Things people do that baffle you 2

[jenzzi]

Following this thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5520735-things-people-do-that-just-baffle-you?page=40

Things included
talking on loudspeaker in public
very elderly people who shop on Saturday morning
people that stop at shop entrances
people park next to you in a car park that is about 20% full

Could you quote the part of my post in which I suggest the cashier should 'berate customers for not bringing their own bags'?

Nowhere do I suggest anything of the sort. Here is my post again:

No, I still think that the default should be to assume that everyone nowadays takes their own bag.
Customers should have to actively ask for a bag, for lots of good reasons.

The cashier need say nothing. The onus is on the customer to ask for a bag.

I'm shocked at the way you have twisted my words to suit your own odd agenda.

I think some of them are born with, or develop very early on, an addictive personality and if it's not smoking it will be something else. Even healthy things like sport are addictive to some people.

I think a poster explained why she started as a teenager - to fit in and be cool. When I realise people are smokers it often does put me off them because it means they were one of the cool kids at school or aspired to be and I was the opposite. However, I totally understand the addiction part.

Smoking is an addiction. If it was so easy to stop, I am sure that many would.

Of course, it's an addiction. Everyone knows that. Everyone knows how difficult it is to stop.

The point that the PP was making, and that I was quoting, was 'anyone under the age of 50'. Anyone over 50 would have grown up and entered the adult world brow-beaten to take it up. The societal pressure to smoke has gone.

It's very easy not to start!

I don't think that's a new thing.

I saw something on Facebook about this today - moaning about cyclists on the Granite Way.

It's a cycle path. The clue is in the name. Not a (dog) walkers' path or a runners' path.

People that drive 10mph below the speed limit. I don’t understand why they think that going slower is safer.

I am with you. If everyone else has got into the left hand lane early and it's moving, albeit slowly, the early signage has clearly worked and it IS the people who push in who cause the issues and cause everyone to stop.

If the signs say merge in turn, that's what you do.

But you have to do one or the other, not both.

Especially when there's nobody behind you!

I'm not suggesting for a moment that you did talk about berating customers - that was my own wider consideration of how it could come across if you don't have the bags freely available for the people who will expect them. I was not twisting your words but adding my own on this discussion forum.

For what it's worth, I take my own bags in; but I've observed that virtually nobody else ever does. I don't have any 'agenda' other than to realise that working in a shop for low pay at often unsociable hours is not most people's dream job - and that it's probably even less fun to have to put up with the negative reactions of, and delays caused by, customers who are expecting you to offer/pack a bag as a basic part of serving them and which they obviously need, but then you don't.

Not all, granted, as many will indeed politely ask for one or more bags; but a fair proportion won't. Even just one customer abusing you for being "too stupid to even know that I obviously need a bag" is one more than you want whilst doing a not-particularly-exciting job.

It really isn't especially important to me, contrary to what you may think; just my thoughts in response to your own thoughts.

You've expressed it far better than me! It's the making folk stop that were rolling along nicely that buggers it all up!

Yes, those under 50 made the stupid decision to start as teenagers, but the reason why they STILL smoke is (usually) because they're addicted.

I do know at least one smoker who says he smokes because he likes it and isn't addicted - he can go a long time without smoking when necessary.

People that are walking happily along the street then need to stop for some reason. No problem. It happens. Might be getting something for their child in a buggy. Dog has stopped to sniff. Just getting something out their bag. Sending a text. So you go to overtake them. But they start walking the second you are right alongside them. So you’re now walking in tandem. But they look at you like you’re doing something odd.

Had it yesterday with a couple walking a dog. As the dog stopped to sniff they were looking about so they saw me walking towards them. One even nodded hello at me. As I went to walk past them they started walking as well. So now we’re walking as a three all next to each other. Why didn’t they just wait 3 seconds for me to get ahead?? I ended up slowing down to let them pull ahead and when they stopped again for the dog I tried to speed up but they started walking next to me again. And they kept glancing at me the second time so I ended up crossing the road. I honestly find it really weird. But I accept it might just be me.

If Supermarkets didn’t stock their shelves during the day, customers would be moaning about things out of stock.

Also some supermarkets don’t have a night shift anymore. The supermarket I used to work at, ended their night shift some point in. 2023. Staff were there til 11pm and different staff started at 5am

people who say ‘name change for privacy’ before posting.. what’s that about? Why do we need to know you changed username?

I have two theories 📧

• They have said things previously on threads that may possible identify them.
• They may have behaved outrageously on previous threads and don't want their credabilty to be affected.

Cynic? Me? !!

I'm trying to get my head around this one, how else would you get someone's attention? Would you prefer they shout to announce they're overtaking or need you to move? 😅

I've been collecting things that people do that baffle/annoy me for a while, here's some:

• People who make specific requests for low value small ads items instead of just giving them away for free or asking for a euro. They ask for magnum mini ice creams, haribo, specific brands of coffee. That's much more effort than cash.

• People who bring children to spas, even if they're quiet.

• Mumblers. They must know they do it.

• People who make obvious suggestions about how to identify murder victims from Interpol posts, as if the police hadn't thought of doing that already. "Check the serial number on the ring". Calm down, Sherlock.

• People gifting voucher gifts like 1x Babysitting or 1x romantic cooked meal.

• People who wear matching Christmas pyjamas or any clothes and don't wash them first.

• People who say "You'll be speaking to my lawyer" about minor inconveniences. You know they don't have a lawyer and aren't intimidating anyone.

• People who offer dodgy financial courses directed towards multiple audiences at once, advice like "stop living paycheck to paycheck" and then "buy rental property". Huh?

• People who comment on social media about AI destroying the planet and then have photos of either meat or their multiple short and long haul trips on their profile.

• Older people who complain about the behaviour of "kids nowadays". We're one generation away from beating kids into submission at school and home, it might take time to adjust.

• People who say they "dont watch TV" to sound superior but stream for hours. No one watches TV like it's the 90s, you're better than no-one.

• People who have feather pillows on their sofa with the feathers poking out and stabbing you in the arm. Get new ones or stop inviting me to your house.

• People who say price point instead of price.

• People who post long ChatGPT answers to questions on social media, like they're doing a public service.

• People who comment on recipes and and about the weirdest substitutes, courgettes for sugar? NO, obviously fucking not Janet.

• People who say "picky bits" for food.

• People who suggest donating book hoards to local libraries, no one wants ancient dusty moldy books.

• People who are precious about paperbacks and treating books in a particular way. It doesn't make you an intellectual.

• People who dont have a simple prepared answer to "what do you do?" and explain that it's "complicated". I dont care what you do Marcus, it's small talk.

• People who write or read business self help books.

• People who say "making memories" about days out with their children.

• People who say "forever home" and "cost of living crisis".

• People who challenge people using disabled parking spaces, especially if they're not disabled themselves.

• People who say to POC "your English/what language is really good" when they are clearly native speakers or near enough. Also, when you point out it's not a compliment, they get defensive.

• People who say "don't you die on me" in films and tv, such lazy scriptwriting.

• Reels with cake makers telling stories about entitled customers. Seen so many similar ones.

Say excuse me please?

That would be exhausting and you'd have to really shout to get people's attention. Surely that's exactly what the bell is for?
Maybe it's done differently in the UK, I live in Germany and everyone rings the bells if people are walking in the bike lane or if they're sharing the lane and they need to overtake. It's not considered rude here whereas shouting would be.

• Reels with cake makers telling stories about entitled customers. Seen so many similar ones.

Oh God! My algorithm is pushing these at me just now.

And the cakes look vile - all thick butter cream and artificial colours. I don't know what I did to deserve these things.

Joining a long queue for the ladies toilets only to get close enough to the front to check a few cubicles and find half of them are empty. Why are people just stood there like lemons, forming a huge queue having not even bothered to check them?!

If you shout some of us won't take notice. I don't understand why people don't use bells and then just moan at us for not moving

Dress head to toe in black and expect everyone to see them, usually cyclists

@Grammarninja and @JudgeJ my DH does the phone and wallet dance every time we leave the house, and particularly in the car. It consists of violently patting himself down several times, in a manner similar to the German slapping dance (Schuhplattler) to check that he has his phone and his wallet. EVERY TIME!