AIBU not to want to be called hun, love, darling, babe by strangers?

[MissNJE]

It really annoys me. Last night I paid the cab driver and he said Thanks Darling. It is just one example but it keeps happening to me all the time. Sales assistants finishing their sentences with hun, love or babe. Strange people I meet on the street while waiting for the bus... I could go on and on but I am too angry. What to say in such situations or AIBU?

Oh yes, duck, lass, petal and flower too!

I remember the first time I heard my Dad being called 'Me Duck' by a man at West Bridgford Asda. I was agog....

English is not my native language and when I came to England 15 years ago I found it very, very odd that a complete stranger would call you 'love' or 'darling'. I remember someone telling me at work that 'you're a darling' after I produced a fairly ordinary piece of work, and I was insulted!!! Told her not to call me a darling, a star, or anything else, just my name thank you. I found it very patronising! I commented many times at work if someone would call me darling, I would just say don't call me darling, or love or anything else. I was probably seen as the stuck up Canadian bitch, but I hated it! After a little while I realised that it didn't mean anything, it's just that the bloke probably can't remember your name. I don't mind it now, but I still find it irritating at work.

This makes you angry? Really?

I just think it's the other person being friendly. Not in a be-my-friend way, but just a I-am-approachable kind of way.

I myself am partial to the use of 'hen' and 'doll' - showing my west coast of Scotland roots . And I love visiting areas of England where they use 'my lovely' and 'pet'.

I think it's nice.

OH i do use a 'doll' now and again

I like it. I live oop North so maybe we have a different attitude about it? People are just being friendly.

i dont really mind this

but in a work situation, I reply with 'ok flower' or 'thanks then honeybun'.

I am an engineer, so I do come across patronising attitudes from out side my organisation, some times

It gets the point across very well, i think

to clarify; i do this in work situations...because a man would never refer to another man like that at work....

I call everyone "my love" I also call all children "sweetheart", I am not being rude it's just the way I am , and as I don't know the name of every person on the planet I find it easier than "Mr, Mrs, miss" etc and risk sounding like a victorian street urchin with my sarf London accent

I sometimes use doll with the young mums I work with if they are having a hard time seems to make them calm down and open up a bit I dont think i am patronising them in anyway

I like it, I'm Northwest and my favourite is cock or cocker. You get to do a childish snurk too

I live in London, I grew up here so I don't know if its a northern thing as some people have said although you get it less so in central London, but thats generally because there are lots of foreign people and its all a bit grumpy.

But I get Darling, Babe, Schweet'eart, Love, Girl, Treasure etc all the time. It was what I was used to when I was growing up, its what I still hear now.

I love it, its just friendly. I'm always using the words myself, at work or out and about.

To actually get offended by this, words fail me. Have a

I think YABU - no one is being horrid or mean to you. They are being friendly. Why would you want to say something to them about it? I don't really understand your anger !

I like getting Chick, babe, hun, love, pet or hinny/ hen (regional thing). I don't personally say it and I do find it odd when someone 20 years younger than me calls me 'Pet' as I think it's an older persons word. I associate Chick, Babe & Hun with the younger generation (I sound old!).

As worra says it's really soooooo much nicer than having the cabbie say "Cheers you atrocious cunt" .

I hate pet names full stop no matter who they come from but the one I hate the most with an absolute passion is missus. The men DH works with use it constantly to refer to their wives/partners or one anothers so they will say to DH 'hows the missus?'... grr I have a name- use it.

Badger so it was you who dropped me off last week??

I thought you would have been grateful for the 5p tip.

I'm a surly Londoner but it doesn't bother me at all. Even Hun, which I would never write or say myself.

I love 'hen' in Glasgow, but my favourite is 'lads' used for anyone not just boys/men in Ireland.

YAB a bit U. I never use those words myself but I honestly don't care if someone else calls me "hun" or "love" or whatever, they're just being friendly and its just how some people talk. No point in letting it bother you.

One of my customers says 'pint please, miss' it makes me feel like a primary school teacher!

I can't say I am keen on being called love by strangers because it can seem a bit patronising, but the one that gets me is "guys". I am not a guy. I am grandmother.

I hate it too. After a really awful day the young, pierced and tattooed and grubby looking girl at the pharmacy called me "darling". Well, I am over sixty. I said quietly "you wouldn't call me that if you knew me. I am not very nice". She went pale and goes to great lengths not to serve me now. Result!

Being offended by friendliness? Wow. YAB completely U

If used by an older person or a really friendly woman, I'm not bothered.
It do from some men though.

Such as, arrogant customer at shoe shop and spotty male teenage cashier at Tescos.

Overall, either people don't use it or I haven't been bothered.