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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why people can't just look simple things up?

168 replies

CornflakeMum · 01/09/2020 20:49

We live in an age when it's never been easier to find out information - by googling or asking Siri/ Alexa etc.

Yet it seems our local area Facebook groups and all my WhatsApp groups are full of questions which people could have easily (and probably more quickly) answered for themselves, rather than clogging up social media feeds.

Just today I've seen:

  • Is there a post office in the town?
  • Do M&S sell cloth face masks?
  • Anyone know what time B&Q opens?
  • Does the bus stop on XYZ road?

and in my Book Group WhatsApp

  • What's the date of the next meeting? - by someone who posted that 'the next meeting is xth Sept' herself about a month ago, with the book we'd chosen!

Is it laziness or stupidity or what? Why can't they just search for themselves?
AIBU??

OP posts:
SisterAgatha · 02/09/2020 09:19

I am a very proficient google and even I asked this question the other day about a specific route to a place in London because it’s one of those with 8 different ways of getting there and tfl route planner only gave me the most boring. I got lots of helpful suggestions about the more interesting routes, but obviously this wasn’t phrased in a helpless kind of way, I know London well and didn’t need the route. I just needed the most fun one Grin

LonelyFromCorona · 02/09/2020 09:20

"What bin is getting emptied tomorrow please" literally every week....

Literally search "city name + bin collection" and the council website lets you put in your postcode, tells you what is collected next and gives you a full list for the rest of the year....

Alternatively, look out your door and see which ones your neighbours have put out.

Original poster
CornflakeMum · 02/09/2020 09:26

@LonelyFromCorona

"What bin is getting emptied tomorrow please" literally every week....

Literally search "city name + bin collection" and the council website lets you put in your postcode, tells you what is collected next and gives you a full list for the rest of the year....

Alternatively, look out your door and see which ones your neighbours have put out.

^This!

Saw a funny post about whether you’re a ‘bin leader’ or a ‘bin follower’!
We’re definitely the former Blush and have the council timetable printed out on the kitchen notice board. One of our neighbours complained when we went on holiday because they didn’t know which bins to put out and missed the garden waste collection GrinConfused

OP posts:
serialreturner · 02/09/2020 09:28

@CornflakeMum

Totally agree - your time is worth so much less than mine so you can do the grunt work (basic google +)

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 02/09/2020 09:33

Or alternatively, they are asking things which people will know off the top of their heads
'yes it's recycling tomorrow, i'm just doing mine now'
'no our M&S doesn't sell cloth masks I was in there yesterday and they told me'
'school is back on Thursday - yep I know it's confusing as we have a baker day and other schools don't but hey, I can never get my head around it'
'just had my kitchen redone by joe bloggs yesterday he's very reliable and did a great job'

I don't think anyone is expecting someone else to do google research that they don't want to...
Let's be honest, we all do have time to waste on the internet because here we are.

saturdaymorning · 02/09/2020 09:43

School reopened this morning. We was told to drop your child off and walk straight out of the gates, no hanging about but NO... parents clogging the classroom area asking about PE Kits and dinners and collection times. We all got a letter and if we didn't it's all on the school website so if your one of those mums who thinks it's ok to stand at the classroom blocking the way of kids that are upset about going back in the first place just think about this and either look on the school website or ring the school as I did this morning. The information is out there and we all have internet access one way or another 🙄🤬

dooratheexplorer · 02/09/2020 09:45

Pure laziness.

I worked as a PA for a long time. The sheer laziness and amount of mopping up I had to do used to astound me. Thank god I am out of it.

Benjispruce2 · 02/09/2020 09:47

It’s on MN constantly!

Benjispruce2 · 02/09/2020 09:48

@saturdaymorning yes, yes, this drives us mad(school staff), there’s ALWAYS been an email and letter!!! Grrrrr

AlphaJura · 02/09/2020 10:13

I know a few people on fb who ask for 'favours'. 'Has anyone got a bike pump?', 'can someone give me a lift back from town later?', 'I'm stuck in with the kids, can anyone go to the shop for me?' Now, I know every now and then we have to ask people favours, but surely you can call a few people you know and ask personally, rather than plastering up every single request for all to see.

Jimjimminy · 02/09/2020 10:15

Totally agree. But then you have to remember - 50% of the population have an IQ under 100. Then these kind of things start to make a bit more sense

LonelyFromCorona · 02/09/2020 10:16

@AlphaJura

I know a few people on fb who ask for 'favours'. 'Has anyone got a bike pump?', 'can someone give me a lift back from town later?', 'I'm stuck in with the kids, can anyone go to the shop for me?' Now, I know every now and then we have to ask people favours, but surely you can call a few people you know and ask personally, rather than plastering up every single request for all to see.
The lifts! I know a few like this - "can anyone give me a lift to the hospital please"

.... err bus? taxi? ask your mum who lives 5 mins away and drives?

Why a public status on facebook!?

LonelyFromCorona · 02/09/2020 10:18

@CornflakeMum Regarding bins, the local councillors on our community group have recently started trying to score some Brownie points with constituents by posting every Thursday with reminders of what bins are emptied, what to do with excess recycling that won't fit etc....

Still get the questions though, if someone hasn't spotted the councillor post (or its not worth their own time and effort to spend 30 seconds on google/council site)....

AlphaJura · 02/09/2020 10:20

A lot of it isn't even emergencies. It's things I wouldn't even dream of asking. Like they are getting their car MOT'd and need a lift there or home. If it was me, I'd just walk! (It is walking distance). The mind boggles. Confused

honeylulu · 02/09/2020 10:25

The ones that can't even be bothered too fashion a question make me laugh.

I saw this recently. "Hi mum's [sic] where can I get a birthday cake". Lots of responses suggesting "a shop?"

Desperado24 · 02/09/2020 10:28

@Jimjimminy

Totally agree. But then you have to remember - 50% of the population have an IQ under 100. Then these kind of things start to make a bit more sense
Somebody posted this earlier.

It’s a phrase bandied about by people who think they are smart and want to appear smart to other by making others appear stupid.

It actually makes them look stupid because anyone with half a grasp of maths and statistics can immediately see it’s not true

LEELULUMPKIN · 02/09/2020 10:32

I've come to the conclusion that the sort of people who do this are those who still use Travel Agents to book holidays.

Namechangr9000 · 02/09/2020 10:32

On our local fb page someone often asks for recommendations for example , an optician, or a hair dresser, both of which we have multiples of in the town. Usually 20 people reply nearly all saying something different....and you are no better off than not asking!
The other thing is people asking for a bespoke ite., or service that they need by friday for example. As if there will be a decent cake maker/decorator/dressmaker that has no orders or business more than a day ahead and is sitting waiting for someone to ask them!

mrsBtheparker · 02/09/2020 10:33

It happens on here too!

Doesn't it just! I'm amazed that some people on here can decide what knickers to pick out of the drawer without seeking advice on MN!

SBTLove · 02/09/2020 10:41

The IQ comment is irrelevant, one of my DD is brilliant academically and has a 135IQ but asks questions that amaze me as I think she should know, peoples brains work differently esp with reading timetables/charts.
Questions like where to buy a cake is maddening and is attention seeking.

Original poster
CornflakeMum · 02/09/2020 11:00

On the bin front:

To wonder why people can't just look simple things up?
OP posts:
DragonPie · 02/09/2020 11:06

The worst I find is my local mums fb page, I swear none of them can do anything without asking for a recommendation first. Some of it is so random.

FlamingoAndJohn · 02/09/2020 11:21

I think the difference between questions people as on here and the questions on fb is that the ones on here are often more of a moral choice whereas ‘what times does Tesco shut’ is a fact that could be found out through google or calling Tesco.

FlamingoAndJohn · 02/09/2020 11:30

It was often the case though.
Before the internet I used to work in a shop when bank holiday and Sunday opening was not so common. We used to open Sunday, bank holidays, Boxing Day etc.
All day we used to get phone calls asking if other shops in town were open. No even near by shops, I could almost understand if it was the shop opposite for example.
I got very shirty woman on the phone once who couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t leave the shop I worked in and walk two streets away to see if M&S open. The fact they weren’t answering the phone wasn’t good enough.

MilerVino · 02/09/2020 13:08

But then you have to remember - 50% of the population have an IQ under 100. Then these kind of things start to make a bit more sense

Going by this thread, I'd say around 50% of the population do not understand how IQ is measured or how averages are calculated. Of course this statement could be untrue because it's not from a statistically relevant dataset and then there's my own observation bias. Still, an awful lot of people are rather clueless.