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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you be offended if a bus driver called you "babe".

116 replies

HungryHelga · 01/02/2012 20:21

www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/01/dont-call-me-babe-on-the-bus

This woman was, and she reported the bus driver to his employer. I am not sure if I agree with this her not. Maybe it was a little inappropriate but I am sure he was only being friendly. I would not like to live in a world where people at work are not allowed to use terms of endearment towards customers.

OP posts:
StealthPenguin · 01/02/2012 20:46

It depends entirely on my mood.

Normally I'll just grin at him and take it as a compliment, but if I'm in one of my very rare bad moods I'm famous for known to reply "do I look like a talking sheep-pig to you?!"

maddening · 01/02/2012 20:47

more surprised!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 01/02/2012 20:48

HaHa I was discussing this with DH this morning after this was on TV>

A few years back we went to Butlins, there was a comedy/illusions act on.

One of them called all the women Babe but it was:

"Oh, your mother's a babe. Yes, you've seen the film" Grin

Cheeky Bugger, yes he said it to me too. Blush

northernmonkey · 01/02/2012 20:48

I get called babe by a bus driver every day!
But he is my dh Wink
But really I think it's pathetic, dh sometimes says thanks love to his passengers, he has to really watch his mouth now

troisgarcons · 01/02/2012 20:51

Men don't get called 'babe'

Errm yes they do babe is a unisex term in the south.

soandsosmummy · 01/02/2012 20:52

FGS she needs to get a life. That is a pathetic article. Does she really have nothing better to do with her time?

Today I've been called sweetheart by the man in the newsagent, love by the lady in the cafe and darling by the bus driver who also called dd petal.

Where is my writing pad. I clearly need to make some serious complaints.

I'd far rather any of the above than Madam wouldn't you?

thekidsrule · 01/02/2012 20:53

lordy no ,love a bit of flattery puts a spring in my step

though im sure somebody will be along in a moment and give a feminist rant about,verbal abuse,sexist,bla bla bla

WitchOfEndor · 01/02/2012 20:53

I would be amazed surprised but not offended. Depends if he leered or not I suppose.

VictorGollancz · 01/02/2012 20:55

Where in the south? I lived in the South for almost thirty years and never knew it as a term of unisex endearment in the same way as 'love' or 'duck' is used across the UK.

GrahamTribe · 01/02/2012 20:56

No. It might just be possible that the complainant has too much time on her hands. >

soandsosmummy · 01/02/2012 20:57

Glad she's not from the area where I was brought up. "my lover" was a common term used by people from local families, she'd probably have imploded

slightlyslimmerkath · 01/02/2012 20:58

No but hate Babe and Hun. pet or love okay. But wouldn't report him!

aquashiv · 01/02/2012 20:58

Well now, if he was a fit young thing then ofcourse that is fine and as it should be.

If he resembled a munter then yes I would think know your place, person that looks like the rear of your vehicle and do not refer to me in such a familiar way.

StrandedBear · 01/02/2012 20:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VictorGollancz · 01/02/2012 21:02

I don't hear men calling other strange men 'babe' or 'hun' or 'love' or all of those other diminutives in daily public life (maybe 'duck'). Women might call men and women (who they don't know) those things. But men don't.

QueenPodling · 01/02/2012 21:02

I don't like it. I get called babe, sweetheart, love etc all by my boss and other men in the office. I find it patronising.

GrahamTribe · 01/02/2012 21:03

I've heard it used to both sexes in the south of England, Victor.

tinkertitonk · 01/02/2012 21:03

When addressed as babe or dollface (my own favourite) a sensible woman begins her response with dude. Or a blush, depending.

VictorGollancz · 01/02/2012 21:04

Where, please, Graham?

quirrelquarrel · 01/02/2012 21:06

Always hated that particularly word since I was little. Irrationally, I would be more miffed by that than if someone called me 'baby'. Yuck.

I wouldn't be offended by it though, and I would be by 'baby'. So...there you go, not exactly simple.
I don't want someone performing a service to address me with any sort of casual/potentially demeaning/offensive pet name. I would rather the bus driver used "Sir", "Madam", or nothing.

Whatmeworry · 01/02/2012 21:06

Someone desperate to Be Offended.

dearprudence · 01/02/2012 21:10

No.

As long as no-one tries to call me a lady, I'm fine.

VictorGollancz · 01/02/2012 21:10

I'd like to mildly point out that the woman in the original article is not offended, and in fact takes great pains to point out that she is not offended. She merely offered some feedback to a bus company about how bus drivers calling her 'babe' when she is buying a ticket is unnecessary.

Which it is. If these bus drivers are calling all men, women and children who board their bus 'babe' then perhaps it is a regional quirk. But if it is, as I suspect, only male bus drivers saying it to women passengers, well, then that's something different, isn't it?

squeakytoy · 01/02/2012 21:13

Where in the south? I lived in the South for almost thirty years and never knew it as a term of unisex endearment in the same way as 'love'

I live in SW London and it is used by men and women, to men and women. Nobody takes offence.

cakewench · 01/02/2012 21:13

Considering how little OP has actually contributed to this thread, I'm still betting on it being someone from the DM.