Saying Thank You

[Bexyp45]

My daughter and I were on a walk today. One of the pavements we were walking down is very narrow and is next to a fairly busy road. A couple in their 50s/60s were walking towards us, so we moved and walked in the road - safely. The couple did not acknowledge us or Thank us which really pissed me off. I actually called after them - "a thank you would be nice". No response. On our way home we were faced with other pedestrians. Either we moved or they did and in every instance Thanks was exchanged. Was I right to be pissed off at the first couple? Am I right to think that we should try to be a little kinder in this scary climate?

In my experience very, very few people say thank you when I've been the one to move/go into shitty grass verges or the road (otherwise would have been too close!).

It's the exception that people have manners! People are mostly arseholes.

It’s not kind to shout at strangers demanding thanks

I mean they were rude but you were weird and passive aggressive.

Do minor things always rile you up like that? Or is it just the lockdown situation making you react differently.

It’s not that deep, relax

Shouting passive aggressive comments at strangers is far ruder

I think you were rude in honestly. Yes an acknowledgement would’ve been nice but you moved out the way for them, not like you stopped to help pick up something they dropped. You should do kind things to be kind rather because you expect gratitude and shout after people who don’t provide that.

Am I right to think that we should try to be a little kinder in this scary climate?

Absolutely. So don't shout after other people. Someone not saying "thanks" when you have moved out of the way is small fry compared with calling passive aggressive things after them.

OP, it is frustrating I agree. The way I'm trying to look at it is, everyone is stressed and behaving in ways they wouldn't do normally. But YANBU

Maybe they’re just anxious and quiet in the current situation? Wary of how aggressive people can be and avoiding interaction?

I will never understand this need to demand thanks for such minor things. I witnessed similar on a zebra crossing recently, a driver shouting for not being thanked- for following the rules of the road.

I’m not always on my guard to thank people, maybe I’m lost in my own thoughts, not being aware of my surroundings. I’ve had people like you before about about not getting their recognition before, it’s really unnerving.

If you don’t want to move then don’t. Or just move because you want to and their reaction doesn’t matter because you moved because you wanted to.

I think its ruder not to say thanks in the first place

Especially now

Am I right to think that we should try to be a little kinder in this scary climate

Yes, so practice what you preach

To be honest I want people to open their mouths as infrequently as possible in this climate.

YABU to shout at people who didn't say thank you, part of good manners is making allowances for others when they aren't perfect. They could have been deep in conversation, worried, who knows.

Everyone says thank you here

They absolutely should have said thank you. I’m fed up with weird hostility at present. Perhaps better to not shout at them afterwards as unfortunately I don’t think it’ll change people.