Odd incident with colleague

[RainIsAGoodThing]

Last night a colleague gave me a lift home from a talk we both had to attend (I KNOW, on a FRIDAY night).

I've worked with this man for about 2 years now, and we've always got on well professionally. He's about 20 years older than me, married and has a child of about 1.

He often offers me lifts home from work things after hours, because we live reasonably close and I think he has fatherly concerns about young women wandering the streets after dark, etc. Fine. Sometimes I accept, sometimes I don't. Yesterday I did as it was raining

I've had a mild cold for about a week. He definitely knows this as I may have, ahem, mentioned it moaned non stop for the whole week. I didn't take any time off though as its mild and I can't be taking time off for every sniffle. I know some people think you should stay off in order to not spread germs around, but I'd probably face a disciplinary if I took time off every time I was under the weather.

Anyway. So we're driving along, and suddenly I sneeze. Not a disgusting snotty one but a reasonably normal, averagely loud sneeze.

He turns to me deadly serious and says: 'if you give me an illness that spreads to my child, I will fucking knock your teeth down your throat'.

That was that - we weren't far from my house so we said goodbye perfectly normally and off I went. But I've been thinking about it today and AIBU to think that's a really bloody odd thing to say to a colleague you've offered a lift to?!?

Urgh.
He wasn't joking?
That's pretty chilling if not.

That is very odd and I wouldn't be accepting lifts home from him again!

Gosh how horrible

I don't know what to think. He said it deadly seriously. I looked at him when he said it and kind of waited for a sign it was a joke, but nothing!

What he said was extremely aggressive and disproportionate and I think that you should have as little as possible to do with him from now on.

Seriously, who speaks to a colleague (or anyone else) like that?

I would be making sure I wasn't alone with him again, either in a car or anywhere else.

Fucking hell. I'd not be going anywhere near him now never mind being on my own with him.

Odd and aggressive. Any extenuating circumstances? My daughter had medication that made her v immunosuppressed, a cold could have landed her in ICU v easily and I was a bit nuts over keeping her germ free, but I managed not to threaten anyone

I would be keeping my distance.

Wow. Utterly bizarre comment. I'd feel really uncomfortable with him after that tbh and I'd not be accepting any more lifts, no matter how heavy the rain.

I'd stay away from the asshole.

Weirdo alert, definitely

Never. Ever. Be alone with him again. Very aggressive and completely unreasonable reaction from him there

strange - he knew you had a cold so if he's that bothered why offer a lift? Maybe more likely that he did intend it as a joke but didn't quite pitch it right.

I was expecting you to say he'd made a move on you!

Bloody hell. What a strange man. Avoid.

I'd put in a complaint at work.

I don't think there are any extenuating circumstances. He certainly hasn't mentioned any, although of course he shouldn't have to. But why invite me into the car in that case?! I certainly didn't ask! It's quite a short walk and one I'm used to doing.

No more lifts man. i think I would be having a word with my boss as well about attending things together.

That was very aggressive language, even for a joke. Please keep your distance from this man now.

Very wierd. We call each other things like 'typhoid mary' when we all start sneezing at work - but generally in good humour.

This seems way beyond normal to me.

He was obviously way out of line, however I'm going to go against the grain and suggest he's not a weirdo, just a parent who's had it with the hell of babies with colds. After weeks and weeks of sleepless nights due to me and DS both having seemingly never-ending colds and coughs I can totally understand his over-sensitivity. That would have been exactly what I thought whenever someone sneezed near me right after we got over our snot-a-thon, but I wouldn't have gone so far as to say it. Maybe his snot-a-thon was worse than ours!

I would do absolutely everything to avoid him in the future.

But, Duckie, he didn't have to offer her a lift.

What the hell?!

Avoid him like the plague in future op.
No excuse for that whatsoever.

Weirdo. And no, there's no way that was just exasperation bursting out. That is a specific and graphic threat. I can understand a stressed-out parent bursting out "Oh for fuck's sake, DON'T give me a cold!" and then feeling awkward and apologising. His silence afterwards sounds chilling. He was boundary testing you. Stay well away from him.