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 😄

Well we can see from some of the replies to your post that there a fair few people out there like the woman you encountered - those who can't see how rude SHE was and are jumping to accuse YOU of being rude, such a warped way to view things.
The woman calling you out for being rude, when in actual fact you were just correcting her rudeness: she was a dick and I hope she never found the chip shop!

Ruder than not letting me finish? It was in her interests to listen!

I'm not the tourist information centre

No...no I see that...

Its pretty obvious a tourist at the seaside wants to eat chips on the beach.
Not visit your mates chipper diwn an industrial estate. Thats probably why she was interrupting

They wanted fish and chips. There is a good fish and chip shop five minutes from where we were.

I don't see the problem?

The mere mention of Lidl would have made me gag to be honest.

Gosh, you’re a delicate flower!

Well next time OP, pretend to be a tourist who doesn’t know either. Better still just shrug and say ‘no comprende’ 🤪

My guess is she is at the end of her tether due to her husbands relentless morose demeanour and it’s very likely that he is obsessed with Retail Parks and she can’t bear to hear another word about them.

Why 😂

I detest being asked for directions, good for you for attempting to help them, op!

I really fancy some chunky chippy chips now

I know, it IS a bit traumatic living so close to one. The Sainsbury's sort of even things out, but really I'd rather it was a Waitrose. Nobody could object to going to a chip shop near Waitrose - even if it wasn't on the front.

I suppose google maps was out of the question for Mrs Bucket

I really fancy fish and chips for dinner now!

The mere mention of à Waitrose, and one’s heart simply lifts.

Well done for trying to direct them to the nearest good fish and chip shop, rather than some price-inflated beachside place (plaice).

You give directions like my Dad, over complicated & mention every landmark/business en route.

Just a simple “there’s one on the just past the retail park that way” would have been suffice.

People interrupt each other all the time. I woukd have just smiled and waited

Surely it’s better to mention something by recognisable name so you can see automatically you are heading in the right direction

Well if you're the one who needs the directions, you need to suck it up.

You should have used the Irish direction:- "well I wouldn't start from here if I were you"

You can't ask for directions and then get fussy about how concise the directions are or which fish and chip shop the stranger directs you to.

If you're that particular about how directions are communicated just use Google maps.

OMG I think this is the problem OP.

Maybe, just maybe, the fish and chip shop was near the retail park? Or you went past the retail park and it was a good landmark to mention.

I'd suggest people ask Google maps in future if they can't cope with the (half) answers they get when they ask for directions.

Do you need directions?