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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think Covid has brought out the worst in a lot of people?!

74 replies

carriebradshawwithlessshoes · 09/12/2021 13:02

Pre Covid we lived a fairly mundane line with very few/ no spats with anyone (certainly not with strangers.)

This morning in our (very quiet) local store I bumped into someone I hadn’t seen for ages. We stood to one side for a brief word (wearing masks.) Suddenly was descended upon by an incensed with purple rage staff member shouting at us NOT to talk in the store and to leave if we wanted to speak and stand in the street.

On walking in the middle of nowhere with my 2 young kids (out in the countryside) and an elderly relative got shouted at by some random middle aged couple ‘did we not understand fucking Covid rules??’ Because as we smiled and stepped back to let them pass over a bridge (how rude of us) we obviously did not stand back quite far enough?

On walking round a corner on a pinch point with my little boy with SEN a young woman coming the other way dramatically jumped into the road away from us so that she was not passing us on the pavement and shouted ‘well thank you very much!! ‘

On going for a walk having to listen to an older couple behind me saying loudly why were all these families out, why couldn’t they stay at home with their bloody kids who had probably got Covid from school etc etc.

Is the world going mad?? I’ve never had a cross word with anyone pretty much then all this!!

Anyone else??!

OP posts:
Original poster
carriebradshawwithlessshoes · 09/12/2021 13:09

It is like Covid has given people free range to be as rude as they like to anyone they feel like being rude to! As if things aren’t bad enough anyway! 🙄🙄

OP posts:
ABCeasyasdohrayme · 09/12/2021 13:10

Standing yapping in the shop - understandable you got asked to move on.

The couple sound rude.

The lady who moved into the road - did you say thank you to her for moving out of your way? Sounds pretty normal to me.

The couple were talking between themselves, I can understand the paranoia that older people have as they are most likely to be affected by covid.

All in all pretty average behaviour due to people's worries about catching covid. None of those events are particularly notable imo.

Thegreencup · 09/12/2021 13:13

YABU to have a chin wag in the local shop. This has been a pet peeve of mine long before covid. If you wanna have a gossip with your mates, do it in Costa, not stood in front of the biscuits I want.

Minimario · 09/12/2021 13:17

YANBU and whilst it can be a bit annoying if you're blocking a way I.e in a supermarket aisle, people are definitely more miserable and unfriendly since the start of all this shite. Human beings avoiding each other like they literally have the plague even outdoors with masks on? Everything is about Covid now. It's become a sad world to live in.

I'm glad I live in the countryside and can largely avoid other people as most of them have gone insane.

Original poster
carriebradshawwithlessshoes · 09/12/2021 13:17

The lady in the road was obviously making the point we hadn’t moved for her.

Didn’t realise speaking was banned.

I just find it all very aggressive behaviour but maybe not, then!

OP posts:
Original poster
carriebradshawwithlessshoes · 09/12/2021 13:19

Completely agree re long conversations/ blocking in shops… really annoying. No one was in though (it was v early), no time to go to Costa (dashing to work).

OP posts:
logsonlogsoff · 09/12/2021 13:19

The opposite in my experience. The support and sense of care and community around here has been phenomenal. I volunteer now, not something I had done before and I’m working with many, many people who are giving up their precious time, and risking their health, to try to help others during this pandemic.
If anything it has made me more hopeful for our world.

Restart10 · 09/12/2021 13:20

Yabu, you just seem to encounter really weird people. Is this all in the same area, maybe it's the area?

user1471538283 · 09/12/2021 13:20

I think that people were like this before the pandemic it is just we did not see or have much to do with them. Successive governments have encouraged selfishness, entitlement and rudeness.

The pandemic highlighted to me how awful most people are. I've had enough of it now and as long and me and mine are okay to hell with the others.

vodkaredbullgirl · 09/12/2021 13:22

Only notice on here, not in real life.

GattioAnyone · 09/12/2021 13:23

It may be the TV adverts showing black particles emanating from talkers. It's anxiety inducing.

tootiredtospeak · 09/12/2021 13:23

Clearly the weird flickers are all on this thread too. You can talk in a shop anyone who doesnt like it tough and the other stuff is just plain stupid. I have experienced this early on like March to September 2020 but nothing this year thank god. I would have to tell people to fuck off I just couldn't not.

megustalacerveza · 09/12/2021 13:23

Nobody has said anything like this to me during the entire pandemic. If people keep telling you you're being inconsiderate and oblivious, then it's very likely you are. Sorry.

GattioAnyone · 09/12/2021 13:24

And it's meant to be.
So I have some sympathy for people who are wound up.

mibbelucieachwell · 09/12/2021 13:24

I think a lot of people have very strong feelings about how to deal with the pandemic, are frustrated at what they see as disastrous mistakes and a lot of anxiety and stress. It's a combination that will bring out the worst in people.

SamhainToImbolc · 09/12/2021 13:25

During Lockdown 1 I needed to do a food shop. Right in the entrance, blocking the way in was a group of people, standing around chatting and laughing. No way round them. Staff members were watching them, aghast but not asking them to move. People coming in were backed up trying to get into the store with trolleys. I had to ask them if I could come past Hmm. They were reluctant to move.

The rudeness and entitled behaviour of people since covid started has been really bad here. It's the reason I left our local Facebook group because of the daily rows and nastiness on there.

Original poster
carriebradshawwithlessshoes · 09/12/2021 13:27

Restart, maybe it is!! Can’t say I noticed pre Covid!

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 09/12/2021 13:27

I've not experienced anything like that at all.

BogRollBOGOF · 09/12/2021 13:27

Sounds depressingly like April 2020.

Places do seem very localised in how paranoid they are, and I noticed last year that negative anouncements seemed to activate the bush-jumpers for a week or two before they settled down to more sustainable behaviour.

Last winter it got to the point that it was quieter, and easier to go for a walk in the town centre than it was to go for a walk in the park!

Generally the types of people brandishing "selfish" are being ironic as they really mean "I am berating you for not going above and beyond to protect me".

Neron · 09/12/2021 13:28

YANBU OP.

SophieKat1982 · 09/12/2021 13:30

Much of the country has gone mad, yes.

Like any stressful situation, I think it’s brought out the worst in some people but the best in others.

I have said from the very first lockdown that there seemed to be a ‘divide and conquer’ tactic in motion. The UK government were advised by psychologists that increased compliance to guidelines could be achieved by making certain behaviours socially unacceptable. Some people have taken those messages so far that they have lost sight of logic and reason, I believe. It’s sad.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/12/2021 13:32

I've mainly seen it on here. Last year I was called thick for buying chocolate and told I shouldn't be leaving the house as I have a persistent cough and I may scare people. I've also noticed that 'be kind' doesn't stretch as far as anyone with a needle phobia on here.

In real life the only thing I've noticed is people jumping out of the way. I was cycling on the road once and I thought one woman was going to climb a tree to get away from me! I wasn't going to swerve into traffic to give her more space!

GattioAnyone · 09/12/2021 13:32

I'm fairly relaxed that we are all going to catch covid now etc. And will learn to live with it.
However we will see (have seen yet? Not sure) a drop in life expectancy. If you are at the sharp end of that reality you may well be jumpy right now.
Have a little compassion.

Cyrilgoggin · 09/12/2021 13:35

Where on earth are you living OP that people are behaving like this? I'm in London and people are just behaving normally (except mostly wearing masks).

MedusasBadHairDay · 09/12/2021 13:37

Tbh I anyways find people are grouchier and ruder at this time of year. The cold, wet, dark days make quite a difference.