to think that ill mannered older people shouldn't take precedence over youth

[MollieO]

Queuing in garden centre this afternoon with 6 yr old ds and trolley. We were next in the queue to be served when a till became free. Before ds could push his trolley to the till (about 2m) an elderly couple pushed past and got to the till first.

I pointed out that we were next to be served. The lady said that she only had one jar (if she had asked to go in front of us I would have probably said yes). I replied that she should have asked us. Then she said that she was disabled (walking with two sticks). I pointed out that my elderly disabled mother (who also has two sticks and is very infirm) was waiting for us.

I said that I thought she lacked manners in pushing past us. She muttered something. I asked her to repeat what she had said.

She said that because ds was a child he "didn't matter" and she had the right to go in front of him!

I thought but did not say WTF. The two till assistants stood there open mouthed.

I did say that I thought she should learn some manners. Poor ds was actually quite upset at how dismissive she was of him.

I'm all for respecting elders but I do think that this isn't automatic. I wonder what this lady would have said if ds had pushed in front of her?

true again. We are vehemently agreeing with each other

YANBU but if anyone is behind me with a jar and I have a trolley full I would have told my DS to let them go first anyway but if someone had acted like that then I would have made them wait regardless of age.

I think there are many rude elderly people out there as there are many rude young people, but the main issue that I have is that the media have managed to turn it around so that a lot of people seem to think youngsters are all rude and abnoxious and that anyone elderly should get away with it.

Personally I have come across some pretty self-obsessed and self-indulgent youngsters as well as elderly who think that they are allowed to be like that for whichever reason... I'm sorry but just because you have lived for so long does not mean that you should be rude to others! Infact if anything you should be more aware and polite than many. Set by example and all that jazz...

An old lady was horrible to me last week and I just told her she must've had a pretty 'interesting' life to have turned out so vile and bitter! Yes it was rude but she had no right and anyone you nger would've got the same treatment.

You reminded me of something that happened a few months ago as I was driving down an urban road. Came to a point where the lane going in the opposite direction was block by gas works. So all traffic was permitted to use 'my' lane, but I was give the priority by the signs. Anyway, I drive down it minding my own business (it was a fairly long stretch, maybe 100 yards, maybe a bit more) suddenly I see the car in front of me entering the lane and driving towards me. Absolutely no room for both and I have a priority. He does not stop. I stop because I am worried. He stops because at this point I am in front of him and he cannot move any further forward. I look at this 80-something 'gent' clad in woolen gear as if she was returning from a country shoot. Anyway, I reverse into the pavement (no-one is around) to let him pass, although I am in the right, but not letting him a lot of space so that he has to drive slowly next to me, open my window and say "excuse me, you do realize that my lane has the priority", to which he replies "f"£$ "ff your C*%t" and drives off.

I would have reported him if I got the number as he is clearly a danger on the roads, but I could not help laughing he looked so ridiculous.

sorry for the grammar and spelling mistakes

Honestly, you wouldnt believe me if I told you about some of the vile older people around here! (plenty of young/middle aged tossers as well to be fair!)

I was carjacked by a pensioner a few years ago. I kid you not.

upyourdiva I admire your reply...I am always so aghast/taken aback I never think of anything to say til later!

I live in London. I think a lot of the elderly people are too scared to go out ...

FJ I know it is very sad. One of those is my lovely lovely elderly lady neighbour.

Amazing how some elderly types put on the "I'm confused" routine......and go right to the front of a queue,but NEVER the back.

How awful to say a little boy 'doesn't matter' Yes, it was, but it wouldn’t have happened had OP not decided to confront the couple for being nippy in what is always a free-for-all situation. No-one stays in queue order if a new till opens. It wasn’t as if they skipped a few places in the same queue.

I thought it was one queue for several tills. My local small grocery shop does this and there are always people trying it on. Usually if they're informed there's one queue they go sheepishly to the back, but one woman stood her ground one day and just refused. So rude.

An elderly disabled woman with a massively laden trolley asked to take precedence over the queue. WTF? Why did she choose that time of day to do her weekly shop? Because she had other things to do with the rest of her day? Because she was avoiding busy morning shopping, lunch time, and school coming out time?

I don’t think you can ask to skip the queue with a full trolley, but she had every right to be there,

She was rude. Nobody would mind if she had said "excuse me, I only have this item and I can't stand for long, please may I go first?" Of course, you may have had to refuse because of your mother's own disability, that would have been ok too, but the nasty thing she said about your son was disgusting. Children can have mobility issues too!

Blimey - was it worth bumping a 12 YEAR OLD thread for that?

This. 😂

I suspect the OP has got over it.

I always pull people up if they are rude to me, I don't give a shit what they think.

Maybe she didn't have a choice?

Bugger!

12 years later and MN still moaning about old people. 😁