In England one shouldn't complain

[Mikeyboy]

So after a lovely evening with the wife in a lovely restaurant I suggest we visit a pub on the way back to the tube.
So we sit down next to about 6 twentiish old people about four of them men and two women with our drinks in the back room of this big pub. Not many othe rpeople there but it all seems very nice.
Then another couple turn up to meet their friends at the table next to us, the girl sits down the guy stands there, arse virtually in my wifes face, oblivious to the inconvenience this causes.

To make matters worse.

after a while one of the women sparks up and my wife makes a quiet, private comment to me which I notice gets dagger looks from one of the women. Even so she doesn't put out her properly foul smelling roll up.

So I ask " can you put that out please"

so they do, pretty quickly, so I turn back to my wife whos looking a little embarrased that I made a comment (how very english) thinking thats it but from the table of morons I hear

" huh put it out he says, polluting his precious lungs, pointless law anyway, no scientific proof"

this annoys me as first of all, while I may or may not agree with the law, its not mine or his place to decie which bloody law I can choose to keep and break based upon personal preference.

So I say " no its that I don't like the smell on my clothes and its illegal and if you want to smoke go outside, its only ten foot away, "

response " oh shut up, we put it out straight away"

I respond " yeah but for some reason needed to go with snide comments, what if I had done something like stab your mate on the shoulder, if I thought that was right but stopped straight away would that of been ok?"

Alright that was a bad example of something illegal I admit that anyway one of the hyper tts goes and stands ups up giving it the blown out chest and and demands I shut up or else. I ignore him, doesn't stop him making another few comments to his friends, followed by " Don't worry, hes only trying to play the big man in front of his woman"

I exploded but resisted getting up and smacking him one, despite that being my first thought.
" and you are only trying to be the idiot in front of your friends" that was the best I could do, I afterwards thought I could do so much better, as you always do. So sit I thought and ignore anything else. Which was rewarded but the women in the group calming the idiots after a while. My wife is mortified, ruined her evening but as usual this is my f'n fault.

So, its open to debate whether i was in the wrong to be fair, but I really don't think so. Were these chavs?
well no, not a bit of it these people were good middle class media types, gaoties at the ready and a copy of the observer delivered to their doors every sunday morning.

But that was what I think I found most annoying, the smug sense of self superiority backed up by crowd mentality.

So not only don't we complain but when we do we get nothing but abuse. I despair of the country sometimes

So thats a bit of a rant but after so many rnats about chavs its worth pointing out that the middle class moron can be just as bad in a crowd.

Oh and i am middle class, always have been for right or for wrong.

[Sheets Tabuer]

You started an argument in the pub and kept it up by being petty, come to coventry, you would have been glassed by the second outburst.

[jimmyjimjim]

Trying to be 'Bertie Big Potatoes', please. Perfect opportunity!

[absolutely]

Sheets Tabuer said:

You started an argument in the pub and kept it up by being petty, come to coventry, you would have been glassed by the second outburst.

Ah, how to win friends and influence people. I haven't been in Cov since the smoking ban came in but I have been in other rough cities and all of the clientel are very considerate about smoking outside.

Good on you OP'er, you could have called the fag police if you were in Scotland.

[Sheets Tabuer]

absolutely said:

Sheets Tabuer said:

You started an argument in the pub and kept it up by being petty, come to coventry, you would have been glassed by the second outburst.

Ah, how to win friends and influence people. I haven't been in Cov since the smoking ban came in but I have been in other rough cities and all of the clientel are very considerate about smoking outside.

Good on you OP'er, you could have called the fag police if you were in Scotland.

I was making the point he won, he asked them to put it out and they did, then when the drunken dicks made a comment he decided to argue. He should have kept quiet to show his superior qualities not mumble at them, That leads to a kicking by a mob down the pub alley way.

He was with his mrs and I have seen too many times the bloke being kicked in by the blokes and the woman being smacked about by the women in the group, maybe it's where I live.

[absolutely]

Sheets Tabuer said:

absolutely said:

Sheets Tabuer said:

You started an argument in the pub and kept it up by being petty, come to coventry, you would have been glassed by the second outburst.

Ah, how to win friends and influence people. I haven't been in Cov since the smoking ban came in but I have been in other rough cities and all of the clientel are very considerate about smoking outside.

Good on you OP'er, you could have called the fag police if you were in Scotland.

I was making the point he won, he asked them to put it out and they did, then when the drunken dicks made a comment he decided to argue. He should have kept quiet to show his superior qualities not mumble at them, That leads to a kicking by a mob down the pub alley way.

He was with his mrs and I have seen too many times the bloke being kicked in by the blokes and the woman being smacked about by the women in the group, maybe it's where I live.

Hillfields? Wood End?

[Sheets Tabuer]

I grew up in hillfields, thankfully I moved

[H_Kan]

They started taking the piss out of the OP, so I fully agree that he was well within his rights to challenge it.

Why should he have to listen to them taking the piss when he requested something perfectly reasonable?

Good on you for sticking up for yourself, and if your wife can't see this then more fool her.

[Jasandjules]

I think you were right to tell them to put it out, but I think I'd have ignored them after that, to stop it descending into playground name calling.

[heebeegeetee]

Wood end? Jeez, they eat their own young there.

[Hollywood Wheels]

Wouldn't worry about it mate. You did the right thing asking for the ciggy to be put out, then maybe let your anger get the better of you and said a couple of silly things, but it's not like you were effing and blinding and swinging for the guy.
No offence, but the other half needs to sort her life out. She'd very quickly be my ex if she behaved like that.....

[jshell]

Mikeyboy said:

My wife is mortified, ruined her evening but as usual this is my f'n fault.

You can't win...... Had you said nothing you'd have been 'weak', the fact you did something and 'it's your fault'. They're always witness for the prosecution!

[chris_w666]

I think you were right to ask them to put it out and right to challenge them on their name calling.

My OH hates me complaining about things do to upset me, she hates it even more if I challenge them directly. I still do it and ignore her, she is one of those people who believes that even if you see someone damaging property, or breaking the law somehow you should stay out of it because it not your business. I got the silent treatment a few months ago because I grabbed a shoplifter legging it from security guards, her only justification was what if he had hit you

[anonymous-user]

Sheets Tabuer said:

He should have kept quiet to show his superior qualities not mumble at them, That leads to a kicking by a mob down the pub alley way.

He was with his mrs and I have seen too many times the bloke being kicked in by the blokes and the woman being smacked about by the women in the group, maybe it's where I live.

I think it must be just where you live. Perhaps it's time to move?

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 31st August 09:06

[cs02rm0]

Jasandjules said:

I think you were right to tell them to put it out, but I think I'd have ignored them after that, to stop it descending into playground name calling.

+1, though it's not easy. Some people love the sound of their own voice and will go on for hours.

[page3]

Sheets Tabuer said:

You started an argument in the pub and kept it up by being petty, come to coventry, you would have been glassed by the second outburst.

Well then, unfortunately I would have been glassed, because I have no intention of 'keeping quiet' at this sort of behaviour. Too many in Britain are now doing so. Rights must be earned. The pub manager should have evicted them. Simple.

Edited by page3 on Sunday 31st August 09:10

[2something]

It's probably a cop out, but get the bar staff or waitress to ask them. Same as on the plane, get the air hostess to deal with it. They unfortunately have to do it every day and are well practised in dealing with idiots and drunks.

Unfortunately you didn't cover youself with glory by responding to someone who can't even use google, but it's not your fault the dinner was ruined.

Ueber politeness with an optional dig is my preferred option if you're going to do it though. I mean really oozing politeness that nearly makes you sick, it gives them no option to try and look big in front of their friends.

[TimJMS]

You invoke the argument of 'its the law' which is why you asked them to obey it.

We all know that speed, like smoking kills, so do you also chase speeding motorists, wind down your window and shout at them to slow down?

I'm not surprised this ruined your evening. The total ban on smoking has divided opinion like no other piece of legislation I can think of. Its made smokers seethe with resentment, and turned everyone else into mini vigilante's.

[Driller]

The class gap in the UK does make for an entertaining time

[page3]

Driller said:

The class gap in the UK does make for an entertaining time

But I've been told that we live in a classless society

You'll have to excuse me, my butler has just brought me my morning coffee...