to ask this person to blow his nose or sit somewhere else

[Splinters]

So there were eight empty bays in the library when this student came into the library this morning, but for some reason he decided to sit at the same table as me. His shirt is unbuttoned to the navel and the sniffing and snuffling is going to drive me bonkers. I'm not moving because I'm in by far my favourite seat and I was here first. Shall I go and get a mound of looroll and leave it in the middle of the table as a hint?

Sniffing drives me nuts, too. I would just silently hand him a tissue. I've done this in the past! Generally it embarrases people enough to get them to sort themselves out, but sometimes you get really rude hard cases who continue to sniff Just Because They Can ANd You Can't Stop Me So Nerr.

YANBU to be irritated, but if I was you it wouldn't matter how far away I moved, I would still be able to hear it, because I get FIXATED on stuff like that.

I think you should give up and go home.

I hate sniffers with a passion. More than I hate the sight of snot. Makes me heave.

Yes, hand him a tissue and ask him to stop sniffing. He probably hasn't even realised he's doing it.

oh god they're everywhere now. A chorus of sniffers snuffling in canon from every bay. And oh look, this guy's mate has just come to join us too, so now we have a nearly-full table and there are STILL three empty ones!

Shall I shout? Or throw things? Or see if I can somehow make myself fart, silently but evilly? Votes please.

Shoot them.

They're probably studying an "ology".

Get out a big fat felt tipped pen and make a sign that says 'No Sniffing.'

Put it in the middle on the table and see if he reacts.

Urgh, I sympathise. Annoying people in libraries used to irritate the hell out of me. And having your shirt unbuttoned to the navel is gross. I generally used to give up quietly (at least outwardly) and go elsewhere :-( but if you're braver than me definitely ask him to be quiet :-) or you could ask them to move if they're talking - that's a perfectly valid reason

Is it just sniffing or is it that sucking hoiking thing where the snot is sucked back and swallowed because that makes be puke.

Huge sympathy. Can't bear sniffers, throat clearers, coughers or loud masticators! I think you are doomed for the next few months though as it is the season of disgusting ailments. Never leave home without your ipod!

ha sniffing. Try snorting and the sucking that Pork described! My dear colleague, female and about 49 kilos can sound like a heard of elephants. Or hippos. You can almost feel the snot being snorted through her nose and swallowed down her throat. During important meetings. Boak.

I was on a plane a while ago and the guy behind was sniff sniff sniffing for about half an hour. In the end I turned round with a tissue and said "would you like a tissue?" He looked at me as if I was a nutter and said no thanks, and kept on sniffing.

I think the thing to do is just be absolutely open and say, I think you need to blow your nose and give him a tissue.

My ds is just as bad, he doesn't think there's anything wrong with sniffing. Grrr