Personal Proxemic Zone Violation

Last night, I was at TJ's, which is a Shag Dancing Club in North Raleigh. I was sitting at the side of the dance floor by myself, just watching some people while I was resting for a few minutes, when someone that I did not know came up and sat beside me. There were several other tables and stools that were available, but I guess the ones closest to me looked the most inviting! Even though the atmosphere of this Club was generally friendly, since it was a dance club after all, it still felt uncomfortable to have someone that I didn't know come up and sit beside me when there were many other seats available.

A Final Personal Experience

There was a time i was at the mall in my hometown of Greenville, NC, when i was sitting on a bench waiting for my my to finish up at the register. There was a guy who came and sat directly next to me. It was very uncomfortable for me because he was basically sitting in the same seat i was. I did not say anything but i really really wanted to. I just waited it out for an awkward five minutes or so until my mom was done at the register. When i got up i told my mom what had happened and she just had a good laugh. To this day i will never forget the wierd feeling i had when he sat down.

Here are two helpful charts to display the proxemic zones in relation to a person's standing position.

A Little Different Example of Proxemics

Pretty Typical Picture of Proxemics in Everday Life