Several days after lockdown was introduced, I found myself approaching two
female "wide people" from behind who were walking side-by-side along this pavement, blocking it
completely:
Their conversation and general demeanour showed complete indifference to
both the surroundings and the people in it.
I do not see this as fat shaming because it was the women's attitude, or "anti-social behaviour", that I question, not their size! (after all, this kind of attitude can be found in people of all shapes and sizes, and in all walks of life).
To illustrate this, if I tilt my head a little forward then peripheral vision gives me spatial awareness of both my shoulders without the need to turn my head.
However, if I were wearing the equivalent of half-a-dozen overcoats then I feel sure awareness of my relationship to my surroundings would be impaired.
Furthermore, these overcoats would be heavy so that once set on a particular trajectory it would require some little effort to change direction.
Asking a morbidly obese person to make such an effort may induce "resentment" in those instances where the obesity is the result of historical and unaddressed psychological issues.
Fortunately, I veered off into my destination (the Poundland shop) before I caught up with the two women and found out what their reaction to being asked to let someone by would be.
Where it is possible, I have no problem stepping around wide people on sidewalks because I feel what I believe to be an empathy for their physical capabilities.
The location this photo was taken from on the 30th of March 2020 is marked "P" on the route map:
Original map and biometrics at Polar Flow
Permitted cycle ride under the UK Coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown rules.
Also see:
Public Health England: Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK
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