Fuming about directions woman

[HowardsWahey]

I live in a seaside town that, at this time of year in particular, is very popular with tourists. Therefore it's quite common to be stopped and asked for directions or local information. I never mind, but I think a bit of gratitude doesn't go amiss.

Some woman and her husband stopped me today and asked if there was anywhere nearby they could get some fish and chips. I started saying, "Yes, if you walk to the bottom of the road just behind us, you'll see a big retail park with Sainsbury's and Lidl..."

Then, when I'm mid-sentence, she cuts me off and says, "Oh that's lovely - but we just fancied some fish and chips", saying "fish and chips" as if I was a bit simple and needed them explained to me. I gave her a bit of a look and said, "And if you'd let me finish, I'd have told you which turning to take at the retail park for the fish and chip shop".

I thought she'd have the sense to realise she shouldn't have interrupted, but she made a sort of huffing noise and said, "Well THAT'S a bit rude! I was only asking." So I said, "And I was only answering - but you interrupted me. THAT'S rude. Enjoy your chips". And I walked off.

What the hell is wrong with some people?! Someone takes time out of their day to help them out, and they won't take two seconds to listen! I hope she and her droopy-faced husband are still wandering about desperate to find their cod and chips 😄

I know the sport of winding up the OP on mn is big, but still, this has to be one of the most stupid things I’ve ever read on here.

How relevant is the massive landmark to the directions she was trying to give? Hmmm, tricky one that.

No it's not! Or, at least, it's completely deserved when someone interrupts, which is far ruder. I would say the same in similar circs.

And you may wish to look at how many other posts have been deleted before you start patronising me.

Currently 81% of people agree with OP and, TBF, lots of the posts disagreeing came from you so that's not an accurate indicator.

FWIW I have read all OPs posts and I still agree with her. The interrupting woman was far ruder than OP and I think "if you let me finish" is a fair comment

Oh I wish we still had the laugh reaction 😂

Yes OP, you’re not wrong.

I live in a touristy area too. What amuses me is when I’m with DH and we get stopped for directions, but that they automatically ask HIM as he’s the MAN.

We’ve lived here almost 20 yrs and DH doesn’t have a clue how to get to things as he has no sense of direction (doesn’t drive either), so he always has to turn to me and repeat their question. 😂

Goodness me- it if I posted every interaction I had with peculiar people I’d be here 24/7! She was rude. People often are. That’s it.

Well done OP for thinking of such a quick comeback. I’d have given her the wrong instructions after that! And well done for the way you’ve fended off the nasty comments on this thread. YANBU.

You’ve clearly completely misunderstood what I said @NoWordForFluffy

Also, there are over 1200 votes compared to fewer than 300 posts. It's the people who feel most strongly who tend to post rather than just vote - therefore you get a few "OMG you are the rudest person who ever lived, I hope you and your spawn are wiped from the earth!!" responses skewing the overall picture.

If you ask a stranger for directions, it's polite to wait until they've finished giving directions and then say thank you, rather than interrupting them. Even if they are a bit long winded, it's still incredibly rude to interrupt.

Personally I don't think "go to the bottom of the road and you'll see Lidl+ Sainsbury's" is long winded, and like I said if you're too impatient to wait for the end of such a standard sentence then use your phone's map application.

Jesus Christ on a bike, Mumsnet is a crazy place. Doesn't matter how reasonable or unreasonable an OP has been, posters will come along and swear blind it's the opposite. OP, you are not being unreasonable, the woman asked you for directions. You started to give directions. She interrupted. Everything else is just irrelevant fluff made up by people who have nothing better to do than pick holes in people's posts.

I live in an area which is over run by tourists in the summer months. I often get stopped by tourists looking for this and that. It's normally ok. Most people are polite if not apologetic but some of them have very entitled attitudes and seem to think that the residents are their unpaid tour guides. I am not sure I would have been as polite as you. Lol

You have my sympathy

She was very rude..I get the impression she interrupted you because she was picturing an olde worlde fish and chip shop, rather than one by a retail park..no excuse though.

Well it was a week ago so the OP may have calmed down now

Next time just point in the opposite direction to what they want.

YANBU I’m asked for directions quite a lot and people are astonishingly rude if you don’t automatically please them.

I’ve had a guy with a mobile to his ear ask me where the nearest cash point is, then shout at me for ignoring his question (as i didn’t even know he was bloody speaking to me). An older couple becoming outraged at me about the complexity of the Northern line tube tunnels (I didn’t build them, feel free to thank me for directing you through them). A woman who when I couldn’t hear her a couple of time (hood up, snowing) say pffffft and flap her hand in my face. A woman yell at me ‘JUST TELL ME THE WAY’ when I was struggling myself to work out the directions after being dumped out of a broken tube train at a stop I didn’t know.

Thanks for the catharsis. So yeah, you’re fine OP.

Well ive been busy and am only just catching up on Mumsnet.Didnt realise my reply was time sensitive.

I didn’t say it was. 😁

I think the retail park reference is throwing people off. It's not some industrial estate miles from the seafront. It's also just around the corner from where we were standing! She could have specified if she wanted to be right on the beach.