New Concept: Personal Space

[EvilEmpryss]

The one person I know with Aspergers doesn't have personal space issues either, but I could see him crowding a person if they had something he was really interested in, and not really realizing it.

My sister has Aspergers and has no clue about personal space, which is why I didn't think this guy did -- his vibes were just wrong. People with Aspergers may not get the subtleties of body language or sarcasm, but a flat out, no nonsense request to step back would not be misunderstood. They might understand *why* there was a problem, but they would still move away.

It's interesting that so many people came up with a reasonable excuse for the guy's behavior. I think it shows that you're all not so jaded with people's poor behavior that you're willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. It's touching.

[Kheldarson]

Or we're touched in the head :P

I would've moved myself the first time he leaned over my shoulder. No Asperger's, I just don't like people touching me when I don't know them. Is...*shudders*

[LadyAndreca]

I have two ways to get people to back off when they're crowding me, depending on whether they've surprised me.

If they've startled me, they're getting an elbow to the gut. No exceptions. It's a defensive move Dad taught me when I was very little and he was teaching me to protect a basketball. Even my friends know (from one learning the hard way) not to startle me from behind like that.

If they haven't startled me, they get my best impression of my mother--a career Army woman who never put up with any crap from any of us five kids. I have sent lovesick quasi-stalkers (you get a lot of them when the guy:girl ratio in your school is 6:1) cowering with just tone of voice and The Look over my glasses. It works well on people who are being bullying and unreasonable, too.

Music geek lesson: The 'Mommy Tone' is something that people instinctively listen to because I'm suddenly using a greater part of my vocal 'instrument' than my normal speaking tone. It's a highly useful, learnable quality--people WANT to listen to a more vibrant, resonant voice, and associate it with authority. A shift in vocal quality can be FAR more effective than physical posturing at commanding attention.