I've done the same myself in similar circumstances but out in public when walking outside. It worked, the maskless person crossed the street to avoid ME.

So eventually some unmasked person will cough back instead of retreating. Then what?

The point was to communicate a message and raise awareness among those seemingly without any. Not all maskless people are stupid and inconsiderate. But many are.

Wild child, she would have turned around and head for the next aisle, I’m sure.

Sheesh I know what the point was just remember actions have consequences.

Oh, I think most with skeedaddle!

I rather like Lynn’s idea. LOL

Carolb - without the expletive, "Geh weg" is "Go away" in German. (I didn't learn expletives).

So what do you do when the other person just coughs back at you, gives you a thumbs up, says, "No worries, it's no worse than the flu", and wants to shake your hand? Who is doing the running then, LOL?

I heard about a lawsuit where coughing on someone is NOW considered a weapon "and" a threat to kill. If you just cough off to the side like the sister....no lawsuit.

I'd be afraid the story would get retold with the sister coughing in her face and the other party would sue.

Donna loomis, that would be very interesting!!!

Nicole, she was wearing a mask, so doubt there would be accusations of "threat to kill".

Reminds me of my old trick when I used to take the NY to DC Bolt Bus. I'd board early, lean against the window and hold a kleenex to my nose trying to look sick. Unless the bus was full, I almost always got both seats.

That's much more delicate than my cousin's suggestion -- act like you're asleep and have a bit of toilet paper creeping over to the empty seat.

jupidupi, one of my kids went to college in an eastern city and often used what was called the "Chinatown Bus" that ran from Chinatown to Chinatown in different cities along the Amtrak corridor and used the same ploy. It was incredibly cheap transportation. I don't know if they still exist.

In German, you can also say "Verschwinde!" or "Verschwinde von mir."

My dd used that bus as well, while at school. She was thrilled with the cheap price but I wondered how up-to-date the maintenance was....made me nervous!

My siblings and I would say: "hau ab". Basically "get lost".

^Good to know.

"Hau ab" sounds a bit like "How odd" to me.