The $20 scratch off, great find!!

The last house I lived in was 1 block from a high school. After a few weeks from moving in, the schedule was pretty evident, and I simply avoided the streets directly surrounding the large school on my daily bicycle ride during the times they were coming or going. Also, their littering drove me crazy with burger wrappers and whatnot on my front yard as they cut through my corner house, so I built a picket fence myself, problem solved. Should they be more empathetic? Sure. But for me, just avoiding the aggravation made my life better.

I have issues with some people at a place I’m at at least weekly. People, fine upstanding adults, do not move to the side in a hallway or doorway when others approach! One is foreced to say ”excuse me”, followed by ”excuse me, may I get by?” before they slowly drift to one side, or divide so one has to walk between the conversation. Perhaps I’m just invisible?

I get this. When it's raining and I can't hike the AT, I do laps around the mall. I am careful to be respectful and never get near people. But the teens who walk six across thereby not letting anyone walking either way to pass them ,are totally clueless and rude.

Experience has suggested it's best to not to have high expectations for competence or politeness for people working minimum wage retail jobs. When they do, it's a plus. When they don't, it doesn't bother me, it's what I expect.

As to common courtesies from young adults or young adults in training, I similarly have low expectations. When it's a me versus 3 abreast on a narrow walkway, my size allows me to simply continue or stop where I am as a way to suggest they need to avoid me and be a bit less self-absorbed.

DH and I have been sick. went to urgent care Saturday morning. The doctor was an ass! Seriously he listened my back then my chest then started walking away. I had already told him my sinuses and ears hurt along with a horrible cough. II asked if he was going to ck my ears, he said "Why? It isn't going change what I give you." And with a very smart ass tone of voice! What a delta bravo.

That's terrible, katlan. Unfortunately, urgent care clinics are not a bastion of the medical profession's best and brightest. All the same, there's no excuse for such a curt and rude exchange with you. I think medicine does draw many individuals with empathetic and caring attitudes that patients hope to experience but there are exceptions many of us have encountered and it can be both shocking and disappointing.

Hopefully his knowledge was better than his bedside manner and you are feeling better.

May not help when out walking but repeating Beap, Beap in a loud enough voice to be heard but not loud enough to show you are angry can get people to move aside. Sometimes they even say that they are sorry. Do not expect the young ones to do that.

Katlan, while the doctor's reaction was not what it should be, only thing that looking into your throat would possibly do would be to rule out a strep infection. If there were enough sounds in your chest for him to subscribe medicine it would also take care of the upper respiratory problems. Some doctors simply do it because it makes the patient feel that someone is doing something when it is not necessary.

Ha, Elmer, that's what I do too, when I see a collision coming -- I'm not a huge person but I want a fair share of the walkway so I plant my feet, cross my arms, and look like I'm not gonna move. Never has anyone actually walked into me, but also never has any apologized.

Of course, if it's a frail or handicapped person I'm gladly step off the walkway and give them the space they need.

I've worked in the public schools for 30+ years, all ages. I am convinced they no longer teach Kindergarteners to move to the right--so no one does. No one teaches that door ways are not a place to stop and chat. We have spent so much time teaching children that there are SCARY DANGEROUS adults around every corner the young no longer feel they should listen/respect/give deference to adults. Most children are raised, spend time in large groups where one maybe two adults are trying to keep the peace and everyone safe. This leaves a lot of room for naughty behavior to not be seen. Since they are rarely caught and we all know consequences are frowned upon, naughty continues unabated. In high school we were required to read "Lord of the Flies". I recall thinking the author had quite an imagination and little knowledge of sweet, innocent CHILDREN. Nothing made me think it was remotely possible it could ever really happen. Now everyday I witness the island, at lunch tables everytime an adult turns their back. The advise to avoid them and the aggravation is wise if your expectations are high.

I volunteered at a local community college on ground maintenance. I had a large basket of trimmings, rather heavy, and was walking down the sidewalk to the compost pile. There was a young woman standing on the sidewalk and talking on her phone. She saw me coming, but continued yammering. I said "excuse me:" and she just ignored me. I decided to just keep going, and ran into her, basket and all. She yelped and said she didn't have to move for a "worker". I pointed out that I was a volunteer, with two college degrees, and a lot more manners than she would ever have.

Today was another mall walk as it was raining. It wasn't busy but I'd guess 90% were on their phone blindlessly wandering along. They never look up and expect others to walk around them.

It's not just kids and younger people. Middle aged and older do the same thing. People stop to socialize in the middle of store aisles. The rest are looking down at their cell phones. Like Nicole, I hold my ground. If I am walking and someone has their nose in a phone it's on them if we crash. I tired of having to be the attentive one. If it's a group blocking a walkway or aisle I will call out excuse me but if they don't move I go right through the middle of them. I actually have observed teens to be more polite than a lot of adults.

I have a friend who is dependent on public transportation. She tells me that on a crowded bus the first to offer a seat are the most so called disreputable, tattooed gangster looking types. They may act bada$$, but their mama's teachings about respect for older people and women are solid.

On a lighter note, I've caught myself clucking at people or waggling my fingers at them to back them since it's what I do with horses. LOL

It has been reported that driving conditions in the United States are the worst they have ever been. A combination of undermaintained roads and the way Americans are driving now - I assume individuals I encounter who are a terror behind a shopping cart also drive that way. In my area speeding, reckless passing and tailgating are pervasive. Then there is driving while on the phone...

Ha! Since my son got a big truck, he says I'd be appalled at how many people he can see using their phones while driving...

A couple of times, I have just stopped and looked at the folks who expect me to move while I wait for the lightbulb to go on for them. I don't imagine it changes them, but it did make me feel better. I remember years ago in the mall, my son who was about 7 or so asked me, "Mommy, why do we always get out of other peoples' way?" because just about everyone else was hogging the entire walkway. I told him because that is who we are and what we do.

Respect and manners are (or should be) taught at a yoing age, unfortunatrly parents do not do it and teachers are not permitted! We are raising a generation of unruly, arrogant , selfish young adults who never learned them,...a sad situation.

It may almost be traditional for each generation in turn to denigrate habits or conduct of younger generations. Suggesting that they lack in various key traits, including social graces. I know my parents' generation, though not my parents, commonly referred to people in my generation with contempt.

I think there is a special place in hell for those who congregate at the top or bottom of an escalator for a chat.<rolls eyes>