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AIBU?

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Woman yelled at me in public toilets

315 replies

empee47 · 25/05/2025 07:58

Went to Tesco yesterday and visited the loo. Washed my hands and turned on the hand dryer and another lady started yelling at me that I was upsetting her daughter because of the noise. Daughter looked to be about 3 and was visibly distressed. Had they asked me not to use the dryer until they’d left the sink area and explained why, I wouldn’t have done. Apparently I can’t possibly be a mum myself as everyone knows kids are scared of the noise. Happens that I have 2 kids myself and the noise has never bothered them. It was the aggressive way she was bellowing at me in public that annoyed me and the sense of entitlement that everything had to run her way.

OP posts:
Overthebow · 25/05/2025 08:05

She shouldn’t have yelled at you. And she can’t control others use of the hand driers, my dd also doesn’t like the drier noise but I would never tell anyone not to use it.

Cynicalaboutall · 25/05/2025 08:04

Was she just yelling because you were using the hand drier at the time?
Was she shouting over the noise maybe?

ShillyShallySherbet · 25/05/2025 08:03

YANBU and I had two DC who were terrified of hand dryers when they were little and it was really difficult going to public toilets. It was my job to avoid that situation or deal with it, I’d have never expected other people to know and not use the hand dryers. I hope you just gave her a confused expression in response to her outburst and walked out. She was obviously just upset that her child was upset and looking for someone to blame other than herself.

Maray1967 · 25/05/2025 08:02

If your DC are terrified of hand dryer noise then it is your responsibility as a parent to manage that, not assume that no child should be exposed to the noise and shout at people. Neither of mine were remotely upset by hand dryer noises. If someone asked me not to use them because of their DC I’d respect that, but I wouldn’t not use them simply because there are DC in the space.

babystarsandmoon · 25/05/2025 08:02

She sounds unhinged.

Goodadvice1980 · 25/05/2025 08:01

YANBU. Your world doesn’t revolve around someone else’s child. If you’d been asked not to use it (I have in the past as the child was autistic) then that’s a different matter.

UseNailOil · 25/05/2025 08:01

MAD woman! HER kid has an issue with hand-dryers - HER responsibility to manage that.

Don’t give it a second thought, OP. Sorry you got shouted at.

hididdlyho · 25/05/2025 08:01

It was the aggressive way she was bellowing at me in public that annoyed me and the sense of entitlement that everything had to run her way.

If this is the attitude she's modelling for her daughter, then she's in for a fun ride when she hits the teen years!

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 25/05/2025 08:01

What happened to the courteous request ‘ do you mind not using the dryer until we’ve gone …now hurry up small child we are keeping the lady waiting’.

It’s a sad world now.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 25/05/2025 08:01

Yeah, she was being ridiculous. My own kids were frightened of hand dryers when they were small but it was my responsibly to warn them that the hand dryer would be noisy and advise that they covered their ears.

Longenough98 · 25/05/2025 08:01

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Zanatdy · 25/05/2025 08:00

how the hell are you meant to know her DD is scared of the hand dryer? She is expecting you to automatically know? Ridiculous. It reminded me DS2 used to hate the dryer, but I certainly didn’t expect other people not to use it. She sounds unhinged.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 25/05/2025 07:59

Silly cow. She needs to learn to use her words.

Funkeh · 25/05/2025 07:59

I mean I wouldn’t use hand dryer because they’re woefully unhygienic but yeah the noise is also horrific
maybe just take your own tissues next time

rubyslippers · 25/05/2025 07:59

She’s ridiculous
don’t give it any more thought