Things you consider bad manners that others don’t

[Novasmum]

Inspired by an experience earlier today of having to listen to a man whistle for 10 minutes in GP waiting room.

Not only is it annoying but I do think it’s bad manners but I know other people wouldn’t class whistling as bad manners.

what’s yours?

"Has anyone noticed it's become worse since covid? I've had to walk into a wall because 2 people decided they couldn't be bothered to walk single file"

I guess more people took up walking and have continued to do so. I tend to stay well over to the left, and keep moving. Occasionally if there's space/it's safe I just cross the road or go in the road, especially if I am running as it's easier, but if it's not, I don't move and will stop completely and force them round me if they won't give some space.

Being a middle aged couple doesn't make you more important than everyone else on the pavement (you can see what sort of drivers they probably are, too).

I did once (this was during covid) have someone who told me I should walk on the right hand side. I told him (of course it was a him) that he was wrong, as he could see what traffic was coming, and I couldn't).

Really? Struggling to see how actually holding the pole wouldn’t be better at keeping you upright than leaning. Apologies in advance if you have a problem with the use of your hands.

Seeing a bit of a disconnect between "struggle to see how people have disabilities that make it easier to do X than Y" and "some people can't use their hands."

Clearly some people have disabilities that prevent holding on to a pole or that make standing against it easier, whether that's someone like me who has severe nerve damage in my hands or someone with spinal problems, or all sorts of problems.

Cyclists not using - in many cases not even having - a bell when they silently purr up behind you on a footpath.

It's impossible to win on this one though. A wee while back someone was on here complaining about cyclists using their bell, saying it was 'passive aggressive'.

I did have a cyclist make me jump (for which he apologised) when he rang his bell. But I'd rather have that than someone not ring their bell and try to squeeze past me, which keeps happening.

Eating in public in places like waiting rooms, public transport, etc, especially smelly foods or noisy eating (even worse eating with mouth open)

Loudly talking on mobile phones in public places, especially when on speaker phone so everyone can hear both sides of conversation.

Lateness

People walking / moving slowly in crowded places in the middle of the pavement hand in hand, god I get the rage

Loud parenting, as a way of stealth boasting

Screaming kids or kids approaching other tables in pubs / restaurants- control your child or leave should be the rule

@pixie5121

Walking two or more abreast on a narrow pavement. Drives me demented. Seems like the vast, vast majority of people find it acceptable to force oncomers into the road and into traffic so they don't have to go into single file for a moment. It's so pig ignorant.

Yes, one of my hates too. I walk on a canal footpath to walk every day. Rambling groups are the worst, usually always 2/3 abreast, usually large groups of 20/30 people - I got so fed up of their entitlement, I now just stand my ground on my side of the footpath and make them go into single/double file around me.

But, yes, cyclists are also a pain on the canal footpath, usually going way too fast, especially around bends and under bridges where they don't have visibility ahead. Getting even worse now with electric bikes that go far too fast on footpaths.

Saying 'Can I let you know nearer the time?' when issued a social invitation.

I've had a couple of friends in the past with form for this and in hindsight I wish I'd just said no, as it was clearly shorthand for 'Can I wait and see if I get any better offers?' (The people in question were single without any particular health issues/caring commitments or whatever, so I couldn't see any good reason at all why they couldn't just say yes or no. Also, in the case of one of them, she was doing a lot of OLD at the time and used to keep her friends dangling till the last minute in case she got a date - we were the fallback option if she didn't - until she was called out on this behaviour.)

I’ve hardly ever sent food back, but each time it was something I just couldn’t eat. Once was a supposedly poached egg in the US, the white was virtually uncooked.

Once was what was supposedly grilled white fish - it was still the raw colour inside, i.e uncooked.

Once was rainbow trout that smelt seriously, grossly off once I’d cut into it.

IMO I was wholly justified each time - at any rate, nobody tried to argue, although there was an eye-roll from the poached egg waitress.

You can't win on that one as a pp has said. I hate cyclists dinging their bell at me. Especially when I'm well over to the left and there's plenty of room. No, I'm not going to choose the precise moment you come past me to start dancing all around the path!

When I am cycling, I find a cheery good morning has the desired effect. I only use my bell if a group is right across the path and there's no room at all.

Yes I have a friend like this, awful behaviour

Trouble is a lot of pedestrians DO wonder randomly all over the path. How does the cyclist know that you're aware of your surroundings and intend to carry on walking in a straight line?

That’s because it’s a footpath. The clue’s in the name. It not meant to be cycled on.

Lateness
When people regularly flake on plans they’ve agreed to
slow walking groups of people
people who take forever at the checkout packing their bags in Aldi or Lidl - that’s what the packing area is for!!

That’s because it’s a footpath. The clue’s in the name. It not meant to be cycled on

Whether or not it's okay to cycle on a footpath in England and Wales is entirely down to the landowner.

If you’re on a shared path cyclists - as the fastest users of the path - need to slow down when passing pedestrians and be prepared to take evasive action if needed, in the same way they rightly expect car drivers to slow down for them. So many cyclists seem to think a ding of the bell is an instruction to pedestrians to immediately move out of the way as they continue through at speed.

Not on common land it’s not.

That’s because it’s a footpath. The clue’s in the name. It not meant to be cycled on.

Lots of pavements around here are designated joint cycle and pedestrian pathways. Some divided by a painted white line into cycle and foot traffic, mostly just joint.

It's really not the greatest idea.

Yup. As I said, it's down to the landowner. The local councils etc in England and Wales that own common land could make some of the footpaths into shared use paths instead (I'm sure some have).

In Scotland, it's legal to cycle on most footpaths these days.

Generally, anyone cycling on a footway or footpath in Scotland is committing an offence under the provisions of Section 129(5) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. It is not an offence to cycle across a footway or footpath to access a cycle track, driveway or other land where cycling is allowed

Luckily for the hearing impaired, it’s not legal to cycle on footpaths in Scotland.

I’m deaf - I do not hear noises behind me until they are very close. I had unpleasant encounters during lockdown, with adult males bombing along footpaths behind me and expecting me to move out the way. Only I was unaware of them

only footpaths marked as shared use are okay for cyclist to be on. Otherwise, stay on the road and leave pavements for pedestrians.

Luckily for the hearing impaired, it’s not legal to cycle on footpaths in Scotland

That hasn't been true since 2003, although cycling has to be done in a considerate manner.

From www.spokes.org.uk/documents/advice/considerate-cycling/

Cycling on footpaths used to be illegal, but was made legal (in Scotland only) by Section 1 of the abovementioned Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003

It is still illegal to cycle on footways, where they haven't been changed into core paths (ie shared spaces).

For clarification, a footway is next to a road, a footpath is away from a road.

That hasn't been true since 2003, although cycling has to be done in a considerate manner.

sorry, I used the wrong word - should have been footway aka pavement.

its illegal to cycle on a footway unless it is designated as a core path.

When you see someone you know in the supermarket and they look at the contents of your basket or trolley while you are chatting. I have a friend who i see in the shop from time to time and she always really obviously looks at what I'm buying. I know it's there for all to see and in no way secret, nor am I embarrassed about my purchases, it just feels a bit nosey somehow!