For some backstory: when I was a kid I UTTERLY hated being bumped into and my default reaction was to say “WATCH IT!” and I got in a lotta trouble for it. I honestly felt that they expected me to say absolutely nothing about it and just let everyone bump into me.
I honestly thought I was just setting a boundary.
Nowadays it doesn’t bother me as much but this has been on my mind a ton recently. I have trouble setting boundaries and part of me wishes I could still do that but I don’t wanna start conflict.
Edit: I don’t do this today. I’m just self reflecting.
Comments
📣 Reminder for our users
>1. Check the rules: Please take a moment to review our rules, Reddiquette, and Reddit’s Content Policy.
>2. Clear question in the title: Make sure your question is clear and placed in the title. You can add details in the body of your post, but please keep it under 600 characters.
>3. Closed-Ended Questions Only: Questions should be closed-ended, meaning they can be answered with a clear, factual response. Avoid questions that ask for opinions instead of facts.
>4. Be Polite and Civil: Personal attacks, harassment, or inflammatory behavior will be removed. Repeated offenses may result in a ban. Any homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist, or bigoted remarks will result in an immediate ban.
🚫 Commonly Asked Prohibited Question Subjects:
>1. Medical or pharmaceutical questions
>2. Legal or legality-related questions
>3. Technical/meta questions (help with Reddit)
This list is not exhaustive, so we recommend reviewing the full rules for more details on content limits.
✓ Mark your answers!
>If your question has been answered, please reply with
Answered!!to the response that best fit your question. This helps the community stay organized and focused on providing useful answers.I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
[removed]
as a canadian, my default response is “oop sorry”
There shouldn’t really be a reaction. I’ve had people bump into me a few times and it was both of us just coming around a corner too fast or someone stepping out at the wrong time. No one is really to blame and if they started to yell at me and say “WATCH IT” or making it seem like it’s my fault, I would think they are just a huge asshole.
Unless someone is routinely bumping into you and it is coming off as them actually targeting you then that’s a whole different thing.
One of my most mortifying life experiences is stumbling into another student in a chemistry lab. Some part of my arm or hand made contact with her chest area. It was a genuine stumble, I wanted the earth to swallow me at that moment. I apologized profusely and she assured me that she was fine and everything was ok. Being treated with kindness in that moment meant the world, I have no idea how it would have turned out if she’d been offended or accusatory. Probably very badly.
Provided no harm came of it (no injuries, spilling of drinks, dropping of items, etc.) and it’s clear that it was an innocent accident, I generally don’t even mention it. Pretend it never happened. And if they noticed and offer an apology, then it gets a “no problem!”
Why get upset over a small accident that had no real consequences?
If they have somehow managed to cause actual harm, but it’s still clear that it was an accident, I might say something, and graciously accept whatever apology they offer. If the incident was caused by clear negligence (like they were doing backflips through a crowd or something and ran into me), then I might give them a more stern response.
But, at least 95% of all such interactions fall into the first category (especially in a crowd), so the majority of instances will get no reaction from me.
No reaction honestly unless its on purpose if so I dont think “watch where you’re going” is inappropriate really
If you replaced “Watch it” with “Careful,” even if you didn’t change your tone, might that be less “asshole-ish?” I tend to say “careful” in these moments, whether it seems like an innocent accident or if someone was being careless and I’m annoyed.
You could say “woah, there” but in a concerned, non-angry tone
I’ll just say “pardon” or “excuse me”. If they are rude or aggressive, I’ll say the same thing except sarcastically.
I usually say excuse me… But sometimes these mfers just act like they didn’t just plow into me because they weren’t paying attention so I’ll follow up with “Rude.”
Oh hey you know now that I think about it I didn’t even know I was standing here, my bad for existing
I softly moan and look back at them while biting my lip.
Excuse me! Sorry (no matter who’s fault)
Depending on the response…..mutual I hope.
Unless the clown is elbows and stiff. Then knock em out. If not woman, child, handicapped, elder, or fish.
If your initial reaction is WATCH IT and not attempting to find out if it was an accident, that’s shitty.
If you’re bumped multiple times, watch it is appropriate.
95% of the time anyone bumps into anyone it’s an accident, so the correct reaction is for both people to say excuse me and the person at fault to apologize. Which is what happens pretty much every time. The very few times someone has bumped into me on purpose or is rude about it, I would usually say something like “watch it” or just let it go if they’re drunk or it’s crowded or whatever. Life is too short to get angry at every minor inconvenience like that.
If they apologise I say ‘no worries’, if they say nothing I say ‘pardon you’, and if they then say something snide in response they get ‘shut the fuck up dickbreath’
Keep in mind that you’re in their way just as much as they’re in yours. Unless you think they’re bumping into you maliciously, both parties should be quietly apologetic.
These things happen. A quick “oop ‘scuse me” is all that’s needed.
I don’t get bumped into very often … but my first reaction is always to say “Excuse me”, even if I was not the one doing the bumping.
Most people don’t bump into others on purpose. If they could’ve they would’ve watched it. To yell at them to watch it seems redundant and unnecessarily rude to me.
I just say “oops” and smile. Life is too short to get agitated about that.
You go, ‘beg pardon,’ and tip your hat.
Just default to sorry, if even you’re not in the wrong. It diffuser everything immediately and the person almost always says “no that’s my fault! I’m sorry”.
I’m Canadian. We both say sorry.
German here. I do it like this:
If someone pumps into me and apologizes, I say “no problem”. If I was in the way I admit that it was my mistake and they don’t need to apologize.
If they do not apologize and I was in the way because I didn’t pay attention, I apologize instead. If I was not in the way and they don’t apologize for their mistake, I give them hell.
If this ain’t a public brawl-starter, IDK what is.
If it’s on purpose and others see it who you interact with frequently you might want a reaction that shows strength so people don’t lose respect. Think prison culture or public schools, workplace environments etc. You’ll need more tact for the latter though.
If it’s an accident and it’s in public surrounded by mostly randoms, then you’ll want to get on with your day and not create unnecessary problems for yourself.
If you’re in prison you’re probably going to almost always react, and if you’re in public surrounded by only randoms you’re probably better to always brush it off.
Very situational.
I say “sorry” or “excuse me,” rather it was my fault or theirs. Because I was raised to have manners & not be a little asshole. Some people just genuinely have poor spacial awareness. It’s no different that accidentally stubbing your toe or hitting your knee on your footboard. If you’ve never accidentally bumped into something, then maybe you have the right to be a dick about others bumping into you. But if you aren’t as perfect as your arrogance allows you to think, maybe check your ego. Weirdo. I hope your self reflecting also involves teaching your future kids not to be like kid you.
Here in the Midwest you apologize regardless of who bumped into who. OPE! Sorry
I’ve spent many, many nights watching bands in the pit where there are lots of elbows, bumps, beer spillage, and accidental foot stomps. Never once have I escalated getting bumped into a confrontation. I’ve accidentally bumped into people. They’ve accidentally bumped into me. Sometimes it’s annoying, like when the person is so drunk they can’t maintain control over their body. When that happens I move far away and avoid putting myself in their path. I have no desire to fight a drunk person over getting bumped. That would only ruin my night and do nothing to remedy the situation.
Bumps happen and it’s no big deal until someone else turns it from “oops! Sorry!” to a personal attack. What’s the “right reaction” when someone bumps into you? I think 99.9% of the time just either ignore it or say sorry (even if it’s not your fault) and go about your day.
Well since I’m in a wheelchair I get rather pissy when people run into me. Especially with shopping carts. I don’t know how the hell you can’t see me and the person pushing me especially when we’re literally right in front of you! I’ve had someone run into me so hard with a cart that it dented the framing on my chair.
Eeexcuuuuuuuuuuse you!
Shit buddy, sorry
Yell “Ow!!” And rub your injured body part to get them to apologize
This girl kept bumping into me at a bar as we rounded a corner for trivia. Turns out she was doing it on purpose to try and find a way to talk to me.
Oops. Excuse me. If you bump into someone you are both T fault. Then check to make sure your wallet and phone are still there.
Pardon me. And move on.
“Whoops! Sorry!” If I’m in motion and it happens regardless of “fault”.
If I’m standing still and it happens then it depends on their reaction. Most often, “No problem!” Sometimes just a quiet sigh and roll-of-the-eyes.
Now-a-days not worth the risk of provoking beyond that. Tone of voice is apologetic or my best attempt at cheerfulness.
hardly any reaction is whats “normal”, usually people look at who bumped into them, the person who bumping into you says sorry and you say its all good then go about your day
Oops. Excuse me.
You sure she didn’t push her chest into you hand?
Nothing if it was truly accidental. If someone could have avoided me and still bumped into me, “Excuse you.”
“Woop! Excuse me!”/”Watch out!”.
Your automatic response to others shouldn’t be antagonistic, unless you very clearly see that the other person is out to go harm. Accidents happen.
I’m wondering what kind of environment you were in where being bumped into was a constant problem where you were always getting into trouble?
I just say “my bad” with a smile even though it wasn’t my bad but why make a bigger deal out of nothing
I always say “Pardon me” and smile.
Get to know the person. Ask about their family. Use this info to find their mom. Charm and seduce the mom. Become their new dad. Ground them for being an A-hole. You win.
I’m half English and born in Canada so I just say “oops sorry”..it sounds funny but it’s all true.
Depends where you are, I’ve been told in parts of the Midwest it’s “Ope!” But where I live it seems to be “watch where you’re going fucker.” The appropriate response to which is “up yours dickhead!”
I say “oh geez. I’m so sorry”
As a white kid in school, the black kids would bump us to see our reaction.
Mine was always to fight
Middle school boys shoulder check you on purpose to assert dominance or something, that’s probably why you reacted that way.
As a general rule, lots of people resent it when they’re blamed for something they know isn’t their fault. Which it probably wasn’t either of them necessarily
I always respond with “oh, excuse me” bc I have a tendency to assume I’m at fault. It’s better than the alternative I guess.
In my head I’m beating them shits up. In real life I say sorry and move it along
“Oh sorry” “it’s ok” then both get on with our lives.
The right response is petty, “I forgive you for not paying attention and barreling into me” or “Excuse you.”
My responses aren’t“right” but they make me happy. “Pay attention AH!” Or my absolute favorite, “OH MY GOD WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? IT HURTS!”
Switch it up and make them think about what just happened. My go to is “Hey, watch where I’m going!” said playfully. The little change in context trips people up.
The knee jerk desire to correct the errors in that statement supersedes their desire to avoid culpability and they generally accidentally admit to being at fault.
Always apologetic. Whether my fault or not. Getting into a fight is silly, save that energy for the gym.
But if you’re feeling especially energetic you can throw yourself on the ground holding your knee and waling at the top of your lungs saying things like “I’ll never dance again!!! DANCING IS MY LIFE!” or “I was one day from retirement, why is fate so cruel!! WHY?!”.
It’s an accident, not a transgression. It doesn’t need a reaction. I usually say sorry just to acknowledge that it happened and I didn’t intend for it to happen.
I say “ope, sorry” even if they purposely ran into me. Like I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made you want to hit me 😭😂
And if anyone is curious, no I’m not Canadian I’m American in AZ
Do people not know the word excuse me anymore? Why is everyone so prideful at being nasty and happy to tell people to f off for a minor inconvenience. this world sucks now
I doubt it’s right…but I like to give a deep growl…
And if it’s a muscle bound guy..I like to give an orgasmic moan…oooh.
In the right situation I’ll grab my arm “owe-owe-owe”, stop and grin.
“Ope-“ and if I felt like it was my fault, a quick “sorry!” As I continue walking.
I hate people bumping into me. I seem to be a magnet for stupid people who don’t look where theyr’e going. So irritating!
I tell the bumper to “fuck off properly”.
I usually just say “excuse me/us” or sorry.
It takes two to bump.
Unless someone sees you, and walks straight towards you while making eye contact the “Watch it” reaction is a huge overreaction.
General response is “Sorry” from both parties.
“Oopsie daisy didn’t see you there” that is if I was a medivial maid or some shit