Unless the toucher is someone I'm very close to (really just my wife and kids and maybe a few close friends), I very much dislike being touched.

I am not a touchy person. I only touch those emotionally close to me. I do not abhor touching strangers, I do provide medical response at work, so I may end up touching strangers all over the place if necessary. None of that bothers me.

I do have a larger personal bubble than most, I think. However, I am not freakish about its integrity. Should my space be invaded, I become uncomfortable to a degree that depends on the intrusiveness I am encountering.

I guess I was taught to keep my hands to myself.

Stop stealing my answers, Buttface! :p

yup, thats exactly what i'd do, but of course it depends on the circumstances....are they approaching from the front, or from behind you? how to they react to your first reaction? where is this taking place?

one of my teachers always said that it's best to react first...and you learn very quickly how to apologize! :D

but the proper reaction doesn't necessarily mean kickin ass without using some judgment first. similar things have happened to me, but i've only ever had to apologize for being defensive at first -- i've never tagged anyone who was innocently trying to get my attention...

what also comes to mind is the difference in environment! i'll use this as an example -- i come from a small town in PA, and now i live in washington dc.
when i'm back home and talk to people from the city (for example NY or DC), they say that they actually feel *safer* in the city!

because in the city, ppl don't roll up to you and start a random conversation, touch you, ask for a cigarette or directions, talk to you or even make eye contact without a definite purpose, which isn't always good. especially for example at night when the bars are letting out :p coz in the city, you basically just keep your head up, and look straight ahead as if you'd kill the next person who makes eye contact with you, and that's what *everybody* is doing so we all get along fine! hehehehehe

so if i'm in southeast dc or even florida ave nw and someone comes up and lays a hand on my shoulder, i'll immediately rip their arm off and beat them with it :D but if i'm back home, the environment is different and i won't be so quick to beat 'em down right away...there's less of a chance that they're up to no good but i'll still protect myself at first.

I voted that I would turn around and smile, mostly because I'm not rude, but I started to read other peoples reactions, and I realized that, like phred, I am indeed a hypocrite too, I like to touch, and be touched by my relatives, or loved ones, but if someone I don't know touches me, I would probably freak (to myself) I just try to be considerate of everyone else, before I react.

honestly, i dont like people even getting close to me, or worse behind me. that said, if its a chick with an outstanding body...i revel in it!

I had my wallet lifted the last time that happened.

how about latex gloves? safe, sane, a little kinky...............

It woulds depend on the situation. A concise answer:

If I'm comfortable with the situation then I will allow it. If I feel uncomfortable with the situation then I will ask that they do not do it in the future.

i would beat his ass

Well I am a touchy person, alot of times as I am training people how to use equipment I ften touch there elbow or arm. i never realized how many people freak by that, and may reconsider doing it in the future. As far as people touching me? As long as its in a non threating mannor I am ok with it.

oomm

I do not like getting touched by people. Not even by my closest friends... (well, maybe except for my gf)
But otherwise, I feel that they are invading my personal space, and believe me, its a damn big one:D

I hate close talkers. but whats worse is my boss, he walks up behind me when I am busy typing and wasting time on TFP and he puts his hands on my sholders as if to massage. icky don't touch me. attractive women on the other hand can touch me all they want. never seems to happen the way I want it to.

Well you can't dismiss it as any accident, because the description makes it clear that it's not (to me anyway). You don't invade my space, and you certainly don't lay familiar hands on me if I don't know you friendly or not. I won't get violent, and I may even put up with it, but I won't like it. Ok, maybe I'm uptight, but I think it's unacceptably rude for someone to do that.

What if it's a guy touching you? You still want him to go down? Now we're back to the whole gay thing again, huh?

Easy now, what if they thought you were someone else? It happens in the movies all the time...man looks for woman on crowded train platform/marketplace/beach puts his hand on her shoulder and she turns around and it's not the person he thought.

I said, "Turn around and smile... make a new friend"

But thats the closest, I'll turn around and see who it as and see if I should become friends, or be on the defenseive with an arm bar. I can't shrug it off as an accident.. I mean who in the world can SET their HAND on your shoulder(especially you Sixate you have 6 inches on me ;)) and it be accidental? The closest you get to that, is them thinking you're someone else, but in that case, I'd.. Make friends with them which is another category (the one I Chose).

Of course, I'm on the defensive... Lets say right shoulder for purposes of making this fun. :D
Left hand clasps over their hand, then step in, wrap my right arm around theirs. then twist.....twist.....twist.... ;) If needed a punch to the Floating Ribs. And I have pretty quick reflexes, so i figure people just shouldn't try it, I'd hate to be jumpy that day.

touch me, whatever...I'm ready to die, I'm ready to live, so bring it on!

u can tell when it's by mistake but other wise i'd be like wtf

I pay women to touch me... to rub me... to lick me... to stroke me. :D

Maybe its society, maybe its just me, but I dont like men I dont know touching me. Girls, friends, family members, etc I am ok with. Also, Im not a big toucher myself.

This is really a western culture phenomenon and not human nature, since other cultures tend to have very little "personal space" to speak of. I find it disturbing how we keep moving away from such basic things as having some sort of human contact.

It's ok if it's an accedent... but if people are doin this on purpose.. and constantly.. then I get annoyed

phred... i couldn't pick any of the above answers...

i would at first "freak out" a bit... though i wouldn't go so far as using the term "freak out'.

i would probably after turning, looking at the person and getting a sense of their intent, might smile and say "excuse me"...

i don't appreciate strangers touching me... i am naturally somewhat "on guard" in that way... it's a self defense thing with me... sort of an inner "fight of flight" reaction...

but i'd try very hard to be polite unless the situation was giving me "DANGER" warning signals.