I'm currently working with a maintenance man at a school that feels the need to be right in your face while talking and he want let you move or walk around him while doing this. I've been around several of these close talkers before and it really gets on my nerves. Especially when they just got thru eating onions, nacho cheese or cool ranch doritos and or tuna fish just to name a few things that linger around.

This cat just happens to always have a dip in his mouth too which freaks me out even more. Because I can't stand the smell since I quit and you know you are to dang close to someone when they know what dip you got in your mouth. Not only is he a close talker he also knows everything about anything. I think I'm a pretty nice guy and I love people and will talk to anybody but you ain't got to be all up in my personal space when we have a conversation. That's just weird!

He's dipping Copenhagen original long cut and I know this because that was my choice years ago. I'm going to have to see if I can finish up this inspection with out him so I can have a good day or just not ask any questions if possible.

Do y'all know any of these close talkers or you may be one yourself?

yep. I put my left foot out in front of me and put my weight on my right. if that doesn't work, I tell them I just came down with the coughing aids or something. I have actually coughed on someone that couldn't catch the hint. if I don`t like the person I will tell them to back up.

My Dad spent 40 years underground in the coal mines, most of it around a long wall. The only way they could communicate when the machine was running was to yell at each other from inches away. He can't help himself but he will drive you crazy sometimes hollering at you from inches away.

Can't stand that shucks! It makes me very nervous. Some dude gets that that close to me, he's fixing to get put on his arse..

Thats understandable..

I would just ask him to back up a step or two because he's in your space and then take a step back. If he gets huffy or something, tough chit.

I have a friend who is a "side talker" and wants to stand on the side but not directly in front. Weirdest thing ... it's like we're trying to do a waltz or something.

I tell people like that:

"You're violating my 2 foot radius 'personal exclusion zone.'"

It works every time and they get the message.

And if they don't step back would you personally exclude them? LOL

I once knew a girl that was a close talker,,, she was pregnant a lot.....

I thought this thread was gonna be about that salad they have on the menu at Moe's Southwest

I work with a guy that does the same thing and I swear he never brushes his teeth. Drives me nuts. I just have to tell him to back up about once a day. Pisses me off.

Thats also understandable

Situations like that are when you need to be able to let out a "silent but deadly" fart on command. You may need to be prepared to fire several rounds.

I would ask him if he was trying to get close enough to kiss me. Then tell him I ain't a faggot, so you don't need to worry about trying.

I've worked with two guys before, one of whom I still do, that were both from the United Kingdom. Both of them are close talkers. Must be a cultural thing over there.

I'm sorry but that's just funny as hell!

Dr. B

Said that many-a-time. "You're invading my personal space." It works.

Dr. B

Our site manager has a habit of frequently facing 90 to 180 degrees away from whomever he's talking to. It's weird and, I think, somewhat disrespectful.

This sounds like an episode of Seinfeld. Close talkers and low talkers.

I found a good line that works without having to be super blunt.

" My eyes are bad and you are so close you look blurry" I then back up and say "Much better...you were saying?"

Then again, some people are obnoxiously close and I don't mind telling them to back off and give me some space. One can be firm yet not rude. There is a difference.

I do know this one attractive female attorney who is a close talker....sometimes we just have to deal with it

That reminds me of the Mark Twain essay "The Decay in the Art of Lying" where he talks about the fact that everyone lies. And if anyone tells you that they never lie, they're lying...

Dont know any close talkers, but we have a Meth Mouth dude at work thats a screamer. He gets started and if you try to interject anything into his conversation he just gets louder and louder. Smokes like a tar kiln so he smells really bad too.
Teeth looks like he's been eating green road kill with the gravel still in it.
AND I gotta sit on the same toilet!!!ARRRGHH!!!
I've got to start carrying some DOW scrubbing bubbles to work.

I can't stand this sort of thing. From time to time it happens to me. When it does, I tell them politely but firmly to back up cause only my wife, kids, and mama are allowed to get that close to me.

Usually only takes once, but if it's required a second time I'm a lot more firm then. Never has taken three times either after the second time.

I would give ol meth mouth one opportunity and after that you have all rights to relocate his front teeth down there in his large intestine area, I don't see how y'all keep your cool with folks like that

It is a cultural issue. In western cultures the standard is 18-24 inches. In middle eastern cultures the standard is < 12 inches. Another reason they make me uncomfortable.

We need an update on BIL with a statement like that

I work with a guy who never let's you finish a sentence without jumping in to try to finish for you. When you try to explain something that involves more than one step, he takes off on step 1 without listening to the rest of the instructions.

The other day, the boss man told him " why don't you shut the f@(k up, stand the f@(k still, and let me f@(king talk?" .

He got the hint.

Lick them on the cheek, they'll back up. Either that or start hocking a loogi. Yall think I kid.....

Last we heard - he was using his new Yeti Rambler and drinking half of his beer while Steelman was out mowing the yard, or something like that

I've kissed Dad on the cheek and my brother will rub his face and tell him he needs to shave! It's hilarious. He gets it and has gotten a lot better since he retired. He really does come by it honest though. You see it with folks who have worked in really noisy environment for a long time.

Horatio doesn't think it's weird.

I guess in the ghetto the standard is 50 feet.

21 feet. The LEOs should know what that means.

Guy that goes to our church has the worst reputation for invading your personal space while talking, EVERYBODY knows and laughs about it. He'll stand in front of you and put his hand on your shoulder, and his elbow is bent, it's not even the distance of a straight arm!!! LOL

We had a LOUD talker at work
He came into the room while we were listening to a Alabama football game on the radio. The guy sitting by the radio would turn up the volume a little and the guy would get a little louder. This went on until the radio was full volume and the guy was screaming to keep up! He finally realized what was going on and got pissed and walked out of the room! We all were in the floor laughing!

Had a boss in the Air Force that was a close talker. Stopped talking to me close the day I congratulated him on the incredible Chia Pet he had growing out of his nostrils.

The best way I've found to deal with face talkers or side talkers is to get closer to them. That really throws them off.

I had a customer in here a few months back that was a side talker. No matter which way I turned he would adjust to be on my side. At one point, his upper arm and mine were as one.

I tolerated it for a while in hopes to sell him something but once I realized that he was wasting my time, game on. I waited for him to lean on me again and when he did, I put my arm around him and walked to the next machine he was wanting to look at.

He got the point.