WIBU to grab my colleague by the back of the head.....

[WorrySighWorrySigh]

put a tissue to his nose and shout

BLOW!

very loudly in his ear.

sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff

Did his mother not teach him to blow his nose?

YANBU. I sat next to a sniffing young lad on a bus recently - didn't have the guts to tell him to blow his nose, but when I got off I gave him my pack of tissues. He just looked bemused.

YABU, you could just have handed him a tissue without the grabbing, however annoying it is.
I always feel like jumping young men back into their trousers as they saunter around with their knickers showing. Like you do with a nappy-wearing toddler. I resist because it would be assault.

I had this on the train today. Someone was sniffling. I couldn't work out who though so couldn't pull their nose off.

YANBU!

YANBU. Feel like doing that to half the bloody waiting room in my practice at the moment!!!

Oh, I never stand on ceremony when somebody is sniffing on the train (or worse, wiping their nose with their hand then wiping it on the seat). I simply proffer the Kleenex and say, loudly, "would you like a tissue?". Direct action, as suggested by the OP, would also appeal to me.

Of course YWBU you can't suddenly grab your work colleagues and yell in their ear. That is way out of order.

Why not just offer a tissue.

Incidentally some people don't blow their noses because it can bring on or worsen sinusitis. Some people actually don't get taught to blow their noses by their parents. Some people have noses that are raw from tissues that it's just too painful. Some people have blown and blown and it just keeps coming as it's the really thin runny persistent stuff and what can you do you can't stick a load of bogroll up each nostril in the middle of the workplace to stop it.

Why not just be kind? It's horrible to have a cold and a dripping nose, let alone with people suddenly and unexpectedly physically accosting you and trying to bust one of your eardrums.

Blowing my nose excessively gives me earache, hurts my face, triggers cold sores and makes my nose bleed. Plus, my nose is pretty much always runny when cold, and blowing it doesn't actually do anything.

I think, just maybe the op was being sarcastic...

Of course I didnt (and wouldnt) grab his head!

He works for me. (Dammit, I gave him the job!) I dont think that HR would approve.

I have offered him free access to my very lovely balsam tissues but he seems to prefer to intermittently wipe his nose with what appears to be kitchen roll.

The way I feeling lately OP I'd actually want to grab him by the back of the head and stot his fizzog off the desk...

Kidding but only a bit

Blowing my nose doesn't do anything useful, it just makes a funny wee squeaky noise...and that's it.

Oh, right then.

tabulah sounds blocked?!

Okay, I get that I am not allowed to assault him in anyway (I really hadnt thought anyone would think I was seriously going to).

Can I offer him decongestant?

Somebody will be along to tell you off for that in a moment. I expect decongestant brings on hallucinations, or something.

I think you should just kill him.

Much simpler.

Blowing your nose is not recommended as it can force mucus back into your sinus cavity. My ENT consultant drew me a diagram and everything.

I still blow my nose though, I can't stand being snotty.

People do all sorts of odd stuff!

You don't want to offer him flixonase or whatever it's called where you stuff it up your nose and then make a massive loud sniff while you squirt it loudly, watching and hearing people do that is really quite gross (my brother is always at it), however I think as decongestants go it is the biz. Maybe tamper with teh packaging to say it is only effective if administered in the bogs

Spikey, quite.

I was never taught to blow my nose, my parents are doctors, with similar views to your ent person.

Cue me having a horrible experience at primary school with a teacher, which was not dissimilar to what the OP describes.

And hence my reaction to her op!

Don't blow your nose then but FGS don't sniff!

Dabbing or taking decongestants/nasal drops which work instantly is also allowed.

Is that to me, mumsy?

No, to anyone who sniffs, it's a really horrible sound. I understand not wanting to blow hard if you have a sinus problem, but a gentle dab under the nose should sort it out and you can't expect others to sit there with dripping or sniffing (which has to be one of the worst noises ever).

And- I love xylometazoline (drops), I now no longer dread getting a cold, these drops are amazing- although I have heard that some drs don't recommend decongestants as the mucus is serving a purpose.

Rebound effect.

The whole thing is a bit bleurgh really. Mucus. Bleurgh.

Still I'd rather someone sniffing in an office than farting stinkily. Or telling offensive jokes all day. Or having bad breath and talking to you all the time. Or those people who insist on spraying deoderant / perfume around. Or GOD the people with extra-stinky food ...

There's so much isn't there.

I cant kill him:

• HR, again
• he is actually very good at his job
• there is nowhere to hide the body as usual place already used for annoying auditors (fewer HR rules about this it seems)

Oh dear, it does look like I am stuck with it.

I wonder if he would notice if I smeared his desk with Vick's vapour rub?