The Rudest Behaviors Ever! Anderson Investigates...
Monday, April 30, 2012 5:18PM
Rule number one: If you are experiencing bad restaurant service, never mess with a waiter until you’ve gotten your food, says former waiter and best-selling author Steve Dublanica who wrote “Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip--Confessions of a Cynical Waiter (P.S.)”
Even though you’re angry, Steve says to never deal with the waiter -- deal with the manager.
“If you have encountered rude service, says Steve, “vote with your feet... don’t go back there.”
“Anderson” and Yahoo! Shine teamed up to ask our online audiences the rudest behavior they continually encounter. Yahoo! Shine Facebook friends were quick to respond with passionate rude rants.
Shannon P. said on Facebook, “Being MOWED down at clothing rack by a rude/entitled shopper who has abs NO concept of personal space!” Amanda S. posted, “When you’re in line at the store and the person is so close to you that you can feel him breathin on your neck!!”
While responses varied, one of the top rants was rude cell phone behavior.
In a poll asking, “What rude behavior bothers you most?” 56% of respondents said parents who do not supervise their children are most annoying. Ten percent said rude waiters, 8% said pet owners who do not clean up after their dogs and 7% said tardiness.
One of the top rude behaviors came in at 19% -- people who talk too loudly on their cell phones.
Anderson Cooper says his number on pet peeve is rudeness. Arrogant people being rude to other people, cutting in line, talking loudly on their cell phones and being rude to waiters, makes him very angry.
As part of Tuesday’s episode, “Anderson Investigates Rudeness,” we decided to do a series of hidden camera investigations to see how people react when someone is being rude to then. We hired an actor to be rude all day and the results were amazing.
Would you approach someone being rude in public? Surprisingly, not many people did...
Amy Alkon, syndicated advice columnist and author of “I See Rude People,” says that “when someone is on a cell phone in a public place, they are hijacking your thoughts, they’re stealing your time and your peace of mind.”
Anderson agreed, saying, “That’s the thing that annoys me is that they are stealing my time, and my brainpower is focused on them -- when it should be focused on the inane things that I think about through the day or whatever I want to think about.”
Do you silently sit there and fume while someone is rude? Amy says it amplifies things. “You’re eating you that way and it can have very negative effects on your health. So it’s really important to not do that, to not brew. But to say something before you brew so much that you explode.”
Amy suggests that if you absolutely have to get on your cell phone in a public place, a person must take their conversation outside, or whisper, with hand over mouth.
Where do you encounter the rudest people? On Yahoo Shine, 32% said they encounter the most rudeness at retail store. Tying for the second rudest places were grocery stores and airport/airplanes. Rounding out the list was 14% at restaurants/coffee shops and 4% at the gym.
Have you experienced a rude waiter? Take a look at what happened when we set up our actor, Mac, to pose as an extremely obnoxious and rude waiter.
Even though you’re angry, Steve says to never deal with the waiter -- deal with the manager.
“If you have encountered rude service, says Steve, “vote with your feet... don’t go back there.”
“Anderson” and Yahoo! Shine teamed up to ask our online audiences the rudest behavior they continually encounter. Yahoo! Shine Facebook friends were quick to respond with passionate rude rants.
Shannon P. said on Facebook, “Being MOWED down at clothing rack by a rude/entitled shopper who has abs NO concept of personal space!” Amanda S. posted, “When you’re in line at the store and the person is so close to you that you can feel him breathin on your neck!!”
While responses varied, one of the top rants was rude cell phone behavior.
In a poll asking, “What rude behavior bothers you most?” 56% of respondents said parents who do not supervise their children are most annoying. Ten percent said rude waiters, 8% said pet owners who do not clean up after their dogs and 7% said tardiness.
One of the top rude behaviors came in at 19% -- people who talk too loudly on their cell phones.
Anderson Cooper says his number on pet peeve is rudeness. Arrogant people being rude to other people, cutting in line, talking loudly on their cell phones and being rude to waiters, makes him very angry.
As part of Tuesday’s episode, “Anderson Investigates Rudeness,” we decided to do a series of hidden camera investigations to see how people react when someone is being rude to then. We hired an actor to be rude all day and the results were amazing.
Would you approach someone being rude in public? Surprisingly, not many people did...
Amy Alkon, syndicated advice columnist and author of “I See Rude People,” says that “when someone is on a cell phone in a public place, they are hijacking your thoughts, they’re stealing your time and your peace of mind.”
Anderson agreed, saying, “That’s the thing that annoys me is that they are stealing my time, and my brainpower is focused on them -- when it should be focused on the inane things that I think about through the day or whatever I want to think about.”
Do you silently sit there and fume while someone is rude? Amy says it amplifies things. “You’re eating you that way and it can have very negative effects on your health. So it’s really important to not do that, to not brew. But to say something before you brew so much that you explode.”
Amy suggests that if you absolutely have to get on your cell phone in a public place, a person must take their conversation outside, or whisper, with hand over mouth.
Where do you encounter the rudest people? On Yahoo Shine, 32% said they encounter the most rudeness at retail store. Tying for the second rudest places were grocery stores and airport/airplanes. Rounding out the list was 14% at restaurants/coffee shops and 4% at the gym.
Have you experienced a rude waiter? Take a look at what happened when we set up our actor, Mac, to pose as an extremely obnoxious and rude waiter.
Filed Under: As Seen On The Show
Comments
As I was shopping at a TJ Max store in ME I asked the store associate gentleman behind the counter a question about some merchandise. I thanked him for helping me. As I turned to walk away he made a rude gesture with his face and hands behind my back. When my sister was approaching towards me at a distance she saw this and told me what he did. I did notify the store manager and reported this to her. She did apologize for his behavior. As I was talking to her, the now rude associate gentleman was running away through the store. My sister said he must have been trying to impress the girl cashier he was standing near. I really don't think any girl would be impressed with that kind of rude behavior. What was he thinking!!!!!
Being polite needs to be taught (especially at home). We can't expect kids to say please and thank you when their parents are rude and have little to no manners. Someone holds the door....you say thank you. Someone lets you in a lane, you wave thank you. Reading entries from Spring1 and others it just goes to show the main problem with society. ie. I don't need to be polite since they aren't! Very childish platform to sit on. (On a side rant- the customer is always right is a ridiculous mantra to follow. This false-hood of power goes to some people's heads and they take it out on the waiter/waitress). I have worked in the food industry and have very politely and calmly told customers that they are being rude. Yes-we live in a 'go go go' society where we all need everything right now! (Stand ina line more than 3 people deep and you can hear the 'tuts' and see the impatient swaying. Not that I'm an expert but everyone needs to chill out a little and learn to put yourself in other people's shoes (since 'treat others the way you want to be treated' isn't working).
56% respondents voted re: poor supervision of children??? Noww these are the children who disrupt the classrooms, refuse to follow directions and interfer with the peaceful environment of a school. If the parents don't take the time to discipline their children, then how do they expect the teachers to teach w/o discipline?
Gang-stalking is psychological harassment that uses rudeness and incivility tactics. Rudeness also is used in workplace mobbing. It's a low point in humanity.
the number one thing that makes me so angry about rude people, on the subway with loud music, i was on the C train last night going home from work at that time of the day when every body is tired and train is super busy this black guy stood in the middle of the exit door with loud music on he's cell phone when the doors open he didn't even bother of moving... what make this people think that they are the only ones who matter in me middle of a busy commute.
I am in a service sorority that centers much of its activities in assisting charities in our area. This weekend, our group participated in a city-wide garage sale in which all of our proceeds were going to charity. Many of our customers took interest in learning more about our group and which charities we supported.
During one of the conversations, a woman enthusiastically voiced her interest and praise for what we were doing for the less fortunate. She also inquired about a soft-baby flip book (probably worth $1.00). As she was walking off the premises, I asked my sorority sister if she accepted the money for the baby book. She said, "No, I thought you did." We both looked at each other, did a quick search of the sale tables and started laughing. The lady "lifted" the book!
Really??!! This is for CHARITY!!!! She basically stole a baby book from the less fortunate. And for a $1.00!!!! Grrrrrrr!
Spring 1, can i ask what you do for work, I would imagine it does not require a lot of human contact. Are you capable of making a reasoned response without being defensive and accusatory, WRITING IN CAPITALS, or using words that need to be blanked out?
I'm with Katie on this. Spring 1 you are so over the top that you seem a caricature of a nightmare customer. I suspect you are an intern just writing such diatribes to liven up this blog. If this is so, you have a bright future in script writing. It is hard for me to believe you can have such obtuse views of the world and people around you and have any healthy adult, human relationships.
No one has encountered rudeness until s/he has LIVED in Thailand, the "Land of Smiles" (blatant lie).
I like it here but try to avoid all interaction with clerks in major stores like C------ Pattaya B----. Some are really rude. Street vendors are not much better. Thais are taught Thailand is number one, but since many citizens have only a third to sixth grade education, well, you can fill in the dots. Why doesn't Anderson do an expose here? I was a teacher in a Bangkok University, so I know what I am talking about.
Anderson Cooper, just because you're Gloria Laura Vanderbilt's son you were able to be where you're at; otherwise you wouldn't have made it. Now, with your tv show, you're just another ******* in a reality show.
I would like to point out that if you do not understand the complete meaning of morally right then you should not use this term. To all of you follow this post then you know what and whom I am talking about. You also do not have to be rude and abrasive when leaving comments. I understand some people have experienced bad service, everybody has at one time or another and not just by a server.
One of the rudest things I have encountered was when I was being interviewed for a job and the potential employer took a phone call and proceeded to interview and set up an interview with this other person on the phone.while I was sitting in his office being interviewed by him.
Anderson,
Why don't you show rude customers! Sometimes it doesn't matter how nice we are as servers and bartenders...people treat us like dirt.
I have be a witness to rudeness that you would never believe. Many years ago my family had a small Italian restaurant in Boston, I happend to be working one night and my brother had decided to take the shrimp off the antipasto. I had the pleasure of taking a request for a large antipaso. The gentlemen who orded this antippasto said,"Where is the fu.. ing shrimp". Taken back by this, I did not even hesitate and said," in the fu..ing kitchen. My Dad was not to happy with me at the time but I think I made my point.
I've also had plenty of bad service in restaurants and do not tip or will address the complaint to the manager. Just love your show and would one day like to meet you. You seem sincere and honest and love when you have your mother on. She is a remarkable woman!!