Shouted at for not wearing my mask outside 😔

[Dandylioness1]

I took my son for a walk at lunch time.
We drove to a nearby park that I haven’t been to many times before.

We were walking and the path became very Narrow.

A couple were walking towards me, it was impossible for us to pass with a 2m
distance it was more like 1m.

It was such a brief encounter and I’d passed other people on the same path with no concerns.

However the female in this couple put her hand out and told me to stop, she began to shout at me for not wearing my mask.

She told me I must not walk past her unless I have my mask on as I’m putting her at risk and I’m ignorant. ☹️

I did have my mask in my bag but I’ve never worn it outside before and especially if it’s just a brief passing, as this was.

The woman was so bloody rude to me I could feel myself getting upset.

I put my mask on and they walked past us.


The thing is they wouldn’t have been face to face with me and it was such a short time for them to pass me.

I honestly feel so upset about this and it’s the first time anyone has ever refused to walk past me outdoors because I don’t have a mask on.

Am I in the wrong?

[flaviaritt]

Although she had no right to demand it I think the best thing was to do what they want, de-escalate the situation and go on with your day.

Why? She’s not a hostage.

[stschiap]

Ridiculous. People have completely lost the plot. I find the way people are behaving far more worrying than Corona itself. That woman was being absolutely ridiculous and shouting at you about the mask is unacceptable.
I wouldn't have put the mask on, nor engaged in any discussion. I would have just said no and continued walking (off the path if necessary). She could shout and scream all she liked but she was being unreasonable.

[smeerf]

I am one of those people who wears masks outside, specifically on my walk to work. It's because when I was walking on that route a few months ago, a maskless woman beckoned me over to her car and proceeded to ask me where the covid testing facility was (we were standing outside it) while breathing all over me. I now treat anyone I see on that route as though they definitely have it, and give them a wide berth. However this is my decision and my hang up, if it's too narrow to pass by someone else, I am the one who backs up and gives room as I'm the one with the issue.

[tobee]

@FourTeaFallOut

I don't see why you have to apologise to a bunch of strangers for being intimidated and putting your mask on. It was the path of least resistance and I can see why you did it. I'm the opposite and I'd hold my ground - then, hours later, I'd have to have a good long think about what I achieved by proving a point to a crazy person.

I agree! Why are so many on this site just loving to give people a slating?

Obviously op and I are the only people who
find responding to real life intimidation difficult

[DressingGownofDoom]

Remember the first lockdown when people all took pictures of each other doing shocking things likes not wearing masks or touching things in shops and not buying them etc. Sounds like she hasn't been out of the house since then. What a weirdo. At least it's not just you OP because you can guarantee no one else she met on her walk would have had a mask on either.

[RaspberryCoulis]

You were not in the wrong.

She is an arse. If she is so concerned, and determined to impose her own version of the ROOLZ on other people, then what's she doing walking on a path.?

[Dandylioness1]

@midsomermurderess

You know you aren't. Stop with this craving for validation.

@midsomermurderess

I’m not “craving” validation.

I genuinely have been wondering if I’m in the wrong.

It doesn’t bother me passing someone on a path even if there’s sufficient distance for a very brief time.

I thought maybe I was being too relaxed and I should’ve worn a mask.

[Kaliorphic]

Fuck that, I'd have just kept walking.

[tobee]

@midsomermurderess

You know you aren't. Stop with this craving for validation.

There you go!

So much for empathy.

[Whammyyammy]

YANBU. We regularly walk along the canal path and a few times people have asked us not to break the 2m gap when passing? The only way to achieve this would be to jump in the canal and swim round them.

If people don't want anyone within 2m of them, they should avoid tight enclosures outside. Simple

[RaspberryCoulis]

She wasn’t right to shout at you, unless of course she had just lost a relative to COVID, was vulnerable herself or was generally fed up with people thinking the rules don’t apply to them.

Bollocks to that.

None of that gives you a licence to be an arsehole.

[LimitIsUp]

Blimey, can you imagine if Midsomermurderess with her 'brook no nonsense' terse style had come across this woman

[LimitIsUp]

Whammyyammy I'd love to know what you said in response to that request

[JacobReesMogadishu]

Well I’d never condone coughing in someone’s face but I’d nearly make an exception for such a twat! She put you more at risk by standing and shouting at you. She’s bonkers if she thinks passing someone briefly like that will give you covid.

[BritWifeinUSA]

Either she’s completely stupid or she’s overly anxious. Neither of which is your problem to deal with.

[TomorrowToday]

Sick of people not sticking to the 2 metre rule in supermarket

[MiniMum97]

She's probably frightened. So you did a kind thing by doing what she asked.

In terms of the rules and the safety of others you don't need to wear a mask outdoors but you should have waited before passing someone at less than two metres.

You either wait so you can pass safely, or in thin paths where that's not possible I turn my back and move over as far as possible so the other person can pass. It's kind and not difficult.

I find it stressful being out in public where people don't observe social distancing. If I was elderly or vulnerable I would feel worried about leaving the house tbh.

If everyone was a little more aware it would mean the elderly and vulnerable would feel more confident about being able to shop and take walks.

My MIL and FIL tried shopping a few weeks ago but had to turn around and come home as no one was SD. It's quite selfish and unfair and is causing further isolation for people in these groups. A little thought and consideration would make life more accessible for these people.

[Lovemusic33]

If she was that concerned then she shouldn’t have been out walking in a place with narrow paths, she can’t expect people to wear masks outside.

The virus has sent people crazy.

I only wear a mask outside if in a busy area (lots of people), there’s only been a couple times where I have felt I need to wear one.

[BritWifeinUSA]

@viques

I can understand you not wanting to wear your mask in the park in a wide open space , but you were approaching them on a narrow path so should have either stepped aside a decent distance or be wearing your mask or a scarf ready to pull it up if needed - as it was. You had already passed other people so you would have realised how narrow the path is.

She wasn’t right to shout at you, unless of course she had just lost a relative to COVID, was vulnerable herself or was generally fed up with people thinking the rules don’t apply to them.

I’ve lost family members to heart disease but I don’t tell at people leaving McDonald’s with Happy Meals got their kids that they are killing their kids.

I also lost a brother-on-law to a hit-and-run by a drunk driver. I don’t stand in the wine and spirits section of the supermarket and shout at people when they put a bottle of house red in their trolley.

[Dandylioness1]

@Whammyyammy

YANBU. We regularly walk along the canal path and a few times people have asked us not to break the 2m gap when passing? The only way to achieve this would be to jump in the canal and swim round them.

If people don't want anyone within 2m of them, they should avoid tight enclosures outside. Simple

@Whammyyammy

That’s what this path was like, there was no where else to go.

I totally understand about social distancing, but if I’m outdoors and it’s literally just passing someone and there’s no alternative, then I do it.

[Whammyyammy]

@LimitIsUp

Whammyyammy I'd love to know what you said in response to that request

I just smiled and ignored her, wanted to say something but oh was with me and he hurried me along.

Its quite concerning that people make up their own covid rules and regulations.

[Topseyt]

The only thing you did wrong was giving in to her.

I would have told her to bugger off stop being so ridiculous and then continued on my mask-free way.

I've never seen anyone wearing masks in the parks or fields near here. Only in the shops.

[AmICrazyorWhat2]

If it’s not required in the UK, then she was out of order.

Where I live in the US, masks are required outdoors and it’s a bloomin’ pain when you’re going for a hike. We did quite a challenging moorland walk this weekend and everyone on the trail was wearing a mask, as well as standing aside for people. We were all red-faced and sweaty...people did sneakily take them off when no one else was around.😂

Perhaps she’d been reading about rules elsewhere and had got over-anxious. No need to be so rude though if it’s not the law.

[Dandylioness1]

@MiniMum97

In terms of the rules and the safety of others you don't need to wear a mask outdoors but you should have waited before passing someone at less than two metres

I always do. I did today, which is why I felt like it was was bizarre that she held out her hand and told me to stop... I already had stopped.

I think their issue was they didn’t even want to pass me even though I was stood still, because I didn’t have a mask on.

[ZigZagIntoTheBlue]

Shouting probably put more droplets in the air than if they'd just walked past you, some people are massively over reacting!