... to think that putting a stemmed glass on a coaster is idiotic

[Jizelle]

I took in a package for the neighbour today and when I took it over she offered me a glass of wine... yes please. She then rushed at me with a coaster when she noticed I was about to put it down on the side table.

Coasters are to prevent condensation from marring the table. The foot of a stemmed glass will not have condensation. All a coaster does when a stemmed glass is involved is to make an unstable target for putting down something that is already top-heavy. It really is alarmingly stupid.

I've just had a glass of cold white wine, with condensation running down the stem and over the foot of the glass.

I must be as thick as two short planks, I use a coaster for all drinks.

Your OP reminds me of the advice columns in Viz.

Fed up with the dent above your eyes your glasses leave when you take them off? This vexatious and annoying problem is easily rectified by running a spoon under boiling water and applying it to the area for one minute.

@DtPeabodysLoosePants beaded coasters give me the heebie jeebies!!

If the wine glass contains chilled white there may well be condensation on it which will cause the base to get damp and potentially mark the table. This is why the coaster occasionally sticks to the base of the glass.

ShirleyPhallus there were lots of them! Placemats too. It all felt a bit 70s. I'd be stressed about how to effectively clean them as no doubt the children would spill hot chocolate, milk, weetabix, pasta, grated cheese and soup on them and they'd be disgusting. Who thinks of these designs?! Totally impractical.

Exactly @DtPeabodysLoosePants 😷 so gross

I refuse to have coasters in my house. My dad was obsessed with them and so anal about surfaces being damaged that it made people feel unwelcome (it’s true, they were, the coasters were simply a facet of that antisocial trait). I’d rather have stains on my table to remind me of good nights than fanny around making my friends and family feel uncomfortable.

I accept I am scarred by coasters!

Why do pubs always give you a beermat, aka disposable coaster, for all drinks, if there isn't condensation, which there is.

YABU, and overreacting somewhat.

So many responses and none of you are concerned as to how neighbour Held Her Glass?

YABU. Many of us put all glasses onto coasters no matter the shape of the glass, just to avoid marking the surface. If someone gives you a coaster just use it to be polite, whether you agree with it or not.

Also, for the clumsy it may well have make a puddle anyway.

Silly post really OP. Surfaces can mark easily, the bottom of the glass could be wet, you could spill it.

She then rushed at me with a coaster

Bad form. A good host simply propels the coaster like a frisbee so that it lands discreetly beneath the descending glass.

Is her name Hyacinth, elizabeth?

Who puts wine glasses down .....

😂 I was wondering that myself

Well! That went well, OP!

All high and mighty in judgement and just plain wrong

I don't own any coasters.... I must be more than alarmingly stupid 😂

I can assure you that when my husband does not use a coaster on my wooden coffee table, a ring is left on the table!

Coasters all the way here but only on tables where spills drips condensation etc will ruin the surface. Have a beautiful very old small oak table which friend left with several rings from condensation using stemmed flutes. No idea at all why she put her glass down next to the coaster (lovely Indian skate) which was there ! Arggg!
Ruin your own furniture all you like obvs.

Slate

She clearly thought you looked like a dribbler.

It's not stupid at all. If a drip runs down the glass it ends up on the table and can mark it. Why do you think pubs have beer mats?

It's her home, and her choice. YABU.

Well aren't you nice .

Take the womans glass of wine and then moan about a coaster .

Your neighbour is a disgrace to all that is decent. Abhorrent behaviour. Hope you’re ok now.

Expensive walnut table, clumsy red wine drinking guests.Never gonna happen. Coasters all the way.