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?

[OffredOfjune]

Very few of us would have the presence of mind to say no in a way which avoids escalating the situation. It's not a big deal to put your mask on- not least because she sounds quite unwell and going along with it is probably the kinder and easier thing, despite being frustrating.

So we should just bow down to the whims of strangers who shout and bellow at us for no good reason? Fuck that 😂

[MirandaMarple]

What a dick (her, not you) her poor partner having to live with such a tool.

[Topseyt]

@donquixotedelamancha

Why did you acquiesce to this lunatic? Tell her to mind her own bloody business and you'll walk where you like.

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.

You opened your bag, rummaged in it for your mask, put it on and then walked past her? Why??? If she was that bothered she should've turned back. Jesus.

Oh come on. IRL I am considered bolshie but I don't react with aggression to strangers.

Very few of us would have the presence of mind to say no in a way which avoids escalating the situation. It's not a big deal to put your mask on- not least because she sounds quite unwell and going along with it is probably the kinder and easier thing, despite being frustrating.

I don't see any of those comments you quoted as aggression. They are a perfectly reasonable response to someone who is making up their own version of the rules and trying to dictate that to everyone else.

[donquixotedelamancha]

Some people can't wear masks though and she may put them in a very upsetting and embarrassing situation if she thinks she has the right to go like that! Or she could bump into an anti-masker who might be very quick to react to her...so I don't think going along with it is necessarily the right thing to do because that just enables her to keep going around laying down the law!

Sure, this person was not remotely justified or reasonable- the best option is a calm no.

I only mean that many people, having the mask right there, would go for the easy option rather than challenge her to duel to the death as always seems to be the MN default.

[donquixotedelamancha]

They are a perfectly reasonable response to someone who is making up their own version of the rules and trying to dictate that to everyone else.

Three question marks are never reasonable. If you don't think the other two sweary responses are aggressive then I imagine you go through life at quite a high register.

Regardless, most people don't respond to minor conflict like this- they just say they do on MN. The people who do react that way to any provocation are no more stable than the crazy lady in the OP.

[donquixotedelamancha]

So we should just bow down to the whims of strangers who shout and bellow at us for no good reason?

Are you making a suggestion (in which case I disagree) or are you imagining that is the unspoken conclusion of my post (in which case you are mistaken)?

[cologne4711]

I can honestly say I hardly see anyone wearing a mask outdoors

I see a few people wearing one outside in the town centre because they are going shop to shop . I did so myself as I had been giving blood and then wanted to go shopping, so walked down the road with my mask on.

Otherwise I see the odd person wearing one, usually elderly, or in the area I live in, the Nepalese community wears them outside.

But as mentioned above, it is neither a legal nor moral requirement. If people want to wear one, that is of course up to them, but they don't get to tell other people what to do.

[randomsabreuse]

I almost certainly wouldn't have a mask on me in the park.

I have to wear one on school grounds so I put it on before leaving home (can't reliably put on 1 handed and have a 2 year old to keep contained) and remove as soon as I leave school grounds. Most of the other parents (who either have prams or older kids) put theirs on as they reach the gates.

I'd probably wear one on the high street if shopping but not if I wasn't planning to enter a shop or if I was done with shopping.

If I meet someone somewhere distancing is impossible (canal path, frankly most of the paths in horrid weather) I tuck in as far as possible and turn away.

Not wearing masks unless compulsory for outdoor stuff, I hate dealing with contact lenses but masks make the already difficult problem of glasses/rain completely impossible...

[BogRollBOGOF]

Most people wearing them outdoors have recently been somewhere where they are resquested or required school/ bus/ shops and either are about to head to another place where they are needed or haven't paused to remove them.

People wearing them to go out for a walk are very much the minority.

I can't wear them. I have explained that I can't cope with wearing them to other parents at school, and also that I can't cope with the loss of lip reading and facial expressions which is why I stare at the ground rather than face level. My problem. I'm responsible for being sensible about keeping my distance and not disrupting them, and I've chosen to explain myself because it's my coping mechanism rather than trying to be rude. I keep mainly to the outdoors where they are not necessary and minimise indoor spaces where they are and try to wear a visor where I can.

I can't vouch for how I'd react to a stranger shouting at me completely unnecessarily and illegally. I usually save my swearing for MN and my filter normally holds out in RL, but I'm not sure that it would hold out in this situation.

I did encounter one pompous bitch at my perfectly legal outdoor exercise class who announced in her best posh còncerned citizen voice, "as you are a group of more than six, I hope you are going to show consideration to other park users by keeping two metres apart". She had plenty of space from us. She was probably missing tyranising some hapless volunteer group/ committee in person and took it out on the first community group she came across.

[Comtesse]

We all need to practice saying “mind your own business” in a nice sharp tone. I find it needs to be used regularly - it might not be the best come back of all time, but it’s good enough. Don’t stand for this crap OP!

[grickle]

@dandylioness1 she began to shout at me for not wearing my mask.

Shouting at people at close range spreads the virus. Walking quickly past with your mouth closed doesn't. If it happens again, calmly point that out and move on.

[Jobsharenightmare]

Where I live we wouldn't walk close to each other without masks on and people stop and let others pass safely. Lots of people wear masks walking around here and would hang back if you came towards them on a narrow path.

I'm not saying she should have shouted though.

[byebyeboyee]

It is allowed where you are, however I live abroad and you must wear your mask anywhere where you can't keep a 2m distance, people basically wear masks all the time that they are outside their homes so I personally feel like you should have been wearing one as you knew you were going somewhere where you couldn't keep the distance.

[byebyeboyee]

But it seems in the UK you don't have to, so just silent judgy pants from Me who would be wearing a mask anyway.

[byebyeboyee]

She shouldn't have shouted that was rude.

[KatherineJaneway]

I wear my mask outside. Most other people do as well.

@Janegrey333 Where do you live where most people wear masks?

[lovelemoncurd]

Next time just say 'go fuck yourself' . Practice saying it op. You will feel great.

[NoIDontWatchLoveIsland]

I simply would have said "sorry, there's no requirement to wear one outdoors and the risk from my passing you is negligible. Please don't shout though as that is riskier. I'm sorry you feel so worried but that isn't my fault."

[NoIDontWatchLoveIsland]

No one wears them at all outdoors where I live except overly anxious people.

[VashtaNerada]

I could imagine my elderly parents doing this. I have told them it‘s making them vulnerable to someone hitting them! It comes from genuine fear though, and they just can’t understand why some people don’t wear them all the time outdoors.
As a side note, I wear one on my commute and have started to wear it even when I’m not on the actual tube because it keeps my face lovely and warm in this weather!

[Nolie100]

To be honest I would have done exactly the same, especially if I was with a young child.

As much as I'd like to think I'd have a come up with a witty put down worthy of Oscar Wilde, or a succinct summary of the latest govt legislation on mask wearing, in reality I'd probably have just put on a mask too to shut Ms Looney Tunes up.

You encountered a bullying idiot (as so many of us do) and you avoided a full blown argument in front of your child. Pat yourself on the back for that at least.

Forget about the turdmuffins and keep enjoying your walks.

[itsgettingweird]

Next time if you loving aside means they won't pass - you carry on walking past them!

[nosswith]

I come to narrow parts of the pavement or path on some of my daily walks. What usually happens if someone is walking in the other direction is that one of us waits where the path is a bit wider. Or walks a bit in the road. Usually one or other acknowledges and/or says thank you and a smile in response.

[Ethelfleda]

She was an utter twat

[Wavey123]

Im sure you won’t have been the only one she ranted at on that walk, I’d have been oblivious as I probably would have had headphones in and don’t tend to make eye contact with people passing by. If she’s that nervous to be outside she shouldn’t have gone somewhere with narrow paths where you can’t avoid being close to someone