To think if you’re that paranoid about covid perhaps you should stay at home

[bagpuss90]

Apologies for yet another covid thread . Just for the record-I’m a trained nurse -I’ve also taught infection control . I’m very respectful of the two metre rule. I’ve stuck to the rules throughout. Yesterday I was out with my dog - there was a man and woman ahead of me . I wanted to overtake them as they were walking very slowly. They were not old people by the way. I walked well over two metres away from them to do this. Probably more like three metres. We were on a piece of open space .The woman began shouting at me about covid. Telling me there are rules. I pointed out I was nowhere near her. Her husband actually told her to calm down. I accept she may have underlying health issues. I also accept people are scared . But am I being unreasonable in thinking that you can’t go out and shout ( throwing lots of droplets out then anyway) at anyone remotely near you - you just can’t . If you really are that paranoid then perhaps stay at home. I’m sure I will get flamed here.

@HikeForward

I had similar, lady walking her dog shouted at me for ‘blocking the path’ (I was waiting for school gate to open, mask on). I pointed out if she brought her dog to heel she’d have over 2m to pass me, without either of us stepping in the mud. But he was on a 2m lead so she wanted the whole path!

Some people are just ridiculous over covid fears. There are times when you cannot avoid getting within 2m of someone (train stations, bus stops, parks, narrow footpaths).

I am sorry that your mum is struggling

My daughter is finding it very hard too and I am sympathetic, but it’s not ok go shout, scream, make comments and be abusive to random members of the public who are vaguely in your vicinity.

Sympathy and understanding goes both ways, as much as people like your mum are struggling, no one ever knows what the people who are being shouted at are going through either.

My DD has pretty severe anxiety, plus she also has nasty physical and verbal tics. Part of her CBT is to get out every day for a walk. She got shouted at in the park by someone who was metres and metres away from her. DD is now back to panic attacks every time she leaves her room - let alone actually leaving the house.

Yes, if you’re frightened to the point you can’t go out without shouting and screaming at someone who is vaguely near you, then perhaps it’s time you got some help.

@freddiesmoustache

I can't believe that several posters have said that if you're frightened of covid, you shouldn't leave the house FOR A WALK.

My DM is terrified and I know she gets upset on walks that people are too close. My DF tells her not to make comments, so she is exactly the kind of person being described.

Her mental health is awful, for example she's scared of going for the vaccine as she thinks she'll catch it at the appointment. Should she really have stayed indoors for the past year? I expect she would have killed herself by now.

Sorry, quoted the wrong post 🤦‍♀️

My post up there was in response to freddiesmoustache

@freddiesmoustache that’s really awful for your mum. Honestly I’m not just saying that. Is she accessing crisis help or does she have an MH nurse in the community or anything? It sounds extreme, pre covid we would not have let people suffer to that extent, it’s like a severe form of health anxiety

I think people who are terrified of catching covid also need to choose carefully when and where they go out: eg avoid school drop off/pick up times, avoid commuter times, only go to places where you know there’s wide open space (no narrow paths or alleyways, no pavements that are too narrow for somebody to overtake you safely).

You can’t expect people not to overtake, especially if you walk slowly. They might be rushing to work, or to pick up their child from nursery, or to an emergency, or to catch a bus or train. If they’re in a hurry they’re probably a keyworker.

It also frustrates me when I get to the train station after a 12 hour shift, mask on, and sit 3m away (or as far as I can) from someone on a bench only for them to say I should go further (where there are no seats!) I’m not going to stand up when I’ve been on my feet all day, just to soothe someone’s excessive fear. If they are that worried they can stand up and go to the other end of the platform themselves, not take up an entire bench that could safely seat 3 people adhering to social distancing guidelines!

A nurse you say ? Aren't you oozing compassion . There is nothing about this pandemic that is "normal" and this woman's reaction wasn't normal and clearly the stress of it all is coming out in her snapping but well done you for coping so marvellously!

And you are not sorry for posting another thread at all.

Shouting at people doing nothing wrong is never acceptable

My town is OK really, most people are very polite. I did pass a couple of elderly, frail women out walking on ice a couple of weeks ago when I was running - one had 2 walking sticks. They were really struggling because they were attempting to walk across sheet ice. In normal rimes I would have asked if they needed any help, as it was, I have them a good 3m.

I don't think some people have a great grasp of social reality at times - they don't appreciate that other people don't have all the time in the world to move as slowly as them, or that the environment might change and paths might be one lethal in winter ice. They just see something about exercise once a day allowed by the government and blindly follow.

@Mrsjayy

A nurse you say ? Aren't you oozing compassion . There is nothing about this pandemic that is "normal" and this woman's reaction wasn't normal and clearly the stress of it all is coming out in her snapping but well done you for coping so marvellously!

Once again, where is the compassion for those who are being shouted at who also might be struggling with stress and anxiety

These people have absolutely no idea whether the person they are shouting at are going through.

Compassion and sympathy cuts both ways.

It’s not ok to behave in that way

YANBU, the shouting also is just potentially spreading the virus. Although the amount of "I had to shout at them" on MN is ridiculous.

You can't stay behind someone walking too slow, it's ridiculous.

I’ve seen so many times on mumsnet nurses say they want to leave their jobs because they are verbally abused on a regular basis and people come on and say well you should have compassion, these people are ill and stressed etc. it’s not fair at all, sorry but it isn’t - my mum who’s a nurse was once locked in a room in A&E by a man who threatened to knock her out if she didn’t get some good painkillers for his wife. Luckily she got out but it’s absolutely crazy that people on here would defend that because of the situation he is in. It’s the same with slating teachers - it’s ok because parents are stressed and worried and teachers are paid to take shit apparently. I honestly wonder how some mumsnetters interact in the outside world without just being completely hostile to everyone who isn’t absolutely perfect toward them at all times

I’m with you completely, there is a handful of pedestrians round me that I see walking the dog all the time and they’re so rude.

One woman tried to shoo me to the end of the path as I stood in line at the cash machine, easily three metres behind her, she also used a tissue to withdraw the money which she then dropped on the floor.

Pretty disgusting that people think nurses are somehow bloody Mother Theresa and should just stand abuse.

@intheenddoesitreallymatter the amount of littering I see in the name of things being ‘covid safe’ is despicable- dropping masks and not picking them up, little kids dropping litter by accident and parents not picking up after them, single use cutlery outside takeaways everywhere

After working with the general public for a number of years and being subjected to verbal abuse...i now have a good as i get attitude and will take no shit from anyone....if somebody shouts at me in a shop or out walking they will get more than they bargained for....if everybody did this these shouty idiots would no longer risk doing it.

[quote Blueeyedgirl21]@intheenddoesitreallymatter the amount of littering I see in the name of things being ‘covid safe’ is despicable- dropping masks and not picking them up, little kids dropping litter by accident and parents not picking up after them, single use cutlery outside takeaways everywhere[/quote]
It’s appalling isn’t it.

Sorry, but I think that freddiesmoustache’s mother sounds a very unpleasant lady.

I am bloody terrified of catching covid (cev) and walk in quiet places at unsociable times. I would NEVER shout at anyone or say, “hands face space” . How rude . This is not anxiety, it’s supremely egotistical.

As my mother used to say, a nasty young person becomes a nasty old person. And atm nasty people are using the excuse of “covid anxiety” to abuse passers by. And, as I think we all know, these people only vent at easy targets. They are cowardly bullies.

@freddiesmoustache

Have some empathy. Some people are, rightly or wrongly, terrified of covid. Absolutely terrified. They're still entitled to go for a walk. Also suspect that a lot of people recounting tales of when they were 2m away from others were closer than they think.

Agree totally.

echt
Just why did you post this pointless item?
Why did you open it to post this pointless reply?

@rainbowunicorn

Obviously I'm not Echt, but I thought the same as her!

How were we supposed to know what the thread was about before opening it????

OP post is big drama over nothing.

In addition, I think a lot of people need to get a tape measure out as their idea of 2m is way off!

@Soboredofcorona

I agree. I’ve not been shouted at, but the dagger looks and over exaggerated shrinking away is annoying. Also, the people who stop on the path as your are coming towards each other. They stop and wait for you to pass them, when there is plenty of room for you both to continue walking and pass each other.

It’s like a weird unnecessary sort of way of saying ‘look at me - I’m being so careful and considerate and aware’ but it serves no purpose at all!

OMG, totally this

Sorry, but I think that freddiesmoustache's mother sounds a very unpleasant lady.

I've said that she is terrified of covid to the extent she is frightened of going for the vaccine, probably would have committed suicide if she'd not been able to leave the house for the past year, and walks with a stick and so is unable to quickly move out of people's way.

But the fact that she dares to say something (and I've clarified not shout) in earshot of people who get too close makes her very unpleasant?

She's not unpleasant. She's frightened. You on the other hand...

I too was afraid of going to get the vaccine, and looked like a right idiot wearing two masks.

But, as I said, being frightened is not an excuse to be nasty to people. Having had a couple shout at me to “Get back!” when I was miles away (and I really was as I don’t want to get near people) was quite upsetting. And dd had a couple talk in loud voice about “teenagers” when she was walking alone. Again, she scurried home saying it made her feel awful.

It is unpleasant to harangue people and upset them and think you are more special than they are.

A nurse you say ? Aren't you oozing compassion

Are nurses supposed to ooze compassion all the time, even when not at work? Smile benevolently when someone is rude in the street?

Maybe you need to have more compassion for nurses and other HCPs, considering we work ourselves into the ground caring for the public. Most HCPs I know have already suffered covid, many of us still suffering with long covid. We’ve lost colleagues to this pandemic. Staff are off sick with stress, depression and PTSD.

There’s no need to shout or snap at anyone in the street, nurse or not!

Of course you are not not being unreasonable OP but there are plenty of bizarre folk on here who will be eager to tell you that you are

I would NEVER shout at anyone or say, “hands face space” . How rude . This is not anxiety, it’s supremely egotistical.

I think it’s rude and egotistical too, not to mention patronising. If someone said ‘hands space face’ to me I’d think they’d lost the plot. And remind them to leave room on the pavements so people don’t have to cross the road or step into traffic to give them ‘space’!

Yes, it’s always people like this who think they have a divine right to the pavement, whilst lesser mortals should hurl themselves into the road or in a muddy ditch. Funny how extreme covid “anxiety” also extends to anxiety about getting their footwear dirty .