Called. Fu****g C**t today, by a stranger....

[ablueberryaday]

For context before I start the thread, I have a non-visible condition whereby my knee rubs in its joint socket causing swelling and often unbearable pain (awaiting surgery). Although not necessarily visible, it is extremely painful and often hard to walk logically distances and inclines.

Anyway.

Today, I was in the shopping centre waiting for the lift with around 15 others.. most with children and buggies. After around ten minutes of waiting (and the lift visibly going up and down and skipping the floor we were waiting on) it stopped. The family at the front of the queue went in, and there was a small gap to the front of the lift that no other people in the queue could fit into (all with children and buggies)

I was waiting in what would have been 3rd in line with two families ahead of me. One lady with 2 children, a double pram and a man, and one lady and man with three small children and lots of bags..

Nobody else moved for a while to go into the space in the lift, and so I politely walked around the front of the queue and slid into the (very small) space. I apologised as I moved past the people in the queue ahead of me, whereby the family with the three small children smiled, but the ones with the two children and double pram glazed awfully.

As we waited for the lift doors to close, the woman started shouting at me. She called me a selfish 'fucking cunt' for skipping the line and that I'm clearly not disabled and don't have children so why the fuck can't I use the stairs like everyone else. Her husband held her back as she was practically spitting her words at me.

As the doors finally closed, I just burst into tears. I was so so embarrassed. I know my condition may not be noticeable from the outside, but daily I live with excruciating pain and really need the lift today. I always try my best to use the stairs when I can, but today it was just not possible.

Am I being unreasonable?!

No. Some people are just bloody rude. Try and forget about her and do something nice for yourself.

She was the cunt not you, don't give her another thought and just know that everyone else waiting thought she was vile.

She was a stranger, she’s nothing to you. Don’t let one person doubt yourself.
You know your needs. She doesn’t need to. She’s a stranger. I don’t have time to stop and consider everyone’s potential health/medical needs before I make micro decisions in life, I would just not be a twat.
Don’t sit stewing on it and playing it over in your head. There was space for one, you were one and made use of the space.

Terrible behaviour from her op, she wouldn’t have fit anyway!!!!

She's an arsehole. Don't give her another half a second's thought.

YWNBU. The person sounds deranged

I'm sorry I've just noticed all of my spelling mistakes

She was holding on to that level of hatred and waiting to unleash it on someone and unfortunately it was you.

Don’t let the bitch ruin your weekend, you did the right thing utilising the available space.

Imagine being in her small evil brain and be grateful you’re not her.

You did nothing wrong. She made a disgraceful show of herself.
Stop beating yourself up. She's nothing to you. Let it go 💐

Oh OP that’s awful.

To be honest, it sounds like she is a very unhappy individual to get that angry and use language like that infront of her kids just because someone went in the lift before her.

I don’t think you did anything wrong. Maybe you could have said “would anyone like to squeeze in the space? I have trouble with mobility”. Even though you shouldn’t have to make that known. But hindsight is a wonderful thing.

It’s very much a British thing to queue up like that as many other countries is a “free for all” when it comes to getting in lifts and on and off public transport. So this awful woman in question would have a field day in some European or Asian countries.

That just shows how she is.Infront of children aswel,she didn't have the balls to tell you to your face in a civilised way.I am sorry you cried ,I cry when I get angry and then I overthink about the situation, clearly she was in the wrong.

I mean, it probably did look like you were queue-jumping. I think a “Sorry, but I’ve got a really painful knee condition and I can’t manage stairs, do you mind if I squeeze in?” wouldn’t have gone amiss as of course people can’t read your mind.

However, of course the woman was absolutely awful to you and sounds like an appalling human being if she reacted with that level of anger and aggression. What an absolute horror of a woman. I hope you’re not too shaken up.

Hi OP. Sounds like she waited til the doors were closing to say her horrible words.
Try to forget it.
Some people have no manners or thoughts that people can have invisible illnesses

My other half has a similar condition and I regularly find myself advocating for him against people like this. I'm a little bit more mouthy when it comes to shouting back at these idiots.

You didn't deserve this abuse. I'm sorry some people are just so ignorant.

I mean, it probably did look like you were queue-jumping. I think a “Sorry, but I’ve got a really painful knee condition and I can’t manage stairs, do you mind if I squeeze in?” wouldn’t have gone amiss as of course people can’t read your mind.

This.

In hindsight maybe I should have explained myself more. Its really shaken me! I saw her around an hour later in the mall when I was walking out of a store. Again she hissed something at me about clearly not being disabled as I've got 'too much money to spend' - whatever this means I had a couple of bags from primark for birthday gifts

Well they have been waiting for a long time in the queue and nobody wanted to go in that space .OP walked passed them and apologised,it's not rocket science to work out she would be getting on that lift.OP doesn't owe any strangers an explaination to something that is clear to the eyes , unless they were blind.

So there wasn't space for any of the other groups anyway? I wouldn't even consider that queue jumping, just common sense.

Sorry she upset you. Please know her outburst was far more about her than it was about you. You did nothing wrong. We're all on the receiving end of nutcases occasionally, so don't take it personally.

She shouldn't have assumed you can use stairs. It's not your place to educate but as a person with a hidden disability myself I would have said "I have a hidden disability may I squeeze in the lift or does anyone else need the space?" You absolutely shouldn't have to though.

This 💯

She sounds a right sort OP. You should have had to explain yourself more, this isn't your fault.

There wasn’t space for the others anyway so it just makes good sense for someone to go even it’s technically pushing in.

She sounds like an unhinged lunatic… imagine behaving like that in front of your children…

I would have been shaken up too.

Horrible for you OP.
I know there are Hidden disability badges. Don't know much about them but would you consider wearing one of those if you could get one?
You shouldn't have to explain your health problems but definitely discrimination against people with hidden disabilities is a real thing.

It’s no excuse but she must be a very unhappy person with rage building inside her like that. It’s just unfortunate she burst and directed it at yet. Who even swears like that infront of children! I can guarantee anybody else who heard her would have been judging her, not you.

I don’t think you did anything wrong. Nobody else could fit in the lift. I don’t see that as queue jumping.

Nooo you owe her NOTHING, you don’t need to explain anything to her.

imagine how unhappy she must be to say this to a complete stranger. Was she with her kids? I can’t work it out. What a vile person.