Told off for swearing

hollydays

I went in a pub this morning, to have a coffee and do some paperwork. I heard swearing, and I find it offensive . I'd have been glad if a member of staff had spoken to them. As someone else said, it's plain rude, and I think it's so commonplace for some people, it doesn't occur to them that it might offend others.

pmduk

If you can't enjoy a meal without using foul language, I'm not sure it's a good idea to come online and broadcast the fact. Personally, I'd be mortified it was necessary.

stevemLS

luaive wrote: »

I could understand if I had been warned when I swore at the bar while I was ordering my meal but I wasn't, and therefore it was okay to swear while I was handing over my money, but not okay once I had paid?
(Just for Giraffee69 I'm starting a new paragraph, go me!) Wait....does the ) go before the ! or after? No doubt someone from the grammar police will be along soon to correct me if I'm wrong!

Punctuation nearly perfect darling.

Would you like to take me to the pub, sound like just the chavvy bit of rough I am sometimes attracted to? (Yes, am middle aged bloke).

LilElvis

stevemLS wrote: »

Punctuation nearly perfect darling.

Would you like to take me to the pub, sound like just the chavvy bit of rough I am sometimes attracted to? (Yes, am middle aged bloke).

Careful, she had her (swearing allowed) hen night in the pub so she is most likely married ..... unless her husband divorced her on the grounds of her unreasonable/chavette behaviour.

stevemLS

I realised that as soon as I posted.

If her husband has divorced her, perhaps he would like to take me out instead? I think that would suit me far better

McKneff

It is grammar, not grammer..................

sportage1kia

Sorry but I think the pub has the correct policy, listening to people swearing on the next table especially when eating downgrades it, and makes customers go elsewhere, especially if the same people go in often.
Years ago I went into a pub near where I lived on my birthday and my wife gave me a quick kiss, the landlord swiftly came over and said none of that please, we were surprised but not offended, but later understood their policy.

Torry_Quine

The pub were correct and you should have been mortified and given a profuse apology rather than it seems you weren't really sorry as you didn't think it was wrong to swear!

unholyangel

stevemLS wrote: »

Not to mention it is a criminal offence (s5 Public Order Act 1986) - try swearing at a copper and you'll be in the back of a van before you can say "Excuse me officer, may I finish my meal"

It can be a criminal offence. But not always.

Harvey v Director of Public Prosecutions [2011] for example.

Southard v Director of Public Prosecutions [2006] also found:

“…[W]hether or not the person addressed is a police officer or a member of the public, the words "!!!! you" or "!!!! off" are potentially abusive. Frequently though they may be used these days, we have not yet reached the stage where a court is required to conclude that those words are of such little significance that they no longer constitute abuse. Questions of context and circumstance may affect the court's ultimate conclusion as to whether, in an individual case, they are abusive.”

Also note that simply saying it in the presence of another person does not necessarily amount to an offence. It is only if it is said in the earshot of someone likely to become alarmed, harassed or distressed by it.

OP, a lot of people dont consider bloody or hell as swearing. Both appear several times in the "good book" (aka bible). Go to hell is abusive/insulting, but still not swearing imo. Just one reason why the guy at the till perhaps never said anything!

InsideInsurance

dacouch wrote: »

A pub near my old house used to throw people out if they refused to remove their hat, swore or kissed.

He had a very small pool of customers

The best part was they kicked us out before we had settled our tab and they werent holding a card or such behind the bar. :beer:

Unfortunately one of our team was sitting on another table as her boyfriend and his friends were joining her. After they realised their mistake of not getting us to pay first they asked her if she knew us as they'd seen her talking to us and when she said yes they asked her to pay our bill, which she did. :mad: