Was I being a cow or not?????

[Fairyfellowsmasterstroke]

I was in town earlier when I popped to the loo in Debenhams.

When I walked in a young chav mum was sanding near the sink area talking on her phone (her side of the conversation featured such immortal lines as " yeah but, fucking bitch, I'll have her, cunt etc etc). I kid you not a docker would have blushed!!!

Her DC looked about 2 and was sat quietly in the pushchair.

Anyhow I went to the loo (whilst listening to every word and profanity that young mum was uttering - including the "c" word being used with astounding regularity).

After weeing visiting the toilet I shimmed past aforesaid young mum (who was now perched on a sink with one foot resting on the pushchair) to wash my hands. I was about to dry them in the "Blade air dryer" when she stopped her phone conversation and asked me to wait because her DC didn't like the noise.

Fair enough I thought, expecting young mum to vacate the toilet. But no she carried on her phone call berating some poor lad who was fucking with her 'ead, clearly causing her some degree of upset.

I waited a moment and then asked her if she was going so that I could dry my hands, she told me to "wait". I did wait for a few moments (out of respect to Dc not her) but she remained perched on the sink with the phone attached to her ear. I finally looked pointedly at her, she half turned away from me and carried on the phone call. At this point I shoved my hands in the dryer causing poor DC to scream - chav mum snatched up the pushchair and stormed out of the toilets calling me a cow.

I stand by my actions but am expecting a MN flaming!!!

He was about 9 at the time, Whisk, and was complaining about a kid at school who he called a chav. I said it wasn't a nice word to use to describe someone and that was his reply.

It was meant to amuse, sorry if it didn't.

I think chavs traditionally wear fake designer gear and hoodies. Not sure, actually.

Whiskwarrior
It is less offensive than cunt though.

whiskwarrior - do feel free to point out that it's unacceptable to you, but don't state as fact that it's unacceptable. Also whisk stop taking things so personally - what does it matter if some twat on Mumsnet thinks wearing a mickey mouse t-shirt makes a small child chavy? You, me and anyone with half a brain knows it doesn't?!

I wouldn't have used the hand-drier because I wouldn't have wanted to upset the wee boy, nothing to do with the charming mother. However, that's easy for me to say because I hate the bloody things! I guess if I replace it with 'don't use the soap' or 'don't use the water' I'd have done exactly what you did - except I probably would have said 'I am going to use the air dryer now, do you want to leave first or not'.

As someone else said, I'm guessing the air dryer is going to be the least of this kids problems :(

The best option would have been to walk slowly over, looked her in the eye and wiped your hands in her coat.

Then ran.

Bringmesunshine - again, I'd direct you to have read around on here and see how often the word is picked up as unacceptable - it's not just me, thanks.

And the irony of you pointing out that anyone with half a brain knows what's chavvy and what isn't, while defending the right of the use of the word.

Most people with half a brain see the word chav for what it is - a lazy insult, only ever used to describe someone you see as socially beneath you.

The best option would have been to walk slowly over, looked her in the eye and wiped your hands in her coat

Then run.

BRILLIANT!!!!!

Whiskwarrior ""Most people with half a brain see the word chav for what it is"".

Your double standards astound me. According to you, calling people a chav is wrong but it's clearly alright for you to call half of us on this thread, who use the word chav, half brained!!!!

A classic case of "Do what I say, not what I do"!!!!

Whiskwarrior
"Most people with half a brain see the word chav for what it is - a lazy insult, only ever used to describe someone you see as socially beneath you."

So is wrong to call someone a chav but you are OK to call half brain dead?

Also, what is wrong with using it as a term for something that is socially beneath you? People do the opposite the whole time "stuck up", "snob", "snooty", etc.

Chav is a word that conjures up a certain image. along with words like : toff, hippy, hooray etc.

in this instance I think it was fine.

I'm not a fan of the word chav at all I have to say, and one of the problems with the word is that no one can even agree what it means.

I don't actually think there was any need to call this woman a name really as her behaviour was bad enough to stand alone.

Amazing. Someone else uses the term 'half a brain' - I used it in my response and I'm being insulting?

And at no point did I use the term 'brain dead' but thanks for attributing words to me that I didn't use.

There is everything wrong with using it. Again, search the threads, read the Owen Jones book - educate yourself and you'll see why people disagree with it.

"There is everything wrong with using it. Again, search the threads, read the Owen Jones book - educate yourself and you'll see why people disagree with it."

Oh do stop being so sodding sanctimonious. You seem to be the only one deeply offended by the word and the OP was clearly not some kind of demonisation of a whole section of society.

What with all the volunteering, reading and holding down her own full time job

The OP's not going to have time to piss

Problem solved!

I'm the only one offended by it on this particular thread. That doesn't mean I'm the only one who hates it.

And I never said the OP was demonising a whole section of society, but she obviously knew it was wrong to use the word, or why cross it out to begin with?

I'm allowed to be offended by something, you know. And I'm allowed to dislike the use of the word. I've already agreed that the woman in the OP sounds like a nasty piece of work and I really feel for the little boy she's bringing up. Still doesn't mean I have to agree with the use of the word.

Why complain about her using such awful language on here but not do so to her face. I have on many an occasion asked someone not to swear in front of me and I would always do so if my children are present.

At volunteering.

I wouldn't tell someone who looked handy to watch their language just in case they punched me in the throat.

Debenhams
wouldnt happen in John Lewis

Didactylos

uncouth! Go, I'd forgotten all about that word, it's excellent. This woman was certainly extremely uncouth.

at Harold's suggestion.

Whiskwarrior,

"And I never said the OP was demonising a whole section of society, but she obviously knew it was wrong to use the word, or why cross it out to begin with?"

Crossing out a word or phrase can, actually be seen as having a JOKE. Lighten up a bit!!!

By using the word chav, I portrayed exactly what I wanted to in 4 letters. Saved me typing reams of descriptive prose!!!

Saved me typing reams of descriptive prose!!!

Which you went on to do anyway, including trying to reproduce the patterns of speech.

You just wanted to call someone a chav but weren't quite brave enough to do it properly.

What about a good classless insult like knob.

Whiskwarrior

What if you read the book and disagree with it?

Madamecastafiore - my children weren't present and, judging by the way the adjectives and adverbs were rolling off her tongue she probably wouldn't have realised that, to many, her language was unacceptable.

This, sadly, will cascade down through the next generation.