Rude public behavior

[Chattyaholic]

Great stuff here. I worked in retail (Disney Store, Starbucks, etc.) for many years before buying my own store. I have a few to add to the list. These bother me regardless of which side of the counter I am working.

1. Those nasty and rude customers who want the world and when they don't get their way they remind you that "the customer is always right." Yeah lady. You just lost any possibility of getting what you wanted with that comment.

2. Customers who flash the 1 minute signal when it's their turn in line and they are too busy talking on the phone to place their order. NEXT!

3. Customers who have to write a check for a loaf of bread. Have you HEARD of ATM/Debit cards?

4. Parents to take their kids to the ice cream shop and show them all 50 flavors and ask what flavor do you want? The kid says "bubble gum" and the parent says, "not that one, pick somehting else." Is there a prize involved? This is ice cream! They are kids! Let them have what they want.

5. Adults who order a childs item for themselves. (This may be my all-time biggest pet peeve.) It says "child" for a reason. You are not a kid, although you do act like one.

6. Customers who try to redeem coupons that expired years ago.

7. People who park their cars in front of stores to pick-up/drop off people. If you are too important to use the parking lot, maybe you should stay home.

8. Parents who are so lazy to get out of the car, they give their credit card to their kid so they can pay. In my opinion, theres nothing more valuable to a child than teaching them forgery to them at age 11.

9. People who stand in long lines to buy tickets to a movie, when ten feet to the right, there are 5 automatic ticket machines with nobody standing at them. Is standing in line supposed to be part of the moviegoing experience?

10. People who use the self check-out and have no idea what they are doing?

I was going to stop at ten, but this last one is officially my all time biggest pet peeve. When I take your order, don't start it by saying "I need...." unless you want me to reply with "Do you really need...?" Whatever happened to manners? OMG! I count at least 5 to 10 people a day who say this.

Anothe poster was right. It really does feel good to get this off your chest.

Most of these I understand but I respectfully disagree with:

3. I will write a check for a loaf of bread if that's what I need and I don't have any cash on me. We used to have an ATM card and we were forever forgetting to write it down in the checkbook so we were quite often overdrawn and those bank fees do add up. Besides, what's the difference in taking time to write a check, or taking time to deal with a debit card transaction?

5. Many adults, especially older ones, like smaller portions so for them a child's meal is perfect. My mother frequently orders off the child's menu. It's nice that some restaurants offer a "senior citizen's menu" which is about the same as a child's menu.

7. I see people stopping up by the doors frequently to let someone out, or pick someone up. Why should that bother you? If I take my mom shopping, I always let her out at the door so she doesn't have to walk so far. I don't park the car by the door and go in and shop myself, but just dropping her off and then picking her back up when we're done is a kindness to her on my part. Older people have aches and pains and it's nice when they don't have to walk from the back forty in a parking lot to go in and shop.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

7. I see people stopping up by the doors frequently to let someone out, or pick someone up. Why should that bother you? If I take my mom shopping, I always let her out at the door so she doesn't have to walk so far. I don't park the car by the door and go in and shop myself, but just dropping her off and then picking her back up when we're done is a kindness to her on my part. Older people have aches and pains and it's nice when they don't have to walk from the back forty in a parking lot to go in and shop.

Does your mom then get a wheelchair or ECV at the mall? If not, doesn't she have aches and pains while walking around the mall?? And is sore afterward? Just playing Devil's advocate.

I don't mind people dropping folks off as long as they don't block the ramps. I had a lady do this one time outside a JC Penney's. She stopped right in front of the ramp, waiting for what looked like her mother, and when her mother got in, they just sat there and chatted.

She then looked out her window and saw me sitting there waiting on her to move. To her credit, she was apologetic and embarrassed about it, but it does get frustrating to deal with things like this.

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

Can I just take a minute to say.... if you're eating out with young children, and for whatever reason, they are screaming like someone cut off their foot... PLEASE pick them up, calm them down, or take them outside until they stop! While my kids generally are quiet in public, if the moment comes when one of them is unusually loud, I do whatever is needed to keep from bothering those around me.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Can I just take a minute to say.... if you're eating out with young children, and for whatever reason, they are screaming like someone cut off their foot... PLEASE pick them up, calm them down, or take them outside until they stop! While my kids generally are quiet in public, if the moment comes when one of them is unusually loud, I do whatever is needed to keep from bothering those around me.

That's a big one for me, especially in Church. One week we had a little darling spend the entire hour saying "mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy...." No lie, it went on for the ENTIRE SERVICE. I guess when you're the parent you can tune that out, but it was a real distraction to the rest of us. The ushers don't even want to ask parents to take their kids to the cry room anymore because they get such nasty reactions.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

3. Customers who have to write a check for a loaf of bread. Have you HEARD of ATM/Debit cards?

4. Parents to take their kids to the ice cream shop and show them all 50 flavors and ask what flavor do you want? The kid says "bubble gum" and the parent says, "not that one, pick somehting else." Is there a prize involved? This is ice cream! They are kids! Let them have what they want.

5. Adults who order a childs item for themselves. (This may be my all-time biggest pet peeve.) It says "child" for a reason. You are not a kid, although you do act like one.

7. People who park their cars in front of stores to pick-up/drop off people. If you are too important to use the parking lot, maybe you should stay home.

10. People who use the self check-out and have no idea what they are doing?

I totally agree with your others, but for the ones above I see things differently...

3 - If a chack is all someone has with them, or they don't even have an ATM card (my parents didn't until a few years ago) then what's wrong with using a legal way to pay? My pet peeve with checks is folks who stand waiting while their items are being checked out but don't start writing their check after the final total. I mean, you do at least know the date, name of the store, and how to sign your own name, right?

4 - Believe me, as a parent I've been guilty of this! You take your child to the counter, assuming they will order the same flavor they've ordered the last hundred times. Then they pick something you know (from past experience) that they just won't like! Ugh!! And I do try to teach them that they can't take a long time to decide since it is inconsiderate of the people behind us. But, I'm not going to go ahead and let them order something I know they'll hate. Where's the fun in that?

5 - Like another poster said, unless it's against the rules of the shop, then there's no reason not to order a smaller portion if that's all I want.

7 - I've often let people out at the door and then gone to park in a space. My mom has arthritis in her hip, my aunt has MS. And, if the weather is lousy I'll be happy to let the people who came with me out so they don't have to get wet, cold, etc. Then only one of us is cold and wet (me, LOL!).

And LindsayDunn, yes, my mom will usually feel bad later, but cutting out some walking in the parking lot helps her make it a little further in the store. Same for my aunt.

As long as I don't stay parked in front of the door or block the ramp from someone who needs it, I don't see the problem.

10 - Well, we all had to learn sometime, right? I haven't seen a store yet that provides training for customers.

 

[mking624]

I totally agree with your others, but for the ones above I see things differently...

3 - If a chack is all someone has with them, or they don't even have an ATM card (my parents didn't until a few years ago) then what's wrong with using a legal way to pay? My pet peeve with checks is folks who stand waiting while their items are being checked out but don't start writing their check after the final total. I mean, you do at least know the date, name of the store, and how to sign your own name, right?

4 - Believe me, as a parent I've been guilty of this! You take your child to the counter, assuming they will order the same flavor they've ordered the last hundred times. Then they pick something you know (from past experience) that they just won't like! Ugh!! And I do try to teach them that they can't take a long time to decide since it is inconsiderate of the people behind us. But, I'm not going to go ahead and let them order something I know they'll hate. Where's the fun in that?

5 - Like another poster said, unless it's against the rules of the shop, then there's no reason not to order a smaller portion if that's all I want.

7 - I've often let people out at the door and then gone to park in a space. My mom has arthritis in her hip, my aunt has MS. And, if the weather is lousy I'll be happy to let the people who came with me out so they don't have to get wet, cold, etc. Then only one of us is cold and wet (me, LOL!).

And LindsayDunn, yes, my mom will usually feel bad later, but cutting out some walking in the parking lot helps her make it a little further in the store. Same for my aunt.

As long as I don't stay parked in front of the door or block the ramp from someone who needs it, I don't see the problem.

10 - Well, we all had to learn sometime, right? I haven't seen a store yet that provides training for customers.

3. I work retail and totally agree. Checks annoy me because of the time it takes to process them, but it is a legal form of payment so I'm not going to be bothered by the fact that it they are using a check to pay for them. Someone else mentioned forgetting to write it in if they use their bank card. I'd suggest keeping a bank card IN the check register so that you would write it in just as you would write a check in. Bank fees? Many banks don't charge for using a debit card anymore. But anyway, back to your comments...I just don't understand why people have to wait until I tell them their total until they begin to even start writing out their checks. So frustrating.

4. I totally get what you're saying and I can see the logic in not wanting your child to get something you'll know he'll hate. On that note, when you come up to the counter, we assume you're ready to go. It's frustrating for us and for other customers who are waiting to have someone not yet ready. That's when you pull the child aside and discuss options away from the counter, allowing someone else to go ahead. When the decision is made, then approach us and we'll be more than happy to help.
I deal with this on a near daily occurance at work, so I can completely understand the frustration.

5. I agree, if it's not against the policy, I see no issue in ordering it. I've also been in places where the only appetizing thing was the child's menu (and this is coming from a person who LOVES to try new things...but it was not a good restaurant and the only reason why we were there was for a friend's birthday).

7. I work in a mall and this "drop off/pick someone up" thing gets abused a lot. I don't drive, so my husband drops me off and pulls over to let me out. BUT he pulls over in a way that does not block the people behind him so he can continue to drive. I'm not opposed to that kind of thing...neither is mall security for that matter. HOWEVER, the majority of people I see being picked up/dropped off are not people just dashing out of the car to spend as little time as possible with this situation, and they're not people in need of this because of some pain they may experience with more walking. The majority of people *I* see are teenagers all bouncy and giggling and their parents or teenages friends driving are blocking the others from being able to drive past, etc. Or if picking someone up, they sit and sit and sit there in the car waiting. They can park, go up to the mall door and wait for whomever they're waiting for and when that person comes, go get the car for them. But the curb is not a parking spot. My guess is that exDSvet is referring to things like that, which tends to happen far more often than any legitimate reasoning for it.

 

[xyzabc33]

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[ckay87]

I really think the most rude thing of all is to assume that everyone is trying to be rude, when sometimes there are things we don't understand.

That is an excellent point that I learned the hard way. Years ago, we found ourself in Epcot (Word Showcase, no less) with a drop-dead exhausted 5 year old at the end of the day. Ooops. Well, an eagerly helpful CM approached us and gave us a wheelchair. "Here use this" she offers. "No way" was my initial response (thinking how I'm going to be gossiped about on the Dis for years to come!) No, she insists, you must. That's "what they're for" (notice the quotes.) DS is begging, DH is insisting.

Furthermore, she adds, "just leave it at the bus stop when you're done."

Good Lord, here we go. We follow her advice, ditch the wheelchair at the bus stop as our perfectly healthy son climbs onto the bus. The comments, the looks....I'll never forget my experience with accidental rudeness. How embarassing. I'm careful now to mind my own business and not make assumptions. Very, very careful.

 

[ckay87]

I could care less if someone orders from the kids menu. It has to affect me, or any other person for that matter, to be categorized as rude. I can't imagine how that would qualify

Personal space - that is my big issue. Whether driving down the highway and having the motorist behind me basically join my son in the backseat or....this is the worst....becoming far too physically familiar with the person behind me in line at a hot, crowded, Florida theme park in June. In the case of the latter, you know what works really well? This is the epitome of passive-agressive, I love it: The hand-on-your-hips-turn-sideways move. It takes some practice, but it's pretty smooth

 

[Maleficent13]

Kind of on the same line, definitely JUST as GROSS!!! I work in a jewelry store & several times people have come in asking for their jewelry cleaned. Ok, no problem, we do that as a free service. But if you cannot get your rings off PLEASE DO NOT suck on your finger and think I am going to just hold out my hand now for you to plop your spit laden rings into it We do have ways of helping you get them off, just ask.

Oh, my.

 

[Maleficent13]

Forgot my peeve: if you are going to use the drive thru at the bank, PLEASE do not sit daydreaming while the 3 cars in front of you conduct their business and then get to the window before deciding that perhaps you should look for the check you want to deposit, and then your deposit slip, and then fill them all out. Also, you KNOW if you want cash back they want a license; please do not wait until they ask you for it before rooting around searching for it. And finally, do not balance your checkbook at the end of your transaction. You knew how much the check was for before you deposited it; you couldn't have done that sooner?

 

[cheyita]

9. People who stand in long lines to buy tickets to a movie, when ten feet to the right, there are 5 automatic ticket machines with nobody standing at them. Is standing in line supposed to be part of the moviegoing experience?

10. People who use the self check-out and have no idea what they are doing?

I was going to stop at ten, but this last one is officially my all time biggest pet peeve. When I take your order, don't start it by saying "I need...." unless you want me to reply with "Do you really need...?" Whatever happened to manners? OMG! I count at least 5 to 10 people a day who say this.

Anothe poster was right. It really does feel good to get this off your chest.

You are contradicting yourself! On one hand, you don't understand why more people won't use automated machines, and on the other, you complain about people who don't do it right. Maybe all those people in line at the movies are afraid to try the machines because they don't know how to use it and don't want to hold others up who do?

Personally, I love using machines as much as possible.

Otherwise, though, I agree with a lot of these.

 

[NCDisneyMom]

i worked at blockbuster for a while and people would FREAK out on me when the new release movie wasn't there on the weekend it came out. like i purposely pulled them from the shelf, JUST to piss YOU off. and they would always try to come in after midnight to get movies "oh i know what i want, i swear!" ...yeah......me too.....to go home and go to bed!

I also used to work at a Blockbuster, so I can TOTALLY relate!!!

 

[Nancy]

Or, the flip side of this which just happened to me this past week. If I am in the regular line with my cart full of groceries, and you come up behind me with just a small basket, don't automatically assume that I am going to let you in front of me, and then give me dirty looks and sighing. How do you know I didn't just let the 2 other people who came up behind me with a handful of items go in front? Well, I did, and now I have got frozen items that I need to get home to the freezer.

I don't get this one at all... why would someone get in line behind a full cart load when there are express registers just a few steps away...and they would have to walk past them to get out of the store? I see it all the time, I will even tell people (since I get to direct traffic back there every so often) that there are express registers with no lines and they look at me like I've grown 2 horns and a tail. So OK stand there...I can guarantee you in my store NO ONE will let you in front of them.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

When you are waiting for an elevator do NOT stand directly in front of the doors..blocking those who need to depart from the elevator car. PLEASE let those ON the elevator disembark BEFORE you rush the door.....

YES! When I was in college, this one my biggest pet peeve! The elevators would always be full, and waiting for the elevator would be more than an elevator-full of people. Monday-Friday for the entire semester, 2 semesters a year, 4 (or more) years of college, and people could not figure this out. The second the elevator doors opened a load of people would be pushing to get in. HELLO?! How can you get in when we can't get out? I really don't understand what is so hard to get about that concept.

or do that "snot up the nose sniff and swallow"... you might as well just pick them out an eat them...same thing but i wouldn't have to listen to it....

I was going to add this one! Most things don't gross me out, but this takes the cake! ICK ICK ICK!

My newest pet peeve is people who can't seem to figure out how to park on the street. All the residential areas near my house have tons of cars (mine included) who park in the street because the driveways only hold (usually) 2 cars. Some people seem to forget that cars still need to drive on the street you park on. They park FEET from the curb. Yesterday, I am not joking, I saw a car parked AT LEAST 4 FEET from the curb!! A new neighbor of mine parks far from the curb everyday and he parks right at the bend in the road, so it's hazardous. He has to notice, but obviously just doesn't care.
You don't have to park right up against the curb, but when you can fit your foot long-wise between the curb and your tire, there is something wrong.

 

[Nancy]

My newest pet peeve is people who can't seem to figure out how to park on the street. All the residential areas near my house have tons of cars (mine included) who park in the street because the driveways only hold (usually) 2 cars. Some people seem to forget that cars still need to drive on the street you park on. They park FEET from the curb. Yesterday, I am not joking, I saw a car parked AT LEAST 4 FEET from the curb!! A new neighbor of mine parks far from the curb everyday and he parks right at the bend in the road, so it's hazardous. He has to notice, but obviously just doesn't care.
You don't have to park right up against the curb, but when you can fit your foot long-wise between the curb and your tire, there is something wrong.

And while we are on the subject. If you park in front of my house please make sure your car is not blocking my driveway. I have a narrow yard and I can't tell you how many times a person parks and blocks my driveway partially. For me to get out I have to drive over my neighbors lawn and bounce over a curb...I will be calling the police from now on and having them ticket the cars.

 

[exDS vet]

I'd like to respond to those who didn't agree with a couple of my observations. As for adults ordering children's items. I'll use Starbucks as an example. Here is a case where there is a difference of over $1 between a kids (short) hot chocolate or juice, and a tall hot chocolate or juice. The adults ordering these kids items are just cheap. It has nothing to do with portion. If both the kids and the tall hot chocolate were $1, even though there is a 4 ounce difference between the two, the adult would order the larger one.

This one is simply a matter of principle. My menu specifically states "Children ages 12 and under, please." for a kid's ice cream cone. Adults clearly read this and still try to order the smaller (cheaper) item. I should'nt have to police this in my store, but like I said, it's a matter of principle. If adults won't respect the policies of my business, I will have to do away with children's items. I offer this as a courtesy to give families with children a break and/or to allow kids to purchase something that they can afford. I don't offer this courtesy for selfish adults to abuse it for themselves.

On the subject of parents dictating ice cream flavors to kids. I am happy to let adults and kids sample all the flavors they want in order to make a decision. But what I see are parents telling their kids "oh, you get that all the time, why don't you try something else." or my favorite, "I want you to get something good for you." Umm, excuse me. You are in an ice cream parlor. There aren't many healthy options for you here.

It's funny how the people who disagree with people's examples of rude public behavior are the very people who behave in the way that makes us so annoyed. There's no debate here because you can't justify your behavior in a way that will make it appear polite, curteous, or considerate.

 

[xyzabc33]

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[babytrees]

I'd like to respond to those who didn't agree with a couple of my observations. As for adults ordering children's items. I'll use Starbucks as an example. Here is a case where there is a difference of over $1 between a kids (short) hot chocolate or juice, and a tall hot chocolate or juice. The adults ordering these kids items are just cheap. It has nothing to do with portion. If both the kids and the tall hot chocolate were $1, even though there is a 4 ounce difference between the two, the adult would order the larger one.

Sorry, but I am going to have to disagree with this. I usually order a small anything to drink...if it's a kid size I ask about how big it is. I can't seem to finish a drink on my own...it's a waste of my money to get a larger hot chocolate and have 1/4 go undrinken just because you FORCE me to get it. If I was dictated to that I couldn't get a kids drink because I am not a kid (plus who's to say I don't have a munchkin waiting outside for me?) I would be less likely to get a drink from that establishment in the future and darned if some of my friends wouldn't hear about it.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

Sorry, but I am going to have to disagree with this. I usually order a small anything to drink...if it's a kid size I ask about how big it is. I can't seem to finish a drink on my own...it's a waste of my money to get a larger hot chocolate and have 1/4 go undrinken just because you FORCE me to get it. If I was dictated to that I couldn't get a kids drink because I am not a kid (plus who's to say I don't have a munchkin waiting outside for me?) I would be less likely to get a drink from that establishment in the future and darned if some of my friends wouldn't hear about it.

Thank you for saying it 1st! I cannot finish an adult size ice cream so I am one of those that purchase a "child" size one for myself. I cannot finish a regular size and am not going to order one when a smaller size is available - even if it is supposed to be for a child. With that being said I will also order my 5 year old son a regular size one because he LOVES ice cream and will finish it. I order portion control not wallet control and if the owner doesn't offer a small "adult" portion then I will order off the kids menu. I have to ask....If I ordered a "regular" size cone and asked you to only give me 1/2 the portion, would you adjust the price or would you charge me the same amount? I would rather order a smaller size than KNOW I am throwing it in the trash and wasting it!