Do you think people are becoming ruder in public?

[Alyah]

Lately I’ve noticed people just seem… ruder. Things like not saying thank you when you hold a door, cutting in queues, blasting videos on phones in cafés — it’s like basic manners are disappearing.
I don’t know if it’s just me getting older or if society really is getting less polite. Maybe people are more stressed or distracted, but I still think there’s no excuse for forgetting simple courtesy.
Has anyone else noticed this, or am I just turning into a grumpy old lady?

People have far fewer basic manners ever since lockdown.

I regularly get the train from London to Edinburgh and prior to lockdown someone watching a film or video without headphones was a notable thing. Now it's standard behaviour for many

People are definitely ruder and quick to be aggressive. I’m finding women 35+ to be the worst at the minute.

People are more oblivious to their surroundings.
Phones, headphones, fawing over their "friendly" dog and increased drug use are pretty obvious reasons.

I agree with @MannersAreAll I’ve definitely noticed people are ruder since lockdown.
Also when driving, so many aggressive impatient drivers about.

I agree, people are ruder

Yes it's very noticeable. People are living more in their oblivious bubble. Apple removing the headphone jack and social media normalising loudspeaker calls have also contributed to the facts that lots of people think it's okay and normal to use their devices with sound imo!

Totally agree with all the above. It's all about me me me and my children and my dog and my massive car (how do you park them anyway). 'My life' is all that matters so get out of my way!! I pity those in customer service as I've witnessed some unbelievable exchanges in shops and surgeries. It's sad to think that things will never go back but, individually, we can try to make a difference by being ultra polite and kind.

Yes - what’s in with people walking around town, sitting on public transport or standing in a shop having a conversation into their phone loudspeaker?

I was tutted at and told to get a job today while I was getting my housebound parents shopping before 9am on a Monday my day didn't get better all i did was exist on the same footpath as her my day ended with me nearly getting hit by a speeding car who thought if she didnt look right before she pulled out onto the island (that i was already driving on) that no cars existed and she could go ma'am that's not how roads WORK

I met a lot of friendly folks today too and a couple more unfriendly ones but those two really stood out to me today

Most folk are cunts nowadays, but I work with the public

Yes, it’s noticeable. The not saying thank you when you hold a door for someone or when you give way in your car when it’s your priority is so commonplace now that I’m surprised when someone actually acknowledges me.

I noticed when lockdown ended that the amount of people farting obviously in public increased. I guess it is kind of funny, but also gross and shows that people just forgot social norms.

Prior to COVID I don't think I ever heard an adult fart loudly in public... alas those days seem to have gone. On one particular incident this guy did a series of ginormous loud farts in the middle of a carpark, we stood there laughing and his wife told him off looking embarrassed. Another time we were on a ghost tour and a guy was just casually letting off farts whilst we all stood around listening to the guide. Gross.

There’s a post like this every week on Mumsnet so yeah probably

I think that a lot of people spend so much time on phones that they lose awareness of other people around them.

I was coming home from work today on the bus and saw a young woman sitting sideways on a double seat, back against the side of the bus and feet on the seat as if she was lounging on a settee at home. It was raining so she had got the seat wet.

I told her to get her feet off because someone was going to have to sit on that seat but she had headphones on so I had to say it about 3 times before she even realised that I was talking to her.

I'm lucky in that I don't directly encounter people very much as I avoid them, but on the road some drivers expect me to disappear up my own fundament and get out of the way. I drive a very small car, so that doesn't help, but some people expect to take up all the road.

Most drivers are still okay though and let me out, as I let others out.

Yes, without a doubt.

There was a chap on the next table to us in a restaurant who was having a video call with his young daughter- loudly.

I get that he was probably working away from home, but we don’t get to go out much, and he spoiled our conversation.

Agree. You can see it here, MN is not a nice place these days, the kind threads are no more.

I think a lot of it got worse since social media and Covid sped it up a bit quicker

People are used to keeping themselves within their bubbles and having less tolerance for other people. People can go weeks without actually talking to another soul if you think about it. I can do all my banking online without visiting a bank in person, I can email my GP about a prescription and collect it from a drop box and I can order parcels online and they be left in a safe place. Apparently youngsters now are scared to call people on the phone and it's a problem in some workplaces? I don't work with anyone under the age of 30 so I wouldn't know but just what I've heard.

Lack of a headphone jack is no excuse. It's Bluetooth that's made them unnecessary.

I have a crap cheap android phone and £20 no name Bluetooth earbuds, as well as being a bit of a luddite, so if I can manage to not subject everyone to what I'm listening to, anyone can.

A lot of people are just stupid and selfish now. As well as blasting their music, videos and conversations everywhere, too many people stop in random places all the time, usually to mess about with their phone.

If I need to check directions or a message etc, I step to the side but it seems everyone else just stops wherever they can cause the biggest obstruction to everyone else around them.

Also you can use headphones with the USB port, so the lack of headphone jack is no excuse at all even though it gets used as one.

Today I had the usual entitled SUV driver who didn't just park on the pavement I was walking along, but drove along it (fortunately I was able to cross to the other side). Told me to shut up when I remonstrated with him.

Yes they are. This is actually the “new normal” that was often referred to during the lockdowns. Not the lockdowns themselves but a shift towards total individualism away from any sense of collective community.

I don't go out much, may be once or twice a month, but I find others without fail kind and polite.

I'm old and quite frail, using a rollator. People seem to go out of their way to open doors for me, for example.

I try to be nice to others, smile and treat others as I'd like to be treated. Without exception recently, I haven't ever found anyone who didn't reciprocate.

But, as I say, I don't go out a lot, so I'm talking a very small sample size.

Honestly. No. I haven’t. I don’t find that people are any ruder than they used to be. There have always been idiots around but I don’t find that I’m encountering more of them than usual.

Yes! I totally noticed this at the first few gigs I went to after lockdown - over excited middle aged men trumping for Britain. It was disgusting! I also notice that the new response for "thank you" is " that's ok" - like they are doing you a favour -