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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be completely horrified at my neighbour's nonchalance?

96 replies

ILoveDrKarl · 05/05/2011 13:25

So I'm heading down the street this morning and bump into one of my neighbours...

She asks if I'm off to the park with the kids. I reply that I'm actually just heading out to vote.

AIBU to be completely horrified that her response was "oh right! Bit of a pain with all the kids isn't it? (I had my 3 pre-schoolers with me) It'd be easier not to bother!"

I replied that it was no different to going to the shops or doing the school run or nipping down to the post office - and obviously much more important!

She then said "Do you think? Well I'll not be bothering anyway - kids are off school today so we'll enjoy it rather than doing pointless errands"

I was in such shock I just smiled and walked on, but now I'm thinking I should go round and speak to her about why it's so much more than a "pointless errand"!!!!

OP posts:

MadamDeathstare · 05/05/2011 14:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GypsyMoth · 05/05/2011 14:10

lol at this....really,just LOL!!!

you are thinking of going round to her house to speak with her over this op??
dear me!!

WillbeanChariot · 05/05/2011 14:12

YANBU. It irks me when people don't vote and I would happily see compulsory voting. If you don't understand the arguments there is plenty of info out there. If you decide there is no option that suits you go anyway, write 'none of the above' and spoil your ballot in acknowledgement of those that fought for your right to vote and those all over the world who are still fighting for this most basic right.

fallon8 · 05/05/2011 14:14

what makes you such an "expert" that that allows you to "go round" and speak to her? I would to tell you to shove it and find something to do

DooinMeCleanin · 05/05/2011 14:16

I only started voting at the last election . I never really understood it, nor did I know how to go about learning about it. Or even where or how to vote. No-one ever discussed it with me and I never thought to ask.

I took my dds to vote last time and will be doing so again. I explain as much as I think they will understand because I don't want them growing up and not realising how important it is to vote.

I don't judge people who don't vote. I can't really when I missed it so many times.

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 05/05/2011 14:16

If she can't see why she should vote it's probably safer to leave her to vote for Britain's Got Talent or X Factor.

DooinMeCleanin · 05/05/2011 14:17

My dds didn't vote of course, they are too young. I did, they came with me.

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 05/05/2011 14:18

Did anyone ever ask you why you weren't voting Dooin?

dickiedavisthunderthighs · 05/05/2011 14:18

Having re-read the OP a couple of times, I would suggest that perhaps it is more allegorical than fact, and OP is in fact demonstrating through the medium of story-telling how important she feels it is that people know that she voted today.

kerala · 05/05/2011 14:19

Sorry but I do judge those that dont vote . If you "dont like any of the politicians" stop whining and stand yourself. Or spoil the ballot paper. Its the apathy that annoys me.

Chil1234 · 05/05/2011 14:19

I don't know about horrified or shocked but when people (especially women) say they can't be bothered I always get a mental picture of suffragettes manacled to railings or being led roughly away by policemen and wonder if they're turning in their graves. Similarly, you look at all those people in Egypt, Libya and other ME countries, being shot at and bombed for daring to want the right to choose their own government and you wonder what they'd think of someone for whom democratic rights produce the reaction 'meh... too busy'. Sad really.

LindyHemming · 05/05/2011 14:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 05/05/2011 14:23

I take the small ones with me when I vote, My mother took me with her, her mother took her. The message was always, it doesn't matter how you vote, just vote.

DooinMeCleanin · 05/05/2011 14:25

No Narky. In the last general election people discussed it with me, but only because they were worried about the Tories getting back in

Voting doesn't seem to be important to my immediate family.

redexpat · 05/05/2011 14:26

I can't believe you have come this far in life without meeting apathetic people! Drives me nuts. Hopefully we'll get AV, and then people will feel that hteir votes DO matter and make a difference. I doubt it though

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 05/05/2011 14:27

Euphemia that would be a fun game on long car journeys. How many votes would Daddy Pig, Len from 'Strictly Come Dancing' and Nigella get?

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 05/05/2011 14:31

You see that's why I'm split. The people who know and don't care about voting are no loss but the people who don't know why they should care are why it's worth encouraging people. Unfortunately, politicians genetically engineered to induce voter apathy, and they're usually the only ones encouraging people to vote.

Thank you for reminding me not to be a cock about them

TooManyPufflesInMyIgloo · 05/05/2011 14:33

Oh Daddy Pig should get lots of votes, just because he always lies down on the floor and waves his legs in the air when he laughs. Think if half the House of Commons had to do that when laughing at the other half ...

I have a postal vote so I can vote and enjoy the whole of the children's day off school (hasn't worked today though, scuppered by illness).

kw1986 · 05/05/2011 14:34

YABU.

So what if she doesn't want to go vote???

I'm not even registered to vote any more as I don't like ANY of the parties... So why bother wasting my time?

As if voting has done any good anyway. Every party promises the earth and then it turns out they were talking crap. They are all a bunch of lying, weasley aresholes!

Horrified? Really? Do you not think thats a tad dramatic?

fedupofnamechanging · 05/05/2011 14:36

I think voting should be compulsory, but there should be a box which says 'none of the above'. I think it would be beneficial if politicians could see an actual percentage of how many people feel that none of them represent us properly. As it is, when people don't vote, it's put down to laziness which gives the politicians an 'out'.

I think it's especially important to vote when given a referendum on something which could affect the future indefinitely. Lets face it, referenda are few and far between - seems a shame to waste the opportunity to express an opinion when the govt actually bothers to ask!

MadamDeathstare · 05/05/2011 14:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Scholes34 · 05/05/2011 14:37

I wish you would all vote. My DP is in charge of the elections locally, and I'd like to think that all the stress he and his colleagues have had recently isn't for nothing.

With regard to AV being complicated, my ten year old explained it to me perfectly. When I asked him how he knew, thinking it had probably been on Newsround or similar, pitched at his level, he replied that his friend, also ten, had explained it to him. So, what's not to understand?

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 05/05/2011 14:38

Madam, you can't go from your first black president to your first bald president.

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 05/05/2011 14:40

kw1986, they don't represent your interests. And now they never have to, because you've opted out of the system. Why should they care what you think?

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 05/05/2011 14:41

Scholes34, is he keeping the sneaky party reg number collectors out of the polling station?

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