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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Annoying people in children's a&e

11 replies

IWishItCouldBeChristmasEveryday · 09/03/2023 01:00

In a&e with DS. Been here about 6 hours and we're both tired. He's fell asleep on the chairs. We were told to wait back in the waiting room because it's been very busy and he is being monitored but doesn't need treatment right now. A young couple have since arrived with their baby. The dad is constantly playing loud videos with music on his phone. They both stink of smoke and sat near us so we had to move as it affects DS's breathing. Everyone else is generally being quiet but this one person seems to want all eyes on him. AIBU to think he should shut up and turn the sound down on his phone? I've already asked if we can go home but told we shouldn't.

OP posts:
angelis0 · 09/03/2023 01:04

It's awful isn't it- there's always someone like this. So antisocial! Sympathy OP. Hope your little one is ok and you get to go home soon.

LittleOwl153 · 09/03/2023 01:12

Sympathies OP. I was in A&E on Monday with ds. It was unpleasant to say the least. We did 5.5hrs and ds was knackered by 10.30. Didn't help that I had a 'kid' 14+ sat on the chair next to me - those type where they are all joined in a row of 4/5 kicking the chair leg... repeatedly. Did his parent stop him. No. So I had to shift a tired ds as it was agony for my back having already sat there for hours. Parent made a comment about no need for us to move away did we not like them I didn't respond. I thought thay best as I would not have been able to remain calm/polite had they continued to argue.

LittleOwl153 · 09/03/2023 07:59

@IWishItCouldBeChristmasEveryday hope DS is ok and you made it home for some sleep!

SweetSakura · 09/03/2023 08:00

Maybe it's just me, but I would have just asked him to turn the noise down. I think people like that get away with it because noone confronts them

maranella · 09/03/2023 08:01

Hell is other people OP. A&E/hospitals in general are mainly hell because you can't get away from them! Hope your DS is okay.

GimmeSleep · 09/03/2023 08:27

I would have had a quiet word with reception about the loud videos, they should have been able to get security to speak to them. Unfortunately not a lot they can do about people stinking of smoke Envy

Hope LO is okay?

Doesthepopeshitinthewoods · 09/03/2023 08:55

Was sent to A&E when my toddler had scarlet fever and strep, and while we were being triaged, a ridiculously loud dad ran in to the department screaming at the top of his lungs for someone to help his daughter. She was about five and he was cradling her. It was so distressing.

He ran into the bay we were in being assessed, still screaming and shouting. He scared the absolute shit out of me but mainly my toddler who burst into frightened tears. He was already a bit of a state as he was so unwell.
The nurse told him to calm down and asked what had happened.

His daughter had a tick in her leg.

IncessantNameChanger · 09/03/2023 09:02

That's my pet peev. People blasting out shite on their phone with no headphones. So little self-awareness. Second his men snorting and honking up phlegm. Yuk. Imagine living with them?

SmartHome · 09/03/2023 09:07

I absolutely detest this fairly new phenomenon if people listening to loud music or programs on their phones without headphones. No one did it 10 years ago. It's throughly obnoxious.

However, I have discovered a near foolproof way to stop them without having to confront them, which can be off-putting and really, why should you have to.

After being subjected to this numerous times last year - on trains mostly but also in cafes and, memorably, when reading on a sunbed where the woman next to me kept playing Peppa pig at volume 11 to keep her kid entertained while she relaxed.

Anyway, I began to wonder. How would it work if someone near them randomly decided to do the same thing by chance at the same time? Wouldn't that interfere with them hearing their noise? So now, as soon as someone does it, I put sky news on on my phone at equal volume. It creates a terrible cacophony for a minute and then, without fail, they turn theirs down or off. I guess it either shames them into realising how obnoxious they are being or just stops them enjoying the football or whatever it is they are watching. As soon as they do I also have seen enough news and turn mine off.

Massively pass ag but works a treat and suits me as I don't really want to be that person that asks people to turn their phone down and if they take exception and glare at you you can just feign innocence. After all, you're only doing exactly what they're doing themselves.

Squamata · 09/03/2023 09:16

Turn on a bit of Mozart at full pelt.

Sympathies OP, you can try to imagine he's doing it because he's very anxious and needs distraction. Or tell him to stop it.

I was in hospital with DC a while ago with a couple like this on the other side of a curtain with their baby, drove me up the wall after a while.

Queenof1964 · 11/03/2023 08:54

I work in a restaurant… we had a youngish man in for breakfast the other morning, playing music from his phone!! We already have to have background music on, so there was no need at all for this… manager asked him to turn it off!
Why is ‘extra’ music necessary? And without headphones?
Dont get me started on the “can you hear me?” type of phone calls I have to suffer!!😡

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