Things people do that just baffle you

[Whatexcellentboiledpotatoes]

What does either a specific person in your life, or just the general public do, you just don't understand why they do it, and you either can't ask them or you've tried to ask them and they can't tell you?

Write it here and maybe someone else that also does it can tell you why, or has an idea as to why.

Here are mine:

Why do my neighbours across the street bring their bins outside a full 24hrs early? They are retired, home most of the day, go in and out of their house five or six times during that 24hr period, but bring their bins out early Monday morning when they don't get picked up until Tuesday morning?

Why do people talk on their phones on speakerphone in public, what is the purpose?

It’s not meant literally to mean the relative will be angry though. It’s just shit people say.

No. Sometimes there are unpleasant comments about how infertile people should all adopt even if the person says they don’t want to.

You likely don’t notice because it’s not about you.

Why do slow drivers speed up as soon as they reach the overtaking lane?

The thing that I saw was that the working age customers were saying ‘you have got all week to shop’ when the elderly couples were dithering right by the milk deciding whether to buy an extra 2 pints of milk or not.

These customers have DGC but in their 20s-40s.

It’s the 1st generation of retired people I’m talking about. Those in their 80s and 90s who may have DC who are retired. My DF was 75 and retired for 11 years when his DM died aged 96

Oh god that one! Stand to rummage in their bag, to get shopping list, glasses so can read stuff.

Then on the way out, rummage their bag to get car keys, bus pass.

I remember one day, it was chucking it down and about 40 customers were standing around the doorway and area by it. This particular morning, the area’s manager’s boss was in. He asked one of the managers to make them leave as causing an obstruction.

it’s only water FFS!

I want to do this as I am so forgetful, but when I go out with my pram, it is so annoying having to step in the road all the time to dodge the bins blocking the pavement, especially then having to go around parked cars too to do this. You end up just walking in the road. I imagine it must be really difficult for wheelchair users too.

Best to put bins out late and bring them in early.

I had one yesterday in a shop kept coming and standing inches away from me (face to my midsection) looking uo and “barking” at me.

Happened 3 times in various places around the shop including repeatedly when stood in the queue to pay.

Mum just stood there.

WTF?

Get your child out of my personal space and teach her some manners!

My bafflement is people who have children but can’t be arsed with them. Why bother?

Can I add people who are queuing to order at a cafe and only start reading the menu when it’s their turn to be served.

This is why I love QR code ordering.

The complete lack of spatial awareness and the stunned surprise and blank faced shock when they encounter another human in an ordinary place.

When the train doors open and passengers are trying to get off. They stand their like oxen, blocking the path of those attempting to exit the carriage.

Leaving or entering a lift. They are dumbfounded.

In the supermarket, when they are clogging up the entire aisle with their trolley and/or standing four feet back to "read" the products.

People who don't have their card/cash ready before they board a bus 🙄

Especially the twirlies - those retired who stand at the bus stop for 40 mins before they are allowed to travel for free. Around here it’s after 9:30am. Then when the post 9:30am bus comes, the twirlies go through their bag and get their passes out. Colleague’s OH is a bus driver and this happens on all the five routes he does across the county.

I had a hospital appt at 10am and got a bus at 8:50am. A few of the twirlies were already at bus stop. When bus turned up, I offered them to board first. “We are waiting for 9:30am”.

About twice a year, DF has to pay for the bus to hospital if his appt is before 10:30am. One of those could have an appointment then too.

The twirlies do this all year round. Even when it’s -3c and blowing a bitterly cold wind. Why?

If I heard my parents wait for a bus for 40 mins in freezing weather, I would not be happy.

All valid uses of an escalator. I would actually use one if I was in heels (incredibly rare 🤣). But I bet the vast majority just can't be arsed walking up actual steps

So what? if you're shopping in town and have walked a lot of steps whats the problem with taking the escalator for a moment's rest/convenience?

I have never in my entire life seen an escalator marked as only to be used for those with disabilities and in fact, in our local mall the stairs are miles away and tucked right around the back of the mall out of sight, when the escalator is right there to take you between shopping floors. The layout assumes that everyone will use the escalator.

The idea you have to have a "valid reason" to use an escalator is ridiculous 😂🤣

Edit- ALSO escalators are not really disability friendly at all, thats why our mall has lifts which can accommodate wheelchairs and prams

They just awkwardly looked at me. They were rather confused why I moved. I'm female and he was male. I didn't feel comfortable sitting next to someone when there were hundreds of empty seats. I waited until the film started to see if someone was going to sit in the seat in front

On the subject of cinemas - there's about 20-30 minutes of adverts. Yet people still come in 30 minutes after the film has started?

How many billionaires do you know, and do you actually know how they spend 'all of their waking hours'?
I suspect the answers are zero and no.

Well done for entirely missing the point.

In the supermarket, when they are clogging up the entire aisle with their trolley and/or standing four feet back to "read" the products.

It's often so that you can see the range in one view before making a choice.

The alternative is to walk the length of the display close to it, bending down to see the bottom shelves and peering up to see the top ones, blocking other people's access to the bit of shelf you're standing right in front of.

It would be less necessary if things were always in the same place, but they aren't. I scan the shelf from 4 feet away and then zoom in on the packet of biscuits that I want. And at my age I'm not going to go bending myself double to get to the stuff out of sight on the back of the bottom shelf unless I've seen it's there first 😆

But not always possible,

Have child after child even though they quite clearly can't care for their other children

Post everything online about their children with no thought for their child's privacy or who might see it

Not against the law and not always possible to reverse in and still get out of the car.

I understand rituals and comfort. I don't understand the whole 'achieve a plumping effect in 24 hours' or whatever the claims are from various companies.

I can understand that. Very different types of gardening, and they'll get something useful out of the allotment.

Why chat in the middle of an aisle in the first place?

Surely, if you can find time to have a chat there, you can do so in a cafe, outside, or plan to in each other’s home or a park. Meet up somewhere else instead of preventing others from being able to move past you or blocking people from getting what they need.

Likely the same type of people who do the same on pavements and expect others to just move around them into the street or grass.

See also mothers with small children who insist on doing their shopping (or worse, go into the post office) between 12-2 on a weekday

May have more than one child , doing tasks for others, wfh as a seller and are sending packages just like other people are, may be the only time they have to go, etc.

Bins.... Because they are worried about forgetting. Not everyone has the kind of tech that will remind them AND tell them what they are reminding them about.

Corner shop driving... Because they are not strong/can't walk very far/have mobility issues/can't carry as much as they want to buy? My local shop is well within walking distance, for other people. Not for me.

So now the lady, a paying customer who just wanted to drink her £5 coffee by the window with a view has to slink off somewhere else because she’s alone.

You don’t understand basic marketing?