School parent deliberately coughing on me every morning

[Happyluce]

A school parent keeps deliberately coughing on me. We stand outside the gates and then in the play ground waiting to go in and they don’t cough for all that time. But As soon as they are next to me they fake cough really loud without covering their mouth or they deliberately clear their throat really loud behind me. This keeps happening every morning. I feel like it’s a way of trying to bully me without speaking to me. What would you do?

I nearly spat my tea out at the first reply lol.
Personally I'd tell him to stop. If you don't feel comfortable doing that then move to the back of the line, if he follows you then ask what he wants.
On an aside, I need to know if you know him, like is he a boy who had a crush on you in school and now you're all adults and he remembers you and you don't remember him? Maybe he fancies you? I know that sounds odd but people are strange lol.

Sounds like a nervous thing. Maybe he finds you a bit intimidating or doesn't know how to make conversation. I try to think the best of people and don't think anyone would deliberately single someone out to cough on them!

One other poster has already said this but are you wearing a mask? Some people (men particularly) are obsessed about this stuff. As an aside, I can't believe the contortions some people are going through to excuse or justify this twat's behaviour. The OP makes it clear that it's frequent and that he makes sure to get near her.

Did you previously cough on him and make him sick? This sounds like revenge coughing to me!

I'd just say "why do you keep coughing on me and not covering your mouth?". See what he says.

So don't stand near him?
Does he deliberately choose to stand near you?

Ah yes, the acute tedium of the bovine male

If it was me I'd relish the chance to fuck with his head somehow as if he's coughing at you he'll be carefully watching for reactions etc. At first I'd ignore it, then sometimes I'd do something random at the same time such as look engrossed at my phone/rummage in my bag. Then one day I'd ask if he has the time/ knows where such and such is and when he tells me I'd say something to fuck with his head like wait, are you such and such's dad?/ don't you live in such and such an area? And if he confirmed I'd pull a face like something had just dawned on me or laugh and hurry away. Honestly, he's attention seeking/ bullying and he deserves the punishment.

I'd avoid him and if he stands next to you, purposely leave the queue and go to the back or move positions. If he follows you, you'll know for sure its deliberate. Then, you can address it assertively.

Just read this on another thread about bad neighbours. Maybe this is the problem:

"Ok this is awful and I still have to live next door to her-
she takes cocaine and I didn’t realise just how bad her habit was. she once got some on “tick” where she got it upfront with the premise to pay later and said it was for her next door neighbour ie me! Turns out he was one of the school dads and knew who I was and she didn’t pay him back and he gave me the evils every time I saw him."

Ha!

Then move- every. damn. time. What is he going to do?- literally follow you around the playground?- he cant do that as it would look very obvious so you make it obvious and move away from him. If anyone asks why- tell them the truth- he keeps coughing on you.

He fancies you.

Get a face mask and visor and put them on whenever he gets close to you.

As much as many of these comments are hilarious, I do actually believe you. I bet there no reason for it either. I bet he’s just a pig and a bully.

My ex used to stand on the back of peoples shoes and pretend it was an accident, he got a kick out of them tripping. I used to think it was in my head and he was clumsy. Nope, just a sad little bully.

Just move away from him - no big deal is it 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’d just ask him to stop coughing over me. It’s not a difficult thing to do.

Don't underestimate how weird men can be. This sounds to me like harassment and bullying. I would speak to the school. No way should you be expected to stand in line with him. He needs to be told to stay away from you. Do you feel confident enough to challenge him directly?

@drowninginsunshine in not in england ☺️

Ive worked out that people do fake coughs when they're conscious of someone around them that they're not interacting with . It's definitely a thing. Could be nerves, attention seeking, maybe he fancies you or just wants to chat?

There’s honestly no other side to this. I don’t know him or have never spoken to him but just been noticing it for a while now. He will be stood with his child and I’ll be with mine in front and he will just get too close each time and either clear his throat very loudly right by my ear pretty much or start the coughing thing or if I happen to walk past him after drop off he will do it. I really don’t know why

With the personal space thing, it’s always him he walks up behind me or gets next to me. I don’t go near him other wise but it’s him who comes too close. I don’t push in the line or anything. I was walking in this morning and next minute he’s right behind clearing his throat loudly. It made me turn round and he was very close

Then test him- move out of the way every single time you see him. Make it super obvious and see what he does. You absolutely dont have to stand next to anyone if you dont want to, even in a queue situation you can remove yourself to another position. Sure, it may be annoying but its far less annoying than being coughed on constantly.

I don’t know his partner either, not seen her on the school runs and also from the photos the class teacher post mine and his child play together and get on so I don’t think there’s anything there that’s causing him to do it

Maybe he identifies as a dog and is barking rather than coughing? In that case you could offer him a chew toy.

come on tell the truth, are you attractive? Id put my money on it that he fancies you 100%