Was I AIBU to walk out of supermarket.

[Witchcraftandhokum]

I went to a supermarket which isn't my usual one today. There was a queue outside, but it moved pretty fast and was ably managed by staff who were also helpfully cleaning trollies. All well and good. However, inside was a different matter, it felt really busy and barely any of the customers (the majority of which were waring face masks) were adhering to the social distancing rules. I had a woman reach round me to get something and people were passing really close.

I got to the end with of an aisle which was blocked by 3 members of staff 2 of the large trollies they use to stack shelves. I couldn't safely pass so I turned around and tried to go up the next aisle which was empty and was loudly told off my a member of staff for not following the arrows, I tried to explain that I couldn't get up the other aisle but he just walked off. At that point I picked my shopping bags out of my trolley and walked out. Was I unreasonable.

Sorry OP, saw you didn't have a full trolley, just lemons and a card.

Erm, try getting a slot. Do you not think they should be left for the shielded or do you not give a shit as long as you can get your shop without going out?

So you've tried to take a shielded spot? Selfish then! My DH and I are able to independently shop, get wants needed and not abuse the staff by calling them names!

Nice way to speak to a person about their DH btw, classy. Should I get ducks in a row and leave him eh? Because he walks round a Supermarket list or not and forgets half of it as he hates queues. And again, nice to assume their isn't a reason why he forgets stuff.

Nice way you talk about supermarket staff, they're someone's DH, DS and DD but it's ok for you to do?

Write him a list, pen and paper is all it takes!!

If I worked in a supermarket at the moment I would be pretty pissed off if I had to take back the contents of somebodies entire trolley. That said, I have left my shopping in a supermarket a couple of times when I was unwell and had to leave quickly so I understand their are mitigating circumstances. I do find that shopping now everybody is reaching over me etc. A lot more than they were initially. People don't really give a shit.

Bit out of order to leave a full trolley for the staff to have to put back

You’re extremely unlikely to catch the rona from literally walking past someone

Some people are just not going to adhere no matter what I am afraid op and there is little that can be done about it. I am from near a town that features regularly on the news about possible local lockdown. The story locally is that it is because there is more testing here. Well that might account for some of it but not 4 x the national average. The reality is street parties, house parties, meet ups, groups of kids out and about as per usual from the beginning. Latest was a large rally in a local car park as a protest with people shaking hands with a very controversial character.

Only this morning on the news have scientists come out and said they would not have chosen to loosen the lockdown at this stage because our rates of infection are at 2000 compared to germany's 400. It is still too high.

However, I digress. I think you maybe need to change your supermarket. I have found Aldi okay - no arrows in there just common sense distancing. In Asda, which I find the worst, a man actually leaned over me to get something from a shelf. I told him to move away and he looked shocked. I think some people think if they are masked up, then they are ok and sod everyone else.

YANBU OP. Shopping is particularly stressful at the moment. Sounds like you’d reached your limit.

I do my weekly shop every sat morning and it’s generally well managed. However, I felt the rage come over me last week as a couple refused to even try to stick to the 2m thing (the irony was he was wearing gloves too-what good are they going to do?!) and going down the aisles the wrong way. They even started kissing in the cheese aisle. What did they think the Tesco shop was -fucking date night?!!!.

I’m normally a live and let live kind of person but their behaviour gave me the rage. I was so close to saying something to them about their lack of social distancing towards others but so glad I didn’t. They would probably have filmed it and sent it to the Daily Mail.

We are in such weird times at the moment and most of us are trying hard to adapt our behaviour. When we see people who can’t be arsed no matter how small the risks are to us, it is annoying!

@understandmenow

Erm, try getting a slot. Do you not think they should be left for the shielded or do you not give a shit as long as you can get your shop without going out?

So you've tried to take a shielded spot? Selfish then! My DH and I are able to independently shop, get wants needed and not abuse the staff by calling them names!

Nice way to speak to a person about their DH btw, classy. Should I get ducks in a row and leave him eh? Because he walks round a Supermarket list or not and forgets half of it as he hates queues. And again, nice to assume their isn't a reason why he forgets stuff.

Nice way you talk about supermarket staff, they're someone's DH, DS and DD but it's ok for you to do?

Write him a list, pen and paper is all it takes!!

Who said I tried to take a shielded slot? Christ! I said I firmly believe slots for online should be available to those who desperately need them, not those who can't be bothered to walk round a Supermarket. Considering most people unless shielded or in an at risk age bracket will barely even register symptoms, I think the mass hysteria needs to end now. As I said I've not done any online shopping for months and months actually.

I've just come back from Waitrose. All very clean and well organised. All shoppers very polite and careful to socially distance. But the "manager", man who was in charge of sending people to the right tills, was frolicking about all over the place, not social distancing from either staff or customers (he came and stood right next to me and had a chat with the till operator), all the time giving a loud running commentary on how stressful it all was. He was annoying.

OP I would have gritted my teeth and cracked on, but shopping is very stressful atm.

I thoroughly recommend the Sainsbury's smart app, its great.

Rationally speaking, the quicker gene mutation and immunity happens, the better it is. It is impossible to expect people to carry on socially distanced lives forever. Our infrastructure wasn’t built with 2m in mind. Are people going to be expected to slow down forever? No. So either you accept that complete social distancing is not going to happen in public or you don’t go out.

OP. You left a trolley in people's way and added to the chaos. You need to calm down.

Seeing as you asked "have you tried to book an olive slot", I assume you have @LadyofTheManners?

No comment on the fact you're calling other people's DHS little shits, muppets and nutters? That's ok is it, but you don't want people calling your DH a muppets?

Supermarkets are the worst. People have no clue and are unwilling to wait a minute to let people pass. I've seen staff pacing up and down the narrow aisle of the self service tills, looking bored. I don't blame you for just abandoning your shopping.

At least super market staff are working and doing there part in this and paying taxes. As I know I am. I'd love to be at home and not risking my health so customers can buy food. Supermarket staff dont think much of ignorant customers and yes we will say something to customers who dont follow the signs in supermarkets. Staff cannot always follow the arrows as we have to work down the aisles to get the food onto the shelves. So customers can keep clear of staff and not always practical for staff to keep clear. Also the cages are pretty heavy and cannot be always put out the way. I'd customers want products I'm sorry you got to lump it. Staff are not doing it in purpose there just thing to get there job done quickly and safely as possible.

We don't bother 'socially distancing' from each other in my shop. It's so small that if we are out in the warehouse stacking cages from the delivery, we could only have two at a time if we had to stay 2m away from one another, and the tills are closer together than that. So we've become a bit blase about distancing. You aren't likely to catch anything from anyone you walk past, unless they breathe on you.

I agree with SpiritEssence, Customers complain if we're on the shop floor stacking shelves, but they also complain if there's nothing on the shelves or if we have to shut the shop to work the delivery so there is something on the shelves. We can't win.

@MMN123

**If it's any consolation, the mask she is wearing protects you from her far more than it protects her from you - so if she has the virus the mask makes it less likely you will catch it but if you have the virus, then by coming close she is still likely to catch it from you.

Amusing, no ;-)

For those scoffing at the mask wearers, they are being altruistic. They are spending their hard earned money on masks that protect you from them, not them from you. And if everyone took the same approach, we would all be better off. **

Hmm as much as I’d like to be wrong, I don’t believe most people wear masks with their main goal being to protect others.....

You’re right, in that it’s probably more beneficial to others when people wear masks, but I certainly don’t think that’s the initial intention of them choosing to wear them...

I wear a mask and tbh I wear it hoping it protects me ( I understand what the science says but I'm being purely selfish in my optimism)- you're not at the forefront of my mind.At all.

You were not unreasonable to walk out if you felt uncomfortable/at risk. However, just abandoning your shopping is rude and wasteful. Any fresh stuff you had in there would likely have to be binned, as the shop can't take the health risk, and any other stuff would have to be sorted out by a member of staff, taking them away from more important work.

In this case, you probably should have just sucked it up and got on with it.

@Starcup
I agree it’s likely not the intention of many. Which is why it amuses me that the woman encroaching was wearing a mask and likely feeling invincible as a result, when actually she was protecting the person she was encroaching upon more than herself!

But I do think we should all wear masks, for the greater good.

@spied
If everyone does the same as you, then you are protected. So keep going! It really is like the prisoners dilemma but those determined to be ‘brave’ and ignore social distancing are being twats!

@Betty98
Thank you - ditto

“You say they’re minimising the risk and are suggesting people are doing it because they’re frightened, which is jumping to a few conclusions in an attempt to belittle people.”
Deliberately so and specifically at one person, partly to make a point but also because in that specific case I think it’s likely true. Shop workers or care staff or carers of extended family must take calculated risks. But nothing in the point being made by needamanicure suggested any calculated risk, it was blanket a dismissal of anyone ‘fearful’ of the virus and often that extreme response is as a result of unresolved issues in oneself.

“Don’t be patronising, clearly others have carried out their own risk assessment and decided that passing someone in a supermarket is acceptable. What you are suggesting isn’t minimising risk, it seems to be suggesting we eradicate that risk completely.”
No, coming into close contact with someone against scientific advice involves two people not one. So someone else’s risk assessment is not relevant to me. By overruling scientific advice with their own assessment they are also forcing me to accept their assessment. I don’t. Maybe we need badges like those ‘Baby on Board’ ones. ‘Stay the fuck away’ and ‘I’m not bothered, come on by’ so consent is clear!

“I genuinely believe it would be impossible for everyone in the country to access everything they needed/wanted in the supermarket if no one came within 2m of each other. There’s only so many hours in the day and only so many square meter of supermarket flooring. Perhaps the fact that it definitely hasn’t happened is evidence enough?”
I disagree but also have no evidence! But I think it’s impatience that is the issue, nothing more. Yes things might take a bit longer at peak times but people would soon adjust their timing (when they shop) or their expectations (of how long it takes at peak times).

“Because instead of lightly brushing off the incident, she has retold the story to the world.”
There isn’t much going on in life at present. I think folks can be forgiven for posting about the more mundane. Some are criticising the posting of it but the person I directed my comments at, who I really do think is masking serious anxiety issues, was criticising the entire principle of not ignoring the virus and instead promoting braveness as an effective antiviral solution. Which is where I take exception!

@understandmenow

Seeing as you asked "have you tried to book an olive slot", I assume you have *@LadyofTheManners*?

No comment on the fact you're calling other people's DHS little shits, muppets and nutters? That's ok is it, but you don't want people calling your DH a muppets?

Nope, I didn't even attempt as a) I'm not a selfish person who despite being capable and not in a risk group, still decides they are more important than those who are and whinges constantly that they have to wake up at 3am to get one and b) I'm able bodied and sitting indoors for months is boring as shit so if it means I get out the house legitimately without having the police bitch me for it then great stuff.

I said it was bringing the little shits out in people, they usually only get to boss employees around bit now the mask is slipping of customer politeness and they get the opportunity to boss everyone with an excuse they are working to help the curve.
I've seen lots of shop employees doing exactly that though without the need to patronise and shout at customers. I've worked retail including management, trust me, these people are a nightmare of self importance when they're probably the laziest employee of all.

I said it was bringing the little shits out in people, they usually only get to boss employees around bit now the mask is slipping of customer politeness and they get the opportunity to boss everyone with an excuse they are working to help the curve.
I've seen lots of shop employees doing exactly that though without the need to patronise and shout at customers. I've worked retail including management, trust me, these people are a nightmare of self importance when they're probably the laziest employee of all.

You also called them nutters and muppets! Abnd now they're lazy! I've also worked retail and management, I kept my staff motivated and keen, I'm not surprised your staff didn't perform, who would work for you with your attitude. And everyone that works in retail has come across nasty vile customers like you.

Yeah and with every little shit that's serving you is a par of useless little muppets that can't shop alone .... and then whinge and moan that they're told not to only come in alone, let your DH sit in the car while you shop?

PATHETIC! You managed during full lockdown and now you have up clog up the shops going together.

Yabu to make extra work for a staff member (putting your shopping back)

Wow @understandmenow
Who pissed in your tea this morning

Who said I didn't motivate staff? I didn't stand for people who put their bossy boots on of a morning no, and I refute the suggestion I'm a nasty vile customer. I just don't appreciate someone jumping in my face and chatting like I'm a child, patronising people is a huge nope for me in any profession. He lacked respect and worse yet lacked knowledge of how to affectively social distance. Blocking up both aisles and making customers launch shopping to each other is ridiculous. Remember, householders don't need to socially distance from each other, it's utterly pointless when we love together.

@LadyofTheManners
I said it was bringing the little shits out in people,

No you didn't, you said

Some Supermarket staff seem to be really showing what little shits they are

You have memory issues allso?