Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About this man shouting at DM to smile

158 replies

sittingonacornflake · 14/03/2023 18:43

Ugh.

What would you have said in this scenario?

Walking along a bridge today with DM and a man walking in the opposite direction had a dog on a long lead who got tangled up in DM's leg. Bit of a non incident and we carried on walking once untangled but the man shouted back 'smile love' which just filled me with rage and I had no good come back

Dear Mumsnet, please, what should I have said to him? So enraged that he shouted at DM like that!!

OP posts:
MrsDoylesDoily · 14/03/2023 18:45

Well you could've said anything so there's no 'should' at all really.

But you didn't and as annoying as that is for you now, you might as well just stop dwelling on it.

CoffeeLover90 · 14/03/2023 18:50

A simple fuck off would do.
I hate that, smile it might never happen... I have resting bitch face. Fuck off. Envy

FionnulaTheCooler · 14/03/2023 18:51

"Go fuck yourself" would be the first thing that sprang to mind. Cockwomble.

I8toys · 14/03/2023 18:52

I don't perform for randoms!

Zerogive · 14/03/2023 18:53

Fuck off or just ignore, which I think is better, as those smile love arseholes just want attention and it's best not to give it to them.

GoodVibesHere · 14/03/2023 18:56

Oh god how annoying, what an utter dick. I feel angry for you!

I wouldn't be able to think of anything to say on the spot except maybe 'why?'. I expect the tosser would give a nasty answer to anything you said anyway.

Why on earth do some blokes do it?

Fuckitydoodah · 14/03/2023 18:56

Best to ignore idiots like that. Whatever you said, he would of had to come back with something else. They can't have a woman having the last word.

PorpoiseWithPurpose · 14/03/2023 19:09

“You fucking stink. There’s dog shit all over your shoes.”

GoodChat · 14/03/2023 19:11

Fuckitydoodah · 14/03/2023 18:56

Best to ignore idiots like that. Whatever you said, he would of had to come back with something else. They can't have a woman having the last word.

Absolutely this. I'd have told him to fuck off but that's because I'm an idiot. No reaction is the best reaction.

Penguinsaregreat · 14/03/2023 19:15

I think ‘Why?’ Is a good response. If they carry on then answering ‘Why?’ After everything they say will annoy the hell out of them and wrong foot them.

MrsTerryPratchett · 14/03/2023 19:49

There is no right answer. These idiots design it like that:

Ignore, you're rude
Fuck if you're a bitch
Smile, see women like it

Since there's no right answer, do whatever you like to make yourself spend as little time as possible with this arsehole's reckons on your head.

SkankingWombat · 14/03/2023 19:51

Penguinsaregreat · 14/03/2023 19:15

I think ‘Why?’ Is a good response. If they carry on then answering ‘Why?’ After everything they say will annoy the hell out of them and wrong foot them.

This.

SleekMamma · 14/03/2023 19:51

I think the appropriate Mumsnet response is "thanks random man"

Polite but making it known you care not for his opinion and clearly think little of him.

MrsTerryPratchett · 14/03/2023 19:54

SleekMamma · 14/03/2023 19:51

I think the appropriate Mumsnet response is "thanks random man"

Polite but making it known you care not for his opinion and clearly think little of him.

You can even buy cards

hoyfc.com/products/thanks-random-man-your-opinion-is-noted-cards

Original poster
sittingonacornflake · 14/03/2023 19:59

I definitely like 'why?' Or 'She doesn't perform for randoms' and if he hasn't already gone past and shouted back at us then I definitely could have said that.

What does everyone think of 'would you say that to a man?'

But I am hearing the ignore ignore ignore advice loud and clear too. Which is what we did. Mainly because we were too shocked!

OP posts:
GretaGip · 14/03/2023 20:09

"I'm so sorry, I have no spare change."

Confuses the fuck out of them.

LyndaSnellsSniff · 14/03/2023 20:17

I wish I'd known the "thank you for your input, random man!" response when I was younger. Would have been perfect for all those "cheer up luv" moments.

Craftycorvid · 14/03/2023 20:19

‘Wait! Can we talk to you about Jesus?! We have pamphlets….’ Accompanied by manic grins.

Justforlaffs · 14/03/2023 20:22

“Oh god, what’s that on your back”!? Along with a shocked look on your face.

Then walk off.

MustardChair · 14/03/2023 20:27

i hate this.

I tend to respond automatically with the middle finger... then walk fast because men like that tend to get aggressive.

Growlybear83 · 14/03/2023 20:30

What's wrong with the man saying that if your mum or you weren't smiling? I'm genuinely always baffled by these type of threads.

GoodChat · 14/03/2023 20:31

Growlybear83 · 14/03/2023 20:30

What's wrong with the man saying that if your mum or you weren't smiling? I'm genuinely always baffled by these type of threads.

Why should they be smiling when they're walking down the road minding their own business and getting tangled up in an incompetent dog walkers lead?

Zerogive · 14/03/2023 20:32

GoodChat · 14/03/2023 20:31

Why should they be smiling when they're walking down the road minding their own business and getting tangled up in an incompetent dog walkers lead?

Show quote history

Quite and they never say it to men.

Pinacalola · 14/03/2023 20:32

That's what the middle finger is for, gesturing at idiots like this.

katseyes7 · 14/03/2023 20:33

I had some random man in the street tell me to "Cheer up, pet, it might never happen!" the day after my dad died.
I ripped him a new one. Didn't swear, but put him straight. Very straight.
He got very embarrassed and mumbled an apology.
I said "Well maybe you should think before you say it to anyone else, when you don't know the situation," and walked away.
I hate it when men (it's always men) say this. If it happened again l'd likely tell them to fuck off.