Happy online miserable in physical world

[Tony]

A little whining from me....

My title is inspired by my shopping experience at Tesco early this morning. All week I've seen things online where people are telling others to be happy, posting happy things up and generally being happy and nice...
Go to Tesco and everyone is miserable, in my head we're all in this together, so a good morning and a smile is a camaraderie thing, it can be done from 2 - 20m away so it's a safe thing, no imposition, yet people react as though you've got Virus beam eyes, and a virus waterfall coming out of your mouth, they look the other way, tight lipped (I'm fairly sure you don't have to open your mouth to smile) and stiffen up...

I might be missing something,I do live fairly rural and we don't have mainstream TV etc but heck, this seems to be detaching us even more, we're worried about phones etc cutting people off from each other, this is going to be even worse when people don't bounce back and just carry on being more detached...

It was all the more stark because 3 people smiled back it was like rays of sunshine, they were beautiful in their juxtaposition with the drab masses... The staff were mostly great as well.

So, even in these dark times, SMILE at people, it will make their day

 

[Broch]

It is strange isn't it - I had exactly the opposite reaction going into Tesco in Welshpool on Wednesday - everyone was smiling, courteous, and friendly. There were a few wearing face masks that were less engaging but clearly they were also more anxious. It was actually a pleasant shopping experience - no queues, no pushing and shoving, and quiet

To be fair though, I think a large number of people are worried - the news stories and the tone of the media doesn't help but there's only a few alive that have been through anything like this before and even then the enemy was over the water not lurking around the supermarket.

 

[TLM]

My visit yesterday to the local village and it's store was fairly positive, no grumby people actually. Looks like the usually stoic Finns needs a small disaster at least to be normal.

 

[SaraR]

I haven't been to the shops, but when we're out for our daily dog walk we've noticed that people are much friendlier than normal. Big smiles and cheery hellos - from a safe distance. I can imagine that many dread going to the shops though and worry about the higher risk.

 

[Tengu]

I havent been to the shops either, though I too have noted people saying `Hello` when out.

Its like Cornwall and bothers me a little, I am not well socialised.

But, I can nod back. That is acceptable, yes?

 

[Mesquite]

I haven't been to the shops, but when we're out for our daily dog walk we've noticed that people are much friendlier than normal. Big smiles and cheery hellos - from a safe distance. I can imagine that many dread going to the shops though and worry about the higher risk.

I've noticed the same when I take the dogs out as well.

Technically I'm not even supposed to be leaving the house as I'm one of those lucky 1.5 million people who were told to self isolate for 12 weeks so no visiting of shops until middle of June for me.

However to help preserve my sanity I've taken the view that keeping 2 mtrs or more away from people whilst I walk the dogs won't put me at any risk and I can get some exercise as well

 

[Wander]

My Tesco experience this morning was a good one - staff were efficient, polite and friendly.
So were the shoppers.
Everyone seemed to understand and have respect for each other.
I thought Tesco were well organised (compared to a Sainsburys experience a few days previous).

Ditto when out and about.
Couple of days ago I went for a walk along a local track. I passed another pair of walkers as I came to a gate. I stood away from the gate as they went through it and we passed (a good distance from each other) with a smile and a friendly 'hello'.

 

[Toddy]

Himself's just back from his walk. He says people are being really courteous about the distancing. One fellow waited at the other end of the footbridge across the river for him to get over before he started to cross. They're nodding politely, a quick smile and they pass at a good distance. He reckons someone's going to get knocked down though because they're stepping off the footpath onto the main road to let folks pass.

On another forum Kev mentioned an Irish funeral and that the mourners went up for Communion keeping a coffin length apart.
Not a bad analogy in a slightly macabre way.
Coughing/ Coffin.

 

[Monspoonmaker]

Interesting to get experiences from around the country.

We were forced to visit ASDA yesterday. To maintain safe distance the queue to enter the store was 500m long as they are controlling how many customers are in store at any one time. Due to how effective their organisation was we were in the store within 20 minutes and the great weather helped. Only saw two examples of individuals becoming frustrated. On the whole people were pleasant and saw lots of smiles.

Once inside the store shelves were fully stocked and there were more staff visible than normal.

I left feeling impressed by the organisation and service and encouraged by the public's calmness and courtesy for others.

There's hope for us yet!!

 

[Corso]

M&S we handing out free bunches of Daffodils yesterday - almost told the misses I'd bought them but didn't fancy thr hospital visit if she found out later...

 

[Mr Wolf]

Buying staff food and paying their transportation

 

[John Fenna]

In Aldi (Cardigan) yesterday, everyone seemed quite cheerful - I find Tesco so miserable and the management so dire that I refuse to shop there at the best of times...

 

[Tengu]

Well, I knew it was going to happen

Dads gone out to help a friend. He says he will be careful but...

I voiced my dissent and now hes angry....

 

[demographic]

On the times I've been out people have been more friendly than usual.

 

[Paul_B]

Our Tesco's was cheerful. Staff and customers were mostly cheerful and a sense of cameraderie. Indeed people were laughing and joking about things. Same when walking the dog in our hour of exercise, people moved to other side of the path and all said hi or stopped to chat at 2m plus distance. Always leaving with a stay healthy or similar comment.

 

[petrochemicals]

Appy on line miserable in real life seems to be the way of it all of the time, some sort of anti social bent in modern society.


Went to a supermarket, outside the store was the standard spaced queue, walked to get a trolley, about 5 metres from a woman donning a mask, she reacted by moving accordingly, as though i was trying to rape her. Saw her again in store, where the aisles are not all even 2 metres wide, mask off pretense dropped reality had set in, still miserable though. I would like to see social distancing properly carried out in a super market just as an experiment in beurocracy.

 

[Tony]

Well, after reading all these I'm happy to know that mine was an isolated experience and I'll put it down to being just past 6 in the morning and everyone was unhappy being out of bed so early

 

[Tengu]

Going shopping seems a Big Adventure these days.

Dad is getting ready. I am half glad Im not going, half jealous.

But of course I need very little, and now Dad is convinced I live out of tins because I brought so many with me....

 

[Winnet]

I moved in with my 91 year old dad two years ago and your nutritional ideas vary as well. He goes from healthy to unhealthy within the same day (salad followed by cake) and the quantities vary. Sometimes it is massive plate fulls and the next day it is mouse rations.

Bearing in mind I do a lot of running I need slightly more than a cracjer and cheese.

G

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[Toddy]

Going shopping seems a Big Adventure these days.

Dad is getting ready. I am half glad Im not going, half jealous.

But of course I need very little, and now Dad is convinced I live out of tins because I brought so many with me....

Himself is doing the shopping. Like your Dad there is no keeping him in. He keeps his distance, he's there for the shop opening, he's in and out and back home all in about twenty minutes. He says he sees virtually no one.

Store cupboard food, the tins, etc., are just that. Food to be used when necessary but 2/3rds of my household is vegetarian and the only meat eater eats very little meat anyway. So fresh fruit and veggies, milk and eggs are the basics for us.

M