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 own workplace is a nightmare at the moment. No clients in the building where we have large rooms, protective screens and ppe, no we have stand out in the street in the pissing rain where clients can't hear due to the traffic and get closer and closer until they're 2 inches from your face.
Will our non clinical manager listen to the clinical staff trained in infection control, no that would be far too sensible .

I asked for a glass of tap water in a cafe last week (as part a £30 order for food and other drinks for my family).
It was refused "due to Covid". Can only sell bottled water.
Would be grateful if anyone can explain that one.

The problem is that , no one says the bleeding obvious so many people in the U.K. are obese with underline health problems because of there obesity, that’s why our death rate was so high. In Sweden they are not as fat as we are in the U.K. so that’s why there death rate is lower.

We will now lose many more young people because of missed diagnosis of cancer in the next five years. Never mind destroying our economy, which will cause so much more health problems.

Also if you think people are going to keep putting on new clean face masks Everyday then you have more faith then me. They will just turn into germ masks.

The gym I go to has a one way system that has one entrance and one exit - so far so good. You exit through the emergency exit doors, along a corridor and then back up the same stairs that you came down to enter - but there is tape and a sign so you know to keep left on the stairs. Whew! No chance of catching the 'rona if you are passing someone facing towards you, then.

domesticslattern

Well that’s because tap water if free, bottle water big mark up. Absolutely nothing to do with Covid!! The new excuse for everything sorry can’t do that it COVID rules.

This next decade is going to be just so depressing

Most the rules are utterly batshit and make no sense.
My DC's school is a tiny village school. It has no frontage except a small forecourt, and is straight off a village street which is narrow with tiny footpaths. Each class has been allocated a different entrance/exit door and can go straight in and out. There is a No Wait rule, everyone must "drop and go." That would be fine, but they have staggered the start and finish times, meaning that anyone with siblings can't "drop and go" and has to wait around. At a school where there is no path space, and no space on the school grounds, thus completely defeating the entire object of the staggered start and finish times.

Our local swimming pool is also open, but you have to book a section of the pool. Even though you're in the same water.

The things about staggering exit times from primary school sounds quite mad, wonder how that will play out

Seem to have forgotten most families have more than one primary age child so will mean parents standing around for up to an hour at the school gates, or in cars (causing parking problems and congestion) in order to facilitate children (who are at little risk) leaving the school at different times

Whilst being a total pain in the arse in general

oh and remember parents not allowed to chat on these enforced waiting periods.

@itsgettingweird

Ds and I tested ourselves and made sundaes at home. Ice cream whipped cream and mini marshmallows 

Whoah !!!! marshmallows AND whipped cream- you are definitely now at high risk. I recommend that you and DS self isolate for at least a month preferably with a good supply of sundaes but excluding marshmallows and whipped cream. 😄

[quote 1dayatatime]@itsgettingweird

Ds and I tested ourselves and made sundaes at home. Ice cream whipped cream and mini marshmallows 

Whoah !!!! marshmallows AND whipped cream- you are definitely now at high risk. I recommend that you and DS self isolate for at least a month preferably with a good supply of sundaes but excluding marshmallows and whipped cream. 😄[/quote]

I think that's probably something I could get on board with!

But maybe I shouldn't mention ds also sprayed the cream direct into his mouth

Our small newsagents has implemented a one way system - it‘s only got 2 tiny aisles with the door at one end of the shop and the till at the other. There’s 4 people allowed in the shop, so to buy anything from aisle 2 you’re supposed to walk past the till and anyone else in the shop, to then walk round the whole little circuit again to get back to the till. 😂 You can see the whole shop from the door anyway, so it’s all totally pointless. Although, to be fair to them, they’ve never said anything when I’ve totally ignored it.

Last week I was told I couldn't enter a charity shop unless I used the sanitiser provided. I told them I didn't want to use theirs because I currently have eczema between my fingers and the one I use doesn't inflame it too badly, so I'd just use mine instead (I was reaching into my bag for it as I spoke). Nope - had to be theirs or no entry. No entry it was.

Oh I've forgotten my absolute favourite... The sign in our local playpark which says we have to sanitise the play equipment before our child uses it. Ok, I'll climb all over a 10ft slide and a 10ft wooden climbing frame with a 5l bottle of santiser or something while the children wait patiently for me to finish.... Erm no! Admittedly nobody is attempting to enforce it and I'm sure it's just to avoid liability if anyone caught anything but still....!

Yes, absolutely this, it’s driving me mad! There’s a catalogue of stupidity at work that is largely irrelevant as management have not been seen in months so we could be doing anything.
My recent frustrations on going out to eat last night were pub 1, apparently fully booked even though it was empty so onto pub 2. Walked past the normal door as that’s now the exit, went in through the entrance walked through the “drinking” area of the pub past the door we couldn’t go in to the dining area. Ordered from the table, drinks and food delivered to us, asked for salt and vinegar, was told they’re on the bar, help yourself.

I just got back from Sainsbury's and in the clothing section there are lots of very dramatic signs absolutely everywhere about not trying on the clothes or shoes FOR YOUR SAFETY!!!!! It was as if there was dynamite strapped to the clothes and shoes!

My local Co-Op has an arrow pointing to a dead end! So I guess you have to stand on the spot and march around for eternity.

My co op now this really cool machine by the entrance. I can't help but love it

It says single file only and is green. Then tells you what number out of the 14 allowed you are. So I know if I'm number 2 I can whizz round as normal grabbing milk and bread and if I'm number 13 I should move with care as SD harder.

It's red if full and says please wait

The same as the Aldi traffic lights which I like too.

Leaves people to get on with it, keep to guidelines but also be trusted to follow the rules without feeling like a naughty school child.

Many car parks have signs outside with real time info on how many spaces are available

Someone should make an app that shows how many people are in any given shop at any given time

I’m so with you. I think a lot of risk assessments have been written by people with no clue what they are doing and a hard-on for getting people to do what they’re told.

I am a Risk Manager for a living and have been for 20 years - my head wants to implode every time I go out in public because of all the made up "Roolz" and ridiculous "Risk Assessments"

To be fair, while I'm sure there are some people who enjoy being bossy, I imagine most of this is due to the staff concerned doing their best while
a) being given rubbish guidance and not fully understanding it
b) getting endless flak from employees, higher management and clients/the public
c) feeling worried that they will be responsible for someone catching it and/or will be sued. Plus worrying they or family members will catch it.

Of course we can have a giggle/groan about the ridiculous rules that come out of it all but while still sympathising with the people trying to muddle through this.

It is maybe like a kind of OCD and feeling of being in control?

TBF.

As much as I could honestly give a stare to some shop assistants who would rather you stuck to the rules than move around people and cross a one way.

I would imagine it's been drummed into them. It's like the think 25. They are trained for hours and the fear of god is put into them over fines and losing their job. To the point they'll ask a 65 year old with their grandchild!

I'll continue to use my common sense but I'll be more tolerant of the poor sods having to enforce it!

Please spare a thout for me and many like me and try to be kind if you see us struggling or looking unsure. Blind people can find going out or shopping incredibly difficult on a normal day and it takes a lot of training to learn how to safely navigate using a long white cane.

Many of us have now stopped going out because, despite the obvious giveaways (a long white cane/guide dog/dark glasses) we are being reprimanded by staff and customers for not being able to follow the arrows, stand within the box, not cross a line we can't see or stand in a circle we didn't know was there.

We can't see where others are so find social distancing nearly impossible and are fed up of being tutted at when we can't work out which seat/bench we can sit in.

I have a personal assistant who goes out with me (as I also have a neurological condition affecting my balance) and we rarely go out now, and when we do she is constantly amazed how nasty people can be, just because I can't see.

@Doyouthinktheysaurus

The M&S foodhall one way system is so painful. People stop to buy produce so you either have to abandon social distancing and squeeze past or go at the pace of the slowest shopper with the most to purchase.

We got to the end of the aisles and genuinely could not figure how we were meant to get from one end of the checkouts to the self checkout section. All the arrows pointed the opposite direction to which we wanted to travel top and bottom of the vertical aisles so we had to break the rules to pay🤣🤣

NAMASALT!

Ours never had a one way system. It's been fab.

@SpliffingOramorphedOut

Please spare a thout for me and many like me and try to be kind if you see us struggling or looking unsure. Blind people can find going out or shopping incredibly difficult on a normal day and it takes a lot of training to learn how to safely navigate using a long white cane.

Many of us have now stopped going out because, despite the obvious giveaways (a long white cane/guide dog/dark glasses) we are being reprimanded by staff and customers for not being able to follow the arrows, stand within the box, not cross a line we can't see or stand in a circle we didn't know was there.

We can't see where others are so find social distancing nearly impossible and are fed up of being tutted at when we can't work out which seat/bench we can sit in.

I have a personal assistant who goes out with me (as I also have a neurological condition affecting my balance) and we rarely go out now, and when we do she is constantly amazed how nasty people can be, just because I can't see.

I'm so sorry that is dreadful.

I didn't know about guide dogs and queuing until I heard it on advert but I didn't say anything before hand and certainly wouldn't now and would I eye everything if needs be.

As you say it's quite obvious when someone is severely VI and have a white cane.

I just try and move out of the way and would keep doing so.

Same as anyone with walker, crutches, wheelchair - it's basic human respect.

If you can move the most easiest - you move!

I tried to do a final shop in our local laura Ashley before it closed down. Gave up when I got hemmed into a dead end by an assistant moving shop fittings around to make people walk the right way. She'd already been constantly in my way while she was fussing but I just gave up, put my potential purchases down, squeezed out between 2 shelves and left.