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?

Our neighbour has his professionally (and noisily) cleaned. Why anyone would be bothered enough about their bin to pay to have it cleaned is beyond me.

Got a small dog friendly coffee shop chain in our area - it’s wonderful!

Pretty, attractive looking people getting cosmetic surgery which makes them ugly

Those who are 'baffled' by people striking up conversations with strangers, are often the same people pointing out how much more friendly other European countries are compared to 'ignorant, unfriendly Brits'.

Agreed. The "pillow face" looks bloody awful. I know 2 women in their early thirties that had this done. Really spoilt their natural looks

You might choose not to, but I don't think it's reasonable to say no one else should. If the cafe chooses to police it, it's of course within their rights and everyone can make their choice about whether to go there, but unless there's signage to say the larger tables are reserved for larger groups, a single person should be able to sit where they like.

I didn’t miss the point at all thanks. I’m quite justified in saying I’d rather park on the road outside my house than have to go through the hassle of letting my passengers in and out at the end of my driveway. Maybe you missed the point entirely?

It's just personal preferences isn't it. I think many people spoil their looks by having tattoos but they seem to like them for some inexplicable reason.

(Think you accidentally tagged the wrong person - similar UN)
The irony of them complaining someone parked so close the them was completely lost on them! I do think that it's good for neighbourly relations for me to just do it with good grace, but it still baffles me!
I will likely say something and it'll be, shall we say, short, to the point and with no frills if they wake me up off nights to let them out!!

I'm going to add why do people lose their minds at mini roundabouts? There's one on the local retail park and I have just had not one, but two pull out from the left as I was on the roundabout which then brought the entire thing to a standstill..... Nothing from my right so I enter roundabout, car approaching from the next exit (1st), I'm turning right, 3rd exit, indicator on, he pulls out in front of me so I stop, then follow him, then the car coming out of the second exit to his left pulls out in front of him, so we all stop, and everyone just sits there until the car now at the front regains his gumption and moves. Have I missed something? Do we give way to the left now on mini roundabouts?!

The charging for plastic seems now to have morphed into a money-making scheme as places are also charging for paper bags.

Jumping into the road, and into on-coming traffic, to avoid dogs. I had someone do it earlier. I had the dogs walking on the other side of me to hell, wide pavement and the guy coming the other way just jumped into the road, without looking, rather than walk past me. The car coming up behind him had to slam his breaks on.🤔

People who sit next to you on the train when there are loads of seats.🙄

People who let their children play their TV programmes at top volume in restaurants and then wonder why they're asked to leave 😂

People who claim to be animal lovers, but buy poorly bred dogs/cats from puppy/cat farmers and thereby contribute to animal abuse. 😡

I mean using the stairs when they're available rather than standing on an escalator. A surprising amount of people havent understood my post. I'm not talking about walking up escalators, I'm talking about standing stationary on a crowded escalator when there is an empty, perfectly functional set of stairs alongside it.

Have it delivered

So you go when its quieter to be altruistic? Or to suit your own needs?

Nah, I don't want to strike up convos or have strangers strike up convos with me in UK or abroad.

In central London it is generally not the done thing to do. People are busy and cramped in public spaces so everyone tries to live in their own bubble and give others space and privacy to the extent it is possible which includes not making idle convos. However, I find Londoners helpful. They don't come out of their shell until you need help, then offer help and then they are off again.

People didn’t understand you because you didn’t specify that you meant stairs and escalators side by side.

Why do people stand on escalators when they are perfectly capable of walking up steps? Baffles me (I understand disabilities, before anyone comes at me!)

Yes, I understand people have their personal reasons for doing this. It is the complete lack of spatial awareness - that they are now taking up the aisle, and blocking the passage of other shoppers, and the entitlement to do so.

Also the people who see a tribute thread to a recently-deceased well-liked but non-household-name celebrity - unambiguously titled 'Bob Bobinson RIP" or similar and genuinely believe that the best use of their time is to click and engage with the thread to tell everybody else on there that they've never heard of them.

Now that's one that genuinely baffles me too @AntiqueBabyLoanSmurf and it's a common occurrence.

Not only do those posters choose to advertise their own ignorance but they do so in quite an authoritarian manner: “Well I've never even heard of X.” Implying that's the final word on the subject, nothing further to be said.

Really weird.

And give the staff extra work to do? The woman was only having a drink. My daughter and her carers were having a meal as well as drinks.

The attempt to talk doesnt bother me but the reaction to not wanting to engage does. Its fine to try to talk to me but you should equally respect the fact I dont want to and not get pissy about it.

Agree.

Why does someone wanting to talk for reasons outside of an emergency trump me wanting to be left alone?

The time I’m out by myself is often the only time I’m actually alone and no one is asking anything of me.

Besides, often, ime, the conversations are one-sided ones, and they are talking at me. They don’t want a conversation, they want someone to entertain them.

I have had lovely conversations with strangers but I was also in the mood for it and didn’t mind. It’s different when I’m wearing headphones, reading and giving the obvious signs that I’m the last person to be trying to strike a conversation with.

Its a public space

But again - why on earth cant people use the escalator even if there are stairs right next to it? I have never seen a queue for any escalator because it's constantly moving.

Also, escalators arent really disability friendly anyway - they are disorientating if you are wobbly, have mobility issues and easy to trip on because they move quite fast which could be dangerous. You cant take a wheelchair on them, if a child is likely to have a physical meltdown on one it's not safe at all.

Thats why lifts are present - so people with mobility issues and wheelchairs can use them

Yes, so are all those pavements people walk four abreast on slowly in the city during rush hour. So are those railway platforms where people stand like oxes staring as if the people trying to exit should just dematerialise. So are all those places where people are trying to get safely off escalators and travelators, where people stand and have a think.

Yes!

I find this is the case in most major cities I’ve been to and I love it.

Definitely “city people are kind but not nice” type of thing. They’ll leave you be but if you need help, they’ll usually help you and once they see you’re good be on their way.

I’m baffled by how many people are so invested in what other people do.