Someone Who Gets Annoyed When People Walk Too Slowly Usually Has These 11 Specific Personality Traits

Being angry with or annoyed at slow walkers in public is so common that experts have actually coined a name for the experience: “sidewalk rage.” When someone’s moving through a “social space” and not following the unspoken social rules — whether they’re walking slowly or stopping unexpectedly in crowded areas — we’re angry because they’re violating” our ability to our normative paths and routines.

While it’s common to feel this kind of “rage,” especially when we’re in a rush or having a rough day, someone who always gets annoyed when people walk too slowly usually has specific personality traits. Whether it’s a constant sense of urgency or an underlying foundation of efficiency, slow walkers are more than an annoyance — they’re a personal attack.

Someone who gets annoyed when people walk too slowly usually has these 11 specific personality traits

1. They’re efficient

efficient man working in an office Leny Studio | Shutterstock

People who are overly efficient in their lives are always thinking about how they can get things done faster and be moving in a more productive way. Whether it’s working on a project in the office or crafting their routines, they’re moving quickly.

Especially in our “hustle culture” that tends to reward this way of thinking and pushes people to overlook mindfulness in favor of productivity, it’s not surprising that people put a lot of stock in their efficiency.

So, it’s not a shock that someone who gets annoyed when people walk too slowly usually has this specific personality trait. They’re so used to moving quickly and setting their own pace that even getting stuck in foot traffic is annoying.

2. They’re goal-focused

goal-focused woman walking seriously outside MAYA LAB | Shutterstock

If someone’s goal-focused, they’re likely moving through life in some kind of “autopilot” mode. They’re always living in the big picture, thinking about tasks and goals they have to accomplish, often in ways that sabotage their patience and mindfulness in the present moment.

As a Harvard Health study suggests, “slow living” or even occasionally crafting space for mindfulness has a number of mental and physical health benefits. But if someone’s always rushing around and trying to chase goals, they sabotage their ability to appreciate moments of slowness and rest in their lives — even if it’s getting stuck behind a slow walker on the street.

3. They’re wired toward worry

serious woman who's wired toward worry walking away from her partner Dragana Gordic | Shutterstock

According to a study from Penn State University, people with anxiety often avoid relaxation and mindfulness in small moments in favor of worrying about tasks and projects. Whether it’s in the workplace or while walking outside, they’re constantly busying themselves by rushing around and crafting a sense of urgency, so they don’t have to face the discomfort of quietness.

So, it’s not surprising that someone who’s wired toward worry and anxiety in these ways is more likely to get annoyed when people walk too slowly on sidewalks and in public spaces. They need the “rush” of busyness to feel secure and comfortable, so their patience dwindles thin when someone blocks their urgency.

4. They’re impatient

impatient woman walking around and looking at her watch Andrii Iemelianenko | Shutterstock

According to a study from Ohio University, people are often naturally wired toward impatience when it comes to waiting and gratification. Whether they have a choice to avoid waiting or not, they’re instantly irritated and frustrated by things and decisions that urge them to slow down.

So, if someone’s not necessarily taking steps to offer grace to others or acknowledge these emotions internally, their natural urge toward impatience will take over. It’s these people who are instantly annoyed when people walk too slowly, whether they have a choice to walk around them or not.

5. They’re conscientious

conscientious man walking outside away from crowds FabricaSimf | Shutterstock

If someone’s naturally conscientious — meaning they’re more disciplined, responsible, and organized than the average person — chances are they’re more likely to be someone who gets annoyed when people walk too slowly around them.

They’re disciplined in what they can control, from their routines to their daily rituals, so when someone takes away a kind of productivity from them, they’re angry. Of course, they can’t control how other people act or behave, so internal annoyance and frustration is how they cope.

6. They’re quick thinkers

quick-thinking woman who gets annoyed by slow walkers My Agency | Shutterstock

People who are more intelligent also tend to be quick thinkers. Information flies around and gets processed faster in their brains, which often leads to a sense of urgency and depth that most people can’t keep up with.

Someone who gets annoyed when people walk too slowly usually has this specific personality trait. Their brains are always moving quickly, thinking about the next things, and moving with a sense of urgency, which can lead to frustration when other people get in the way or can’t catch up.

Of course, truly secure intelligent people know when to simplify their thoughts and language to make people feel included, but in their own personal lives, they’re moving fast.

7. They’re very socially aware

socially aware man drinking coffee outside Andrii Iemelianenko | Shutterstock

Whether it’s common sense or “street smarts,” people who are more likely to be annoyed by slow walkers may be more socially aware of what’s going on around them. While some people are out in public, living in their own world and focusing on their own comfort, these types of people are hyper-aware of what other people are doing.

So, it’s not surprising that someone who gets annoyed when people walk too slowly usually has these specific personality traits. They can’t help but notice what other people are doing, especially if they’re seemingly out of touch and putting their own personal urgency at risk.

8. They’re introverted

introverted woman walking outside with headphones on PeopleImages | Shutterstock

Introverted people tend to be easily drained when they’re out in public, especially when they’re around strangers or people they don’t know very well. While their exhaustion usually stems from superficial conversations and small talk, they can also be quickly annoyed and irritable with out-of-touch strangers in public when they’re not aware of their surroundings.

Especially if someone’s slow walking or ignorance in a shared space is taking away from their ability to find solace in their own heads, as is commonly enjoyed by introverts, they’re likely to be annoyed.

9. They’re competitive

competitive woman looking smug on the sidewalk Photo Book Pro | Shutterstock

If someone’s naturally competitive, they may be engaging in routines with a sense of unnecessary urgency. They’re competing with people who don’t realize it, even when they’re walking outside in public or running errands.

According to a study from Personality and Individual Differences, this sense of urgency is part of the reason why naturally competitive people are often less altruistic. They struggle to help others at their own expense and give people grace, even if it’s for walking slowly on the street, because it gets in the way of their competitive spirit.

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10. They’re aggressive

aggressive man arguing on his phone at work TetianaKtv | Shutterstock

Whether a person’s aggression stems from narcissism or a sense of exhausting, chronic stress in their lives, a 2016 study suggests that aggressive people are more likely to interpret other people’s behaviors as “hostile,” even when they’re not. Whether it’s a slow walker blocking their path or a person distracted by their phone in a conversation, it’s aggressive people who are easily annoyed and impatient.

So, someone who gets annoyed when people walk slowly usually has these specific personality traits. While aggression can sometimes be well-intentioned in certain spaces, without boundaries and regulations on this energy, it can quickly cause isolation and a constant sense of irritation.

11. They’re perfectionists

perfectionist woman feeling annoyed by people who walk too slowly Mix and Match Studio | Shutterstock

Perfectionists often set unrealistic expectations for themselves and others, living in a state of constant anxiety, trying to seek goals that are often impossible to achieve. According to a study from the Journal of Clinical Psychology, people with these rigid expectations and a certain sense of “demandingness” are more likely to experience anger and impatience.

So, someone who gets annoyed when people walk too slowly usually has these specific personality traits. They’re used to holding themselves and others to high, often unrealistic, standards, and when someone struggles to achieve them — without realizing they're being “tested” — it can lead to annoyance.

Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.