To think you shouldn't push people out of the way in shops immediately after saying excuse me?

[whosiwhatsit]

I was looking through a rail of clothes at a local charity shop this afternoon. A woman walked up to me, said "excuse me", and then without giving me even a nanosecond to move (which i would have done) forcefully shoved me aside to get past me. Not just a gentle push but a shove.

Now, I'm not from the UK so maybe this is normal behaviour and I'm just not aware of it. But I found this very rude and, after checking that she hadn't been trying to distract me in order to pickpocket me, gave her a dirty look.

The woman turned to her friend and commented that I had given her a nasty look so I spoke up and said she had pushed me quite hard. She responded "but I said excuse me!" and then turned back to her friend to say how rude people are in this village (meaning me!).

So who was rude, me or her?

[MostPeopleAreMad]

Er, no, doesn't seem to me that you were rude...

[overprotection]

I wonder if the UK still has an international reputation for fair play and good manners.

[pumpkinsweetie]

She was rude as saying "excuse me* doesn't warrant pushing someone out of the way especially without a "please" added onto the sentence, that makes her way worse!

[whosiwhatsit]

Thanks, all, I'm relieved to know I wasn't the rude one despite what that pushy woman may have thought.

[echt]

While I wouldn't want to start Australia bashing, this us of "excuse me" is the norm here, and really gets on my tits. Without the please it sounds like an order, not a request. It's not followed by pushing, but sounds so colossally rude.

[Aniseeda]

She was BU and rude!

You were looking at the rail so she should have waited her turn.

Her saying 'excuse me' was rude, let alone shoving you out of the way. What made her think it was more important for her to be able to look at the rail and not you? Urgh!

[wibblyjelly]

I feel the same way about this, as I do with people who drive, and have the magic hand. This lets them cut you up, while putting their hand in air.