Anyone else just worn down by illogic?

[CountessFrog]

Examples of completely illogical ‘roolz’ everywhere - they give me ‘rule fatigue.’ I may even have reached ‘Peak Roolz.’

For example. On holiday last week I entered a shop that apparently had a one way system. It was a small shop, and because everyone was directed left on arrival, they had crowded into a narrow area in the left, thus ensuring no social distancing.

I didn’t know about the one way system, so I noticed the crowd on the left and headed to the right of the shop to browse and stay away from people. The shop assistant shouted that I wasn’t following the one way system And I needed to join the crowd in the left (I left after that).

Second example. In same small seaside town, We were there for two weeks. On our last night we went to a chippy on the seafront that we’d used three times already. They only accepted cards. They made you queue outside, allowing one customer in at a time. Fair enough.

However On this occasion they were now ‘cash only.’ I had no cash, so I asked to place my order and go to the cash point or find DH who I knew to have cash.

They refused this. When I returned with the cash, the shop was empty so I went in. But silly me, I was still breaking ‘the roolz’ Because they had another (less obvious rule) that you couldn’t go in if they were busy doing something. So she was busy battering fish, and this meant I wasn’t allowed in. Because any fule know that’s a dangerous situation.

Ice cream shop where you had to wait outside and stand behind a line when they let you in. Couldn’t see the ice cream flavours from behind the line. Was allowed to ‘step forward two paces.’ Second time I visited, whole family in the shop, primary aged children literally licking the glass counter. No objections raised

I’m totally over the roolz. Anyone else?

My favourite - a requirement to make sure masks or face coverings are 'sterile' (not a medical setting, they just mean clean...)

I don't understand the ones in toilets. For example there are two sinks so they block one off. Everyone then has to stand in the small area behind the sinks crowded together taking twice as much time to was their hands.
At dh's work there is one particular room that he has to use at certain times of the day (usually used for a short period in the morning by everyone at once and then by different people at different times in the day). They have blocked off some of the desks because social distancing. Trouble is same number of people use the room and now there aren't enough desks so in the morning they end up sitting on the floor at the front in no way 2m apart.

God the hazard tape everywhere and anywhere, like it's a crime scene!! I went to a national trust property to get some takeaway food, as it was the only part of it open. We ate it in the car, but the lady said we were "welcome" to eat in if we left our details. They had hazard tape covering every inch of the place, plus cones, plus a gazillion signs. And one single table. Soo welcoming!

Oh thank god,I've found my people. I too am also baffled how they think one way systems and specific entrances and exits are going to stop Covid. Utter nonsense. My favourite is that is went to go to the school uniform shop in our city which,for some bizarre reason,was only letting 1 person in despite being about 10 times the size of our corner shop which is only letting one person in at a time. This then causes a massive queue outside the shop where people weren't social distancing. It was even in the local paper today!

I haven't yet encountered a single one way system that actually works and doesn't just serve the purpose of bringing people into more contact with each other.

Sounds like salcombe, the original posters holiday town I mean. There was one great little coffee shop that could only fit two people anyway, so they said you don’t need a mask. The sandwich place opposite looked at me like I had leprosy when I asked if they had a takeaway hatch.

Hand Sanitiser in shop entrances gives makes me wonder when I see everyone entering touches the bottle to steady it or push the pump on top so potentially hundreds a day touch it. Same with spray bottles provided for cleaning trolleys, you pick up and spray bottle to sanitise the trolley and so you've touched the spray bottle that lots of others touched, clean your trolley and then touch it with your dirty hands

Surely it doesn't matter if everyone has touched the sanitiser - you touch it and are then sanitising your hands. Sanitise your trolley with the wipes/spray and then sanitise your hands. Our John Lewis has a hand sanitiser that you activate with your foot and I wonder what the point is as if you have touched the pump you are then sanitising your hands.

@nbee84 Not what I am witnessing, in a particular supermarket sanitiser comes before the trolley cleaning bit. The bottle is touched and numerous times, too much comes out people are wiping it off on their clothes or with a tissue, it topples over they pick it up, some pretend to sanitise. I was queuing for something yesterday and was watching this going on with amusement which is what made me think.

Ah, ok. The only go to one place that I need to use a trolley and the sprays/ wipes are in the same place as the hand sanitiser.

Tate Modern has restricted numbers so O thought I'd visit as usually I find it too crowded. However, they have a compulsory one-way circuit so instead of being able to find a quiet room full of interesting obscure artworks I was herded round in a crowd of people

@IrenetheQuaint that’s rubbish. I was contemplating trying a gallery, even bemasked, but doesn’t sound fun. It’s nuts too: the Tate Modern is huge!

@EverythingisBlossom

Great thread

Went into a shop recently which I’d never been in before. Had seen a gorgeous dress in the window with a sale sticker so went inside to have a look and decided to buy the dress so I took it to the only obvious cash desk in the shop. The staff member behind the desk was on a phonecall and I was happy to wait. Eventually she hung up and told me that till was out of use because they can only have one till during the pandemic and I’d have to go to the shop next door to pay. I was confused and there were no signs offering further explanation but I eventually realised that the shop was indeed connected to the next door shop by a doorway in the far wall. There were 4 steps up to the doorway and due to the angle, I couldn’t see into the other shop at all, so I went up the steps, turned the corner and ended up smack against a customer already there, to the left of the doorway. Another customer in shop 2 but to the right of the doorway then had a massive go at me, telling me there was a one-way system and I needed to both wait my turn and keep my distance. So I retreated down the steps to a point where I could see her but not the people on the other side of the doorway, therefore I assumed that when she moved past the doorway, it would be my cue to move on through. Stood there for a while, trying hard to look friendly towards this other customer while we were both waiting and not understanding why she still seemed so pissed off at me. Eventually she exploded at me again, telling me I had to get out of the way. Finally the penny dropped and I realised she wasn’t following the one-way system around shop 2 but was trying to come down the steps (which I was now blocking) into shop 1. So I apologised and scurried backwards, trying to explain the confusion from my vantage point. Then was helpfully reminded by shop 2’s staff member, when I eventually got to pay for my dress, that I need to follow the rules because there is a pandemic.

A few weeks previously, I had visited my (former) favourite independent bookshop. Sign on the window said only 6 customers allowed at once but the windows were darkened so the only way of determining whether I could enter was to, you know, enter. So I went to the door and peered inside to do a headcount, to be met by the manager running towards me making shooing motions with his hands and telling me to wait outside. After a few minutes, he came outside to “apologise” and kept repeating that I couldn’t come in because they could only have 6 customers inside. Yes, I said, I saw the sign and was trying to adhere to it but couldn’t tell how busy the shop was from standing outside. He responded to this by jabbing at the sign and repeating “6 people only”. I tried to remain pleasant while I explained over and over again but he eventually left me to it and went back into the shop. After another few minutes (still no-one had left) he came back out again to tell me that there was no point in me getting annoyed and I would just have to wait. I wasn’t annoyed and had said several times I didn’t mind waiting. It was a nice sunny day and I was happy to be outside. Then a bloke came up. Looked at me, looked at the sign and then made for the door. I called to him that I was next in the queue and there were already 6 people inside. Again looked at the sign, looked at me. Asked me how I knew there were 6 people inside and suggested I was waiting for no reason. Told him I had already checked inside and the manager had asked me to wait. Clearly this wasn’t a good enough explanation so he headed in anyway, only to be marched out by the manager seconds later. Manager then gave me an earful for “letting” the bloke go in when he had already explained the rules to me and it was therefore up to me to manager the queue behind me. This was the point I walked away. And tweeted them later to explain why I would no longer shop there.

I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time but that was a really good read 😂 am loving the thread. The world's gone nuts!

We (NHS back room) rent space in a non NHS building. While we were all wfh someone from the Facilities department ran amok with stickers that, amongst other things, identified an official route through my colleague, if he had been sitting at his desk, and designated a one way system that means I can leave but not enter my office, and can’t go to the toilets (but can come back). It’s possible we’re supposed to enter by the windows?

I am tempted to play dumb and invite the Facilities manager to explain the plan to everyone.

No! Don’t do that! He’ll tell you you’re not allowed to go to the toilet on days when your colleague is in- toilets apparently being optional in Covid times as far as I can see.

I’m visiting my parents. I’ve been in the local Co-Op several times. I can confirm that it is impossible to buy a newspaper if you follow the one way system. You can only get to them after you have passed all the tills and are heading for the exit. Also, you aren’t allowed to access the self-service tills unless you squeeze past all the people waiting for the manned tills in the last aisle. Even if all 5 of them are vacant. They have someone there specifically making sure you loop around. It’s mad.

I would definitely get that man in to explain the roolz

Yes totally fed up.

Various egs- walking into a charity shop, sanitising my hands at the station starting to browse when literally pounded on and shouted at (muffled as the shop assistant was wearing a mask) we only allow 3 in a time. No sign, no-one on door. am I a mind reader? Ditto walking into Greggs screamed out at you need to go out. Reason - two customers were already in the line. No sign on door .

Walking though a large, quiet airy shopping mall. I have to wear a mask. Yet the tiny Costa Coffee area in the middle of the mall is full of customers bearly a metre apart with no masks. One way system in said mall with a TURNING CIRCLE!!! signs to say this is where you can turn.!!! wtf we are not cars in a car park!!!

Taking son to newly restarted Cubs. all outdoors, now in smalll groups. On NO ACCOUNT are we allowed to approach the leader. Have to stand metres away and wait for a thumbs up for your child to walk forward where they are immediately doused in hand sanitiser. Notice on pick up all "rules" about social distancing between cubs and leaders basically abandoned cos they are impossible to follow and out in the Scottish countryside in fresh winds.

The list could could go on......

Most of the “roolz” make absolutely no sense whatsoever! I’m expecting my first baby & have been dreaming of a water birth, I have been recently informed by my midwife that I can’t have a water birth as the birthing pools are shut as part of the “roolz”.. but I can have a bath?

Some areas seem to be worse than others I have found...Dorset this summer was pretty bad for it, maybe they are worried about tourists?

They had stuck portaloos (not very nice, like at a festival) in the pub garden with a sanitiser outside on a fence, stuck to it, and staff at a trestle table to take orders, picnic tables everywhere, staff all inside

The staff popped out, in masks outside to take the food and back in..

meaning tourists all out with the many toilets, no sinks and a code to zap for track and trace...but the pub was empty and just for the staff!

That's one way to deal with tourists I suppose!

manky toilets I mean!

As an aside I found a bath at home very good for first stages of labour, Newmama

At a National Trust property, the toilets are outside of the timed ticket one way walk. I have a weak bladder & need to go to the loo frequently. We ended up having to sneak along a path "the wrong way" to get out to the loos. Otherwise it would have been a long uncomfortable walk desperate for a pee. Have been to other NT properties and nowhere else has forgotten people need to pee

@Pixel7777 thanks! That was always my plan but was looking forward to giving birth in the water, especially after having such bad SPD! Just find it mental that I can take a nice bath in the hospital but I just can’t deliver in one never mind coronavirus affecting people’s lungs, more like it’s affecting people’s brains

We stayed in Bristol for a few nights and did not see a single public toilet that was open! It was a nightmare for a middle aged woman with continence issues😳

Our small seaside village has all the toilets back open so there really is no excuse.

Newmama I'm a midwife, some birthing units have stopped water births due to the (very small) risk of transmission of covid via faeces following WHO advice. Our unit is offering them with staff in full PPE and at one point (not sure if still the case as I'm now on mat leave) they had to ask women to leave the pool if they opened their bowels, madness considering that usually happens right as the baby is about to come out!