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?

Turn round every time looking vaguely disgusted and ask him ever so politely (but loudly) if he would mind covering his mouth when he coughs.

It sounds like he fancies you and is trying to get your attention. Ick.

Assuming you are not interested in him, just pull a face and ask him to cover his mouth when he coughs. Or make a slow show of putting a face mask on whenever you see him coming towards you.

School playgrounds are massive! Keep your distance!

Ask him to cover his mouth.

@laveritable I do in the main play ground but waiting for the gate to open in the morning its often crowded and he always seems to get too close and then the reception classrooms are separate to the main building. You have to be single file pretty much till you get to the classroom doors and he will get behind and be way too close then he comes next to me when we reach the door to the classroom

Some people cough when they are nervous. Or they cough before they speak or even when they think about speaking.

It's like a tic.

I would like to think I would say something but in reality I would probably just sigh walk out the queue and rejoin at the back 😅

It’s an interesting form of exerting control.

I experienced harassment and ‘bother’ for want of a word, many different times over the years with different men. I would always keep them ahead of me, and kept a wary eye. One guy kept on showing down, so I would slow down. Another would stop and admire the flowers. Ridiculous.

my only advice is to always hang back and keep him ahead. If he really wants to be a d*ck, he will do, but limit it and keep him where you can control your own movements.

It sounds like it’s deliberate and must be really unnerving. Because why would he be the one person right behind you every day unless the children are in alpha order? Can you not wait for him to go in and hang back?

If all else fails I’d have to say something.

Absolutely this ☝️ and hand him some cough sweets and a pack of tissues. Do not smile, stare him in the eyes and say 'I DO NOT expect to see you behind me again or I'll cut a bitch' and give him a flash of the knife in your coat...

Job's a good un' 🤣

If perfume or another irritant made him cough he would be doing his best to avoid you.

I would just ask him to walk in front so he doesn't cough all over you again. Be upfront and confront it.

Fart.

Can you not come out of line and go behind him?

Post nasal drip causes someone to have to clear their throat or do a dry forced sounding cough quite frequently. It could be caused by a condition he has. The fact it always happens when he’s behind you could easily just mean he always has to do it. I know someone with post nasal drip and they don’t cover their mouth, they’d get a sore arm if they did that every time they had to clear their throat and they aren’t contagious.

Whenever someone coughs near me I ask them to step back.. it's disgusting!

Just avoid him!! It really can’t be that difficult.

Pers I wouldn’t say anything to him as that would probably make his behaviour even worse. He will stop doing it eventually. Or stamp on him. Just say oh, sorry, your cough startled me. He will soon stop.

Start coughing back? Make it a competition to see who can get it in there first.

Possible options...."I've noticed you have a nasty cough here's some tissues...time to see your GP maybe?"
"Cover your mouth I don't want your bug"
"Hand him a face mask"
Move away

I’d bet money on you just being paranoid

I asked about the personal space. This is rather worrying if he is 'stalking' you. He is harassing you and needs to be stopped. My suggestion about other parents stands. Ask another parent to keep an eye out and see if they agree that this man is being creepy. Dont get them to stand with you as he may be put off by it. If they confirm it then unfortunately i would suggest he needs told to stay away from you. Your gut feeling is usually the correct one.

He sounds an absolute oaf.
It's a very ill mannered thing to do, and as PP have mentioned, very passive aggressive.

Who coughs without turning away, or at the very least, covering their mouth with a tissue?

Maybe he feels threatened by you in some way?

Horrible man- just steer clear from his boorish ways.

I really don't think this is paranoia as one pp suggested. I think there is something nasty behind it and the op must avoid being close to this person at all costs. If this is truly impossible, when the person coughs, please turn around and say loudly "Please cover your mouth, I don't want your germs" and that should put an end to things. You definitely shouldn't put up with this awful behaviour.

Step backwards into him. I hate it when people
stand really close in a queue, let alone his foul coughing all over you. When you step on him, don’t apologise, tell him to give you personal space.

I'd put money on him having silent reflux.

If he gets too close. Step back and stamp on his foot. Say "sorry but haven't you heard of social distancing "
And hand him a face mask