Discussions

Two "gentlemen" go to go into a store in the mall. Staff member politely asks them to use the sanitizer before coming into the store. Guy responds that he just did at the last store. Now, here is my problem. The staff does not know if you did or not. There are lots of people out there that will say this, just because the are too lazy to sanitize. Staff (again, politely) informs the guys that it is required to enter the store. They are doing this to protect you, the next customer, and heaven forbid, themselves. Two guys then let off an expletive about the staff and store away. Most stores have the same requirements. Think you will get into Sobey's without washing? Nope. Don't be an idiot, follow the rules, and don't stress over it.  
 
Pretty sure that staff member is happy to did not come in. Considering the attitude, it is highly unlikely said people were following any of the safety guidelines and requirements, and did not want you risking their health.

It boggles my mind that people behaving like that.  
 
Makes me think of this from Winnipeg:  
 
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/sage-gardening-centre-closing-covid-19-concerns-1.5571324  
 
"A Winnipeg greenhouse and gardening centre says it's temporarily closing ahead one of the busiest weekends of the year, because some customers have been abusing staff over physical distancing rules."

Believe it or not but it is extremely common for people to abuse staff. Every sector that deals in any way with the public or people get abused for doing their job every single day. I believe this is unforgivable & there is no reason to do this. I understand frustration but we have the ability as civilized people to control ourselves... use it.  
 
I like, when I see it happen, when another witness makes an offhand comment about the person doing the abuse loud enough for them to hear it. It embarrasses the person & lets the employee know that they agree the employee is being mistreated. (Sometimes employees get a good laugh afterwards depending on what was said)  
 
I do this, but I am very confident in the regard of self-protection & the treatment of workers.  
Of course, when I get yelled at, I do what I want, & will defend myself, regardless of the store policy or offending the “customer”. Maybe that is why some of my bosses have disliked me so much?

I hate when I see retail employees getting S&A from customers.  
I tell retail people 'customers are not always right' especially when they are acting like jerks!  
We all need to speak up and defend employees! Even more so now

Like Outinbrandon said, people abuse staff that work the public all the time, pandemic or not. The only difference is that now people more readily have an excuse to bully service workers in the form of "Weh but I don't want to use hand sanitizer or stand far away from people!"  
 
Of course this doesn't make it okay, but I think now people should be taking steps to defend workers who may be too afraid to stand up for themselves. We should also be all holding each other accountable in respecting rules set in place to prevent the spread of Covid19.

I have been wondering about some of these things that stores have put in place & people are viewing as mandatory law. Sanitizer & masks aren't mandatory law, but instead suggested, as is soap & water!  
 
Thankfully, I have only been in Brandon twice since all of this blew up and so can avoid the crazy on both sides...and the extremes and everything in between certainly exist. I no longer enjoy visiting the city because of quick assumptive judgments of people. Here are my thoughts.  
 
I know there are people that are sensitive or allergic to scents & some other synthetic chemicals. There has been some headway in the past on this, even if some people think it isn't a real thing. There are always people like that if they have no direct experience with something. I know some are rolling their eyes.  
 
My question concerning this is (not talking about the men the OP mentioned...their argument is empty): should these particular sensitive individuals be simply dismissed at the door if they refuse sanitizer (please read on)? And if insisting, are these stores using unscented products at the very least?  
 
I think the customers should be given a *choice* between unscented sanitizer or soap & water and not just be dismissed. Personally, I much prefer the soap option at Sobeys to hand sanitizer at others, which as many seem to forget, was said to be not as effective on this virus as simple soap & water. Considering soap and water have a better track record, why not use that as a first defense?  
 
I recently read that the overuse of sanitizers is going to lead to a big increase in superbugs. I could see that.  
 
Masks: Most people don't wear them properly and do touch their face more. This is very common and makes masks absolutely useless.  
 
As for wearing masks, I for one, can't use a mask as I get claustrophobic very quickly. I am far from the only one like this. If it weren't for that panicked feeling, I wouldn't have an issue wearing one, but people looking at me not wearing one won't know that and could be negative.  
 
If mask wearing ever became mandatory for going out (as it has been in some US areas), I would not be able to go anywhere.  
 
Has anyone else questioned the recent trends that have developed & wondered about these things? We have been at this departure from normal long enough, many things will now be accepted as fact, as normal, and will be difficult to undo. For many, these temporary suggestions have now become habit and those not doing as they do will be societally shamed, whether there is a solid basis or not. How can this even be right?  
 
I am not looking for a fight and am not condoning violence of any sort. I have just wondered if anyone else thinks on these things in this way too.  
 
Edited by Flutterby, 2020-05-15 16:14:51

While the use of sanitizer in stores is not mandatory, if the store feels that they only want customers who will sanitize allowed in, then that is their right.  
None of us has any say in the matter, it is the stores decision to protect their workers.

I have worked a long time in retail and customer service, and while MOST employees are stepping up and being awesome, there are SOME that I have seen seriously lowering their customer service standards. I am sure there are a few who have this whole "grocery store workers are heros" mentality that has given a few of them power trips. I am tired of going to some stores and seeing STAFF congregating in groups to chit chat, or standing and waving people around the store like someone on a runway. If someone is not following safe practices, say something, otherwise I dont need to be micromanaged to buy some bread. I can follow the arrows, I wear a mask, I use hand sanitzer on the way in and out, I avoid aisles with lots of people, etc, and there is still always one person who has to start telling me I am wrong and to do it different. Not what we need right now.  
That being said, those guys were jerks.

Each store has different policys about sanitizer and some stores have arrows on the floor and some do not. It is very frustrating. There is no policy to have arrows in any store. This was a suggestion from health and safety, as is using hand sanitizer. Most items we hear of are suggestions, with a few exceptions being rules. I do not plan to visit the mall anytime soon. Just because by the sounds of it, sounds like a hassle. The rules just cannot go on forever, for many reasons.

I'm going to repeat this phrase  
 
"grocery store workers are heros" mentality "  
 
This is driving me nuts... I work in the healthcare field and it bothers me when us "heros" are just doing our jobs, yes a pat on the back in uncertain times is nice, but far from "heros"...but it makes me feel really awful for those that were nurses/doctors/EMTs/firemen/policemen/grocery store workers that were doing their jobs and NEVER got the recognition that they should have, and those after this pandemic dissipates, will no longer get any recognition either... and comparing those sitting at home "heros" to those that went to war and served our country... those who put their lives on the front lines at war are NOT the same as those sitting on the couch claiming superman... COMPLETELY disrespectful. I've seen and hear it often and frankly it gets me angry..... I work in healthcare because it's my job and I love it... and I wish other working beside me wouldn't let it go to their head, which I am seeing happen... we aren't heros any more now than we were 3 months ago... nor are the grocery store workers, nor are the policemen nor are those that cut the grass...  
 
to me, it's that same mentality of getting a metal or reward just for showing up...  
 
Rant over...

You are 100%, it is not law, but stores are allowed to make their own rules. Many, myself i:ncluded feel that we have opened up too much, too soon. Many stores may feel this as well.  
 
The soap option at Sobey's is a much better option, but look at the size of Sobey's, and the size of most mall stores. Not sure the stores can afford the cost of the systems needed for this, especially after most being closed for weeks. While still having to pay things such as rent.  
 
Those wise sensitivity is a tougher issue. Yes, offering a scent free sanitizer would be great, but we are not exactly in a world right now where you can pick and choose what sanitizer you can get. What to do in that situation is tough. Hopefully the sensitive person would have some of their own and could use it? Not using it puts the next customer and staff further at risk. But using it could cause breathing issues. No good solution really.  
 
And your comments on masks are bang on. I have not idea why some people even bother. Mask under the nose. Pulled aside to talk to someone. Constantly adjusting them. Again, why bother.  
 
As for it being long enough, I am not sure. Many areas that have opened up are having much larger problems now. I think we have opened too soon. And I think we will pay the price. Maybe not as bad as others, our population density helps with that. But there will be a price. In lives. But things will have to get back to normal eventually. Will there be changes to that normal, probably. Hard to say what those changes will be.  
 
As to your last comment, nothing in your post even suggests your condoning violence or anything like it. Have a great long weekend.

A comment in regard to the sanitizers......I have been asked to use whatever product a store or other business requests. In doing so I have been made very ill a few times now due to the heavily scented soaps and sanitizers being used. I carry an unscented sanitizer gel with me. Today when asked to use their sanitizer I asked if they could guarantee it was unscented, and if not, if I could please just use my own product. Staff recommended I use the sanitizer I was carrying with me.  
So a realistic approach may be needed,,,,,It would be very helpful if the institutions and stores we visit would take care to provide unscented products for the public, but carry your own unscented product and ask politely to use instead when the issue comes up.

Some of the disrespect directed toward front line essential workers is atrocious but I get where it comes from. Some folks don't like to take direction from anyone let alone a near minimum wage worker they feel superior to.  
 
WE ARE ALL INCONVENIENCED BY COVID and people will always believe we are opening too slowly or too quickly. There is no happy medium especially when we are all increasingly bitchy.  
 
If sanitizers and soaps are problematic, carrying and using your own is a simple but awesome solution.  
 
If an employee tries to give you some direction - like it or leave but do it with a smile and a thank you.  
 
If you are unable to wear masks, your period of isolation is naturally and understandably going to be longer than many other people. This is no one's fault, it is just reality.  
 
The choices made over the last few months and going forward will not be able to be judged fairly for quite some time. Hindsight will be 20/20 but things are pretty blurry right now.

I would think that would work. Not every store can get unscented sanitizer, as there is such short supply out there, they can only provide what they can get. But were a customer to explain your situation, and offer to use their own, and reasonable person would accept this.

Where in my post did I say that they were heroes? Yes, they are dealing with more than the bargained for when they took the job. Unless they were hired during this, I don't think any of them figured there was a hazard aspect to their job (other than the normal possibility of an accident).  
 
I just think that they should be treated as human beings. With some respect.  
 
As for police, firemen, health care workers, EMT's, IMO opinion they were heroes before this, and will continue to be so after this. These people knowingly put themselves in harms way (different sources of harm depending on the profession) for the good of others. My opinion has not changed with the pandemic, and won't change after.  
 
As for those working in stores etc. I would not go as far as heroes, but I offer my thanks to them for the great risk, and honestly, the greater amount of BS they have had to put up from customers.

It is the store's right to refuse service if a customer won't adhere to the guidelines they have set out to protect customers and staff. Perhaps I have missed something but it seems that some are arguing otherwise?  
 
Besides this, the word "hero" has lost any and all meaning. Depending on the criteria, any of us could be a hero, it's meaningless. The best way you can show respect to essential workers is to not be a jerk and do what you're told when you enter the store.