Got snapped at for attempting to MAINTAIN social distancing!

[TelephoneTroubles]

Not hoping to achieve anything from this, just wanted to grumble really.

I went in to our local town with my boyfriend and his children today, as we both needed a few things. I have only been in to a shop twice since the week before lockdown, so I wasn’t sure what to expect but it all seemed fairly normal except some shops having a one in, one out policy and lots of signs up encouraging social distancing.

We went in to Superdrug, and down one of the aisles was an elderly woman with a Zimmer frame (I would say she was in her seventies at least) and a man in his fifties who I assume was her son. I needed to go down that aisle, but instead of trying to squeeze past her my plan was to go down the adjacent aisle and then come up the other end. However as the children and I approached the bottom of the aisle they appeared, so we moved back so they had plenty of space to pass. The woman walked past with no comment (which is fine, I thought it was just common decency to move out of her way) but the man looked at me, shook his head and snapped “It’s absolutely fine to just walk past someone, I don’t know why people can’t just read the government guidelines!”. I didn’t say anything (was a bit gobsmacked to be honest) but then he joined his mother in the queue, rolled his eyes at me and then started overly loudly talking to nobody in particular about why people can’t just read the government guidance!

At that point I did say to him “I have no problem at all with walking past people, it was for your benefit that we moved out of the way!” to which he didn’t reply.

I could understand a bit if I had made a fuss and said “No X and Y, stand back in case you breathe on that vulnerable old woman, or they breathe on you!” but we didn’t make a fuss at all. I was potentially expecting to get told off for getting to close too someone, but not for making an effort to get out of their way!

Why are people so bloody rude?

[Newjez]

I think everyone is just a little bit stressed, and we have forgotten how to speak to each other.

[lousleftkneelies]

I don’t go to the shops much but on the odd occasion if there is somebody in the aisle browsing and I want to get by I ask (from 2m) if they mind me getting past, seems to have worked fine.

[TelephoneTroubles]

I think everyone is just a little bit stressed, and we have forgotten how to speak to each other.

I think partly this, and partly people using it as an excuse to be unpleasant!

I don’t go to the shops much but on the odd occasion if there is somebody in the aisle browsing and I want to get by I ask (from 2m) if they mind me getting past, seems to have worked fine.

I will do that next time, it just seemed easier to go in to the aisle from the other end and not have to go past her.

[moita]

Just wrote this on another thread: but I was stood the 2m marking in the queue and a lady in front shouted at me to make sure I kept my distance. I was so confused but didwonder if she was just so on edge that she went a bit over the top

[DBML]

Lots of people I walk by look at me as if they’ve accidentally killed my cat and haven’t told me yet. It’s awkward lately isn’t it lol.
I think people are just fed-up; anxious; grumpy; awkward and generally have forgotten how to be polite to each other.
It’ll blow over. I wouldn’t take anything personally or get upset.