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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To complain to Sainsbury’s about their Valentine’s balloons?

276 replies

BalloonTrauma · 12/02/2021 23:50

I was blowing one up when it popped right in my face - forehead and cheeks now extremely painful, red and swollen. I wear glasses, so I don’t know if that had a protective impact, but I could have sustained a corneal abrasion or some eye injury... very scary to think about.

And it was still relatively small when it popped - hardly overinflated. I’ve never had this happen before either.

AIBU to complain about these bastard objects?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
FuckingFabulous · 13/02/2021 00:06

Never mind corneal abrasions! Your face could have been ripped CLEAN OFF THE BONE!

Original poster
BalloonTrauma · 13/02/2021 00:06

@NellePorter

At first I was a bit Hmm at Valentine's balloons but whatever makes you happy in lockdown Smile. I did want to say though, that this happened to me a few years ago whilst getting ready for a child's birthday party, you're not the only one! It didn't cross my mind to complain though, I kind of assumed it was my fault (a personal trait of mine) as the people I was with thought it was hilarious, it really hurt though!
It’s extremely painful and not funny at all Angry Angry Sorry on your behalf.

I don’t actually care about Valentine’s. It was DD’s 2nd birthday today and they were the only ones I could locate in their unnavigable maze of a supermarket when I went there yesterday. She witnessed the explosion and burst into hysterics. Will probably develop a phobia because of me.

OP posts:
PickAChew · 13/02/2021 00:07

Yeah, those 10 year old balloons will be the exact same ones.

Original poster
BalloonTrauma · 13/02/2021 00:07

@WorraLiberty

They contained confetti.

OP posts:
Original poster
BalloonTrauma · 13/02/2021 00:08

GN. Will draft an email to CS tomorrow in the morning.

OP posts:
fahlala · 13/02/2021 00:09

Well they are bad for the environment so perhaps you will think twice before ever buying such an evil item in future try something eco friendly next time

Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2021 00:09

unnavigable maze of a supermarket

There appears to be deeper problems here if you can't navigate a supermarket or ask someone where the birthday balloons are.

An 'explosion' you say?

PhillipPhillop · 13/02/2021 00:10

I need a diagram of distances and face size/balloon size ratio before I can usefully comment

Zevia · 13/02/2021 00:11

Be careful pursuing this. Could blow up in your face.

Scbchl · 13/02/2021 00:12

Wait, it was your daughters bday today so I presume you blew the balloons up maybe this morning or awhile ago and its still painful. No wonder you are experiencing such trauma. That must of been horrific. I hope you and your daughter dont develop a phobia. You poor things.

Scbchl · 13/02/2021 00:13

I'm not sure youl get a satisfactory response from customer service, I dont mean you burst your bubble.

WorraLiberty · 13/02/2021 00:15

Will probably develop a phobia because of me

That's probably the most believable thing you've written...

WorraLiberty · 13/02/2021 00:16

Balloons are so expensive in Sainsburys

But that's inflation for you

LivingMyBestLife2020 · 13/02/2021 00:18

A balloon phobia sounds very likely.

Well at least you don’t have covid if you can blow up a balloon to the point of confetti explosion. Small wins and all that.

AnxiousAlpaca · 13/02/2021 00:18

This must be a wind up. You’re full of hot air OP Grin

LivingMyBestLife2020 · 13/02/2021 00:19

@GreenSlide

These sound like very dangerous Balonz.
😂🤣😂🤣
Original poster
BalloonTrauma · 13/02/2021 00:22

Genuinely struck by the research I’m reading and can’t switch off..but apparently MN knows best. Smile

We have previously shown that heart-shaped balloons have a different explosion mechanism than spherical balloons in which the former splits into two rubber parts still attached to the balloon base with a backward whiplash motion. This backward whiplash motion may cause significant blunt ocular trauma if the balloon is inflated by mouth. In this article, the energy of the blunt ocular trauma is estimated by the high speed camera photos analysis of the balloon burst. Furthermore, we describe the followup of eight patients with ocular trauma following inflation of heart-shaped balloons.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25112115/

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2021 00:24

Oh I think we're all 'genuinely struck' by this thread. Grin

LegendDairy · 13/02/2021 00:26

Well it comforting to know science is still working.

nocoolnamesleft · 13/02/2021 00:28

Complain. It'll be one in the eye for them.

PADH · 13/02/2021 00:30

@draughtycatflap

Are you sure it was a balloon and not novelty Valentine condoms?
Grin
VienneseWhirligig · 13/02/2021 00:32

If they had confetti in, did it choke you when the balloon burst? You could get double compo for that. It is definitely a candidate for APILN.

PurpleRainDancer · 13/02/2021 00:34

@draughtycatflap

Are you sure it was a balloon and not novelty Valentine condoms?
Grin
MNerGoneRogueAgain · 13/02/2021 00:35

Mn, you are goooood tonight!

MNerGoneRogueAgain · 13/02/2021 00:35

I hope you're not over inflating the problem, op