Customer service goes out the window when you're clearly an idiot!

[RiskyRetail]

This is more of a rant than AIBU, feel free to join me...

So I work in a supermarket convenience store. I was on the early shift yesterday and surprise surprise, people are still ignoring social distancing and essential travel... Just a few examples of people being idiots include...

• Old people coming in to buy a newspaper
• People coming to buy lottery tickets

Neither are food or medicine. What do people not understand about essential travel?

• People coming to the till with a single item... Go to the self checkout FFS 😡
• People not understanding the 2m distance. You don't need to be peeking over my shoulder whilst I'm dealing with the self scan.
• People realising there's a queue to get into the shop and then grunting forget it. If you can 'forget it', it is clearly not essential so why the fuck are you out and about?

I was very snappy with a few customers yesterday but I'm beyond caring. I'm not going to stand with a smile while your idiotic behaviour puts me and people I care about at risk!

I purchased two Easter eggs yesterday...not essential but I needed chocolate

You do not NEED chocolate!! Do you not get it? Do you need me to spell it out to you?!

@PlanetMJ I have an elderly relative who can't hear the radio anymore, and can't keep up with the tv subtitles because of his eyesight. He reads the paper at his own pace with a magnifying glass and is up to date with the news (although crap at pronouncing things because he's never heard them said!) (he calls Brexit 'bread-ex'!)

I also have a client who finds it too stressful to watch news on tv because it's often very upsetting and she misses chunks because she's taking a deep breath. She has to take the news a bit slower than most people.

They can't be the only ones. A minority, yes, but people like that do exist. It's especially important not to cut off their news supply now, when there are updates daily with ramifications for us all.

Doesn't walking to buy a newspaper also equal exercise?

You'd have shouted at me this morning too. I went to my local garage to buy a bottle of water as we had to switch our water off until a plumber arrived, and also bought a newspaper while I was there.

I was wondering why people had bought bottled water - I actually wished I had this morning but water is back on now.

You do not NEED chocolate

Most people would beg to differ.

A couple of people have suggested contacting local groups who might be able to deliver. That sounds like a good idea and if people are willing to do that I think it's very public-spirited of them.

But, update. DW has returned. She was the only passenger on the bus into town, and one of only two passengers on the return journey, so pretty safe there.

And Morrison's were seriously good at enforcing social distancing, both in the queue to get in, and again at the checkout.
With few people allowed in the shop at once, it was quite civilized, and they had quite a lot of stuff in.

So I think we're OK for a week, by which time we will have to undertake an essential boat movement to get water. (The nearest tap is about five miles away.)

But for now, we're staying put, with no physical contact with other people at all.

Well, some people say "you don't need chocolate". Others "you don't need meat, vegans survive and so can you, so you don't need to go out in order buy it". Or - "you don't need eggs, just use what you have". In reality we don't really NEED much. Certainly not so many food items currently on sale in even the most basic shops. You don't even NEED loo paper. There are other ways you know. So where do you draw the line?

@browzingss I was answering the 'Newspapers are not essential' point, not the 'it's ok to go out and go into the shop simply for a newspaper' point. Also I said many, not all.

If you chose to ignore these other methods then tough, your own fault aka 'if you can't use the Internet, put others at risk of death and die yourself'. Shockingly cruel comment to those who have never used the Internet, never needed it, and got zero warning they were going to need it this week.

So many people being deliberately obtuse here. You can go out, infrequently, and only if you must, to buy essentials. Not pop out for a newspaper, not to keep your gambling habit going, not for a chocolate bar, but for supplies, in-fucking-frequently. Not workman on their break, bring a packed lunch. I feel bad for people that want a newspaper, but they can't be 'isolating' and going to the shops for a paper. They should be at home. A kindly neighbour or relative could buy it when they are doing their in-fucking-frequent essential shopping and drop it off.

The exercise 'allowance' does not include stopping at the shop for a paper.

This is for everyone, play the game you selfish tossers. Maybe we won't lose hundreds of thousands rather than just tens.

Al this "but, but, but" will end up pain in the butt and with us all in a very very strict lockdown...

Please stop judging people, it's so destructive. Have we really so little humanity or imagination that we can't empathise with an elderly person sticking a lifelong routine, wanting to see a human face or needing some reading material? We cannot eliminate the risk, only lower it, and we all have to make decisions about this for ourselves. They are not being irresponsible, they are being human.

So where do you draw the line?

Going out to buy chocolate is selfish and unnecessary. It's people like this, who in my mind, are willingly spreading the virus.

It makes my blood boil!

Of course, you are 'free' to do whatever you want, and ignore gvt advice. But at this rate, because of people 'needing' chocolate, and because people have difficulty being told what to do; it will take longer to get this evil under control.

I work front line NHS. I say a prayer, every time I have to leave for work. And I have to leave for work. And I have to put my child in school.

You need to understand the intensity of the situation very quickly, before you have no choice in understanding it!

I presume MI5 will be recruiting heavily from MN when This is over.
Quite a nation of spies it seems, with people monitoring who is buying what and how many times someone is walking their dog in an isolated area.
Leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.

I'm sorry @1984looms these people saying the rules don't apply are putting others lives at risk, it's not fair, it's not right.

So why does the habit of one person mean the potential life lost of another. Also if they themselves being high risk get ill, it's a strain on the NHS.

The PM has made it clear, it's no longer allowed, sir hopefully a short period.

supposing we all ignored the request because, because, because?

If going out to buy a newspaper is not essential/banned according to the frothing mob on here then why are Newsagents on the list of shops REMAINING OPEN? Why are newspapers continuing to be printed?

Oh yeah, lest shut all the printing companies, throw all the journalists, printers, delivery drivers, etc., etc., out of work. Let's stop those who have NO access to the internet and would be unable to understand how it works from getting a daily newspaper.

Honestly, some of you would be perfect running a totalitarian state.

TheSandman I completely agree. Shopworkers are front line too and shouldn't be forgotten. Their job is absolutely vital to us all at the moment and we should be appreciative and be respectful.

Until last week, I worked in a shop which sells non-essntial items (mostly greetings cards) and until monday when the shop was finally shut down, we were really busy with zero protection. I was in tears at home because I was so scared to come to work. I hope that every employeer is now putting the safety of all their employees as a top priority. And I hope that customers start to be less selfish and more mindful that the person serving them at the till is a human being too, just as scared of the Coronavirus as everyone else.

Frankly I’d rather elderly people stay at home without reading material, then die en masse? Let’s be honest here, an 80 year old wouldn’t be prioritised for a ventilator if there aren’t enough ventilators to go around. It’s in their best interests to stay home and not risk catching the disease.

Newspapers aren’t essential, no matter how much you try to justify it.

Everyone’s lifelong routine has been disrupted. Not just the elderly. Lockdown wouldn’t be effective otherwise.

You can’t prioritise short term comforts like newspapers over something that has long term effects for them, in particular death. You have to weigh up the benefits.

@LisaSimpsonsbff - accidentally pressed 'message poster' instead of 'add message'. Not at all aggressive, just responding to your initial post claiming I was completely ignoring the instruction to go as infrequently as possible? No one should be 'popping in for bits'. Merely stating that your assumption was not the case.

Honestly, some of you would be perfect running a totalitarian state.

And there is the problem! A group of people who can't understand that this is being done to save lives!!! It applies to EVERYONE, you don't get to choose which bits you like. It's not pick and mix!

Puppy

I personally don’t think taking your dog to a secluded field twice a day (if you are talking about the thread in think you are where the OP rented a private field) is comparable to making a daily trip to the shops for newspapers/chocolate etc.

The secluded dog walking poses no risk, the frequent shopping trips do.

according to the frothing mob on here

I rather froth than cough...

Can all of you saying people here are frothing and whatever by arguing that we must stop doing bullshit for a bit go and open foreign newspaper? Or click on the world section on bbc news? Have a look and then tell us if people wanting others to sacrifice luxuries for a short while are unreasonable.

I think frequent shopping trips have been covered.
Lottery ticket not essential, having to go out every day for some kind of food because you haven't for car/freezer/supermarket without bare shelves? pretty important.
There are some awful comments on this forum currently.

They are not being irresponsible, they are being human.

No, they're being irresponsible. We've been told to go out for essentials as infrequently as possible. Popping out for some chocolate or a lottery ticket doesn't fit it that category imo.

What is it going to take for people to understand the severity of this virus? The hospitals are at breaking point. The staff are on their knees. The people working in the shops should not be having their lives put at risk because you can't follow simple, basic instructions.

And no @ShesGotBetteDavisEyes that's not the thread.

Dressing up your need to control and berate other people under the guise of not wanting people to die is not flying, this site is full of power hungry zealots who want to control and snitch on everyone at any opportunity.

I will say again - Newsagents are on the list of shops remaining open, newspaper production has not been shut down ergo the Government is not banning nor asking people not to buy newspapers.

People who stand too close need to be told at the time, and in no uncertain terms

^This. Woman in supermarket wouldn't move away from my mum the other day until a member of staff made her. Told her to make sure she has disinfectant in her basket next time and spray the refusing culprit lighthearted before anyone flames me