What would your reaction be here?

[LellowYedbetter]

Out with a friend on drive to seaside. At one point we stopped off and stood at foot of car looking at a flyer. All of a sudden she “karate chops” the flyer down the middle from my hands and shouts out “map!”. She then looked mortified, apologised and said she didn’t know why she’d done that. She apologised over and over and kept going on about it and even text me later that day to apologise again. I told her not to worry about it! But really I’m thinking why the hell did she do it? It was just so random and sudden.
I remember years ago at college she suddenly flicked a fountain pen down the back of someone’s white top and shouted “Gertrude”. She acted the same then, apologising over and over and gave the other woman money to replace the top. I don’t see her that often so not sure if it’s a regular behaviour. I haven’t asked her directly but I’m thinking Tourette’s?? WIBU to ask her outright if she has Tourette’s or just leave her be as it’s none of my business?

It's hilarious. If my friend did that to me I'd wet myself laughing.

Sounds like the kind of random thing you would do as a child to make someone jump or laugh.

Just say it's fine.
I couldn't stop laughing at your post, sorry.

Gertrude

that's hilarious I want to be friend's with her 😁

Are you always so nasty?

No. But I don't fall into the Mumsnet 'diagnose everyone' clique either.

My BIL has Tourettes and that's exactly the type of stuff he does.

This is the OP friend who did ONE thing, mucking about and the OP wants to diagnose them with Tourette's. As a family member of someone who genuinely has Tourette's, you should be offended tbh. This kind of thing absolutely takes the piss.

I’ve read the OP’s other thread today, they say they have ASD.

I didn't. I take people at face value. Possibly due to being autistic myself?

Perhaps people should remember there are people behind the posts on here, and whilst I’m careful as what is absolute truth on AIBU in general, it doesn’t hurt to sometimes think before posting a sharp reply.

I reserve the right to post whatever I like. The arsehole armchair clinicians on Mumsnet really piss me off. Like you can't do anything irl but someone is running to Mumsnet to diagnose you with something

Tourettes can manifest in all sorts of odd ways.

Indeed. But nobody has been diagnosed with or shown any signs of unless karate chopping a piece of paper is a diagnostic criteria having Tourette's. Mumsnet mental at its best.

So toddle off yourself.

K. Bai.

Possibly due to being autistic myself?

Doesn’t give you the right to be outright rude with no reason, just like it doesn’t give the op a right to assume diagnosis for their friend. On balance, they were just trying to figure out a quite odd event, you have no reason for what you said.

I reserve the right to post whatever I like. The arsehole armchair clinicians on Mumsnet really piss me off

Within reason. The rules state no personal attacks though, which includes calling people arseholes. If you’re posting style is considered too aggressive, as you are currently coming across, you may well find yourself getting a warning from the higher-ups. Just a friendly heads up .

I’d laugh and hope she was free to go out again soon. Waaaaayyyy over thinking this so you are.

Ooo that's a tic alright!

Very funny tho. Is she ok?

Oh gosh! Poor lady! I can so empathise with the apologising profusely after the event thing! I'm forever apologising for this or that - think I'm scared that whatever I've done will leave people judging me or hating me. Sounds like your friend feels super embarrassed and doesn't want you to judge her badly or stop associating with her. I think she'd benefit from some reassurance from you! Tell her it's all fine, you've forgotten all about it, and maybe suggest you catch up again soon for coffee or something?

Tourettes - maybe! But maybe not! I guess we all have our quirks, does it matter what the label is? Maybe just accepting her as she is and forgiving (and moving quickly on from) some of her random acts would reassure her and leave her feeling less need for extensive apologising :)

That made me laugh. Is certainly be thinking there was some kind of MH condition...but I wouldn't ask her about it.

I have a (fairly mild form of) bipolar disorder and one of the ways it presents is impulse control in my higher points. Doesn't mean Tourette's, if I get over excited or giddy, I have a bit of a silly sense of humour and literally cannot stop myself doing things. The map thing sounds like something I might do.
Your friend is probably embarrassed, I wouldn't worry about it, if nobody is hurt by their actions then just laugh it off and crack on.