters...much rather watch anything at home on the 51" screen with home theater sound. Matters not if we have to wait a few months.

Go to a bar? Gotta be kidding! Talk about prime time confrontation opportunities. Thanks, but no thanks!

Sometimes I think I ought to spend some time on a shrink's couch discussing my relationship with my Mom. My wife thinks it would probably screw me up worse than I already am. She's probably right.

[Bumper]

Ditto, I hate crowds. We used to go to COMDEX in Las Vegas every year and, while it was an interesting show, the crowd drove me nuts. I felt teh same way at the SHOT Show, but, like COMDEX, the wow factor got me through it without much thought. Theaters, concerts, crowded shopping at Christmas and the like is avoided by me like the plague. Unless Prospector is here for a visit, over 90% of the time I go somewhere, my wife is with me and we both feel the same way about crowds....

[Bud White]

Wait your supposed to leave the house and go out where you might run into crowds??

Must be what im doing wrong i rarely go out cant stand people pretty much in general work with the public all day ya want to not deal with anyone after work

[Scott]

You think it's bad here try going to other countries where they have no concept of personal space at all. They jostle, bump and press into you. When they wait in line they are all but and sometimes are touching you. When they talk to you they are uncomfortably close. Sometimes it makes me want to :chairshot

I tend to avoid crowds though. Biggest crowd I've been in was at a NASCAR race. It wasn't bad though.

-Scott-

[rstickle]

Crowds......... That's why I don't go near a mall between Thanksgiving and New Years!

[logistar]

I grew up in the country and I feel uncomfortable in a large crowd. - not that you will never catch me in a large crowd but I avoid them whenever I can.

I was carrying in New Orleans (Bourbon Street actually) last year. There was practically no way to use my CCW since I was in a sea of people and firing a shot would be likely to endanger innocents. (That's, of course, if there ARE any innocent people on Bourbon Street! )

I also think that maybe big crowds offer protection for BGs since they can take off and blend into the crowd.

I guess I just don't like feeling like cattle (or sheep!).

[Free American]

I am what most people refer to as a "private" person. In other words if you're not in my inner circle I'm fairly stand-offish. This makes it difficult to meet new people, which I like to do. What makes it more difficult is even though I'm a nice guy, I'm relatively large (6'3", 270 lbs) and I don't smile much so I look like I'm ticked off all the time.

Conversely my girlfriend is beautiful and friendly and it drives her nuts that I'm always giving people "dirty looks". I try to explain that they are not dirty, that's just the way I look at people. She doesn't get it, and the meatheads in the bar, pool hall, movie theatre or mall always think I want to fight. It's really not my style. Anyway...enough rambling from the new guy, just wanted to get a bit of my personality out there so I can meet new people...without them thinking I'm a jerk.

Chris

[havegunjoe]

I think Americans tend to like their "space". I find euorpeans like to have physical contact which I don't like. I don't shy away from crowds but I am more aware of my surroundings when in one.

[Tom357]

I find crowds very uncomfortable. The crowds in Barcelona just about drove me nuts. I was a head taller than anyone around me and made an easy target. People tried to pick my pockets every time I went out in public. I hated the street crime.

My favorite camping spot is in a park where they only get about 200 people a year. You have to hike several miles to get there, or go by boat - no vehicles, and you have to pack in your own water. That discourages most folks from going. It's great. I have a stretch of wild ocean beach all to myself.

[CombatEffective]

People are collectively stupid. Crowds can be very, very dangerous is something touches them off. I work a lot of major sporting events, and I have been in the middle of a sports riot. It was not a fun place to be. I try to avoid large crowds when I can, and I really try to avoid large crowds where alcohol is flowing.

[P95Carry]

Lee - you touch on something I did not emphasize earlier.

Indeed - a crowd that gets cranked up is more than dangerous - and if trapped within there can be no escape. Mob mentality, mob hysteria - call it what you will - I want nothing of that.

Back in UK I used to see football match hooliganism - and was often horrified at the behavior of folks. If honest I find 90% of the human race something I wish to avoid!! May sound wierd or very arrogant but I do not have time for the big majority!

It's called ''expedient avoidance''

[CombatEffective]

Chris,

A large mass of people can be very difficult to deal with even when being somewhat semi-cooperative. It's amazing what people will do in the name of "their team". I enjoy sports, but my self esteem is not tied up in whether my college's football team wins the National Championship (we are the defending champs by the way :) ). If they win I'm sure not going to destroy my campus. If we loose, I'm not going to destroy my campus. I'm not going to destroy the city and violate landmarks and such.

[Moondoggie]

Another positive factor of stying away from crowds/large groups is not having to put up with cigarette smoke. EEEEWWWWW!

[Baby Hulk]

Late to this party....
I don't like crowds. Granted, I'm a very short guy (under 5'4), so I havta look up to EVERYBODY! I'm not intimidated with it and don't get 'clausterphobic' per se, but I like to be able to control the personal space around me and it's a difficult thing to do when you're 'vertically challenged'.