AIBU to be annoyed by these people on my local Facebook page?

[FacebookLocals]

Euguughhhh - they drive me nuts. I know I could leave but the group is 50% useful stuff (we have an A-road on our morning commute that is frequently closed due to accidents and the page always knows first, that kind of thing) and 50% utter shite. Does anyone else have these kinds of people or do I just live in a bonkers place?!

1. One woman has set up her own cleaning company with her daughter (good for them - this is something I think is great). What irritates me is that, even though it's the two of them and no one else, they keep posting adverts that say people should use them because "unlike other cleaning companies", they pay their staff a "fair wage"... but they are their staff. I've never had a cleaner but my understanding is that you either go through an agency (where you pay a higher amount and the cleaner themselves get about minimum wage) and you get security that they'll find someone else if your usual cleaner is sick/holiday/maternity/whatever and they have solid insurance and that kind of thing, or you go direct to a self-employed person (you pay slightly less but the cleaner gets it all - after their costs) but there's less security (i.e. if they're sick then they're sick and won't be coming). This cleaner is trying to portray the best of both for herself... Just annoys me to try and claim some kind of moral highground when they don't have one.
2. The people who post completely irrelevant, chain-mail jokes - usually pretty sexist ones about women being unable to drive... They aren't relevant to the group (and they aren't funny) - if you can't control yourself, just share them on your personal Facebook page.
3. The people who see blatant vandalism or theft and go "oh, get a life" or "we were all young once", "I bet you ain't perfect". Like, you know, I'm a fully grown up adult and I've never once set an abandoned building on fire, egged anyone or left upturned trolleys all over a road. On top of that, as a grown fucking adult, I have the brain capacity to realise that setting things on fire and blocking emergency vehicles could do serious harm (even if that's not in the minds of those teens when they did it). On top of that, I know full well that when people my age (back when I was a teen) did anything like this, every decent adult would've obliterated them for being little shits... so, if teens are always going to do stupid things, when did adults stop doing their part of the routine?! Lo and behold, when the vandalising abandoned buildings turned into abandoning their business or when doing stupid thing turns into threatening them, they completely fail to recognise that they allowed that to progress by excusing the poor behaviour when it started.
4. Parents bitching about the local school's "ridiculous" behaviour policy where their child was sent to the isolation room for politely asking if they're allowed to breathe or for raising their hand to point out a stray puppy was on fire. Like, no, your kid can't behave and it's embarrassing that you can't see you're being lied to.
5. The people who refuse to answer questions that are asked. Things like one bloke asking if there are any recommendations for local garages and the first comment is "I don't have a car so I can't help, sorry"... like, why comment?! I once asked for recommendations for childcare - either a nursery or a childminder - and all but one comment was people saying to make sure the childminder has a DBS check. Like, ok, I'm not an idiot, that's not what I asked.
6. Non-stop incorrect legal advice at every turn - "you can't do that, it's a violation of GDPR", "tell them to press charges", "I'll go over there and make a citizens arrest". I just can't take any more of it!
7. People asking questions that are literally on Google - "does anyone know what time Tesco closes?" (not on Christmas or things where Google might not be accurate), "what's the phone number for the GP surgery?", "is it an inset day at the school today?" (cue 19847 different comments about the five potential schools that could be being asked about, none of which have an inset day and all of which have their calendars on their websites).

I just wonder if people were always like this and had different outlets (I don't really remember a time before Facebook) or are people getting weirder? Or is this just my local page and everyone is normal where you are?

I know it's gone midnight, this is slightly lighthearted...

Ours is all right but I lasted about 5 days on the email list at my old house. Very old school (as you can imagine, it being an email list) and an old fashioned race row blew up on it almost immediately after I joined (no not due to me). I don't think it benefits anyone to find out the bloke three doors down who says hello and chats about the weather actually thinks that your street should only be for white people.

The problem about the lost cat posts in my town is that people don’t say where they damn well live. There’s no point me keeping my eyes peeled for your pesky mog if you live over on the new estate on the outskirts of town, but if you live in my area I’ll go check the shed now. So say! The first reply is always “whereabouts are you?”
The second is the suggestion to leave puss’s litter tray outside. Yeh yeh we know the drill.

Agree with all of these things!

There’s loads of people on mine who can’t even spell where we live, think something like Temple, spelt constantly as Tempel. There’s also a pub called *Temple Garden which is often referred to as ‘The Tempel.’

Why can’t you even spell where you live?!?!?! Argh!!!!!!

We had one like this a few weeks back and it was actually a car belonging to someone a couple of doors down from me. It was tempting to comment "yes, that's Bob from 123 X Avenue. Yes, he does drive like a total bellend. But he doesn't care and he's not even in this group. Stop wasting your time." Didn't, though.

Mines full of nimbys that live in houses angry about houses being built. And people that turn every conversation around to be angry about immigration despite the fact that I’ve never been aware of a single immigrant in the area

The "sorry it's a want". Posts. Ours this morning has a woman who wants a whole house full,of furniture and and accessories for her new flat ( or to resell on marketplace I suspect)

With you on all those OP! So irritating.

We get the same , lost dogs/cats. Someone will say their cat is is missing , someone else will screenshot what is quite obviously a completely different cat and say is this it? No Debbie, the missing cat is black and white and that’s a fucking tortoiseshell cat!

The Dog poo posts. Endless.

Currently we have about four village FB pages. All the same people and same posts. There’s a cake war saga at the moment which is quite entertaining. Two home bakers, trying to outdo each other. Each one has a group of supporters and they regularly argue on the groups. Neither look good because of it.

The scroungers - does anyone have a treadmill I can use or have? I can’t pay for it as I’m saving up for a holiday but I really want one. That was from last week. Or the classic can anyone help this young couple/family - lots of people offer various items and the replies are ooh I don’t like that colour sofa or we were hoping for a bigger tv, just unbelievable cheek!

A house we bought in a new unfamiliar area was left filthy, I stupidly posted for cleaning company recommendations. A few people tagged companies but the first reply was “ What’s wrong with your hands? So lazy! Clean your own house” I asked him if he ever are ate at restaurants. He replied of course. So I asked him why he was too lazy too cook for himself. He didn’t reply 🤣

Marketplace - free sofa/bookcase etc - can you deliver? No Adam, that’s why the advert says free for pick up, no delivery 🙄

Local Nail or hair salon adverts, with photos that would put you off going but when people ask for recommendations for such businesses, they’re suggested, despite most people knowing they are terrible!

Many more I can’t think of. People are weird and often funny without trying.

I love this.

I'm not on FB but a few years ago I accidentally fell over my areas local FB group whilst googling something and it was both hilarious and fascinating as the bloke running it was an utter power mad zealot, who would rigourously police other people's posts. He caused so much angst that eventually half the group split and created a rival group, which caused a Versuvius style eruption from the power mad one and so much bad feelings that it even caused a rift between some people irl.

Oh yes, plus the "there is a teenage boy in a hoodie walking down my road. Not seen him before, must be a wrong'un" posts.

Ah, I think every local Facebook group in the land is like this. There’s a BBC podcast called ‘Welcome to the neighbourhood’ which highlights some of the best of groups like this - love it.

Our group is a treasure trove of local information but oh my, it’s also non stop power trips and threads of moaning people.

There’s a few people who’ve been given the lofty title of ‘Admin’ and they exercise it with all the relish of Kim Jong-un. We also have the Ring doorbell footage usually of perfectly innocent people doing innocent things but the poster is convinced the person is ‘casing the joint’. When people point out that it just looks like a person walking past their front door, hysterics ensue.

My favourite threads are the boycotts or the ones about the ‘useless council’. Near to us, a superstore opened recently but when it turned out there wasn’t a clothes section, the group organised a boycott - all because they can’t buy socks at their new Tesco.

If I’m ever looking for a local business though, the search function is great. I’ve found recommended painters, plasterers and a mechanic through the group. I’ve learned NOT to make the mistake of posting and asking for recommendations though - every lunatic on the group then sends a PM and a friend request.

It’s an endless source of amusement.

After a bereavement, I once made the mistake of joining a local bereavement FB group. It was utterly unhinged. Granted, people might have been grieving and that can make you go crazy for a while but this was off the charts.

One person posted photos of their deceased (young) relative laid out in his coffin. It was quite a shock to open Facebook and see all these rather grim close up pictures of a young person who’d died.

I sent a message to the group admin (nicely) just to say maybe that’s not helpful for people who are in shock and grieving? I should have minded my own business! I got the most awful sweary message back, calling me a stuck up bitch and was kicked out the group.

Lesson learned.

Don’t mess with the Ayatollahs of Facebook groups.

If some posts are the same people over and over again, just block them

Cats being run over - very sad, but I’m getting bored of the common responses of I wish people would stop speeding etc, all these knobheads targeting cats etc! No, cats are numpties, they don’t look both ways to cross, I’ve seen so many near misses where cats have shot out from parked cars, chasing another cat/bird. Absolutely nothing to do with speeding.
I live in a town with a busy dual carriageway ring road, surrounded by housing estates. Daily there is a cat killed on that road, and the posts always consist of people announcing that drivers should brake suddenly - its a 60mph road!

Oh and what’s with people starting their perfectly acceptable & actually helpful posts with “delete if not aloud”? (sic)

eg
delete if not aloud. Major roadworks on main road causing delays today.

Yet Doris down the street advertising her horrendous DIY crochet coasters for £17 each on a daily basis doesn’t put this.

The “this is difficult for me so I have set up a cleaning company” posts pop up on mine. It’s definitely a scam but I’m not sure how.

As do the complaints about anonymous posting.

And the wives and girlfriends recommending their partners for plumbers, etc. Makes it impossible to know what’s a genuine recommendation.

My favourite one is the way the racists come out any time something Islamic is mentioned. Happy Eid posts from admin have to have comments disabled but the angry emojis still appear. Our MP posts regularly about his various visits. He went to a mosque during Ramadan and the number of angry comments complaining he never does anything for any other faith was immense - except he’s Jewish himself and we live in an area with a high number of Jews and Hindus so he had dozens of posts visiting Jewish and Hindu organisations which everyone conveniently forgot about! I guess there’s nothing like a common cause to unite a community!

This ^

People who post a photo of a ragged, piss stained sofa saying "Free sofa - used but will do someone a turn".

Don’t mess with the Ayatollahs of Facebook groups

Yes the admin of some groups really are power hungry! I tried to join one for local families and the admin would ask where you live before accepting. I told her we had just bought a house in X road but were doing it up before we moved in so not living there just yet. She told me I can’t join until I actually live there…

Face book is incredibly useful for village things. School fairs, closed roads etc, I must admit I'm blocking more and more of the rubbish. never, ever click on an advert for cat food!

Yes..my sons cat was lost and social media did nothing but lead me to believe he was dead (saw a post about a dead cat 5m away, went to see it i couldn't tell if it was my cat or not cos a fox had ate its head). He was found when a neighbour texted me as she saw my cat and saw the posters me and my son had put up on lampposts

On my local FB group, no-one can bring themselves to say the word "dead". It's always "There is a deceased fox near the bus stop. I would have stopped to remove it but I didn't have any tissues with me" or some such nonsense.

Ps. I wish we still had the laughing emoji reaction because some of these are really making me chuckle.

Or “unalived”. I genuinely don’t get it.

Must admit there's a nosey side of me that enjoys seeing how other people think, I like a browse on Nextdoor App on my lunchbreak as it's like a local FB group on steroids.

If you're wanting to know about road closures etc download Waze App as it shows all sorts, busy roads, speed cameras.

Tiktok deletes posts if you use the words dead or suicide

Maybe people think FB does too?