Coworkers trash their colleague's cubicle and use their area as a shortcut, so the enraged office worker starts “accidentally” running over their ankles with their desk chair: ‘I need my space’

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Dec 11, 2025 4:00 AM EST

Tensions rise in the office cubicles, putting coworker against cowork in the fight to survive the 9-to-5. 

While we all try to maintain positive relationships with our coworkers in the office, it's tough to respect a gaggle of litterbugs dumping trash on your desk every time they cut through your workspace to go to the loo. If a person can't respect your workspace, how are you supposed to amicably sit by and watch it all unfold? That's right, you can't. It's impossible. This is why the office worker with toeing the line of lost patience, found a genius way to combat her inconsiderate coworkers' behavior. While I never condone violence to solve a problem, sometimes a petty swivel chair slide is enough to convey your message of displeasure. 

If you've ever taken a desk chair wheel to the ankle, you know that it's not a pain that you'll soon forget, or ever wish to repeat. Maybe these office employees will think twice before using a colleague's cubicle as a shortcut next time.

 It is an active workspace after all...

Via u/Tom Ackerman

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  • Stopped co-workers from leaving their trash on my desk Many years ago I had a corner desk near the door.
    via BusyBullet
  • Co-workers would regularly put their drinks on my desk on their way to the restroom and pick them up on the way back.
    via BusyBullet
  • After asking them not to do that, I put an extra wastebasket at the end of the desk started tossing their drinks in it. They were often genuinely surprised to find no drink when they came back through.
    via BusyBullet
  • I just apologized and told them that I didn't know who left their trash on my desk but I needed my desk space to work.
    via BusyBullet
  • Woman sitting in her cubicle in the office.
    via Tom Ackerman

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • They also bumped into my chair while cutting through my work area.
    via BusyBullet
  • These things would happen multiple times a day and it was always the same handful of people.
    via BusyBullet
  • It was so bad that if I were to roll my chair back six inches I'd accidentally run into them so that's exactly what I started doing.
    via BusyBullet
  • When I had to get a file from the side drawer I would roll my chair back and turn sideways to get to the files
    via BusyBullet
  • I decided that I needed a file pretty much every time someone was cutting through my work space.
    via BusyBullet
  • It took a few times but the worst offenders soon stopped after a few interactions between their ankles and my chair legs.
    via BusyBullet
  • I would always profusely apologize and ask if they were OK, offer to help them get back to their desk, write an accident report etc.
    via BusyBullet
  • Nobody was ever seriously injured but I'm sure there were some bruises.
    via BusyBullet
  • I'm not proud but I would do it all again if I were at that desk in that office.
    via BusyBullet
  • Cute Recognition_880 Open office spaces are a huge mistake and that's just one of the reasons!
    via Cute Recognition_880
  • OP BusyBullet So true. Nobody needs to be in constant contact with that many people all the time. The chair bumping was often hard enough that it would cause me to spill a drink if we're taking a sip.
    via BusyBullet
  • trolleyduwer An accident report for something so minor? Is that common? Sounds very elementary school ish
    via trolleyduwer
  • OP BusyBullet That's the joke. They got upset that I bumped into them in my workspace so I turned it around on them. Although there are some corporations that will want you to write an incident report if you stub your toe.
    via BusyBullet
  • Zakensox Some people only learn with violence... Well done!
    via Zakensox
  • MaCqUaY92 You battering rammed your way out of this situation. Good job
    via MaCqUaY92
  • blueeyesaussie Nice job protecting your space. Sadly some people need to learn the "hard way".
    via blueeyesaussie
  • TangerineCouch 18330 Those types of distractions are just truly annoying. You did what you had to do it. I'm glad it worked to reclaim your space.
    via TangerineCouch
  • donkey-oh-tea Dwight energy
    via donkey-oh-tea
  • vibraltu Worst case I'd heard about was someone got randomly assigned a desk beside the office copier. They were getting constantly hassled about the copier not working properly or not having enough paper loaded. They ended going on strike until they could get their spot reassigned.
    via vibraltu
  • pietro420 Just gotta ask who emptied the bin that had the drinks in? If it was a cleaner I wonder if they planned any petty revenge for you
    via pietro420

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coworkers petty revenge petty Office workplace cubicle
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