to think you should at least acknowledge an apology...

[whoneedssleepanyway]

I was in town yesterday with my 2 DDs, DD2 in buggy, DD1 on scooter. We needed to get the bus, the bus pulled up as I was holding a bottle of water for DD2 to have a drink out of. We got on the bus and I obviously had DD2 in buggy, DD1's scooter and bottle of water and was trying to get the brake on DD2's buggy on (which can be tricky) and the bus lurched off. As I tried to hold on to the buggy and DD1's scooter, I inadvertantly squeezed the bottle of water (with sports cap) and a bit sprayed out and went on the woman sat in front of the space bit for wheelchairs/ buggies.

I was really embarrassed and apologised profusely, and offered her tissues but she totally ignored me. She made a big meal out of wiping the water off her (we are talking a very small amount here, I hadn't soaked her) and when she went to get off, I asked if she was ok and apologised again but nothing didn't even look at me, stoney silence. The other people on the bus were chuckling at this stage.

AIBU to think she should have acknowledged my apology even if it was to say "Yes, next time take more care to put your brake on" or "You shouldn't have been holding an open bottle of water" or something along those lines but to completely and totally ignore me....

[SquirtedPerfumeUpNoseInBoots]

ha thats funny. But tbh if it had happened to me, and I was on my way to an important meeting for example, I would have been livid and would not have spoken to you for fear of biting your head off.

Funny though! You apologised, and thats enough dont beat yourself up about it.

[Pandemoniaa]

A small spray of water won't kill anyone and I'd have laughed and said "Don't worry, these things happen".

[bubblesincoffee]

I'm not sure about this one. Of course it would have been polite and the nice thing to do for her to acknowledge you.

But that would have made you feel better and forget about it while she was left still feeling angry and having to deal with the consequenses of your actions. She might not have wanted to make you feel better, because she then had to spend the next hour being wet.

Also, she may have just been rude anyway, or as Squirted says, she may have let rip at you if she had said anything so decided it as best to keep her mouth shut.

[ZillionChocolate]

You were in the wrong, I don't think she owes you anything really. I suspect what you want is to feel that your apology is accepted and you're off the work. Sometimes that's not possible.

[AKMD]

YANBU but if she was that cross you might not have wanted her talking to you!

I was having breakfast in a hotel once and someone accidentally knocked over a cup of water on the table next to me (the tables were very close together and it was a tight squeeze). The woman sitting there went ballistic - you would have thought she had been hit by acid, not a few drops of water. She went on and on and on, shouting 'clumsy' at the poor man who was clearing up the spill for her and apologising, to the point where he looked completely baffled and went to sit back down at his own table. She was still hissing 'clumsy' at him so I leaned over and told her that it was an accident, he had apologised and she should stop making a fool of herself. She shut up, thank goodness.

[kenbarlowslovestick]

it was an accident dont worry about it and it was really hot yesterday so you,d think she may have appriciated being cooled down some people just want you to feel bad even if it wasn,t your fault there just miserys

[squeezemebakingpowder]

YANBU, she was!

[MorticiaAddams]

It made me laugh. She's just plain miserable, you clearly didn't do it on purpose.

[carabos]

OP - First you get in her space by squirting water over her (doesn't matter that it wasn't very much), then you get in her space again with two attempts at verbal interaction, then you come on here wondering why she ignored you. You seem a bit needy TBH. I don't think she was rude or miserable, just wanted to be left alone.

[whoneedssleepanyway]

WTF carabos...so are you saying it would have been better to have ignored the fact I spilt water on her and not try and apologise?

I wasn't expecting her to smile at me and say "Oh don't worry my dear you had your hands full, a little bit of water won't hurt me" but it would have been nice if she had at least said "Ok but don't do it again"

I don't think I am needy I am genuinely curious as to whether people think that is normal, I would never ignore someone who apologised to me but maybe that's just me.

[whoneedssleepanyway]

And for what it is worth I think the amount of water is relevant, I would have expected her to have a massive go at me if I had tipped a whole bottle over her, I would still have apologised but wouldn't have thought she would have been remiss to give me a good dressing down.

[BootyMum]

I really wouldn't worry about it.

I think some people quite like feeling hard done by and aggrieved and this woman was obviously enjoying her moment!

It was an accident, it was water [not red wine fgs], it was a hot day and cool water may have been quite nice [I know i would have liked to be splashed with some when I was on a hot bus yesterday] and you apologised profusely. What more could you do? I mean shit happens and if that's the worst you ever do to someone, well it's really a very minor infraction of public transport etiquette [ie; you didn't swear at her or try to steal her bag!]

It would have been nice if the woman had acknowledged your apology and your attempt to make amends [and it seems that most posters here would have acknowledged you if it had happened to them] but really, this woman may have been distracted, have felt mightily put out, whatever...

You did the right thing after your honest mistake and that is the most important thing!