'You need a lesson in etiquette...': Ferry crew kick entitled passenger off ship after his demands caused massive delay, resulting in 24-hour layover

Author image for Sienna Varady
Sienna Varady
Jul 3, 2024 7:00 AM EDT

If you want to get what you want rather than what you deserve, there are situations when it is preferable to be wise rather than righteous.

The story below is an account of a frustrated car ferry worker. The original post (OP) details a previous interaction with a haughty client. The ship was preparing to set sail on a scorching summer's day. Even though the deck was nearly full and OP lacked the necessary area to carry the freight, he offered to load a little MG, if they didn't mind the strain. In a nutshell, OP was helping the customer, but rather than being grateful for the help, the client began to criticize OP for his perceived 'recklessness' and poor sense of size.

That being said, be sure to read the story below if you're interested in learning what happened next and how OP maliciously complied with the condescending customer! After you're done, don't forget to read the account of the worker who expressed his ideas at a meeting with the business's leadership, only to have his micromanager inform him that he is no longer welcome on the team!

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  • 01
    "Back off..."
    via canva
  • 02
    Need more space?
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 03
    This happened a number of years ago. For background, I work on a car ferry and am one of the crew members responsible for the loading of the vehicles (I don't do it alone though and it is a team sport). Before we load vehicles onto the car deck, we receive a loading list of booked traffic for the sailing. If someone is not booked, they can wait on standby to see if we can fit them on. With the deck loaded and the boat almost full, I said we could take a small MG if they didn't mind the squeeze.
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 04
    On came the Green 1974 MG-B. (A very nice small car) After some gentle and slow guidance, it made it on with the smallest of margins. Cue the shouting from a man in his late 50s/early 60s (I'll call him entitled a e, EA): “You there....I can't get out of my car.” There was enough room to open the doors but not all the way, admittedly. This was beside the point, though, because he was standing next to me a few cars away from his when he said it. "What are you
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 05
    going to do about this? It's a disgrace!" I had to ask him again to repeat his complaint and hope that he would realise how absurd his statement was. He said it again. I tried to stay composed and remembered that he might have had a bad drive or even a bad day up to this point. His wife was trying to tell him to be quiet and just to be grateful....but no. We were (myself and other crew members) doing our best to help them. As soon as he said to one of the sailors, "I've paid for my ticket, I
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 06
    demand a full space, you f ng m ns!", my mind was made up to help this gentleman. (Cue malicious compliance) I said to him, "I'm very sorry for your inconvenience, you are of course right, sir. If you would like to get back into your car and just back up a little way, we'll be able to get you all the space you need." EA: "About bl dy time."
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 07
    Once he was ready, I got one of the sailors to start guiding him from the back of the car. Op: "Keep it going," as his car backs up. Sailor guiding the car: "Keep it going." (He definitely knew what the plan was.) The car was backed off of the boat and heading back for the car park. At this point, EA figured out what was going on and demanded to know what was happening. The sailor
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 08
    said that he would have all the room he needed waiting in the car park for the next boat. After EA lost the plot and came out with the usual threats of, "I know the managing director, and I'll have yous ked!!" and we didn't look concerned, his wife snapped and went b listic at him. Following a major dressing down in front of everyone, she made him apologise and ask politely if they could re-board. We said that because his wife was so awesome, that would be fine but to listen to her advice in the
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 09
    Edit: First paragraph removed at suggestion from commenter (Firstly this is my first post here and although not as good as the others, I hope you enjoy it. There are plenty more like this.)
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 10
    molewarp 2 days ago She must have a rotten life being married to le like that. I'm surprised he an a managed to squeeze his ego and sense of self-importance into an MG.
    via u/molewarp
  • 11
    SpurlingPipe OP. 1 day ago He was very sheepish afterwards, I agree though and unfortunately it doesn't seem to be that uncommon.
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 12
    Odd-Artist-2595 · 1 day ago Eh. I'd say it was probably a very balanced life if she was able to dress him down like that in public and make him apologize without him then going ballistic on her. It was probably an occasionally frustrating life, but it seems she was able to hold her own. Who know? She may have had some
    via u/Odd-Artist-2595
  • 13
    issues of her own that he had to deal with, on occasion, too. Just not ones that made themselves apparent then. I'd say that, at least on the surface, they seem pretty evenly matched - and not in a bad way. At least they weren't both being A sat the same time, and he accepted being called out by her when he was one. I'd be willing to bet that, overall, they probably had a pretty solid relationship going there.
    via u/Odd-Artist-2595
  • 14
    ConfusedAt63 · 1 day ago Lovely story, the old man having to apologize like a child was the best part.
    via u/ConfusedAt63
  • 15
    Equivalent-Salary357 1 day ago ...although not as good as the others, I hope you enjoy it. It isn't nice to lie. This was a great read.
    via u/Equivalent-Salary357
  • 16
    SpurlingPipe OP. 1 day ago Thank you, I've been sitting on things like this for years and wasn't sure they'd be enjoyed by others as much as they were by me.
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 17
    Minflick 1 day ago Having just taken a car ferry twice the day before mother's day. Hoo boy. The incomplete best part for us was attendants making sure people were within the fairly narrow lane lines, and then guiding us the preferred distance to the car in front of us. Which was about a foot. One man left his car a good 5 feet back, and they made him turn the car back on and move up, telling him
    via u/Minflick
  • 18
    there were more cars to fit on the ferry, and he NEEDED to pull up, please. That was fun to watch! The attendants were great when they were there, but they weren't always there. Coming back home we were the center front car! Amazing view on a lovely day.
    via u/Minflick
  • 19
    backgroundnerd · 1 day ago No no, that was pretty good! "plenty of room now!" LOL
    via u/backgroundnerd
  • 20
    DeliveryMuch5066 1 day ago • So he claimed not to have enough room to get out of his car ( although he was already out of it) but then GOT BACK INTO it...
    via u/DeliveryMuch5066
  • 21
    Jinkyman1 1 day ago Well done and well written
    via u/Jinkyman1
  • 22
    SpurlingPipe OP. 5 hr. ago Thank you, very kind words.
    via u/SpurlingPipe
  • 23
    • Dustquake 1 day ago I love this one. That wife is amazing.
    via u/Dustquake

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