Should I complain or just let it go during this stressful time?

[Honeysucklecastle]

I help a 90 year old lady round the corner from me, I walk her dog every morning.
She has no family and is lonely and vulnerable.
I usually pop in when I collect the dog have a nice chat and chat again when I drop the dog back but obviously, like everyone I am socially distancing and due to her age I do not want to put her at risk so I now stand at her doorway and talk to her that way (2 meters).
Yesterday whilst I was chatting she nodded her head to get me to see behind me. The post man was standing there (not saying anything but looking very pissed off). I politely said ‘oh let me move so I can keep my distance lol’, he snapped ‘yes you must’ and rolled his eyes then proceeded to bark at the lady ‘STAND RIGHT BACK FROM THE DOOR, YOU MUST KEEP RIGHT BACK!’ and then threw the post down at her feet!
As he walked past me I said ‘Oh you could have said that a little bit nicer’ and he span round and shouted ‘I am only doing my job I NEED to socially distance myself’ and I said ‘Yes I appreciate that but you could have said it nicer!’ He carried on shouting ‘I NEED to keep my distance, my wife works in a care home, I am JUST doing my job!!’. I said that we were all in the same position and that he wasn’t the only one and I was just saying he could have been a little nicer to the old lady.
He then walked off pushing his trolley and shouted back at me ‘well you’ve obviously got out the wrong side of the bed today’!!
My lady was shocked and looked scared.
DH says I should complain to the post office but I just want to let it go, although I am so annoyed he spoke to a vulnerable 90 year old lady like that.

I would let it go. He’s in a vulnerable position and is probably encountering lots of people who aren’t being thoughtful or maintaining Social distance. It probably felt a bit on the nose for him to face criticism (even slight and justified) at this particular time.

Fuckoffcorona I won’t say anything this time as like you say he’s obviously feeling the stress but this postman is very miserable at the best of times never says hello as you pass him etc. I will just monitor it and make sure he doesn’t talk to her like that again.

Don’t complain. Let it go

My DH works in a supermarket. A woman complained about his attitude when she reached over him to grab a tin and he jumped away and shouted get back.

He is fucking terrified. He comes home every night in tears. He can't sleep. Colleagues are leaving in droves due to the anxiety and thoughtless customers. All this while the rest of the country whine about being bored stuck at home

Stress and anxiety does things to people. Cut the poor guy some slack. They've got no choice but to carry on through.

Let it go. He was probably stressed to fuck 😢

I'd let it go at the moment too, everyone's senses are heightened, he's possibly upset and afraid like we all are ...but I understand why you were annoyed.

He sounds awful. There was no need for that reaction at all.

He is the one who has to go around and be in contact with absolute idiots who have no concept of what social distancing is. He has to probably stress about what if one of those people who will infect him. I would seriously let this one go. He shouldnt have spoken that way but you and the old are sitting nice and comfortable in your own homes whilst he has to do his job.

I would let it go; I imagine it’s a very stressful job at the moment with constantly being on his guard to keep a distance. Everyone is a bit out of sorts at the moment.

Let it go. We’re not in the same position at all, he has to go to work and put himself at risk with every encounter.

I’m not going to say anything I’ll concentrate on looking after my lady, she has had a fall this morning and refusing for me to call the gp!

He was unnecessarily rude and made a fuss. Ordinarily you would be right to complain. However, I think he's probably under a lot of strain at this point (as we all are) and probably highly stressed about the many people his job entails him to come into contact with so, on this occasion, I would let it go (even though he WAS in the wrong).

He sounds like the type of arsehole who thinks he can say what he wants and then when someone tackles him on his attitude he makes out they're the one with the problem.

Is this for real? You're giving a postman a hard time about his manners?
YABVVU to even consider complaining. If you see him again, just thank him for doing his job and maybe consider apologising.

He's having to deal with people who are endangering him, and thereby his wife and the vulnerable people she cares for every day.

'Monitoring' ffs.

From everything you’ve said OP it sounds like he is very stressed and scared. Please just let it go. These aren’t normal circumstances and we have to allow everyone a little bit of extra kindness and forgiveness otherwise no one will come through this.

I can't see anything wrong with what he said and did. He is quite right and was being assertive as people are twats at the moment. He even explained why he was being assertive
As for dropping it on the floor where the hell else can he put it?? She's in the doorway!! You're in the drive. He needs to stay 2 metres back!

Poor postie. Maybe you could put a box by her door that he can put her post in. They do a great job and need our support.

As for your comment 'we are all in the same boat' unless you are working in an essential services role with 8 hours of contact with humans no you fucking aren't

He over-reacted! No need to be so rude.

I wouldn't complain, but i do think the postman was being a dick. I'm sorry, but a 90 year old person does not need shouting at.

I say this as someone who works in healthcare and I've never shouted at anyone, even when they're doing something which could cause me harm. It generally puts people in a fight or flight mode, which tends to shaft any further instruction and the ability to follow those instructions calmly
It's a stressful time, but we need to keep our humanity. Sorry you got shouted at OP and that lady. And I'm sorry that the postman feels stressed.

Yes, try to think about ways to make life easier for people doing these necessary jobs. Posties, delivery drivers, refuse collectors.

I would keep any eye on him honestly he could have said excuse me not stood there getting cross and he didnt need to scream at her

All the people saying he was out of order are you for fucking real?
For people on the front line of essential services every moment is full of stress and anxiety. They don't stop worrying when they come home. They don't sleep.
He wasn't being rude he was being direct and insistent as he should be.

Who said anything about screaming? Ffs.

I am on the frontline in healthcare. I'm stressed.
My husband is on the frontline in healthcare. He's stressed.

Neither of us would never shout at an elderly lady when polite but firm instructions will do.