Inappropriate Comments by Strangers...advice needed
Nov 28, 2007, 1:37 pm
#31
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: IAD-DCA
Programs: Won Kay
Posts: 1,324
The OP could have always exercised the "nuclear option" which would have been to give the guy one warning, and when he persisted just say: "Look, I told you once to shut up. Keep talking and they'll find your head in a dumpster." And then give him a real psychotic look.
I haven't tried it myself, but I'm sure it would work, right?
(Like you need it)
I haven't tried it myself, but I'm sure it would work, right?
(Like you need it)
Nov 28, 2007, 1:43 pm
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
"Mind your own business" is definitely the appropriate response, with (as others have pointed out) STFU or GFY any of the other many nice profanities as a next step if they don't get the picture.
Nov 28, 2007, 1:55 pm
#34
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
I've noticed that my health insurance will almost double, to $610 monthly for a single individual. I work out, eat healthy, get good sleep. Never in a hospital. My payment subsidize Americans unhealthy lifestyles.
I don't like it, but I keep my mouth shut.
Forget him, and forget about the hurt.
Give your family a gift: a healthy dad with a long, healthy retirement. Be around for your grandkids.
Its a choice we each need to make.
I don't like it, but I keep my mouth shut.
Forget him, and forget about the hurt.
Give your family a gift: a healthy dad with a long, healthy retirement. Be around for your grandkids.
Its a choice we each need to make.
This is a very wise post. While this person had no right to tell you want you should be eating, think of the quality of your life. As a person who grew up with two parents in and out of the hospital due to unheathly phyiscal and mental issues, I know very well what poor habits lead up to. And its not fun.
Nov 28, 2007, 4:45 pm
#35
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Denver
Programs: UA 1K in training
Posts: 2,107
"You think my eating habits are what I should be worried about? Personally, I'm much more concerned about my psychopathic tendencies!"
... followed by the eyes-burning-through-your-skull look.
Of course, you could have a little trouble boarding your flight if anyone else around you happened to overhear.
Nov 28, 2007, 5:12 pm
#36
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 747
An incident happened years ago that I still vividly remember.
I was standing in line at an ice cream parlour in Vancouver on a hot summer day. There were small tables with the kind of metal folding chairs that are made to support small to medium size people.
Two four-hundred pound women were lined up. One of them got tired of waiting and took a seat on a folding chair. With a loud "boom" the chair collapsed and the woman found herself on the floor.
The manager of the ice cream place came out and apologized profusely to the woman. Then the enormous woman got back in line and ordered a two-scoop ice cream cone.
No one was rude enough to mention that the whole incident was the woman's fault, and everyone minded their own business instead of telling this woman to take it easy on the ice cream. We were all polite even though everyone was surely thinking the same thing.
Are we not our brothers' keepers? By being polite and keeping quiet, we didn't help this woman at all. This was fifteen years ago and no doubt she is now either dead of suffering from heart disease.
I am not the type to speak up in a situation like this, but I applaud those who do.
I was standing in line at an ice cream parlour in Vancouver on a hot summer day. There were small tables with the kind of metal folding chairs that are made to support small to medium size people.
Two four-hundred pound women were lined up. One of them got tired of waiting and took a seat on a folding chair. With a loud "boom" the chair collapsed and the woman found herself on the floor.
The manager of the ice cream place came out and apologized profusely to the woman. Then the enormous woman got back in line and ordered a two-scoop ice cream cone.
No one was rude enough to mention that the whole incident was the woman's fault, and everyone minded their own business instead of telling this woman to take it easy on the ice cream. We were all polite even though everyone was surely thinking the same thing.
Are we not our brothers' keepers? By being polite and keeping quiet, we didn't help this woman at all. This was fifteen years ago and no doubt she is now either dead of suffering from heart disease.
I am not the type to speak up in a situation like this, but I applaud those who do.
Nov 28, 2007, 5:29 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, DL MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,445
I don't need help from strangers with respect to my diet, my exercise, or my relationship with G*d. Strangers whom I am not inconveniencing and who don't need my help should mind their own business.
Nov 28, 2007, 6:33 pm
#39
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Peon Gold
Posts: 2,915
Are we not our brothers' keepers? By being polite and keeping quiet, we didn't help this woman at all. This was fifteen years ago and no doubt she is now either dead of suffering from heart disease.
Nov 28, 2007, 6:35 pm
#40
Join Date: Aug 2000
Programs: I am an AS employee, but my comments do not represent the company in any official capacity.
Posts: 4,343
FWIW: I've met AKDan in person and he is more of a big guy than a fat guy. I wouldn't give another thought to what that moron was saying. Most of us could stand to lose a few pounds, but you aren't a butterball turkey, Dan.
Nov 28, 2007, 9:13 pm
#41
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Earth (PIT)
Programs: Airline/TSA Avoidance Platinum, Hotel Disloyalty Silver, Hertz 1.7*
Posts: 5,277
Here's the thing: if it's okay to criticize a fat person's choice of meal, then everyone should criticize everyone's choice of meal, regardless of the eater's size. Because apparently in order to be healthy, you must eat 100% healthy meals 100% of the time. 
You have no idea of the scenario with a given person, but I guarantee you anyone who is overweight is pretty damn well aware of it. But unless you eat perfectly 100% of the time, STFU. Maybe that person just lost 100 pounds but still has a ways to go. You're going to sit there and tell him he's not doing enough for his health? Who died and made you arbiter of such things? This kind of crap is not helpful.
It's no different than telling every smoker "Hey, you know, those things will kill you." That's the "Duh" of the century, right? Do you think it would be productive to tell every smoker you ran across something like this? Why do people think this food/weight thing is any different?
Actually, you probably would be better off warning the thin people eating the bad food since they're the ones that are going to have those totally unexpected heart attacks and such.
You have no idea of the scenario with a given person, but I guarantee you anyone who is overweight is pretty damn well aware of it. But unless you eat perfectly 100% of the time, STFU. Maybe that person just lost 100 pounds but still has a ways to go. You're going to sit there and tell him he's not doing enough for his health? Who died and made you arbiter of such things? This kind of crap is not helpful.
It's no different than telling every smoker "Hey, you know, those things will kill you." That's the "Duh" of the century, right? Do you think it would be productive to tell every smoker you ran across something like this? Why do people think this food/weight thing is any different?
Actually, you probably would be better off warning the thin people eating the bad food since they're the ones that are going to have those totally unexpected heart attacks and such.
Nov 28, 2007, 9:34 pm
#42
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota,USA
Programs: UA, NW
Posts: 3,752
You have no idea of the scenario with a given person, but I guarantee you anyone who is overweight is pretty damn well aware of it. But unless you eat perfectly 100% of the time, STFU. Maybe that person just lost 100 pounds but still has a ways to go.
...
Actually, you probably would be better off warning the thin people eating the bad food since they're the ones that are going to have those totally unexpected heart attacks and such.
Furthermore, I'm old enough now so that I know a few thin, athletic people whose diets were so low-fat that their food practically crumbled and who have experienced, even died from heart attacks.
Nov 28, 2007, 9:49 pm
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 1999
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 15,356
An incident happened years ago that I still vividly remember.
I was standing in line at an ice cream parlour in Vancouver on a hot summer day. There were small tables with the kind of metal folding chairs that are made to support small to medium size people.
Two four-hundred pound women were lined up. One of them got tired of waiting and took a seat on a folding chair. With a loud "boom" the chair collapsed and the woman found herself on the floor.
The manager of the ice cream place came out and apologized profusely to the woman. Then the enormous woman got back in line and ordered a two-scoop ice cream cone.
No one was rude enough to mention that the whole incident was the woman's fault, and everyone minded their own business instead of telling this woman to take it easy on the ice cream. We were all polite even though everyone was surely thinking the same thing.
Are we not our brothers' keepers? By being polite and keeping quiet, we didn't help this woman at all. This was fifteen years ago and no doubt she is now either dead of suffering from heart disease.
I am not the type to speak up in a situation like this, but I applaud those who do.
I was standing in line at an ice cream parlour in Vancouver on a hot summer day. There were small tables with the kind of metal folding chairs that are made to support small to medium size people.
Two four-hundred pound women were lined up. One of them got tired of waiting and took a seat on a folding chair. With a loud "boom" the chair collapsed and the woman found herself on the floor.
The manager of the ice cream place came out and apologized profusely to the woman. Then the enormous woman got back in line and ordered a two-scoop ice cream cone.
No one was rude enough to mention that the whole incident was the woman's fault, and everyone minded their own business instead of telling this woman to take it easy on the ice cream. We were all polite even though everyone was surely thinking the same thing.
Are we not our brothers' keepers? By being polite and keeping quiet, we didn't help this woman at all. This was fifteen years ago and no doubt she is now either dead of suffering from heart disease.
I am not the type to speak up in a situation like this, but I applaud those who do.
I have never been approached by a person like this, but God help someone who does. I'm not enormous by any means, but I can stand to lose a few pounds. But put your nose in my business and being told to GFY would be about the most polite response you could expect.
Nov 29, 2007, 12:17 am
#44
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,716
Tough call. You certainly do have the right to tell the person its not their business. They might not have noticed what they were doing, but if I was to the point where strangers were going out of their way to tell me that my clothes don't match, I smell bad, am too big to be eating McDonald's, etc, I certainly would give some thought to what they said.
Certainly if there is one person who is actually willing to step up and say something, it's highly likely that everyone else around is thinking the same thing, but are too polite to say anything.
Certainly if there is one person who is actually willing to step up and say something, it's highly likely that everyone else around is thinking the same thing, but are too polite to say anything.
Nov 29, 2007, 1:25 am
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
Tough call. You certainly do have the right to tell the person its not their business. They might not have noticed what they were doing, but if I was to the point where strangers were going out of their way to tell me that my clothes don't match, I smell bad, am too big to be eating McDonald's, etc, I certainly would give some thought to what they said.
Certainly if there is one person who is actually willing to step up and say something, it's highly likely that everyone else around is thinking the same thing, but are too polite to say anything.
Certainly if there is one person who is actually willing to step up and say something, it's highly likely that everyone else around is thinking the same thing, but are too polite to say anything.
I was smarter than that THEN.
Of your examples above, only ONE of them ("I smell bad") has any impact on anyone else.
"My clothes don't match"... well, indeed, mine very often don't. Lovely thing about being a techie is, they don't have to. I can wear sport sandals to work, and if I feel like wearing a really really bright yellow shirt to work some days because it cheers me up, I can do that
Why the heck should anyone else care if my boss doesn't?As for the current "your being fat is MY BUSINESS" or "your unhealthy eating habits are MY BUSINESS" crud, just shows you there are a lot of busybodies. It's not like telling someone to stop smoking in your presence... unless they're spilling their BBQ sauce ON you, it's more like getting on their case because they have a pack in their shirt pocket.