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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel smug about all the idiots stuck in the snow...

332 replies

MayDayChild · 18/12/2010 14:20

It's my birthday tomo. Wanted to pop to shops alone (luxury!)to buy a new dress to wear for my meal out tonight.
But as I'm breastfeeding, I decided early this morning to forgoe the dress, incase I got stuck.
Have now decided to cancel meal as roads impassable
I'm hearing on news about gridlock all over London, car parks at bluewater, lakeside etc all jammed no one is going anywhere!
I feel smug for being home, warm, safe with my children!!!!

OP posts:
ChippingIn · 18/12/2010 17:12

NET He does sound lovely :) I'm sure you will all have a lovely day, even if it's not what you had planned. I wonder if it's worth ringing the theatre to see if you can change your tickets - especially as it's DS's birthday - they might be kind - he deserves it! Unlike some other people...

OnthefirsdayofMrsDeVere · 18/12/2010 17:12

piglet mine is a mixture of fushia pink and animal print Xmas Grin

I hat carrying bags, gives me backache and you cant buy enough OR lie about how much you have bought when you get it home.

stillfrazzled · 18/12/2010 17:13

I went out at 11.30am, when it WASN'T snowing, to check on my grandparents who are 94 years old and housebound.

I got them some lunch, spent a bit of time with them and left at 1.30pm half an hour after it started snowing.

I got home ten minutes ago, at 5pm. I'm 8 months pg and got stuck several times. Were it not for kind strangers I'd be stuck yet.

It's the suburbs, my total journey was 10 miles and I repeat, it wasn't snowing when I went out.

Fuck you, OP.

lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs · 18/12/2010 17:15

well thank you, I was that idiot today who nearly crashed my car trying to get to shop to get food for my 2 small kids Angry but hey im glad your warm and safe

Chatelaine · 18/12/2010 17:17

Let's cut OP a little slack here, I really think it was meant to be a little more light hearted than has been taken and run run run with. OP (having seen the weather forecast) quite sensibly cancelled her plans. The stress, misery caused by people relentlessly persuing their plans, and dragging taking their children along on unnecessary trips when bad weather is anticipated or present beggars belief. My DH and I drove 250 miles two weeks ago for a B'day party, back the next day. We felt very daring and a bit stupid tbh. People that lived a much shorter distance cancelled. We scrutinized the W/F right up to the morning of departure before we made a decision to travel. We could have got it so wrong. I was heartened to hear that Brent Cross Shopping Centre had decided to close early. How responsible.

stillfrazzled · 18/12/2010 17:41

Chatelaine, would agree if OP just said 'so relieved I didn't go out'.

She didn't. She's 'smug' about 'idiots' being stuck because they've gone out - some on unnecessary trips, as you rightly pointed out, but some to take care of elderly relatives and feed their kids and probably keep important medical appointments and... well, I'm sure there were lots of good reasons.

It hasn't been taken as light-hearted because it's thoughtless and unpleasant. Smug, as she so rightly puts it.

herbietea · 18/12/2010 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Chatelaine · 18/12/2010 17:54

stillfrazzled - Yes the term idiot was really ill judged and she probably/should feel very Blush but I think on balance it was a throw away remark, let's hope OP has learned thatpeoplechoosenottoreadbetweenthe--lines how phrasing is important. Peace to you all.

scottishmummy · 18/12/2010 17:55

you like others being inconvenienced?feel smug because you arent

well your humanity cup aint flowing over is it as you titter at other people having rough day

bampot

JarethTheGoblinKing · 18/12/2010 17:56

YABVU - a friend of mine has just been stuck on a main road near here for 2 hours, she was trying to get to the hospital to visit her 2wo who was born 7 weeks early. She won't see him today now, and probably won't see him tomorrow either.

lazylula · 18/12/2010 17:57

My dh is trying to get home from work, he didn't have the luxury of staying home incase it got bad. Last time I spoke to him he had managed to travel 6 miles in 4 hours. You feel smug why don't you!

scottishmummy · 18/12/2010 18:00

key workers and others have struggled to get to appts and see vulnerable community clients.yes they knew snow was forecast but dont have luxury of saying bugger it lets not going in. adverse weather makes visits even more essential to undertake to ensure wellbeing and welfare

and it will take staff ages to get home to

undercovasanta · 18/12/2010 18:08

OP - a badly worded and thought-out post. You have totally failed to empathise with the thousands of people who absolutely HAD to travel - maybe to a job in the emergency or care services for all you know.

I take your point that SOME of those travelling hadn't thought things through, but think you need to empathise a little more.

The decision not to go shopping for a new dress is hardly the same as deciding not to travel to an elderly relative to help them in the bad weather, or even to travel to a job where you fear your employer will not sympathise with your decision to stay home.

Go · 18/12/2010 18:11

My DH is on his way home from London as we speak. He was meant to be working both today and tomorrow, but tomorrow has now been cancelled which means he is making his way home tonight instead. I don't think he's an idiot for trying to earn a living Angry and Hmm at OP.

Go · 18/12/2010 18:12

Sorry - hope I didn't worry you all there. Of course TOMORROW hasn't been cancelled, just DH's work Blush

forehead · 18/12/2010 18:15

Please leave the OP alone, she was not trying to be cruel, it was just a lighthearted comment. I am beginning to feel sorry for the OP

fairycake123 · 18/12/2010 18:23

YABU to use "tomo." I only know one other person who uses that word and she's a massive tool.

OTheHugeManatee · 18/12/2010 18:27

YA also BU to say 'forgoe'.

claig · 18/12/2010 18:27

agree forehead. Of course the OP doesn't think that emergency services and other workers and the elderly and people visiting people in hospital and others are idiots. She just worded the post too strongly and didn't think it through.

It is the season of goodwill. Let's not crucify the OP.

Trop · 18/12/2010 18:28

There but for the grace of god go I.

expatinscotland · 18/12/2010 18:29

Anyone who uses the word 'smug' in a thread title and then again in the OP is an idiot who has it coming, though.

'tool'. 'bampot'. LMAO. Hadn't heard those in a while.

miniwedge · 18/12/2010 18:30

The op didn't mention people who were doing unvoidable journeys, she was talking about shopping centres.

Not sure why she is getting such a pasting. If you go out in heavy snow just to do non-essential shopping then yes, you're a bit of a tit because you will be adding to the traffic on the roads thus blocking key worker and those who are making essential journeys.
I thought from the op, that was the people she was referring to.

Chatelaine · 18/12/2010 18:31

Jesus!

pigletmania · 18/12/2010 18:32

TODMDV that sounds trendy, my mum convinced me to have a shopping trolley, i am 33 not 83 btw, I was a bit Hmm about it, but its so useful certainly saves my back.

BongoWinslow · 18/12/2010 18:36

Maybe OP just doesn't really understand what 'smug' means to most people - ie that it's pejorative.

My friend told me I was 'smug' when pregnant and I got really pissed off with her for being so rude until it turned out she thought smug just meant 'happy and pleased with yourself' but not in any negative way, just that I enjoyed pregnancy.

but she appears to have left the thread anyway...