to have asked woman in the supermarket to stop screaming near the baby

[bigcomfyduvet]

I overloaded the trolley (one of those small ones) in Tesco this morning and a bottle of sparkling water fell out. The lady at the checkout (self service) did this stupid loud exaggerated scream and said 'oh make sure you don't open that first!' I just smiled and nodded but it was a bit embarrassing as everyone looked!

Then the same thing happened again and she did that stupid scream again so I said can you be quiet please, the baby is asleep.

Everyone was glaring at me but she was really annoying me.

Am I just sleep deprived and rude or did I have a point?

Haha'its a supermarket not church' love it!

Customers are funny things..... They drop things and then expect it to be replaced free of charge...be more careful!

unexpected noise can lead to involuntary expressions of surprise

you describe it as a 'scream' - really?

stop dropping stuff and upsetting people. poor woman.

Op wasn't expecting everyone to creep around in silence, just not to scream twice next to her sleeping baby.

They drop things and then expect it to be replaced free of charge...be more careful!

Where did OP say she wanted it replaced free of charge?

Theres no need for screaming in supermarkets. By anyone.

Garmin of course shop workers can make noises. REASONABLE ones. Not silly, attention seeking ones.

I work in retail sometimes and I would discourage screaming, yelling, raucous laughter....normal laughter would be fine. As would normal conversation, sneezing....but screaming? Nope.

OP YANBU!

'everyone was glaring at me'

the clue is there
it probably made everyone jump. try deliberately screaming when an unexpected noise happens - bet you cant! its an involuntary reaction to a startlingly loud noise. and dropping it twice!

Witchend I'm guilty of the sharp intake of breath thing too!

I know someone who screams involuntarily at things like this. Embarrases her no end but she can't help it.

I think you may have been a little bit rude but I can understand why.

Everyone was a bit sleep deprived I suspect!
The checkout woman's nerves were stretched to snapping point, she had a basin full of pesky customers by the time you got to her. I prescribe a big bar of chocolate and a glass of something for you both..

Haha surly op didn't, and you know she didn't!!! What I actually said was 'customers'... It's what happens sometimes.... Some of us are comparing our own places of work/experiences. But as I said, you already know that

Yes I can see it was annoying but you were out in public.
The world doesn't stop not nor can you expect people to creep and tip toe around because your baby was asleep.

What I actually said was 'customers'... It's what happens sometimes.... Some of us are comparing our own places of work/experiences

Yes but how is that relevant to the OP? It sounds like you were assigning behaviour to her (that she didnt do) to justify the staff member's screaming.

I certainly did not demand it was replaced and it wasn't even broken (plastic bottle.)

I obviously wouldn't mind people talking but shrieking (twice!) seemed OTT to me.

Of course in hindsight I wouldn't have overloaded the trolley but really I do occasionally drop things and would prefer people not to screech when I do.

Plus, it was one of those exaggerated screams if you see what I mean - meant to convey the chaos the situation caused and the horror and number of lives lost.

I myself am prone to an overreaction to minor things, as is DM, so I may well have shrieked in this manner in a similar situation! You both overreacted IMHO, yabu

Well surly lets have a little think eh?? Other customers around, quite close if it is self serve checkouts.... Maybe, just maybe, the assistant didn't want the bottle dropping and spilling contents everywhere causing inconvenience to others as well as stock loss ..... But nooooo, assistant isn't allowed to make a comment/sound because she is meant to be mute and nobody must wake the baby....

She didn't scream in fear for other customers' safety Garmin it was an exaggerated shriek, a sort of 'oh no how terrible!' noise, not 'cripes!'

Yes i get that. What im not understanding is your point about expecting it replaced for free. That isnt what happened here. What youre saying is some people break things and expect them replaced for free so this staff member is justified in screaming (twice!) at people who drop anything even if it doesnt break and they dont ask for anything replaced? Right.

The sanctimoniousness on this thread beggars belief.

lanbro "I myself am prone to an overreaction to minor things, as is DM, so I may well have shrieked in this manner in a similar situation! You both overreacted IMHO, yabu"

lanbro Have you ever met Catherine Tate, because she appears to have based a character on you

What happened was:

I pushed the trolley. Bottle fell out op and into floor. Member of staff - 'EEEEEE! OOOOH! Oh DON'T open that love! EEEEEE!'
Me, 'hmm, yeah, thanks!'
Then I dropped it again when putting it through the self scanner.
'EEEEEEEEE! You've dropped it! Oh DON'T open that!'
Me 'please, could you stop screaming, the baby is asleep!'

Grunt - OMG, it's her!

Why do people think the alternative to screaming is total silence? Straw man arguments anyone?

It is perfectly possible to suit the noise to the occasion. Screaming is appropriate for danger or injury, 'oops' is appropriate for a dropped item.

Having spent a long time living with someone who screamed at the most minor things (so that everyone dropped what they were doing and came running in anxiety)I haven't got much tolerance for this kind of attention seeking shrieking.

Yes, 'oops' would have been totally, completely acceptable.

But it was all worth is for that clip. That WAS the checkout woman!