Would you be offended if someone asked you whether you were over 60’s?

I am always happy to pay the cheaper senior fare if I can....I'm 57 and not bothered!!

My mum always looked young for her age, but she’d get offended because it meant people thought she’d had her first child while still school age!

I get some confused looks when I talk about my eldest DS and his very responsible job as I apparently don’t look old enough to have grown up DCs. If people saw me as the Evri delivery man does most days they would not be confused about my age, but I would probably feel a bit miffed if someone thought I was that much older.

You’ve only got to look at the attention whore “what age do I look?” threads on here to see the range of guesses, some of which are clearly just being brutal for the fun of it, but guesses range over 20+ years most times from “you look about my mums age so I’m going for 54” to “you look like you use good skincare and have a flattering haircut so I’d guess you’re probably 50 but want us all to say 35”!

Surely “any concessions” is a politer way of asking? You might be a student

53 year olds won't look too different at 60. I'd just presume the cinema worker was trying to help the customer get a cheaper ticket.

Maybe she was a mumsnet baby face, who is convinced she looks like a teen, hence the complaint. 😅

Yes i agree, why would the business actively try to lose itself money, plus the potential for taking offense!

I used to work in a cinema years ago, I think I probably would have worded it "standard adult ticket or are you entitled to any reductions?" if I had to ask - some over 60s go back to uni so could have a student card!

I went swimming with my pensioner dad last week. They charged me child entrance. I’m 43

I think it's pretty tactless of the server to ask tbh. I'm 40 fwiw and haven't ever (that I know of) been mistaken for being 60+ or 50+ or whatever.

Usually people work out the concessions they're allowed and then ask for them rather than the server offering them to you.

I guess the server might just have been trying to be nice and giving you a cheaper ticket because they liked your face or something. I've had that with my kids where people selling us tickets have said "oh we'll pretend you're under 5" to get the cheaper tickets.

Also, if it was one of those special showings like they do at everyman where OAPs get a cheaper ticket and a free coffee and cake on Wednesday mornings or something, then it would make sense for them to ask

I was at an eatery with family and the waitress asked if I wanted the smaller plate (for over 60s). She didn’t ask my sister, who’s older than me 😭

It'd make me feel shit if it happened now, as I'm 34. If, say, someone asked was I over 40 however, and it meant I got a cheaper ticket, I'd probably just say yes, and use my obvious haggardness to my advantage!

I wouldn't be offended at all. Age is difficult to judge.

Yeah I’m a similar age and wouldn’t be too happy at that but can’t imagine this happening to me as I occasionally get ID’d in supermarkets.

I also get asked if I’m eligible for a student concessions quite a lot if I go to museums etc - although to be fair students can be all ages!

I’m amazed some people saying young people can’t tell between 45 and 65. I certainly was able to in my teen years. I do work with primary schools sometimes though and I think many years ago one very young kid did say I might be a hundred 😆

I am 57 and I would prefer not to be asked if I'm over 60. If I qualify for a discount I'll ask for one.

Well I wouldn’t personally (age 57) there isn’t a significant difference between now and how I will look in 3 years. Was the person asking young themselves? - I would imagine someone in their teens or 20s would find it hard to distinguish between 53 and 60.

It's a ridiculous thing to complain about

I don't think it is rude, age is hard to guess, and getting it wrong is just a mistake. It has happened me, I felt miffed that I looked older than any real age but I never thought it was rude.

Over 60s is 70+

Over 60 is 60+

Big difference!

I’m 37 so I would be offended. If it was an over 40s ticket I was being offered, I wouldn’t be offended but it might bum me out a bit!

Grey hair is a universal unmissable signifier of old age, an objective fact that you can't kid yourself about, and isn't an insult.
If I were asking for questions from an audience, I might ask to hear from "the lady with the grey hair" but I definitely wouldn't ask to hear from "the lady with the wrinkles/sagging jowls".

In this context, someone who's looking quickly at a thirty something with prematurely white hair might ask that question, and the thirty-something would say "no, it's just my hair" and probably laugh.

I worked in a bingo hall in my youth and over 55s got a 10p discount on admission, over 80s were free. Unless they were comparatively young 30s. They all looked pretty ancient to my 16 yo eyes. Just take the discount op.

I have grandchildren, and I still couldn't tell you whether a child is four or six, off the bat. Yet when my kids were small I couldn't understand people not being able to tell their age.

I do remember the first time a young person stood up to offer me their seat on a metro. I'm afraid that I found that a shock, and it took a while for me to get my head round it. I was in a country where the culture is very much about respect for your elders, so I tried to take that as the reason!

You don't have to say to a whole queue of people that you are 39. You just need to say no you are not under 25. Be honest, you're showing off a bit! (I would too)

To be honest, yes I would be a bit offended (I am 53 next month!). But I still wouldn't agree that " it is a really offensive question that shouldn't be asked". It's not a big deal.

Actually my DH would might be slightly offended too! Even though he is 63 and does ask for an over 60s ticket if there is one. But he likes to think he looks younger.

I don't think it is a big deal whether they check or not tbh. I'm sure they meant to be helpful.

The further away from your age someone is, the harder it is to tell what age they are. You probably couldn't tell a 25 year old from a 32 year old for example. You also probably couldn't tell an 80 year old from an 87 year old.

I have this problem all the time in France because you get discounted/free museums if you're under 25 and they always ask my age and I embarrassingly have to say to a whole queue of people that I'm 39 and they always look shocked and the person asking is embarrassed. So I know it's awful. My partner is actually 3 years younger than me and never gets asked.

And yes they ask for proof for age-restricted things so you can't pretend to be older or younger.

I'd say yes and buy the cheaper ticket.
I am 45.