What have you done out of politeness that you really didn't want to?

[BroccoliRob]

I phoned to make an appointment with the dentist today and they offered me a couple of appointments that weren't suitable. The third one she offered me I accepted. I realised as I was writing it down and while she was still on the phone that I can't make it as it will be too tight to collect kids. I could have spoken up and said at the time, but having already turned down two appointments I felt like she was going to think I was a pain in the arse.
I'm now going to have to phone back up and cancel.
Things like this have happened to me loads over the years (I really should grow a pair)
Anyone else have any tales of extreme politeness/Britishness?

Recently a lady and her father wanted to share my table at an outdoor cafe. I was too polite to say no, so I just started saying that I am not vaccinated, hoping she would take the hint. I am 40s and she looked to be 50s so she probably was vaccinated.

She kept standing at my table even though I had only started eating. A man who was finished showed her father to his table.

I felt so awkward when the lady kept standing at my table. I said that I will pack up my sandwich and eat it in my car, as she wants to use my table!!! Then she said no need and was apologetic but still wouldn't go to another table (a man was leaving). I just went away altogether and kept saying Sorry and I am not vaccinated. I was so annoyed.

@user1471554720 I've been pushed off a table as well quite literally. Happened twice in France. Sat at the table in busy lunchtime cafe at ski resort, lady comes over and says "You will be happy at this other table" points to poky table in corner not big enough for 3 of us, then proceeds to sit down and plonk all her belongings and family belongings before I even say anything.

Thing is doormats wouldn't exist if CFs didn't also exist. I'm sometimes stunned by the nerve of some people.

@BroccoliRob

"I've ended up in dodgy places with creepy strangers because a "friend" wanted to go home with someone she met in a club and didn't want to go back herself. So I'd spend an hour fending off being felt up while they had some fun."

Yep been there many times too sadly

Me too - one particularly horrible memory involves being 15 and being dragged back to some guy's flat by my 17 year old friend. I then had to sit downstairs with his mate while she was shagging her 'date' upstairs. Thank god he was ok and didn't try anything on, I told him I was 15 and he looked really shocked and made me a cup of tea! (He was at least 30, as was his friend) I think back now though at how badly that could have turned out and I absolutely shudder - all because I was too polite / scared to speak up in case I offended someone .

Got married!!!!!

@user1471554720

Recently a lady and her father wanted to share my table at an outdoor cafe. I was too polite to say no, so I just started saying that I am not vaccinated, hoping she would take the hint. I am 40s and she looked to be 50s so she probably was vaccinated.

She kept standing at my table even though I had only started eating. A man who was finished showed her father to his table.

I felt so awkward when the lady kept standing at my table. I said that I will pack up my sandwich and eat it in my car, as she wants to use my table!!! Then she said no need and was apologetic but still wouldn't go to another table (a man was leaving). I just went away altogether and kept saying Sorry and I am not vaccinated. I was so annoyed.

How strange!

Ladies have some self respect and just decline anything you don’t want to do.
Think about the examples you are setting for your daughters nieces and granddaughters etc.
Some of these tales are shocking.
Just say NO! 😁

@Clem4579

When I first met MIL and she offered me some of her homemade fruit cake, I'm not that keen on fruit cake but wanted to be polite... ...25 years later and every time we visit "Oh I know you love my fruit cake so I've made one especially for you!"

My mil is the same I don’t like cake Out of pure politeness I ate her chocolate cake the first time I met them Of course she now pulls some out at every bloody meal as ‘ I know you love it’ To top it off,she must have told her sister I love chocolate cake as she also bakes one every single time we go down (along with scones-I cannot bear raisins-I only choked one down the first time to be polite) It’s been 6 years…

I once agreed to marry someone because I felt sorry for him. 24 hours later I had to pluck up the courage to tell him it was a mistake.

@BurtonHouse

I once agreed to marry someone because I felt sorry for him. 24 hours later I had to pluck up the courage to tell him it was a mistake.

I can imagine this has happened to lots of people. Especially very public proposals where everyone is watching. I would find that really awkward.

I used to be such a people pleaser. Would put up with have extra work dumped on me, would do work others in my team refused to do just to keep the peace. I put up with people being rude to me in meetings. I allowed myself to be 'volunteered' to do things even though I did not have the time or energy. This ultimately led to me having anxiety and a severe bout of depression.

I am now older and wiser. I no longer give a damn. If I don't want to attend a social function or do work that is is outside my remit I say no. It is incredibly liberating.

One of my friends is a real people pleaser. The type of person that will go to two parties in one night so that she doesn't let anyone down.
The problem is that you can tell that deep down it is stressful for her and whenever she gets drunk, she becomes very honest and starts being rude to people - her true feelings come out. I'd far rather she was just honest in the first place rather than having all this built up resentment, it can't be healthy.

@HereLiveIAmNotACat

Sex

Same!

Gone to about 8 Take That concerts. For some reason, my friend thinks that I love them. Every time one comes up she gets really excited telling me that 'my favourites' are on and goes above and beyond to get tickets. I hate Take That but go and feign excitement, every single time paying about £100 for the privilege! Thankfully they're not so frequent nowadays!

@TokyoSushi

Gone to about 8 Take That concerts. For some reason, my friend thinks that I love them. Every time one comes up she gets really excited telling me that 'my favourites' are on and goes above and beyond to get tickets. I hate Take That but go and feign excitement, every single time paying about £100 for the privilege! Thankfully they're not so frequent nowadays!

A friend of mine is like this with Britney and the Backstreet Boys. Tags me in stuff on social media. Yes I liked them when I was a teenager - not now I'm in my 40s 😂

Had sex.

Quite a lot when I was young, most of the sex I had was out of politeness.

Years of visiting DHs rude relatives who show zero interest in us and hardly offer you food and drink. I won’t go to his home town now, his parents are gone and no way am I wasting a minute more of my life visiting people who make no effort back.

I wouldn’t travel for a wedding now either. Lots of them were the last time I saw the actual person anyway.

I’ve told DH to turn down an invitation from a couple we were super close to (they dumped us as soon as I got pregnant, they had a baby). Now we only hear from them when they move to a bigger house and we’re meant to go round and admire it. Nope. Apparently I’m meant to be excited to see their horses/stables even though I don’t like horses at all.
I’m also not dragging DD to hang around with kids she doesn’t know and will have nothing in common with (teen boy 2 years older),

Helped a homeless drunk who'd fallen over to stand up when I was nearly eight months pregnant. I had a good look around to see if I could palm it off on someone else and I was half convinced I was going to get robbed. But I couldn't just leave him there asking for help and rolling around like an upturned turtle. Anyway, it was fine, I was fine, I got him up and called him an ambulance but he fucked off before it came.

We come from an Irish family where drinking tea is as important culturally as going to mass - except I hate tea. It makes me gag. That's fine in the U.K. as most people will have coffee in as well but when visiting older relations in Ireland the choice will be strong tea , weak tea or no hot drink (and people take offence at that). Over the years my DH and I worked out a routine where we both politely accept the proffered tea. Once he has finished drinking his we discreetly swap cups and he drinks mine too.

One day we visited a very eccentric old lady who lived on a farm high up in the Wicklow mountains miles from anywhere. She offered tea and we both accepted. When the tea was made and poured she realised she had run out of milk whereupon she nipped out into the yard where the cows were queuing for the milking parlour, swiftly handmilked a jug full from one of them and poured it straight into the cups.

I don't know if you've ever drunk fresh, warm unpasteurised raw milk. It tastes absolutely nothing like cold processed milk from the bottle. Lots of people love it but to my mind (and DHs) it's absolutely revolting and still tastes of cow. Poor DH struggled to get it down and ended up gulping it very quickly to get it over with. Then the poor man bravely swapped cups with me and choked down mine too. At this point our lovely and attentive hostess noticed my cup was empty and offered me a second cup. I was so shocked and traumatised by the whole situation that I politely accepted it! So poor DH then had to force down a third cup. He was not happy with my good manners on that occasion.

@Confusedandshaken

That is true love and devotion.

@Confusedandshaken

We come from an Irish family where drinking tea is as important culturally as going to mass - except I hate tea. It makes me gag. That's fine in the U.K. as most people will have coffee in as well but when visiting older relations in Ireland the choice will be strong tea , weak tea or no hot drink (and people take offence at that). Over the years my DH and I worked out a routine where we both politely accept the proffered tea. Once he has finished drinking his we discreetly swap cups and he drinks mine too.

One day we visited a very eccentric old lady who lived on a farm high up in the Wicklow mountains miles from anywhere. She offered tea and we both accepted. When the tea was made and poured she realised she had run out of milk whereupon she nipped out into the yard where the cows were queuing for the milking parlour, swiftly handmilked a jug full from one of them and poured it straight into the cups.

I don't know if you've ever drunk fresh, warm unpasteurised raw milk. It tastes absolutely nothing like cold processed milk from the bottle. Lots of people love it but to my mind (and DHs) it's absolutely revolting and still tastes of cow. Poor DH struggled to get it down and ended up gulping it very quickly to get it over with. Then the poor man bravely swapped cups with me and choked down mine too. At this point our lovely and attentive hostess noticed my cup was empty and offered me a second cup. I was so shocked and traumatised by the whole situation that I politely accepted it! So poor DH then had to force down a third cup. He was not happy with my good manners on that occasion.

Aw your husband sounds lovely - poor him though!