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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To genuinely believe people are much more ruder and 'entitled' these days?

222 replies

Snugglepalace · 28/03/2017 11:41

I may be heading down avenue 'grump old git' these days but people really piss me off recently.
For example, Dh works on the roads and they regularly get abuse from the general public, especially when it come to road closures.
Last week Dh and work mates were working on a road closure when a woman drives up to them demanding that they let her through, 'but the road is closed it says so on the board in front of you!' says Dh. 'No, no that doesn't apply to me I live on this road!' There are no houses on this road, it's a country lane used as a cut through for many.
Anyhow, Dh insists she can not get through, she argues with him, turns her steering wheel and drives right passed into road closure.
Thing is, the reason the road is closed is due to the fact there is a sodding great big hole in road which she proceeds to drive straight into getting car stuck in process Grin
Spends the next 4 hours sulking on grass verge waiting for recovery truck!
Wtf is wrong with folk?

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 28/03/2017 12:39

I do wonder whether people are more rude and entitled these days, or whether the growth in social media means that accounts of these incidents can be far more widely broadcast than they used to be in my youth.

I do love the entitled lady getting her comeuppance, in the OP, though - and I have a story to share too.

We used to live out in the country, when I was growing up, and part of the road up to our village went across open common land, and sometimes there would be animals on the road. Dad was driving home one day, and ended up behind a driver towing a caravan who was, in turn, having to wait behind a herd of cattle who were being taken along the road to a field.

Dad knew that the best thing was just to wait patiently, and they would be out of the way soon enough, but the caravan towing driver was a townie and didn't know this - so he had his hand on the horn, as he tried to force his way through the herd. What he didn't know was that the bull was with the cows, and bulls can be protective, if they are with the cows. As he drew alongside the bull, the bull took a swipe with his horn, down the side of the caravan, and opened it up, as if with a tin-opener! The driver was appalled, and both dad, and the man with the cattle, told him it was his own fault for being so impatient.

Lingotria · 28/03/2017 12:39

One road near me has been closed, without any work being done, for over a month. A lot of us just move the cones when we need to use it.

brasty · 28/03/2017 12:42

I think the poster who said people used to challenge this more, is correct. Where I grew up, entitled and rude behavior was challenged by strangers. It was only really very scary types that were not challenged.

Werkzallhourz · 28/03/2017 12:49

There's an upside to all this, op.

I have discovered that HCPs, retail staff, administrators, you name it, are so used to these rude and entitled people now that if you are smiley, friendly, and understanding, they are so shocked by the niceness, they will actually go an extra mile for you, quite beyond anything expected.

Being a nice citizen definitely pays. Smile

Original poster
Snugglepalace · 28/03/2017 12:51

I do think your right about challenging the behaviour. If I had been rude as a child my parents/grandparents would have told me off and made to apologise etc but you rarely see parents do that these days.
I had manners drummed into me and please/thank you etc is second nature, I also make sure my kids have good manners, it really doesn't cost much to be kind and considerate to others.
And BTW, yes, the woman was VERY embarrassed, she rang her husband tandem he came and waited with her whilst Dh and workmates carried on working with large grins on their faces Smile

OP posts:
LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 28/03/2017 12:57

Haha stupid arse Grin

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 28/03/2017 13:04

Yy we need a drawing. Technically, she's a parking twat. A diagram is essential Grin

Scribblegirl · 28/03/2017 13:11

I was saying this to DP last weekend, when we were in a queue and people were just walking straight past our queue and carrying on their merry way. I know it makes me sound ancient but I'm sure it didn't used to be like this?!

I'm convinced the number of people not letting people off the tube before they get on is increasing too. Maybe I just need to leave London!

brasty · 28/03/2017 13:12

This talks about how we are encouraging children to have a sense of entitlement.

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/singletons/201511/9-signs-child-has-entitlement-issues

Lingotria · 28/03/2017 13:29

I would rather my dsd politely and clearly articulate her needs within reason than restrain them under a false sense of courtesy. Many adults don't like it when my 8 year old tells them (politely) when they're being unfair or wrong simply because it's an 8 year old saying it. If that makes her more 'entitled' then fine.

Butterymuffin · 28/03/2017 13:32

Agree with all this and also - does no one say 'Excuse me' anymore when they want to get past? Other than @happyandhungry of course Smile Now all you get is people standing looking grumpy and/or just shoving you to the side as they push past. It's like they've lost the power of speech!

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 28/03/2017 13:36

Happy Genuine question - how do you know someone is rich/posh Confused

Unless you know them intimately enough to know their lifestyle (and that they can afford said lifestyle) then how do you know?

Clothes etc don't mean someone is posh/rich

Nor does their accent

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 28/03/2017 13:37

And tbf the worst ones around here are the 'yummy mummies' who take up most of the pavement and smile indulgently as little Tarquin is running into people

LouKout · 28/03/2017 13:39

thanks for the nice comments.

luckily another mum saw what had happened and got her DD to give DD a turn on her swing. :)

Doublevodkaredbull · 28/03/2017 13:39

I work in a pub that serves very reasonably priced food. We had a special Mother's Day menu and we were fully booked. It was three courses for under a tenner so nothing amazing but good food and a nice atmosphere.

One table of 14 proved problematic. Turned up on the day with a list of dietary requirements which is fine if a little annoying with no notice. I sorted that but it led to them waiting a little longer than some other tables. Self appointed spokesperson of the table wandered around the pub asking other customers what time they had ordered (!!) and grabbing staff to complain if they already had food.

She then let herself into the kitchen. Because apparently that's ok.

I ended up refunding her entire party just to keep her quiet. They all had three courses delivered within an hour and ate the lot.

The best part? We got some lovely 5 reviews on Facebook and a 1 review from her making us out to be incompetent and unhelpful. The only thing i didn't offer to do was chew her fucking food for her.

Entitled cow.

armpitz · 28/03/2017 13:42

I think a lot is to do with overcrowding

VladmirsPoutine · 28/03/2017 13:47

Serves her bloody right!

I agree - maybe it's something in the water but I've noticed this aswell.

In Sainsbury's the other day a woman handed a member of staff what appeared to be a shopping list and asked him if he "could be a dear and fetch my items for me." I stood there like Shock

Puzzledandpissedoff · 28/03/2017 13:55

I think that there have always been unreasonable, entitled people but they were held back by a society that did not pander to it

I couldn't agree more; granted I'm an old gimmer (we really need an emoji for that Grin) but it honestly baffles me why folk just can't say a polite "no" to some of these crazy demands

HepKestrel · 28/03/2017 13:57

I was a pedestrian and watched 3 cars turn right at a junction in to a closed road. It was a funny sight seeing them plough int the wet tarmac, and then try to all turn round and leave again.

no sympathy for the state of their cars, the signs were very clear it was closed (though not the reason).

I wasn't the only pedestrian who just stopped walking to watch Grin

Happyandhungry · 28/03/2017 14:05

Drusilla

You just know; they have an aura. I've lived in London and Oxford. We just know.

expatinscotland · 28/03/2017 14:05

'I ended up refunding her entire party just to keep her quiet. They all had three courses delivered within an hour and ate the lot. '

And that's exactly what they wanted. A free meal for 14. If you pander to entitled people, it encourages them.

Lemonnaise · 28/03/2017 14:07

I ended up refunding her entire party just to keep her quiet

So she was rewarded for this rude behaviour? Why didn't you explain why the food was taking a little bit longer?

Lemonnaise · 28/03/2017 14:07

Sorry, X posted with expat

LouKout · 28/03/2017 14:11

We were sitting beside some rude entitled grabby people who made such a fuss they had their whole meal refunded recently.

We had to sit and pay full price for the same meal.

It put us off going back. But the moany people will

Hellmouth · 28/03/2017 14:13

Haha that gave me a good laugh :D

As someone who spends all day telling people what they did wrong, I agree with you lol