to tell on this man for spitting?

[Prettykitty111]

Ok tell me if I'm in the wrong here but they looked at me like I have two heads.
I've just walked into work. I'm at quite a prestigious university today and as I entered site I walked past a builder stood at the main gate who as I walked past him has just done that suck up throat thing and then spat the contents on the pavement quite close to my feet. I was so disgusted I couldn't turn round and say anything to him (I have a mental block where if someone spits or throws up near me I feel sick myself) but I got angrier and angrier as I carried on walking so I went and found the site office, spoke to the foreman and told him what had happened. Foreman was apologetic but as I left the office every man there just stared at me like I was a mentaler for complaining.
WWYD? Would you have let it go? Am I just being sensitive because in the past I've been tested to TB and I know one of the main causes of spread is people spitting the street? Was it me? I'm starting to feel guilty now and I don't know why.

I am with you 100% on this one.

The man's actions were disgusting and you have every right to be appalled.

If he did it deliberately to offend you, he should be thrown off the site but if (as it more likely) he did it simply because he knows no better he should be reprimanded by his boss.

You did the right thing.

Really? I'd have made a comment to the bloke at the time and only complained if he was then rude.

as I walked past him has just done that suck up throat thing and then spat the contents on the pavement quite close to my feet

I'd have had his balls for earrings. Was he working on the University campus? Complain to them.

Yanbu....utterly disgusting I'd have reported him also. I also get so worked up when I see spitting it sends me over the edge

It is gross but I personally wouldn't have complained unless I thought he was deliberately spitting directly at me because I know how unstable employment is nowadays, especially in construction.

I know how unstable employment is nowadays

All the more reason for him to swallow his phlegm and not hawk it out at the feet of a passing woman.

Bollocks to that - spitting is like wolf-whistling: not acceptable on building sites or any other place of work. If I spat at the feet of a customer I'd be sacked, and rightly so.

I really don't like to see spitting on the pavement. Although it's outdoors, it's not outdoors the way spitting in a field would be.

But consider that if instead he'd been letting his dog shit on the pavement. That would be socially acceptable wouldn't it (that isn't to me either for the same reason)

Depends on how you look at it.

She's not a customer, she's a passerby but I agree it wasn't appropriate just not sure if it's worth jeopardising someone's employment.

Spitting is beyond disgusting and makes me phyically sick as well. There really is no need for it.
I am in complete agreement with you. xxx

There are no 'accidents', you know?

He thought it was acceptable to hawk and spit at the feet of a passing woman. He could have waited, he could have swallowed. He chose not to. I'd have fried his arse for him. OP was right to complain.

YANBU. Gross, disgusting and vile. Report him to the building head office and see if they are part of the considerate constructors scheme - call them too.

I also work at a university. A few months back we had workmen on site, and we had to have a safety induction given by the foreman of the workers. We were assured that the workmen had been told to be polite, leave the toilets in a clean state, not swear, spit etc etc.

I was amazed that any reasonable human being would have to be told not to do those things while at work. So presumably standards on most building sites are somewhat lower than most people would like.

I think telling the foreman was the right thing in this instance.

YANBU, filthy habit and not ok because it's on a building site. I'd have pulled him up himself personally but I have complained to foremen before (when the builders in my downstairs flat threw a stone at my cat and another pissed against my garden shed. Furious didn't even come close!) Feral behaviour is never acceptable. You absolutely did the right thing.

YABU, builders have a dirty job and very often have to breathe in things that you or i would find unpleasant - even in very prestigious environments. he might have been a bit more sensitive and been able to spit a bit further away from you, but how was he to know you have a spitting phobia?

YABU, builders have a dirty job and very often have to breathe in things that you or i would find unpleasant - even in very prestigious environments.

That's what handkerchiefs are for. There is NO EXCUSE for spitting on the floor, and anyone who has worked on a building site bloody well knows this.

Times have changed, thank fuck.

i think YABU - it is a disgusting thing to do but as someone else said builders breath in a lot of crap at times. i would have said something to him to his face and if he was rude would report him or if he had spat directly at you. although you say you have a thing about people spitting or being sick you could have given yourself 2 mins and went back and seen him. to go telling on him seems petty.

My partner works on building sites. The thought that we have a load of soft-handed typists on MN making excuses for 'ooh, the poor workmen, they work so hard' is completely laughable: it's patronising and it's ignorant. Believe it or not, manual workers are not animals. And those that don't know how to behave are generally told to collect their P45 and fuck off down the road.

I hate spitting. But, sadly, the sort of person who's going to gob on the pavement is very unlikely to be the sort of person who will give a shit what anyone thinks.

Thanks guys. Was concerned I was just being a grumpy old woman as that's how they all looked at me. No-ones job is in jeopardy as I didn't identify the person. If I'd looked at him there is the very real chance I'd have thrown up at his feet and lost the upper hand! Spitting makes me feel that ill. i told the foreman I couldn't identify who it was and didn't want to guess and falsely accuse. So unless others have also complained I'd think his job is safe.
If it had been on a building site with no members of public around I wouldn't have complained it was in the street in an area lots of school children queue up for the schools entrance of a massive museum too.
Glad I'm not BU here

Dirty bastard. YANBU. I would've done the same OP.

YANBU. With you 100%, and impressed you followed it through and complained to the foreman, I'd have had every intention to, then got distracted or something.

I have a friend who uses a hand-propelled wheelchair - do I need to go on...? People who spit on the floor are unthinking, disgusting and have no respect for others.

I blame footballers, they give a bad impression phlegming all over the pitch. They should carry hankies with them

You were 100% right to complain. It's not a "spitting phobia" - it's common decency and good manners not to lob phlegm onto the streets. There's also a health risk to spitting and spreading germs. It's vile.

Once I went into a bloke's place of work and had it out with him because I'd seen him smack his grandson of about 18 months for some tiny thing (grabbing a plate or similar) in a cafe. Followed him round from the cafe and had a go at him in front of his colleagues!