My answers: If they’re way senior to me, I excuse myself, and maybe bend my head so they can maintain eye contact with each other (the idiots). If they’re peons like I am, I just walk on by. If I happen to know them well and they’re having a non-work conversation, I’ll be snarky. They’ll ignore me.
b.2) excuse myself as I walk through, silently cursing them for being either too stupid or too inconsiderate to choose one side of the hall for their gabfest.
I was just bitching about this on these very boards! It all depends on the people. I tend to duck silently with big boss types. Otherwise, I’ll just breeze on through, may they all be damned.
Um, b? I can see, intellectually, why some people might find this annoying, but I am completely unable to summon any passion about it. Ducking seems a) silly and b) more disruptive than just walking through. Saying “Excuse me” is not really necessary, but it’s almost reflexive to me, and it’s not like it’s any skin off my nose to say it.
The only time I get annoyed is if the hallway is actually blocked and the conversants are oblivious to the fact that someone is trying to get through. But as long as they leave enough room to all me to comfortably pass between them, I don’t mind walking through their conversation if they don’t mind.
I might do B, but this is learned behavior. A lot of times, I’ll choose F, take a alternate route because the hallways around here support that, and it’s nice exercise. Also, I dislike confrontation.
In my building, it would definitely be exercise - the only alternate routes involve going outside. One of the worst bottlenecks is along the path from my cubicle to the little girl’s room. I’m always afraid one of the hallway chatters will try to engage me in conversation when I’ve got urgent business to attend to. :eek:
It’s always “b” for me. I am convinced that if I did not say excuse me I would be plagued with locusts, famine, flood, fire and clowns. My mother raised me well.
If the hallway is completely blocked I say “Excuse Me, Coming Through” and come on through. You’d be surprised how quickly people will move for 240 lbs. of hairy man plowing down a hallway.
I have pretty well established manners too but there are situations where I just don’t feel like using them.
Heck if I had the balls I’d use them thusly : “Excuse me, but would you mind awfully having your conversation somewhere where people don’t have to walk through it?”
I say “excuse me” and walk through. I am neither upset nor apologetic - I figure they’re entirely welcome to talk there, on the understanding that people walk past.
Obviously if I know them I’ll say “Hi.” andor make a witticisism (about something else) or join in.
I just plow through, with a rather soft and brusque “excuse me.” I think that’ s because that the very least that courtesy demands.
It used to annoy me, but in cubicle land, it’s hard to imagine many places to have a conversation without being in the way of somebody. On this rather stressful project it’s generally people having earnest work-related conversations, so I don’t really mind.
I save my wrath for people who over-use speakerphones, or have a conference in a conference room and don’t close the door.
