ScyLarc

A colleague of mine who is also from the UK currently has a cold. The cold has led to the usual symptoms including a fair amount of nose blowing. I wouldn't say it's been excessive or even particularly noisy. However earlier today she was taken aside and told that it was not good manners to blow your nose in public in the US and she should go to the bathroom to do it.

I actually thought they were joking and asked them to pull the other one (this comment led to some confusion) but it turned out they were deadly serious.

Can this be true? I have never heard of Americans being squeamish when it comes to nose blowing....

Manc

But according to Survivor last night it is perfectly fine to blow your snot rockets straight onto the beach where you're sleeping.

fatbrit

IMHO, Americans tend to be squeamish about all natural bodily functions.

Ben

lol, I saw that too - now that is gross.

Well, I have seen plenty of americans blowing their noses in public, even picking and looking at their snot too - got to make sure there is no infection in there you know!

However, if this was a place of employment where the public have access, presentation may be more the point.

AlisonPA

Something my husband told me and I said he had to be joking. I don't care if it is bad manners - rather that then sniff for ages. I have seen lots of people blow their nose here though.

ScyLarc

From a personal view point i actually hate it when people sniff constantly, i'd far rather they blow their nose and get it over with.

Pigtails

I've been here a very long time and I've never heard anyone say that it was rude to blow your nose in public. The only thing I find rude, is when people do it at the dinner table.

Someone is f**king with your friend because she's English. Either that or they're just walking around with a pencil up their arse.

Pimpbot

Whatever next?. I guess I better stop farting in the office.

robskatie

LMAO

ImHere

Apart from spitting. Loads of them seem to do it round here and I *****ing hate it!

Hebapotamus42

That is very strange. I imagine it would be better to do it in the bathroom if you had access, but if you've got a bad cold it's stupid to have to be running to the bathroom 50 times a day. People do much worse things here. In high school my biology teacher once walked out the classroom to blow his nose. When he came back in he opened up the kleenex and displayed its contents to the class. Also one time when I was waiting for the subway on my way to school, I'd taken off my heavy bookbag and put it on the ground until the train arrived. Some jerk must have shot the snot out of his nose because when I finally picked up my bookbag, my hand got smeared with some nasty person's boogers. Your friend is far from being ill-mannered.

strim

couldn't agree more. it drives me nuts when people sniff, sniff, sniff. I got stuck next to someone on the train the other day who sniffed all the way aaaagh!!!

Chandler

And whilst we are at it, I'd appreciate that if 'they' must chew gum, they do so with the #$@*^$@ mouths closed

Duncan Roberts

I know in Japan it is considered rude to blow your nose in public, which is why you hear Japanese people sniffing a lot. Never heard of in in America though, most odd.

Guelder Rose

Is 'booger' an American term? In the UK we say 'bogey' and I never heard 'booger' till I came here.

Somehow, the 'boogerman' just doesn't have the same ring to it! Can't even find 'booger' in my dictionary?