To have scolded teenagers for not wearing mask and coughing?

[Iggypoppie]

On the subway yesterday a group of young teenagers we sitting together opposite me. None with masks. One boy starts coughing and saying jokingly to other passengers "I've got covid".

I saw red and shouted at them saying it wasnt funny, they should be wearing masks and it was horrible how they were showing how they didn't give a shit about other people.

But now I feel bad! Maybe the teenagers were suffering these past few months and I shouldn't have acted like the covid police 😬

YANBU - I did the right thing giving them a piece of my mind
YABU - I should've ignored them they are only young

Would you have spoken or shouted?

At what point has the word ‘deranged’ become appropriate for this post. Is it now ‘deranged’ to lose your temper?

Little shits thinking it’s funny to makes jokes about COVID with people who are effectively trapped on public transport with them deserve to be told. It’s because no one challenges people on their behaviour and this idea that we should all just move seats that we’re wandering into lockdown #2.

FYI sadpapercourtesan the teenager saying these stupid comments has no idea of the mindset of those around him and so reaps as he sows.

Well said, OP - I support you entirely.

Good for you OP. I bet everyone on the train was relieved you shut them up. Only on MN are you rude for being the only one brave enough to stand up to anti social behaviour from a bunch of idiot teens.

YANBU, not wearing masks is bad enough (the entire group exempt? Come off it ) but coughing and joking about COVID - perfectly understandable that you got upset in my view. I would want someone to tell my DS off if he did something that thoughtless. I imagine a few people on that carriage went home worried because of his 'humour' . Out of interest, how did they react?

It was none of your business but they could have at least covered their mouths when coughing. They are just teenagers though.
^
Ah well if they are JUST teenagers then they cant pass on covid (or whats your logic here?)

YANBU so you openly shared your opinion, good for you

*The verb is conjugated irregularly on MN as:

I gently mentioned
You shouted
They screamed.*

so true!

I can't believe the responses on here. You can get arrested for coughing on someone and saying you have covid.

Ok shouting at them probably wasn't the most effective way of dealing with the situation, but it's hardly a crime. I'm assuming all the people giving you shit are perfect parents and have never raised their voices to their children .

I hope you are feeling ok OP, I always feel very shook up after run ins. Nothing you can do about it now - next time try a Paddington bear hard stare instead (works for me 😉)

How did they react? You're very brave! Lockdown or no lockdown, they know verynwel they're not exempt.

If they were messing like that I think I probably would have given one of my deathful stares. Shouting at them does make you look a bit crazy, they probably just laughed about you.

One of my dss was taking a drink on the bus to school, a woman shouted at him to wear his mask he's been taught not to answer back. He continued drinking and she shouted to him that he was a selfish, ignorant, prick. She had small kids with her, no need for the abuse, I hate how short tempered people have become. If I had been there I would have slapped the head off her had a word. It seems lads are getting a hard time from the public, my dds haven't had any abuse.

I would have done the same OP, sometimes if parents aren't parenting properly, adults need to step in.

Every single person I've asked to put a mask on on public transport, has got one out of their bag and put it (sheepishly) on.

I can’t believe the responses either!! Like a pp said you can get arrested for this and people have been and fined but it’s ok, it’s teenagers they can do what they like they’ve had it hard....SO HAS EVERYONE!!! That is no reason to act like a little smart arse they should know better and if I had done something like that when I was a teenager and my parents found out there would be something said but then again teens are getting worse with their behaviour because no one challenges it.

Definitely do not feel bad op I would have done the same even with a group of adults. If you can’t or don’t wear a mask then fine none of anyone’s business but to cough and shout that warrants a bollocking IMO

They were being stupid, but teenagers often are. I wouldn’t shout at anyone on the subway, and I agree with previous posters that if you wouldn’t have shouted at a group of adults, it’s inappropriate to shout at a bunch of teenagers. Them being wrong doesn’t necessarily make you right.

Shouting was probably a bit much but I don't see why you shouldn't be able to habe a firm word with a bunch of teenagers acting like idiots. This "aw they're only teenagers you might have made them sad" attitude is why some kids feel totally entitled to behave like little gobshites.

Having said that I raised my voice at a kid at work the other day for similar. 15yo (forced) coughed in my face in the corridor without a mask then said "got covid miss, you better go home". Utterly stupid behaviour.

You were stupid because you had no idea what the response was going to be. You could have come out of this far worse than being coughed at.

Shouting instead of talking as a first response isn't normal behaviour. 🤷

One boy starts coughing and saying jokingly to other passengers "I've got covid".
They deserved to be told off. It's one thing to not wear a mask and cough. But the purpose of the comment was to get a reaction and he got one.

They may have been exempt (highly doubt they all were, what's the chance eh?!) I would have ignored that. Coughing but covered their mouth (with or without a mask) would have made me uncomfortable (but that is my issue not theirs) and wouldn't have said anything.

But joking about having covid,, whilst not wearing mask and coughing everywhere (I assume purposeful/fake?) Then I would have seen red too.

I thought children were exempt from mask wearing?

But they should have reprimanded for coughing without covering mouths and joking about covid.

FFS they were coughing and saying they had Covid.

Let's get realistic people.

This wasn't a group of downtrodden teens overly affected by Covid who were likely all exempt from wearing masks.

They were behaving in a way that could actually get them arrested. Stop excusing bad social behaviour. It's no wk see so many people have no sense of social responsibility.

I would be annoyed at the coughing and joking around about covid more than the no masks. It's highly unlikely they were all exempt but who knows? But the joking about covid and coughing would boil me too!!

Don't worry about it op. I wouldn't have been happy either. Don't feel guilty.

@MomToTwoBabas

You were rude OP. I see a group of woman looked about in their 40s none with masks I didn't scream at them. Poor kids. My son was 6ft at 12 years old hes also high functioning autism but does go out with his mates hes made silly comments like that when hes coughed you shouting at him would have put him on a right downer.

Don't be so ridiculous 🙄

My ds has autism too and if he did something so socially unacceptable and stupid (he is actually mask except though) I'd hope someone would tell him firmly.

If he was "on a downer" I'd hope that meant it had had an effect and he wouldn't do or say something so utterly stupid again.

But my ds is yet unable to travel alone - so anyone able to do such a thing would be expected to know how to behave appropriately.

I'd expect the same from da when accompanied.

Some of the responses on here totally explain their behaviour.

I'd have told them off too op, a whole group of teens exempt - doubtful; and coughing at people and saying I've got covid was a dick move. They'd have got my very pissed off teacher voice.

I actually think you were right. And to the posters acting if they would challenge an adult in the same way - Yes I would!
Anyone who is acting like this, pretending to spread a disease that has killed thousands and ruined the lives of thousands more needs a good bollocking!

@itsgettingweird

FFS they were coughing and saying they had Covid.

Let's get realistic people.

This wasn't a group of downtrodden teens overly affected by Covid who were likely all exempt from wearing masks.

They were behaving in a way that could actually get them arrested. Stop excusing bad social behaviour. It's no wk see so many people have no sense of social responsibility.

But teenagers are exempt. So I have been told. Only over 18s have to wear mask unless they exempt for medical reasons