Why is it so hard for people to stay at home

[pissedoffretailworker]

I have just got home from work. It has been manic today! People have queued for hours to come buy crap! I feel like people just aren't listening and are just freely out shopping for all these goods that are not essential. Browsing for over an hour in store and buying goods that we really shouldn't be selling.
This board and my other social media are full of people justifying their need to go buy gardening supplies or paint or walk their dog 6 times a day. As if they are special 🤷🏻‍♀️
Mental health is cited as a reason for people to continue to be selfish and put their own desires first instead of doing what is needed to help the nhs and protect the vulnerable.
I am feeling more and more angry at these people. I wish I could stay at home and keep my children safe. I certainly wouldn't be taking them to the shops to buy crap. My kids have not left the house other than to play in the garden since the 9th of March. I only go to work. I'm lucky in that I have a reoccurring delivery slot from a supermarket and have done for a long time so don't need to go shopping. I know I'm the grand scheme of things I'm better off than some people but I'm so stressed by other people's lack of care. What will it take to get these people to listen?

Despite the fact that I don't like the coronastasi, I don't really have any difficulty complying with the restrictions but that's my personality type. I'm not very sociable, (although I prefer company for running), I don't like crowds and I don't get FOMO. For example, it just wouldn't occur to me to drive an hour to get to a beach if I knew everyone else was doing the same thing (and where's the point in sitting in a traffic jam on a hot day).

So for me, stay home, do work, go for a run, walk to get some "essentials" is fine.

But if you are a different personality type you may hate being cooped up, you may see a park full of people and want to be there too because of FOMO - and of course, there is the darker side that you may need to get away from an abusive family member for a bit.

That is why people struggle.

And of course, some people don't have the huge garden with the lovely play equipment. I have a friend with a big garden, tennis court and swimming pool. I imagine they are passing the time quite easily.

Some people have horrible homes, no gardens, don’t own a fridge, victims of domestic violence, mental heath issues, struggling with small children etc and are using getting out of the house as a coping mechanism. I’m not saying it’s right but it’s easy to criticise when you have a recurring delivery slot and potentially a nice house and garden. For some people the risks of getting covid are less (for them) than the risk of staying inside for weeks on end. It’s complex

It definitely is complex. But do any of the things you've mentioned make it acceptable for people to go into shops and by non essentials and put the staff and their families at risk? If these people need to go out, they need to do without put others at an increasd risk unnecessarily.

We all need to do our best, not make excuses because some don't have a nice garden, struggle with small children or victims of domestic abuse. That domestic abuse victim or person with mental health is no more or less important that the shop workers they are putting at an increasd risk.

If for what ever reason people decide to go out for non essentials reasons then they should minimise any risk they pose to other people just as a basic common decency.

Buy not by

I think you've just answered your own queation there. You have a large garden with play equipment etc. You can also take a break from said children while they play. So many people live in topper blocks without outside space. There are a lot of hours to fill in the day and some people just can not cope. Let them do their shop. I bet most of the people you are seeing are following the rules to the T but are making the most of their allowed time at the shops. Some of these people might also be working like yourself and could be enjoying their one bit of excitement for the week. We must allow for varying circumstances.

Stupid text predictor

The last time went good shopping (last Tuesday). Did buy paint as well as my grocery's as Asda has the colours I needed and I though. Well might as well decorate spare room while I can.

But I didn't make a special trip to do it.

Thank you for all you have done

You are being very unreasonable. Bully for you that you have a garden. 1. some people live in small cramped flats. 2. Many single parents have noone to watch their kids when they go shopping- what are they meant to do? leave toddlers and under 10s home alone? even if they have parents to help out they are not meant to be leaving young kids with elderly relatives. Until you know all these people's circumstances get off your bloody high horse.

@tellmetocalmdown what has being a single parent got to do with anything? I am a single parent. Being a single parent does not mean you have to go to the shop to buy garden furniture and hot tubs. People who have to take their children to the shop to buy essential food actually have my respect. It must be so worrying for them!

Single parents have no choice but to take their kids to the shop with them and where are they buying gardening stuff?! no DIY shops are even open so if they are buying "crap" blame the shops that should be shut not the parents

Yes, of course the mentally ill and victims of domestic violence shouldn't go into shops and buy non-essentials. The bastards

I honestly can't believe some of the posts on MN.

They're not saying them wanting to die or being beaten up at home is more important than the lives of shop workers

They're trying to do whatever they can to stay alive for just another day. And that might be buying non-essentials or just going to the shop to escape from the shit at home (or in their own heads) for 30 mins.

FFS.

Going out to buy food and medicine= fair enough.

Going out to buy crap at The Range, B&M Homestores etc is bollocks. No one, for any reason at all, needs a new set of cushions right now. If there is some sort of cushion based emergency then they can buy it online.

Stay the fuck home. Idiots.

@NewYearNewJob123

That is total crap. What an enormous stretch you are making. Did you do a survey of al those buying cushions and come up with the idea that it is a vital service from those with mental health problems and suffering domestic abuse?

Or do you just want to defend to the death your right to buy cut price crap whenever you please, regardless of the consequences to your local community?

I honestly can't get my head around the idea that because someone lives in a cramped house or top floor flat it's perfectly acceptable for them to go shopping for NON-essential? Seriously, if you don't live in a large house with a garden it's too hard so it's acceptable to go and put shop workers and their families at risk just because it's hard to stay home without a garden?

So because the op has a garden she's not allowed to feel frustrated with people coming into the shop unnecessarily and putting her and her family at risk of serious illness or death? That's crazy!

I have already lamented about the fact the company I work for are open and fully trading. They have permission to trade. My complaint is that many many people are purposely shopping for goods that are not essential. The government clearly stated leave your house for only one of 4 reasons. Picking up an item that is a luxury in a store while you buy your food is not the issue. Hundreds of people are Coming to the store on a daily basis to buy these products and browsing instore for long periods while they decide what it is they want to buy. That is not following guidelines and that is what I'm pissed off about. I pay a large amount of money every month for the property I live in so my children have a garden I work so I can provide that. Why should my health be compromised by selfish people who do not want to follow the guidelines?

They're trying to do whatever they can to stay alive for just another day. And that might be buying non-essentials or just going to the shop to escape from the shit at home (or in their own heads) for 30 mins.

Why does their need mean that they have the right to put someone else at risk of dying?

@pissedoffretailworker people aren’t going to stop coming in buying non essentials so not much point getting so worked up about it. The shop has permission to trade and to sell non essential goods. The government didn’t ban that.

Hopefully social distancing is in place that keeps you and the none essential buying browsers safe.

Where do you work op?

@ssd I'm sure I've given enough information for you to gather the kind of store I work in. I would rather not fully put myself on here.

No bother. I'm just trying to figure out if it's like a big tesco with a home section or a range. But it doesn't matter.

Totally agree with you OP. I’m staying in and when shopping I’m not indulging myself with scented candles, patio loungers, paint or any other stuff I’d like but I don’t need as I feel if it stays unsold on the shelves the shop won’t need to reorder and therefore the delivery lorries can be filled with more food and essential products instead.

I’m having trouble finding basic stuff like eggs, bread, sr flour etc on the shelves.

I don’t know why people are overbuying. Still. If we are sensible and consider others there will be enough for all.

If there are ten shoppers who take the max three boxes of a dozen eggs and there were only 30 to start with then the rest of us get none.

Annoying when you hear these things got thrown out in people’s wheelie bins as they overbought and didn’t eat them after all and they went off.

I noticed today lots of motorcyclists roaring around the roads in big groups. I'm struggling to see how riding a motorbike can be seen as exercise. I doubt you can pick up much shopping on one either. Surely motorbikes are more at risk of crashing?

I don't think bikes are more at risk of crashing. Rather that, if they do, the rider is very likely to be badly injured and needing an ambulance at the very least, if not emergency / critical care.