AIBU to ask someone to stop sniffing

[PhoneyToney]

I was on a tour of a local attraction and one of the guides was sniffing every 10 seconds or so.

I was brought up to consider sniffing as rude and wasn't allowed to do it around my parents.

I found the sniffing to be unpleasant and distracting. I tried to ignore it but couldn't and after 10 minutes or so with no end in sight I asked them to stop. They said they had a medical condition ( I don't remember what ). I didn't say anything further - I didn't know what to say. They reduced the frequency and left soon afterwards.

Was the sniffer BU? WIBU to ask them to stop? What if they just had a cold? What if they had been farting or had tourettes?

If you have one of those conditions then i do feel a bit sorry for you, but for the most part, for people that don't have this, i.e. 99% its a lack of consideration for others. I bet you googled "conditions that make you sniff a lot".

There's a huge difference between a little repetitive sniff and a massive great sucking up of the snot in your nose when you have a cold.

What are people meant to do if they have an unexpectedly runny nose though? Just let snot drip slowly down their face? Use their sleeve? Sniffing is a least hygienic for those around you.

I have periods when I am obliged to sniff on and off (when I have rhinitis and my nasal passages are inflamed, and when there isn't actually much mucus and nose blowing is unproductive - but sniffing feels a little like it is relieving the pressure). I would actually relish being taken to task by someone like the op, since I enjoy a good verbal altercation and am pretty adept at blistering put downs.

but for the most part, for people that don't have this, i.e. 99% its a lack of consideration for others.

And you know that, with your extensive knowledge of their medical history.

I bet you googled "conditions that make you sniff a lot"

No, I've suffered from one of them for 20 years.

Do you not sniff when you have a cold? I'd consider it more rude if you had snot dripping down your face? 🙄

How do you know they aren’t taking allergy meds and blowing their nose every time they get in private? How do you know they haven’t seen several doctors looking for a cure. People who have chronic conditions often spend every moment in public worrying about mitigating the embarrassment of those conditions.

This is bizarre. Sniffing is NOT rude. You, however, were, by saying something. Also very cruel and thoughtless. Shocking behaviour on your part.

My husband has a health condition where he is occasionally VERY congested and regardless of how much he blows his nose he cant help but sniff. It's due to an injury caused by breaking his nose when he was younger. It's very very frustrating and upsetting for him. If a rude person like you dared to shame him for it, making him feel even worse than he already does, ugh. I'd give them SUCH a piece of my mind. This has made me really angry and actually quite upset to know that people are so thoughtless and unkind.

To those who are saying "what am I supposed to do with my constantly running nose?" If you don't like blowing it, why can't you just wipe it? Surely that's not going to hurt your nose?

Then those of use who can't bear the sniffing are happy and those with sensitive noses are happy?

People here are saying "oh you want us to let it run down our face?" For god's sake no of course not. Use a tissue to wipe it.

I can't see what OP did wrong?
Yes there maybe a Medical condition or tic.

But mostly it's just someone with a cold, who really should be blowing their nose. Instead of sniffing.

Sniffing it back up, instead of blowing it onto a tissue, is not recommended.

And if they really are sniffing that much then they probably shouldn't be out at an attraction or at work, they really should be home in bed.

Well yes obviously you would wipe it if you had a tissue but what if you don't because eg you're on public transport. Not everyone routinely has pockets full of Kleenex.

Clearly you can't read chicken. Because I said that a medical condition or tic was different.

But if someone with just an ordinary cold was sniffing all the time, they were probably best off in bed.

No I read it correctly.

Ignorant

Because I said that a medical condition or tic was different

Are you psychic? Because I'm pretty sure even a doctor couldn't diagnose why someone was sniffing with just a glance.

I have hay fever.

When I have a cold a good blow will stop it for a while, but this is not the case with hay fever,you get a constant drip, drip however much you blow your nose (and the blowing can make it really sore).

this is not the case with hay fever,you get a constant drip, drip however much you blow your nose

Then wipe with a tissue. If it’s hayfever you can plan enough to have some with you. I get hay fever and I carry tissues and also moisturiser or balm or balm tissues so I don’t get as sore.

It is very annoying to have somewhere near you sniffing a lot

I do love how on some threads you can't discuss anything, because posters are so perdantic!

I once offered a tissue to a guy who declined it. After getting to know him better I realized he literally did this little sniffing thing about every 20 seconds ALL THE TIME! He did not have any health conditions (knew him for about 10 years quite well after that). It might have been a tic.

I used to wonder if it was caused by him growing up with heavy smoking parents making his sinuses damaged or something.

Oh how I wish I had the courage to tell people to stop sniffing!

I’m genuinely shocked anyone would be as rude and unkind as the OP. And that some of the posters on here think she was being reasonable.

Part and parcel of living/working/existing along side others is occasionally having to grin and bear some annoying habits, no?

Suck it up and maybe start a fun thread about annoying habits if you can’t let it go. Don’t confront and embarrass a stranger. Sheesh.

I think it's much more rude to tell a stranger to stop sniffing than to sniff a bit when in public.

I have Tourettes and i am horrified OP. It would really knock my confidence if somone asked me to stop doing any of my tics - it makes them worse.