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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Beach etiquette...?

111 replies

AtHomeDadGlos · 19/07/2017 19:23

Right. At the beach the other day, lovely weather. Quite full and filling up but lots of spare room.

Someone comes and pitches their wind break and two fuck off huge umbrellas two feet in front of us, ruinning our view.

Even worse, they pitched it around some of our stuff - we had to ask them to pass it to us.

This isn't on right? Thankfully we were leaving within the hour as our daughter needed a nap, so we did the British thing and didn't say anything.

OP posts:

SaucyJack · 20/07/2017 07:43

I think I read somewhere that in some other countries it's the exact opposite of Britain in that it's considered rude to sit as far away from people as you can possible get.

Or maybe they're just twats. That's funny tho. Looks like a Mr Bean sketch.

LakieLady · 20/07/2017 08:00

This never happens to us. If my naturally scowly face isn't offputting enough, people get my killer "stare of death". Followed by loud conversation including much swearing.

Sometimes looking like a miserable cow comes in very handy.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 20/07/2017 08:10

That really winds me up! We had someone pitch a massive beach hut shaped tent/shelter right in front of us last year. So rude.

MrsOverTheRoad · 20/07/2017 08:34

Saucy not in Oz it's not! That's why I was so when some woman came and sat right next to us on a beach that looked like this

paradoxicalInterruption · 20/07/2017 08:41

My DH does this, there'll be a big empty beach and he'll want to plonk himself next to the only people on it. I think he reckons as they had first choice they'll have chosen the best bit.

Drives me mad and we have hushed arguments that end with me saying 'well I'm not sitting with you' and stalking off as far away as possible.

coddiwomple · 20/07/2017 08:50

Glad it's not just me, and I am not that unreasonable to get the rage when that's happen. WHO are these people, and why? I get when people start crowding the top beach because the tide is coming up, otherwise I am baffled.

We had that a few times with the whole family, smoking, loud, their stupid radio on and kids throwing sand everywhere. There's nothing you can do to put them off, is there?

AngelaTwerkel · 20/07/2017 08:52

'Christ it's fucking hot isn't it? What a bloody lovely view' etc.

That's inspired!

Littlecaf · 20/07/2017 08:59

It's only acceptable when the second party asks.... we were on a cold wet empty small Devon beach recently and had bagged the sheltered rocks next to the rock pools. Our toddler was happily playing. Another family arrived with a toddler and looked at us sheepishly as they approached. I said "it's ok, this is the sheltered bit!' So the sat next to us and their rock pooling toddler played with ours. Seemed a bit mean to deny them exactly what we were looking for!

Pringlemunchers · 20/07/2017 09:03

Went to a busy beach in uk. Walked over an hour to find a quieter spot. My dh took his towel out of his bag and laid down. I got mine out, let the wind catch is , so it laid flat and literally as I did that , a bloody women with two little kids put her towel where I was just going to lay mine.
I just stood there gobsmacked. She had other spaces ffs,why my little piece?
Also, nearly every time I am in a shop, I look at something on a rail and a hand creeps from behind me and starts rummaging through, roughly sliding the clothes along and stepping into my spot and forcing me out, every fucking time. I must invisible!

Crumbelina · 20/07/2017 09:11

God, this annoys me too. People are so odd! I always laugh when I go through Richmond Park on a sunny day. 2,500 acres and everyone seem to sit on top of each other on the patch of grass right next to the car park and the road. . Lazy sheep!

thereallochnessmonster · 20/07/2017 09:18

I would have got the kids to dig a complete moat around them and then filled it with water

Love this! Lots of ways to get a watery revenge...

This might be OK on a tiny beach in the Costa Brava where people literally have to sit 10cm away from each other, but NOT on an empty beach. WTF are people thinking??

The horse woman wounds deranged too. Was she trying to wind you up?

witchofzog · 20/07/2017 09:27

We have a reactive collie who likes to round fast moving people up and tried to chase peoples balls and frisbees. We went to a huge north Wales beach and walked miles to get to a quiet part so ds and dog could play undisturbed. Cue local Christian camp rolling up with 4 adults and about 30 teens. They pitch right next to us and proceed to play a raucous game of rounders. Think lots of screeching, sand flying all over and dog going barmy. We moved. The worse thing about it was, the leaders sort of smirked as though this was their intention all along. Arseholes

TrueBlueYorkshire · 20/07/2017 10:12

As an Australian, especially on an un-patrolled beach you will sit nearby to someone else so that you can keep an eye on each others families when swimming. Also depending on the surf that might be the safest spot on the beach as there might be rips elsewhere.

I would still probably sit ~10 meters away if the beach was completely empty though.

MrsOverTheRoad · 20/07/2017 10:43

Yorkshire she wasn't that kind...she didn't make eye contact or even smile, why would anyone assume that someone would watch their kids for them?

Frenchfarmwench · 20/07/2017 14:00

We were on a very quiet gorgeous beach on a Greek island when a big party of Italians pitched up, and set up right next to us....about 8 adults and 6 children. There was masses of space on the beach but the came really close. Then to make it worse they set the children up on the other side of us, so we were like in the middle of their throng! They were shouting over our heads to each other and Italians are loud! It felt really awkward! Prior to this we had all been peacefully dozing off our lunch. Rude.

BananaThePoet · 20/07/2017 14:12

paradoxicalInterruption - my husband does the same thing in car parks. It annoys me no end. There'll be a huge car park and one car in it and he'll go and park next to the car so I have to squeeze out trying not to bump the door on the other car and try to avoid getting my clothes dirty.

I don't know why it took me a while to finally put my foot down and make him move the car further away. But no matter how often I ask him not to park next to the only car in the car park he still keeps on doing it.

magicstar1 · 20/07/2017 14:17

DH and I were standing on a pier last weekend looking out at the view. Four adults came and walked around us, stood in front of us, and the man exclaimed "Isn't that a lovely view"
I said loudly "It was, until you stood right in front of me! I'm not here to look at the back of your head". DH was mortified but they moved on.

MsHarry · 20/07/2017 14:54

Not on. Lyme Regis is bad for this as the sandy bit is fairly limited. I'm always surprised at people who have no concept of personal space.

Original poster

AtHomeDadGlos · 20/07/2017 15:00

These are great! Keep them coming.

Also, if you're one of those who pitch close to people...tell us why!

OP posts:

DeadGood · 20/07/2017 15:13

"no matter how often I ask him not to park next to the only car in the car park he still keeps on doing it."

My blood pressure is rising just reading this!

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 20/07/2017 15:17

Every single time I wait for the ttube some idiot comes and stands in front of me, right on the yelling w line even though the ready of the platform is empty.

What is wrong with people?

coddiwomple · 20/07/2017 15:24

I think in the tube or train station, some people assume you know where the train stops and you are standing in front of the door, so they will have a seat. Only explanation I have!

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 20/07/2017 15:27

Yes, but how rude it is to go stand right in front of me?

Huskylover1 · 20/07/2017 15:28

Except she then turned round to gallop back. And again. And again. She spent about 10-15 minutes crossing backwards and forwards in front of us at different speeds, even stopping to dismount and have a drink and faff with the horse

Just why? There was easily 2 miles each side of us with not another single person or dog, and she had to stay within barking distance

I am crying with laughter at this!!

I live near a beach. Every summer people come along for a picnic, and leave all of their rubbish behind. Drives me nuts!

AlessandroVasectomi · 20/07/2017 15:33

Banana - there's a practice (or maybe a sport) known as extreme parking. It involves parking as far as possible from other cars in order to avoid the accidental knocks and scrapes that occur in car parks. I belong to an online forum where participants post photos of their cars in splendid isolation. One of the recurrent themes in posts is that however isolated you think you are, somebody will always come and park next to you, however many other empty spaces there are. It would seem that your husband is one of those people!

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