One way systems and distancing in shops

I very rarely go to the shops, where I live is a bit of a black hole for public transport so I tend to do my shopping online. On the few occasions that I have gone into the shops, I've been so busy rushing to get in and out whilst keeping my distance from people that I forget to look at the floor markings entirely. In the rare times that I do, I always notice that people aren't following them anyway. They also tend to stop and stand in the way so it takes longer to get through the shop. I don't like breaking the rules, in my position, we follow the rules as an example to other people in the building. But I'll be happier after the Pandemic when I can just rush in and out as quickly as possible, without having to also remember where to walk.

I find it hard to know where to put myself in most shops! Queueing is a nightmare as I don't seem to know how to do it, always seem to be in the wrong place and people ask "are you in the queue?" then push in. With lockdown rules it's even more the case as I try to keep my distance and other people sometimes barge about. I've also felt like bursting into tears and fleeing. Lots of people seem to be on edge whilst shopping. The repeated doom and gloom announcements and signage plastered everywhere get to me.

Yeah, I'm more triggered by people not following the obviously right thing to do (the intent of the rule), than the rules, and get wound up by how such badly designed systems can be so badly designed!

This is me. I'm a stickler for rules but if a rule is nonsensical to me then I will bend a rule. I studied law so that probably doesn't help as I can be a pedantic so and so when it comes to interpration of rules and words!

The thing that's pressing my buttons is how in so many shops they've got the one waY system so wrong that it increases contact. My local shop where I do most of my shopping totally fails at this. Like if I want to get to the fridge I had to do a ten metre walk and pass four peopke, or break the one way, do three metres but pass no one. I do the sensible thing but am in meltdown about getting told off, or follow the rules and anxious that i,ll get barked at for getting close when i didn't have to, and anxious it's not the most sensible thing. (And i'm not anxious about catching covid cos i've had it, it's just the rules)

Pre-covid I had anxieties about entrances and tills, and the parking if I had driven anywhere (unlikely that I would do this), but now that there are systems for whole shops and they all do things differently I just find it overwhelming. The only shop I've been relatively OK in is Pets At Home because it isnt the kind of shop to ever be crowded near me and the aisles are wide. I still hate the weird way they have laid out the queue system though.

I pretty much feel like that all the time when in public, even before covid.

I find the one way systems are often contradictory and next to impossible to follow.  Then there's the smaller shops where the aisles are small, forcing single file.  You might have to wait 5 minutes looking like an total idiot while the person in front fafs about deciding what they want, or if there's someone stacking shelves are you supposed to wait until they're done or try to squeeze past?  I can never tell.

I find it is hard to follow one min there is someone there to guide shoppers then there is no one and people don't now were to go ,the other day the girl on the cash till in coop broke down and started crying and just fled [very sad to see]. I like it better now because everyone wears masks and doesn't talk to me or get near me ,i feel much more relaxed behind a mask ,and if someone is near me i just cough a bit and they go away. Before people used to get way to close and start talking to me which i find very stressful,

The only shop I've been in since covid and social distancing took over the world is my local village shop for bread, milk and essentials. It only ever has a handful of people and most are pretty sensible. Everything else I forage off the net and get delivered.

TBH I found supermarket shopping stressful at the best of times pre-covid. Just reading what you've posted is enough to put me off for a lifetime. So, yes. Absolutely. Lines and arrows on the floor which no-one is following - that experience would probably finish me for the day.

I try to just go to places I always go or at times that I can reasonably expect places to be quieter. It doesn't always work out that way though. I feel like I'm the only one trying to distance sometimes! 

I'm so with you! People breaking rules is one of the main reasons it's been hard for me to be out and about in public this year. 

Ignoring social distancing and getting too close to me, skipping out on masks in public spaces, gathering in groups etc etc

I have also stopped going into shops following an experience in Tesco last summer when it was so overcrowded with people just rushing everywhere. I had to leave without my groceries just to escape. 

There was a good article recently about how certain cultures (often those which have had fewer covid deaths) are more strict with rules and the ones with looser adherence are suffering like the UK is.