To tell you about the muppets I've seen

[EverdeRose]

Due to an increasing amount of time stuck inside or queuing for milk and bread I thought I'd share some of the idiots I've seen since lockdown started.

Man walking his dog in a gas mask, dog had a face mask on too.

Family of 6 shopping in asda, all had a trolley to comply with the 1 trolley 1 person rule.

Woman in asda spraying dettol on loose carrots before she packed them.

What else have we seen?

I think there are always crazy people around doing crazy things every day, but now we are self isolating most people have too much time on their hands and so get over invested in what other people are doing. Some of the observations of others on this thread go into such minute detail of what they’re seeing they must have been taking notes. The report line where you can report someone you think is breaking the rules is apparently very busy. Along the lines of ‘...my neighbour has already been out on a run today, and has just set off on her 2nd....’. This environment is creating a lot of curtain twitchers!

I'm not impressed by this thread at all.
I usually do 20k steps a day at work and then a five mile hike with dogs. Am currently trying to train my dogs to run alongside me as I cycle (or at least not cross in front of me) It's not going well, I've fallen off a dozen times.
This is all in aid of getting my time outside to a minimum. Instead of taking hours to walk 20k steps (with dogs) my thought was an hour on a bike = me and dogs done.
It's either that or get fat. I love my food and I wont give it up til I have to.
Apparently people will laugh at me and post my dismal attempts on here and Facebook.
Thanks for that. Trying to make people feel bad, hope you all feel fabulous about yourselves.

I think this thread was meant to be fun and lighthearted. For some people, the tension of lockdown is getting to them and sense of humours have waned.

Watching the way one poster will attack the OP, which then gives a weird confidence for others to do the same but getting gradually worse, reminds me of the performance artist Marina Abramovic.

Google her Rhythm O piece. It's SO interesting the way mob mentality works and what people did to her.

This sounds wanky and high brow, it isn't. But the psychology of it is fascinating and something mirrored in the Mumsnet 'pile-ons'.

@BearSoFair that's hilarious :D

Still laughing about the poor dog.
Like pp said 'first genuine laughter in days '
No one is down playing the seriousness of this but laughter is the best medicine for stress.

I wouldn't laugh in his face (dog and man in masks ) or tell them not to but it would look funny - yhe dog.

its ridiculous how offended people have got. the OP never said you couldnt exercise, she mused someone doing it in flip flops. she puzzled over someone spraying carrots with detol and a dog wearing a bloody face mask and moreover she has actually already stated this was meant to be lighthearted.

not okay for the OP to have a giggle to herself about someone spraying carrots with detol but totally okay for this thread to now be on 7 pages of a large majority giving the OP shit.

actually feel sorry for @EverdeRose I really dont think she meant for it to be twisted, think she was trying to lighten the whole CV situation because if we dont laugh we'd cry. noone is using anxiety against anyone - bullshit excuse I have anxiety and OCD and wouldnt expect special treatment if I did something muppety.

all need to get off your high horses. maybe start a thread called "I am outraged" and list all the things you're offended by today

@cherrybunx0
if we dont laugh we'd cry. noone is using anxiety
This
Thank you

But the psychology of it is fascinating and something mirrored in the Mumsnet 'pile-ons'.

If you think there has been a 'pile on' on this thread, you must have only been reading very tame MN threads in the past. People are just expressing an opinion that is in contrast to the OP's - surely this is allowed on a discussion board!

not okay for the OP to have a giggle to herself about someone spraying carrots with detol

But OP is not having a giggle to herself, she (or he!) is posting on an internet forum and spreading a sneery negative attitude - which is totally their prerogative, but it is an open forum which is inviting others to pass their comments too 🤷‍♀️

People who say they are isolating at home but go to the supermarket to shop and comment how busy it is.. well you are not isolating then are you!
Similar to others the Facebook - stay at home post - then posting about outings at the beach or park!
Sharing stupid 'a NHS doctor said this, it's true read and share' followed by ridiculous suggestions and 'advice' … with comments of 'great advice thanks' by equally dumb friends.. I'm sure we have all seen some of the stupid advice... why not just stick to NHS and government advice?

@CeibaTree I dont think it comes across sneery at all, I think it comes across as light humour but we will have to agree to disagree.

I probably look ridiculous atm doing some of the exercise i am in my garden. my partner came out yesterday actually and said "wtf are you doing ya nutter" - reality check hes mocking me yes but hes not doing it to sneer at me and neither does he really think I'm a nutter.

sorry, I just cant get worked up over this when it's so clearly not intended to be offensive

Not one moment of a lie....

We live overseas. Until last week we were still aloud to go to the beach...where we saw a man walking his 2 x cheetah's ( don't say it, I know, I know and I agree!!!) and his brother had a snake on a leash (again, yes, I know, I agree!!) and a falcon.

I stood there for a moment thinking

A) Shit, where do I go from here?

B) what the AF? I swear no one at home would believe but, yep, 100% true!

agree @cherrybunx0

people should lay off the OP x

cherrybunx0 I wouldn't say anyone is (or comes across as) particularly worked up - I think we are all just passing time :)
Fair enough about your partner mocking you but not in a sneery way - if he then posted about it on the internet to try and get strangers to agree with him that you looked ridiculous though that would be a completely different matter. Anyway everyone has different senses of humour I guess!

ceiba it literally wouldnt bother me but I dont easily offend or embarrass which is probably why I'm not understanding how so many have missed the point if the thread

but yes everyone has a different sense of humour

My mum is in her 70s, @MaJoady
Do you think she shouldn’t be ‘popping my into Boots to get medicine, or M&S for food because they were generally better stocked than Sainsbury’s?
How you can tell the difference between ‘popping in without a care in the word’ and ‘buying essential food’?

A lot of the people wearing gas masks and putting masks on dogs etc are just hoping to end up famous on SM.

I don't blame people for walking around with golf clubs, there's an element who go out looking to stand close to other people. Personally i think cattle prods should be made available.

I'm all for learning to do new things. At 19, I decided that it was high time to learn to ride a bike. So I went off to Halfords, bought the cheapest bike that fit me with my first payday from my student job and that weekend, duely set off to learn to ride my new bike.

I went off to some quiet private roads and set about the business of co-ordinating pedals and balancing. The first mile, gently uphill went well. I didn't really know what to do with the gears so ignored them...

The mile back down the hill showed me why gears are useful... the bike rapidly gained momentum and gingerly applying the brakes in terror was not very effective at restoring any control. The last bit of the road dipped as it went round a bend... fortunately there were no oncoming vehicles as I careered wildly straight on, ploughing into the opposite kerb and straight over the handle bars. The only harm done was a scrape on top of my shoes and a slight dent to my pride, outweighed by the delight that I had actually managed to ride the bike at all

So, kudos to anyone getting/ keeping fit, but please if diversifying be cautious. Use proper equipment (flip flops really are stupidity for any activity more onerous than walking poolside, and I have seen the flipflop and carrier brigade up mountains) and be aware that different muscle groups may feel the pressure, so dial it back and build it up gently and safely.

How about the 'muppets' on MN.

Over 70s aren't allowed to walk outside.

The NHS have cancelled 'everything' except COVID treatment.

The ONLY permitted outside exercise is walking, running or cycling.

You are only to buy essential food items. Nothing else. (What is essential or seems to be dependent on the MNetter telling you off).

You're not allowed to sit on a bench in a park.

You can get the Police to come out if you think your neighbour has gone out more than once in a day.

The Police can check your shopping to see if its essential or not.

You are only allowed out once a day max.

The Police will fine you if they see you go to a shop more than once.

You should not send letters to lonely family members because of COVID risk.

It goes on and on.

its ridiculous how offended people have got. the OP never said you couldnt exercise, she mused someone doing it in flip flops. she puzzled over someone spraying carrots with detol and a dog wearing a bloody face mask and moreover she has actually already stated this was meant to be lighthearted.

I like a laugh with the best of them but calling people 'muppets' and 'idiots' isn't particularly funny is it?

These people shall be declared to be covidiots

I think instead of focusing on idiots, why don't we acknowledge the fact that the overwhelming majority of people are being sensible? I firmly believe that, while we aren't all perfect, most of us are decent people who try to do the right thing most of the time.

@JunkshopLil soz but the examples the OP has used they're probably being let off easily being called muppets.

woman riding bike in flip flops - reckless and dangerous, could cause injury to herself and others if were to loose control due to incorrect footwear.

dog wearing face mask - cruel to dog and completely unnecessary. as already stated further up can restrict breathing in some breeds.

family of 6 going into shop - unnecessary and has been asked to stop due to COVID spread.

woman spraying carrots - cant imagine anti bacterial is a particularly wise thing to ingest.

sorry you missed the point of the thread and I'm even more sorry it had to be explained why the OP has, well, got a point.

@AutumnRose1
Thank you too.
The finger licking thing happened on Friday and I ended up going home early cos I felt sick and weird until I got home, after that I felt fine. I reckon I had a panic attack and it's no wonder with idiots like that!

@Winterwoollies

reminds me of the performance artist Marina Abramovic. Google her Rhythm O piece. It's SO interesting the way mob mentality works and what people did to her.

Rhythm 0 is a later incarnation of Yoko Ono’s ‘ Cut Piece' and (in a way) the infamous The Stanford prison experiment.

Its temping to say these show something fundamental about the human condition that explains the Nazis and 90% of Twitter, but what it really shows is that all those horror films are right, and for some people civilisation is a very thin veneer over something dark, amoral and violent that the safety anonymous internet brings to the surface.

It also shows that Boudin was right, and power will always be abused

@cherrybunx0

The OP didn’t just “muse”
She called them “idiots”