(Few notes; – im a customer in this story. – i was in a cast, and i didnt really want to use my crutches as im very clumsy and i didnt want to hurt myself more. – i was using one of the motorized carts)

Me and my mom were in a national known store and we were going down an isle. Now, the motorized carts arent exactly small, and the isles arent exactly big. Two carts <i>can</i> fit comfortably, but there wouldnt be much room.
My mom was walkin ahead of me as i didnt know what she needed to get, so i was just following.
We turn down this isle and this lady has her cart and two small kids (probably like 2 at most) sitting in it…in the middle of an already small isle. Moms able to get past, but as im tryin, i do make a small (but laughing as i say it) comment.

<b>Me:</b> I dunno if i caaaan get throughhh. *laughing, tryin to not hit her cart*
<b>Lady:</b> *in a quickly snotty tone* An excuse me works fine.
<b>Me:<b> *a little taken back as i thought it was obvious i was joking* So does not leaving your cart in the middle of the isle, but ok…?
(Note..she wasnt exactly close to her cart either…)
<b>Lady:</b> *angered instantly* well f*** you! *rants a bit, all while tryin to cuss me out*
<b>Mom:</b> *shocked* You really talk that way around and to kids? Wow…
<b>Lady:</b> No, but im talking to yours that way!
<b>Mom:</b> You have your kids right there. *motions towards the lady’s literal babies*
<b>Lady:</b> *starts cussin my mom out*
<b>Me:</b> *trying to just leave because im over it* The disrespect in people really surprises me and shes a good example of it…

(Im sorry, but, human decency and common sense would say to move the cart so people can get through…i shouldnt <i>have</i> to say “excuse me”, tho i still will. I was making a joke, and i thought it was obvious, but i guess not. Im cooped up in a room almost 24/7 because of my cast and not bein very graceful with crutches, so i was happy and joking while out of the house. Guess i chose the wrong time? So, just a reminder, be nice and move ya cart out of peoples way, even if they dont ask. Its just called respect. )

We have an office party going on, and one of our coworkers (call him Employee #1) has been telling off-color jokes the entire time, using specific employees as the “butt” of the joke each time. A few people, including myself, have expressed discomfort with this, but he has laughed it off, and a few of his buddies have ended up telling us to “lighten up”.

We’d just gone through training about reporting harassment, so I end up stepping away from the party and going back to my desk, where I start composing an e-mail about the issue to HR. As I’m typing, another employee comes up behind me.

Employee #2: What are you doing?

He doesn’t wait for me to respond, leaning over my shoulder to read what I’d written.

Employee #2: Hey! You’re going to get [Employee #1] in trouble! You can’t do that.

He tries to grab for the mouse, but I pull away.

Me: We told him we were uncomfortable, and they just told us that we need to speak up whenever we see stuff like this.

Employee #2: You just need to learn to laugh. It was just jokes.

He has continued to try to reach for the mouse, and he ends up lunging forward, elbowing my head as he pushes me aside while trying to delete the e-mail. I’m in shock that this is actually happening and end up kind of slumping to the side. One of our other coworkers heard the commotion and ends up coming in.

Employee #3: What the hell?!

He ends up pulling Employee #2 off of me, and they end up struggling a bit. I type out a final sentence about Employee #2 attacking me to try and stop the e-mail, and then hit send.

An investigation followed, and both Employee #1 and Employee #2 ended up having to do a bunch of remedial training to keep their jobs. Employee #2’s supervisor also ended up in hot water, after she tried to hand-wave him attacking me as him just trying to “look out for Employee #1”.

A few years ago, I had a class at an art school nearby. As it was not too far from my house, I decided to bike there. This town is not very bike-friendly. The streets are narrow enough that you have to ride on the sidewalk. One day I was stopped by an old woman:
Woman: Oi! You there, stop!
Me: Yes?
Woman: You’re not supposed to ride your bike on the sidewalk!
Me: Ma’am, the street is too narrow to ride safely-
Woman: What don’t you understand? The sidewalk is for people! Not kids on bikes!
Me: You’re legally allowed to bike on the-
Woman: You stupid kids are so rude! You should learn some respect!
(She stomped off, muttering about “idiot children”.)
I understand “respect your elders”, but I don’t think I was the rude one there.

My mom and I rent a tent on the beach in an Italian seaside city. There, the beach has many owners which divide the beach in little strips in which they place tents and rent them to people. The owner of the beach adores us. The waiters are the owner’s granddaughter and a hired one. One day, our friends and my ma secure with the owner a reservation for 14:00 ( doing this two hours prior ). We come and they say there are no tables. We clearly see a table in the middle of the room. Yes there might be not a whole lot of space between the other tables but we are super hungry. We talk to the owner. Since he rented the restaurant off to another one, he can’t do nothing but smile and shrug. There are also tables outside but they have to be moved around to be able to accommodate us, and they still haven’t been cleared of the previous orders. My macho mom goes to confront them.

MOM- We made a reservation 2 hours ago, could you give us that table in the middle?

Waitress- No. The people next to the table don’t want to be next to anybody.

Those people already ate and weren’t doing anything but talk and look at each other while we waited hungry!

MOM- then can you clear those tables and put the together?

Waitress- No! We are really busy!

Literally 3 tables are still eating. The other long 2 are just talking. My mom want to ask the cook about a dish on the menu. While she talks, the waitress breezes up to them.

Waitress- Ignore her, she keeps asking about tables. She tells the cook and giving a cold look to my mom leads the cooks to the kitchen.

In the end we finally got a table ( almost an hour later ) People from a small table left and they pulled two together.

What happened after. The same day I go up to the counter to ask for special coins for the hot shower. The waitress is standing at the wrong side of the counter. I ask her jokingly what she is ordering. She doesn’t understands. I stumble over my Italian, and tell her. She asks if I mean that her place is at the other side. I quickly try to explain, stumbling even more since she is looking at me and I try not to offend her. I manage and quickly fast walk out of there.

Note: Germany is a very secular country. Asking strangers about their religion is not common and considered obtrusive and rude.
I’m a female student in my 20s constantly getting harassed by people trying to get me to sign a contract to support whichever charity they promote by regularly donating money. If it was a one-time donation, I’d totally give them something, but that’s usually not an option. I’m pretty fed up by it by now.
I’m walking through the city and can already see some of these World Saviours a bit further down the road when I have an epiphany. Just a few metres behind me is a stand of Jehova’s Witnesses. I go back and ask them for a Watchtower. Thus equipped, I make my way past the charity promoters.
CP: Excuse me, miss! Do you have a minute?
Me (whips out Watchtower): But of course! Have you prepared for the arrival of God’s kingdom yet?
CP (eyes go wide, takes a few steps back): OH! Oh. Uhm, no. No, thanks!! Please, go on!
Some variation of this repeats at every stand I pass. I always carry a Watchtower with me now.