Ignoramus

[HeartsJandJ]

So, walking to school this morning with DD (4). The footpath is narrow and a coach parked for the bigger children meant it was a bit more of a squash than going through.

A broad person came through this narrow gap texting on their phone, DD and I politely move over so she wasn't inconvenienced (she had started walking past the coach before us so it was only polite). She didn't even glance up from her texting to acknowledge us let alone thank us.

AIBU to think it's not even worth tutting at this kind of person as they are unlikely to change their behaviour?

How do you now she is an "ignoramus"? Don't you mean "rude"?

YABU because you know nothing about what she was so engrossed in that she didn't look up. Is it at all possible that her mum died and she is writing a message to someone in the family about funeral arrangements?

Maybe youre just too polite. I love the 'broad person' bit

Yep that'd be ignoramus meaning ignorant meaning ill-mannered or indeed rude.

So yes I did mean ignoramus otherwise I wouldn't have written it.

Also the logic of your argument indicates that if her mother had indeed died then she would always barge past other people so to my AIBU to not bother tutting you should actually reply YANBU because she wouldn't change her behaviour.

Actually why was it necessary to mention the 'broad' a person would have been sufficient.

Yes she was rude - it is just common decency to acknowledge someone who moved out of the way for you.

ooo I hate bad manners, I would have loudly said 'no problem'

YANBU... It's a feature of modern life that 'person on phone' lives in a self-absorbed bubble. The real world ceases to exist when a text message needs sending or a call comes in. Cars magically drive themselves when they're at the wheel. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorists are expected to steer round these people. When the phone bubble is activated, customers become no more than background static. Since one definition of 'ignorant' is 'unaware', 'ignoramus' isn't a bad description.

Yes, she was rude not to acknowledge your politeness. No, tutting, never accomplishes anything, and is also quite rude. Saying "You are welcome", would have made your point.

But 'ignorant' is not a synonym for 'rude'.

I like 'broad person' I am going to describe myself as such at my slimming world meeting from now on

I would of said 'your welcome' as she went by. I don't like bad manners

Yes, she may very well of been texting something important, but she would of had to have looked up at some point so not to walk into the parked coach so must of seen OP approaching. I always thank others if they give way for me on paths or the roads. It's called manners, which appear to be going out of the window and replaced with ignoramuses.

YANBU.

YANBU but as Cogito said, she was in her bubble and the world ceased to exist. I'd have said 'you're welcome!' too but I bet she'd have ignored it.

(I think you used ignoramus wrongly too. I think it pertains more to lack of education/intelligence than understanding of etiquette, personally).

Well, I don't think this woman was just being rude, but ignorant too.

ig·no·ra·mus

[-rey-muhs, -ram-uhs]

• noun

1. ignorant person

Correct me if I am wrong, but going by this dictionary description, the OP has not misused the word given the fact this woman was ignorant towards the OP and her DC.

I'm pretty sure 'ignoramus' doesn't mean 'rude'.

Shull- OP used the word as meaning 'rude'-she said so above.

And I don't think this woman was ignorant towards OP, perhaps ignorant of their presence if she was engrossed by texting on her phone.

are you scottish? we tend to call rude people 'ignoramus'

Nevertheless, she was still correct in a roundabout way and only said that after being picked up on for using the word.

Ignorant is ignorant, no matter which way you view it. Is there really any need to be so picky? This isn't an English lesson.

Yeah, ignorant means rude in NI as well, so an ignoramus would be a rude person rather than an unknowing person.

If she was ignorant (ie lacking in knowledge or awareness) of the OP's presence, then she was not rude in failing to acknowledge the politeness.

The OP considers the 'broad' lady to have been rude, because she assumes that she was not ignorant of the OP's presence, and was not ignorant of the social customs that required her to acknowledge the OP.

I've noticed word 'ignorant' has become synonymous with 'rude' in recent times so that's possibly where the interpretation of 'ignoramus' as 'rude' has come from. Still doesn't work for me though but obviously that's got shag all to do with the point of the thread

So if someone completely ignored you, knowing full well you was there, you wouldn't call them an ignorant so and so?

It would have been nicer if she had said 'thanks'.

But as you said yourself, she had started walking past the bus before you so you didn't do her some huge favour, you just did what you were supposed to do and let her finish walking past it before you started. Maybe in her mind she was just a stranger passing some stranger on the street, not the beneficiary of your inspiring display of generosity and politeness.

Whether she was 'broad' or not has fuck all to do with anything

Shull- no I wouldn't. What would I be accusing them of being ignorant of? I would call them rude. Or distracted.

Ach let it go. She was preoccupied. I doubt it was deliberate.

Exactly Pretty, it doesn't have anything to do with the thread.

I think it's rather sad and pathetic to pick apart an OP's post on spelling or what not. Not everyone is lucky enough to have had a good education, or could be dyslexic. There is absolutely no need for it.