Space hogs and movement pigs
A space hog is someone who plants themselves in a spot, playing little or no heed to the convenience of others. On a railway platform, blocking traffic. In a restaurant or cafe taking over a large space by chair back and lots of expansive gestures. That sort of thing.
My observation is that men are much more likely to be space hogs than women. Some masculine territorialness presumably.
A movement pig is someone who moves according to their own convenience but not other people's. Right across the flow of traffic, or heading straight towards you and expecting you to move around them regardless of how the flow of traffic is.
My observation is that women are distinctly more likely to be movement pigs than men. I am not sure what is going on with this, but it does seem to be the pattern. Particularly women in the c.30 to c.50 age group.
I first noticed this back when Southern Cross Station was still Spencer Street Station and there was a subway under Spencer St. About once a month, I would come up out of the subway to go to a dinner meeting, thereby heading against the peakhour traffic going home. I would be right over on the left hand side, as the crowd flowed past in the other direction. I noticed men would typically do that "acknowledgment-of-you" thing and move into the flow of traffic to give you space. Women, not so much. The number of times I had to essentially give the "no, I am as far to the left as I can go, I am not going to move into the traffic going against me so you can continue to have the edge" stare and see the delayed "oh, he's not going to move out of my way" response became quite noticeable.
Now, being aware of confirmation bias and all that, I began to take more careful note. Most people of both genders are perfectly reasonable. But, as a broad generalisation, I have observed that space hogs are more likely to be male and movement pigs are more likely to be female.
(Standing in the way as you are trying to get out of the train seems about 50:50, perhaps because it is a borderline case between being a space hog and a movement pig.)
Don't know what is going on with this, it is just what I observe.
My observation is that men are much more likely to be space hogs than women. Some masculine territorialness presumably.
A movement pig is someone who moves according to their own convenience but not other people's. Right across the flow of traffic, or heading straight towards you and expecting you to move around them regardless of how the flow of traffic is.
My observation is that women are distinctly more likely to be movement pigs than men. I am not sure what is going on with this, but it does seem to be the pattern. Particularly women in the c.30 to c.50 age group.
I first noticed this back when Southern Cross Station was still Spencer Street Station and there was a subway under Spencer St. About once a month, I would come up out of the subway to go to a dinner meeting, thereby heading against the peakhour traffic going home. I would be right over on the left hand side, as the crowd flowed past in the other direction. I noticed men would typically do that "acknowledgment-of-you" thing and move into the flow of traffic to give you space. Women, not so much. The number of times I had to essentially give the "no, I am as far to the left as I can go, I am not going to move into the traffic going against me so you can continue to have the edge" stare and see the delayed "oh, he's not going to move out of my way" response became quite noticeable.
Now, being aware of confirmation bias and all that, I began to take more careful note. Most people of both genders are perfectly reasonable. But, as a broad generalisation, I have observed that space hogs are more likely to be male and movement pigs are more likely to be female.
(Standing in the way as you are trying to get out of the train seems about 50:50, perhaps because it is a borderline case between being a space hog and a movement pig.)
Don't know what is going on with this, it is just what I observe.