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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is it me, or are people really really really rude these days?!

48 replies

ChubbyFeets · 08/02/2014 10:15

Yesterday I went to the shops twice with the pushchair and after school with pushchair and my 6 year old.

I can't believe how rude and selfish people are walking on pavements, driving, cycling.

Firstly, I was nearly reversed into by a driver not looking. I shouted at her to stop and the person inside put his hand up at me gesturing sorry I guess. The shop manager just gave me a blank stare (he was watching), didnt ask if I was ok even though I was clearly angry and shaken.

Then I went to pick up dc from school, went to shops again and as I began to cross a road a woman (who was parked) decided to drive off at exactly that point cutting infront of us! I shouted "how rude" but she ignored me making a "whatever" face and her kids at the back made faces at us as we walked around.

Then we got to a bus stop and as I approached a bus came and everyone jumped up and ran to the bus. We waited behind these people and they all kept cutting infront of me thinking I was getting on the bus. I said "excuse me" loudly and they moved a little bit but I think they thought I would cut infront. So I pushed pass and said "thank you" loudly. Yes I was PA. I'd had enough by then.

Are people generally more arseholey these days? Or am I just paranoid? Oh and I had to move over to the side on the pavement because a cyclist was riding on it on the way to pick up dc from school.

OP posts:
EnglishGirlApproximately · 08/02/2014 10:17

I've worked in retail for 20 years, people have always been arseholes ime. I might think differently if I had a different job.

persimmon · 08/02/2014 10:19

People out in public interacting with strangers can be massively rude sometimes, but on the whole I find people pleasant and polite.

DawnOfTheDee · 08/02/2014 10:23

Sounds like you had a bad run of it. Some days all I bump into are the nicies and a walk around with a spring in my step thinking what how lovely people are and what a nice place i live in. Then i'll have a day like yours and rant to my long suffering dh about how awful and rude everyone is.

On balance I don't think people are any ruder these days then they used to be. And i firmly believe the nicies outnumber the awfulies in the grand scheme of things Smile

Original poster
ChubbyFeets · 08/02/2014 10:29

Maybe it was because it was a Friday?

OP posts:
chateauferret · 08/02/2014 10:33

Took a defective handbag back to a shop where all the staff know me. Was a gift and not expensive, therefore no receipt, but distinctive product and obviously theirs.

"I can't do anything about it if you've no receipt".

"Well, maybe you recognise..."

(Interrupting, still not looking at the thing) "If you go into any shop without a receipt you will not get help."

"Well, actually I exchanged something at Next..."

(Old cow turns back on me and walks away while I am in mid-sentence)

OK so she might have a policy of insisting on the receipt but she doesn't really need it and she knew me, for God's sake. And even if she is going to refuse to entertain me, need she be so bloody rude?

I live in the Monklands and the shop is a pharmacy.

Crowler · 08/02/2014 10:35

I'd say about 80% of the people I encounter out and about are rude, but then 20% are incredibly nice and provide intermittent restoration of faith.

Our corner shop has the most appalling clientele. Going in there post-9pm is a shocker.

Honeysweet · 08/02/2014 10:35

I have noticed that car driving seems to be worse on fridays.
as does some posts on mumsnet on friday evenings

Crowler · 08/02/2014 10:37

The driving in the UK is the least aggressive I've ever seen in any country.

FunkyBoldRibena · 08/02/2014 10:37

Yes, up until last Tuesday everyone was pleasant. Then it all changed. I blame the Tories.

EmmaBemma · 08/02/2014 10:40

There was never any halcyon time when everyone was lovely to each other. People are much the same as they always were, IMO. You just had a bad day.

Dominodonkey · 08/02/2014 10:41

I agree with dawn . Some days everyone seems to be polite to the extent that everyone stands aside and you take ages getting anywhere as neither of you wants to go first and spoilt it and other times everyone seems rude and stroppy. Had a nice experience in a supermarket where a new till was opened and the lady behind waited and gestured for me to go ad then waited again while I asked the man in front of me (who had just started putting his things on the belt) if he wanted to go first. We all smiled at how polite we were!

PatTheHammer · 08/02/2014 10:43

Yes what is it about Friday traffic?!

I have read threads over the years about Audi drivers on MN and just laughed at the generalisations but yesterday I got cut up on 3 separate occasions by 2 Audi A3s and an A4.

I don't even drive during what would be considered rush hours either.

PatTheHammer · 08/02/2014 10:44

I do agree that some days you just bump into the wrong mix of people though. This is especially evident at the supermarket.

ShadowOfTheDay · 08/02/2014 10:52

Sooooooooooooooo funny though to think of it from the other side though...

Driver 1... thought "silly woman walking behind me when I was reversing... " probably went home cursing you for nearly causing an accident (from HER point of view) ..... shopkeeper thought - how dopey was that and now she's all upset about it best steer clear.....

Driver 2.... thought "silly cow - walking right in front of me when I was setting off " (from HER point of view) and went home with tales of an idiot not paying attention and nearly getting run over....

Bus queue.... thought - "really rude pushy woman trying to get through the bus queue - why couldn't she wait... couldn't she SEE we were waiting to get on a bus and would be gone soon.... she shouted at us and pushed right through... people are sooo rude these days..."

the cyclist was just wrong...

Grin
ateddybearfromdelaware1 · 08/02/2014 11:00

I had this yesterday!!

A girl walked out of a shop and I was right behind her with buggy. She opened it just enough for herself and walked out closing it in my face.

She then changed her mind and wanted to come back in right after I left so I purposely did what she did back to me (pa but was pissed off)

WanderingAway · 08/02/2014 11:24

I find people who are walking have become ruder. Unless i am just noticing it more.

When i am walking and there are two people walking towards me they dont move. This is rude. We were always taught as children (and it is common sense) to move one behind the other if someone is walking towards you on a pavement.

fraiserno · 08/02/2014 11:30

honeysweet agree re MN
OP i agree on the whole but have been fortunate to have only had the opposite for a few weeks at present!

Xfirefly · 08/02/2014 11:34

I find I have days where everyone is rude but then have days where cars stop to let me cross with buggy, people hold the door open and people step aside for me to pass. I take the rough with the smooth.

SaucyJack · 08/02/2014 11:44

It's just car drivers IME.

I remember the days when it used to be normal not to drive full pelt at people who were already crossing the road ahead of you.

Utter cunts the lot of you.

Original poster
ChubbyFeets · 08/02/2014 11:55

shadowoftheday very funny! Grin

Well I've noticed drivers on a Friday do get aggressive, I remember driving home from work on a Friday and being more anxious to get home after a tiring week.

I'm going out again later and will see if pedestrians today are normal again!

OP posts:
limitedperiodonly · 08/02/2014 12:06

I don't about deliberately rude. My problem is more with people who just don't look where they're going. Sometimes it's like being in a zombie film.

Not just people walking along texting or wearing headphones - but I hate them - but people who step out from shop doorways without looking to see if anyone's coming, or stand still for a moment on the pavement and then suddenly launch off just as you're walking past and bash into you.

They always look bewildered like I've sneaked up on them ninja-style.

I wonder if they drive like that. I'm sure it never used to be like this.

I live near a mainline station - don't get me started on fuckers who can't control their wheely cases.

Littleen · 08/02/2014 12:15

Not more rude now than before. I find the rudest people are those over 50 (and worse over 70), so they've been rude for quite some time!

limitedperiodonly · 08/02/2014 12:16

WanderingAway Yes. Two women were walking towards me on a narrow pavement yesterday and I got over to one side and the one nearest me to slip back, just a step behind her friend, so we could all pass happily and no one would have to stop, except she didn't and we all came to a halt.

They looked really confused. Not angry. Just no idea of how to share a crowded pavement.

So I seized the opportunity to slip through the small gap between them, poking them both with my umbrella Grin

limitedperiodonly · 08/02/2014 12:17

That should have read: I got over to one side and expected the one nearest me to slip back

limitedperiodonly · 08/02/2014 12:27

The woman in front of me in Sainsbury's the other day was nattering into her mobile and hadn't noticed that the conveyor had cleared enough for her to start loading her shopping on. She was so oblivious she hadn't moved up either.

Suddenly an elderly woman nipped into the gap and loaded her own small basket of shopping on.

I don't know whether it was an accident or deliberate. Deliberate, I expect. In a way I admired it Grin.

The phone woman woke up and said to me: 'Did you see that?' all outraged.

I said I had, but I thought I'd let it go but if she wanted to say something...

I was really not going to row with an 80 year old woman in the supermarket and find out she had Alzheimer's or was blind, or something, when if the woman in front had been paying attention it wouldn't have happened.

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