Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be grossed out by this?

111 replies

PrimatePantaloons · 30/10/2024 14:51

On a family day out buying hot drinks/ snacks from a van. I’d got my drinks/ snacks already but spotted the woman who had just served me pluck a hair out of her face with her fingers nails, look at it and then flick it off in a random direction…

I am very overly sensitive to this sort of stuff/ borderline obsessive but this is mainstream gross isn’t it?

I see this sort of stuff all the time and don’t get stuff for myself when out and about, but sometimes I wonder what would happen if I asked people to wash their hands after I’ve seen them doing something like this?

The other day in Costa I saw a guy scratch the inside of his ear with his little finger and then put a lid on someone’s take away coffee without washing his hands? That’s gross too right?

I feel like my perspective is skewed because of my anxiety about this type of thing, which I am having therapy for. As part of this I’m trying to recalibrate what is/ is not acceptable.

The woman from today didn’t even try and hide it… she was chatting to the next customer in the queue whilst admiring this chin hair she had just pulled out and then literally just flicked it off. It could have landed anywhere. That is gross, yes?

OP posts:
user1471556818 · 30/10/2024 16:05

I asked a girl to wash her hands before wrapping my fish supper .I had watched her scratch under her arm pits adjust her pants and then wipe her face and mouth.My take was if that's what I've seen what haven't I?.
Weirdly when I was younger I also worked in a chippy , the owners were very strict about where your hands went , either behind your back or on the counter .I also hate I've got gloves on so can touch everything. Just wash your hand regularly .
It's quite a bug bear tbh

LuckySantangelo35 · 30/10/2024 16:00

Startinganew32 · 30/10/2024 15:45

Not sure what is so gross about it. Is it that you think the hair went in uncovered food? Or is it just that she plucked it out with her fingers? Because it is surely then equally gross to touch your headhair, which a lot of people do constantly. And handling coins would be a lot more disgusting as so many people have handled them and there are likely to be fecal bacteria on them. But nobody seems to bat an eyelid at that.

@Startinganew32

surely you can see what’s gross about someone plucking out their hair and flicking it about or foraging about in the ear wax and then touching things people are buying?! It’s rank. Like people don’t need to be constantly touching their faces. It’s like people who always have their fingers in their mouths - grow up! No one wants traces of others saliva all over

Randomparking · 30/10/2024 15:59

PrimatePantaloons · 30/10/2024 15:54

I absolutely bat all of my eyelids at all of these things… in fact I wish I had more eyelids so that I could bat all of those as well.

Show quote history

😂

Original poster
PrimatePantaloons · 30/10/2024 15:58

DayTimeRoses · 30/10/2024 15:21

Not unreasonable. It's absolutely grim.

My approach when I see things like this is to reconcile that it happens all the time, I have no control over it, and I'm probably not going to die. But it still absolutely grosses me out.

I was once escorted out of Subway for suggesting that the lady serving should change her gloves between handling one customer's money and then starting on the next customers sandwich. This was nearly twenty years ago but it still irks me. I have been boycotting Subway ever since.

Yes. I would totally be with you on the subway thing. I’m working on the reconciliation that you talk about as I used to be able to do it but have lost that ability st the moment… thanks though, it’s reassuring to know I’m not alone…

OP posts:
Original poster
PrimatePantaloons · 30/10/2024 15:54

Startinganew32 · 30/10/2024 15:45

Not sure what is so gross about it. Is it that you think the hair went in uncovered food? Or is it just that she plucked it out with her fingers? Because it is surely then equally gross to touch your headhair, which a lot of people do constantly. And handling coins would be a lot more disgusting as so many people have handled them and there are likely to be fecal bacteria on them. But nobody seems to bat an eyelid at that.

I absolutely bat all of my eyelids at all of these things… in fact I wish I had more eyelids so that I could bat all of those as well.

OP posts:
Startinganew32 · 30/10/2024 15:45

Not sure what is so gross about it. Is it that you think the hair went in uncovered food? Or is it just that she plucked it out with her fingers? Because it is surely then equally gross to touch your headhair, which a lot of people do constantly. And handling coins would be a lot more disgusting as so many people have handled them and there are likely to be fecal bacteria on them. But nobody seems to bat an eyelid at that.

CoralReader · 30/10/2024 15:24

YANBU

DayTimeRoses · 30/10/2024 15:21

Not unreasonable. It's absolutely grim.

My approach when I see things like this is to reconcile that it happens all the time, I have no control over it, and I'm probably not going to die. But it still absolutely grosses me out.

I was once escorted out of Subway for suggesting that the lady serving should change her gloves between handling one customer's money and then starting on the next customers sandwich. This was nearly twenty years ago but it still irks me. I have been boycotting Subway ever since.

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 30/10/2024 15:20

Well - I doubt if touching a lid with a hand whose little finger has briefly been inside an ear is likely to transmit an actual infection. A chin hair I suppose might conceivably if someone ate it.
This behaviour is not pleasant or hygienic so I see why you call it 'gross', but it wouldn't disgust or worry me the way it does you.

Didimum · 30/10/2024 15:17

I can understand the 'gross factor', but at the end of the day, no one is going to get contaminated by a hair or a brush of a finger that has touch an ear, so it's not something I can get worked up about.

CanalBoots · 30/10/2024 15:08

Definitely not being unreasonable. Some people just do gross things, especially if they think nobody is looking. You only have to look at people in cars in traffic jams to boggle at how many of them are picking their noses.

Those people who serve food in vans - where do the wee and wash their hands?