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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Being told to use self service till by customer in front of me

213 replies

Sazzle41 · 10/10/2014 13:00

I was just in my local mini Tesco at the till manned by member of staff and the customer in front of me - half my age, male, mid 20's, nose ring turned round, pointed at the self service tills & said, "they are free".

WTAF? I was queueing at the manned till to get the Gin behind the counter. (Well its Friday!). Even if i didnt want what was behind the counters, why is it of any consequence to him where the person BEHIND queues? I am afraid he got "I'm fine here" and my death stare. Then, his mate chips in: "He's trying to help". Help? Why do i need 'help'? Is queueing far to difficult for a middle aged woman? Dont know why i am so hacked off to be honest but this really grated... we dont all like self service either, some of us prefer human contact. It felt like 'lets tell the dumb blonde /little woman what to do" to be frank. Grrr...

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 10/10/2014 13:07

Blimey, I bet he's sorry he spoke! Grin

My reply would have been a smile and "Oh, I don't using those things".

Not sure why you described his looks and age (or your age) etc

mymummademelistentoshitmusic · 10/10/2014 13:08

Stop being so paranoid! Maybe he thought you didn't realise they were there.
It sounds like he was trying to be nice/helpful and you were rude b

NickNacks · 10/10/2014 13:10

Bloody hell!

PMT?Grin

19lottie82 · 10/10/2014 13:11

Jeezo. Sorry , YABU. And what has the fact he had a nose ring, got anything to do with it?

If you had been in front of him, then it might have been a bit cheeky, but there was no need for a "death stare", or an internet rant tbh.

As his mate said, he was only trying to help. no need to get on your high horse.

KeemaNaanAndCurryOn · 10/10/2014 13:11

Maybe he was trying to be helpful. You know, being nice and helpful.

You were rude.

Vitalstatistix · 10/10/2014 13:11

Were you standing really close behind them or unloading your shopping onto the conveyor? Grin

pippitysqueakity · 10/10/2014 13:12

Get where you are coming from I think Sazzle. Sometimes you can get to a point when it feels like everyone has an opinion on every decision you make, and feel like they should tell you. Can be tiring.

Vintagejazz · 10/10/2014 13:12

He didn't 'tell you' to use the self service till. He let you know it was free in case you hadn't noticed.
You've probably put him off being helpful ever again in the supermarket.

Username12345 · 10/10/2014 13:12

What you should have done is, gotten your claws out and ripped his throat out for daring to speak to you.

Wink
TheWitTank · 10/10/2014 13:13

Maybe he was trying to be genuinely helpful and save you a wait? YABU and over sensitive!

moggle · 10/10/2014 13:13

Did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning OP?! Sounds like a straight up case of trying to be helpful, perhaps he thought you hadn't noticed. But by all means turn it into an agist, sexist thing if it makes a better story! (Oh, I think YABU, if it wasn't clear...)

DeliciousIrony · 10/10/2014 13:14

He was probably just letting you know that he wasn't intending to use the self-scan tills, in case you thought he hadn't noticed there was a free one.

Likewise, sometimes if I am in the queue and a self-scan opens up, the person in front of me doesn't always make a move, so I have to either stand there awkwardly or ask politely if they want to use it, so I don't look like I am queue-jumping.

Vintagejazz · 10/10/2014 13:14

I was standing on the bus the other day. Someone who was getting off told me there was some free seats upstairs.

How dare he order me to go and sit upstairs Angry

WorraLiberty · 10/10/2014 13:14

He's probably on Facebook, typing a status about the snappy menopausal, middle aged woman in the supermarket, as we speak Grin

CedricBloomer · 10/10/2014 13:15

Why didn't you say, "So how come YOU don't go and use them, then?!" That's what I would have said but I am a cuntbag.

theparadoxofourage · 10/10/2014 13:15

As mentioned by person above, I'm not sure why his nose ring is worth mentioning but there you go (I don't have piercings so not a sensitive subject). Yesterday I chose to go to a manned checkout as I had quite a few things to put through but wanted to get out quickly as my 88 year old grandmother was waiting and looked a bit peaky, the woman who came up behind me looked at me expectantly and stormed off when she realised I wasn't going to ask if she wanted to go in front of me (she did only have 1 item but she came up long behind me so I hadn't accidentally beaten her to the till) so in that instance I was tempted to say 'use the self-service if you're in such a rush as you've only got one thing' but didn't. Tbf in my local shop I'm always baffled by queues of people blocking the aisle waiting to go to a manned checkout for one item but I don't think I'd say anything but wouldn't bite someone's head off for suggesting it.

magpiegin · 10/10/2014 13:15

All these young men with nose rings, trying to be helpful.....

JabberJabberJay · 10/10/2014 13:16

YABU.

Hw didn't tell you to go and use the self service tills-simply pointed out they were free.

He didn't deserve a 'death stare' or your rudeness. You sound like tou need to chill out a bit OP.

theparadoxofourage · 10/10/2014 13:17

and* I don't think I'd say anything but wouldn't bite someone's head off for suggesting it.

processedbeats · 10/10/2014 13:17

Yabu he was trying to help

adsy · 10/10/2014 13:17

Little ray of sunshine today aren't you OP!

KingJoffreysBloodshotEye · 10/10/2014 13:18

I expect he fancied the person behind the counter and thought you'd be offended by him arranging his oranges and banana shopping seductively.

LeftRightCentre · 10/10/2014 13:18

I'd have said, 'So go and use one then. Off you trot.' I hate those fucking things and NEVER use them.

jerryfudd · 10/10/2014 13:22

I'm clearly rude too op because if he turned to me and pointed out the other tills I'd have simply replied "and?" (and given the death stare) Wink

MaidOfStars · 10/10/2014 13:23

I'd think you were exceptionally rude when someone was only trying to help. The fact his mate stood up
for him suggests that your tone and death stare were way over the top.

You wanted a little human interaction but not with him?

I genuinely don't know what the fuck people want these days. Do we stand up on buses (polite or patronising?) or remain seated (entitled or fair enough?). Do we make friends with neighbours or do we mind our own business?

How can I actually function in a world where a polite offer that there is a till free in front of me and perhaps the person behind me might care to use it might cause that person to blast my actions and my appearance to others. I mean, how fucking dare I?