‘Excuse me’ - why the reaction??

[Nakedmoleratapprecoationsociety]

In the last few months I’ve really noticed an increase in people who take great offence to the phrase ‘excuse me.’

DS saying excuse me to a teacher, obstructing the pedestrian gates, who snapped ‘wait a second.’ He waited several moments before asking so it wasn’t as though he walked up and said it.

I said excuse me to someone in Waitrose who was obstructing the cheese with their trolley whilst they took a call. Got an eye roll and a nasty look.

A pregnant woman on the train said ‘excuse me’ to someone obstructing the aisle she could get to a seat. Got a tonne of abuse.

Ive got so many more examples, both of friends/family and myself. I don’t get it. Would people rather people said ‘oi, fuck off out my way you ignorant tosser’? Am I missing something? Is ‘excuse me’ now rude or aggressive?!

Very much depends on tone and context, but I have heard 'excuse me' being used as a rude nterruption or as a demand which kind of defeats the purpose of the phrase.

Very much depends on tone and context, but I have heard 'excuse me' being used as a rude nterruption or as a demand which kind of defeats the purpose of the phrase.

I don’t believe this.

The English don't like to say things in a 2-3 words when 15 will do😂

In English commands tend to be 2-3 words long so you need to couch a request in some additional softening words if you don't want to come across as rude. Simple as that really

I think the phrase 'Excuse me' has been hammered to death by tonal deliveries and I'm reluctant to use it. In my experience it's delivered more often than not in a tone of entitled impatience which it's clear from responses others have noticed too. I much prefer engaging more personally with people in a way that reflects the circumstances of the situation. For instance, encountering a large family blocking a pavement in town, I'd say. 'Blimey, are you guys having a party here? Could I just squeeze through you?' Or, on a bike on a towpath, I'd never just ring my bell (just another, differently framed 'get out of my way' message, but again I'd say, 'Hi there, (to establish human contact) Could I just get round you here?' It works.

I agree that society has become a lot less tolerant and polite. Whenever I use the phrase "excuse me" to get by someone, I always tag the word "please" on at the end and smile. So far, I've not had any bad experience. I will admit that when I hear someone simply saying "excuse me" without the courtesy of a "please", it does rankle a little - almost as if it's a 'command' of some sort.

I ended up in a massive embarrassing argument with a woman in M&S when I took my mum shopping. She and her teen daughter perusing the bread rolls, aware we were waiting but dithering and blocked two people wide. So I said excuse me - this was after a long wait - she went mad, called me a lazy bitch etc etc and I’m afraid I didn’t cover myself with glory in my response. Seriously though, no self awareness or awareness of others and such an over reaction to a polite request!