Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to be annoyed at people's lack of basic manners?

73 replies

Starryeyed16 · 03/10/2016 10:33

So I'm doing the school run today, with my 8yr 3yr and 6month who is now in a pushchair. We have a small pathway between a school and housing estate to get further up to DS school.

We were walking along and there's a group of women with two large dogs and some children completely blocking the pathway talking there is no way to get past them, they see me walking but don't move and after several attempts of me politely saying excuse me they barely give me enough room to get back single filed. I looked at them and said they shouldn't be stood like that and got a dirty look. Surely it's common sense if you see someone coming the opposite direction you move in to let them pass. When did people become so rude?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 03/10/2016 10:37

Meh! Some people have always been rude/unthinking.

There are still far more polite people in the world than rude ones.

ShotsFired · 03/10/2016 10:39

TBH, it's usually parents with buggies who I find to be the worst offenders. Especially in supermarkets where they seem to congregate for a mas chat at random points.

Also not sure what the big deal is about having to go single file on a "small pathway"?

But as Worra says, thankfully there are still more good than bad out there Smile

Original poster
Starryeyed16 · 03/10/2016 10:40

I think my annoyance was their refusal to move and me asking multiple times could I get pass then given a dirty look for the privledge.

OP posts:
Original poster
Starryeyed16 · 03/10/2016 10:41

They didn't move I had to ask and barely had give enough space to get past myself that's my point they took up the entire footpath.

OP posts:
MrsderPunkt · 03/10/2016 11:13

When did they become so rude? Probably when they started to dictate where people should and should not stand. You DO have a lack of basic manners and YABU.

PoppyBirdOnAWire · 03/10/2016 11:30

Blocking a path like that is rude and ill mannered. The OP should not have had to excuse herself. They should have automatically moved to one side.

So yes, it was rude. Italian students congregate in very large groups on busy pavements and jabber noisily to boot. I hate it. It smacks of attitude but then many Italians have no manners.

Walking two abreast on the pavement when about to pass another two people who are approaching and who are also walking side by side, is also ill-mannered. It is good manners for both lots to give way and single-file it.

DoinItFine · 03/10/2016 11:38

I'm really enjoying MN's new definition of "dictate".

Don't want to stand indefinitely waiting for people blocking the path?

You are dictating where they can stand.

Don't want to be woken up by texts in the middle of the night?

You are dictating when people can send text messages.

Grin

It's great.

Basically, people should be allowed to do whatever they want, whenever they want and expecting them to consider the impact on other people is totally unfair.

HTH OP

You have no right to walk up the road. Stop being so entitled. Wink

AndShesGone · 03/10/2016 11:42

Yeah OP, you should have gone in the gutter Hmm

Know your place woman

DetailedConfusion · 03/10/2016 11:44

me asking multiple times could I get pass

Surely it was a case that they didn't hear you?

Basic social niceties, such as moving - even if only a bit - when you hear 'excuse me' are automatically programmed into even the rudest people IME. You move naturally, without thinking and without even seeing the 'exucuse me-er'.

I can't imagine a group of women acknowledging your 'excuse me' and actually 'refusing' to move. So I think it's probably likely you're over exaggerating somewhat and they weren't as rude as you say.

Original poster
Starryeyed16 · 03/10/2016 11:53

They clearly heard me I was obviously not a majority.

I had to giggle and the dictating where people stand comment from MrsderPunkt I guess I should of just stood there until one of decided to move? Thanks for the others who see sense.

OP posts:
Original poster
Starryeyed16 · 03/10/2016 11:56

Priority even

OP posts:
PubesintheChips · 03/10/2016 11:57

I've come to the conclusion that most people are, basically, rude cunts.

WorraLiberty · 03/10/2016 11:59

I'm really enjoying MN's new definition of "dictate".

I thought that was just one poster's definition?

And yes, it's certainly a strange one.

Mozfan1 · 03/10/2016 11:59

It smacks of attitude but then many Italians have no manners.

What the FUCK??

WaitrosePigeon · 03/10/2016 12:01

I've come to the conclusion that most people are, basically, rude cunts.

Yep

imnotreally · 03/10/2016 12:04

Sits back with the popcorn and waits for someone to complain about the stereotyping of Italians.

Ginslinger · 03/10/2016 12:07

Yeah OP you shouldn't have left the house - you entitled person wanting to walk on a pavement. Whatever next? You'll be dictating that people have to queue in supermarkets Grin

DoinItFine · 03/10/2016 12:08

I thought that was just one poster's definition?

No, I've seen it on a few threads by multiple posters recently.

allwornout0 · 03/10/2016 12:11

I'm also finding that parents with buggies the worst.
If there are two together with their buggies chatting and someone is coming towards them, 9/10 they will not go single file for the 5 sec that it will take the person to get passed, instead the person is made to walk in the road or mud.

ItShouldHaveBenJess · 03/10/2016 12:13

PubesintheChips. I'm more interested in your username Grin. Now that really is bad manners....

LadyCinderelephant · 03/10/2016 12:14

I'm going to take a guess they were the Jeremy kyle types? Those seem to have their manners removed at birth.

Lweji · 03/10/2016 12:14

I'm curious, OP. Did you pass behind their backs or through the middle of the group?

MorrisZapp · 03/10/2016 12:14

Lol re Italians. I've been to Italy and I live in a city which attracts vast numbers of Italian students in the summer.

I'd say their approach to the whole please and thank you thing is largely different to our own. They often seem oblivious to other people's existence and expect others to perhaps float over their heads rather than move to make way for them.

I know some very courteous Italian people too but from my perspective, lack of what we call manners is something of a national trait.

MrsderPunkt · 03/10/2016 12:16

You told them that 'you shouldn't be stood like that' which is rude, and you were dictating (whether or not you like the word is immaterial). Ask people to move if they're in the way, but don't go around telling them where/how they can stand.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 03/10/2016 12:18

Parents with buggies are terrible for not noticing people but it's totally understandable - they are having to focus on the wellbeing of one or two human beings in the buggy as well as everyone around them. If you're just strolling around with only yourself to worry about it's easier to notice the needs of the rest of the world.
Most people, though, buggies or not, would move once they have seen you, and apologise for making you wait. Imo the really rude thing in what the op describes is the people in question being arsey about it rather than apologetic.