How can I NOT be rude about this ? it grosses me out?

Question

this woman working at a store we always go to ALWAYS licks her fingers to get the bags open. I know it does not seem to be a big deal but to me its the same as l*****g my hand. its gross the same goes it someone does that to a book or some papers they give me I dont want to touch them.What can I say to get people to stop

Answer 1

(selena) friend- i do that too!its not much of a problem.but i guess just ask her if she can stop

steph (me)- umm yup its nasty wen teachers do that tell em in a nice way if they dont stop do it in a meen way

Answer 2

Sounds like your problem, not theirs, so just keep it to yourself.  Why are you even wasting one second of your life thinking about this.  Is it really important?  There are a million wonderful things you could be thinking about and your mind is clouded by this?

What about all the people who use the restroom and don't wash their hands?  What about touching cash that probably has a lot more germs than the saliva on the bag?  Relax, your body can handle it.

Answer 3

Many stores now have reusable bags that you can take back to the store.  Buy a few of those. Some stores go so far as to give a nickel credit for each bag you bring back so they can pay for themselves.

Your other option is to chose a different checker. If anyone asks why you want to go into the longer line, tell them. You are probably not the only one who doesn't like it. Maybe they will get them a damp sponge to wet their fingers on.

PS: as a passive/aggressive move, make a copy of this page and send it to the manager anonymously.

Answer 4

the money you pay her with probably has more germs than her saliva. really if you think about it, money goes in some pretty disgusting places.

Answer 5

I hope you can get counseling for your phobia. Sounds like you are rapidly becoming obsessive-compulsive, and need professional help. If you are grossed out by that, just wait till you are changing diapers. Or do you expect your wife to do everything??

Answer 6

Have a quiet but concerned chat with the manager about occupational health & safety for the cashiers. Every time that cashiers l**k their fingers, they're injesting who knows what.

I understand that having to watch her do this might be gross to you, but it really can't be healthy for the cashier. The manager really needs to educate his/her staff about OH&S. Please recommend that cashiers have a damp sponge in a jar near their register as an alternative to l*****g their fingers.

Answer 7

Give her that tacky finger stuff used by banks you can get it at staples

Answer 8

get a couple of paper towel, wet them down and hand them to her, demonstrate what they are to be used for.

Answer 9

just say when you go to the store since you know shes going to l**k the bag just say you'll bag them your self.

Answer 10

Most stores are suppose to have a pad where you can press your fingers on to make them moist and help get the bag open instead of l*****g her fingers. Don't say anything to her tell the manager that you're disgusted by it. Just let him know that its a hazard and transmits way too many germs and you suggest that he talks to the staff about it before you stop goin to that store. Other than that bring her some hand sanitizer as a gift. lol.

Answer 11

Actually, there's a better way of tackling this.

For one day, attempt to be aware of what you do with your hands, the things you touch, you handle, where you have them and never once bothered to wash your hands afterward.

And then, while you're being really aware of that, pay attention to how often you touch any part of your body that is considered a mucous membrane or a part of your body that is close to the opening of your mucous membranes before you either washed or didn't wash your hands.

That includes your eyes, lips, ears, nose and private parts.  All of them are areas of introduction for germs and viruses to enter your body.

You'll be surprised how often you "catch" yourself, introducing your body to foreign germs and viruses when you weren't paying attention to that sort of thing.

Your steering wheel, gear shift, the button on a copier, DOOR HANDLES, veggies and fruits in a grocery store, grocery carts themselves, or any other thing that is accessible to other human beings are ripe with millions of germs and viruses you never think about.

But the good news is:  Your body is equipped to handle it and dispose of the majority of that stuff that you heretofore haven't been exposed to.  You wonder why babies get sick so often and with such a vengence?  You did too when you were that age.  It's the body's response to new germs and viruses thereby "innoculating" itself to future infection in later years via pre-exposure.

Most of what you are exposed to, you have already developed an immunity to whether you know it or not.  That's the beauty of the human body!  It's a miraculous piece of work!

So the lady's casual dispensation of her spit to moisten her hands, is pretty trivial if you honestly pay attention to the rest of your day when you've put your hands on things that contain the same percentage of possible contaminants as she is introducing to you and then absent-mindedly licked your own fingers trying to fish through a stack of papers or bills or money.....

Answer 12

U HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO NOT WANT TO TOUCH THAT IT IS NASTY!! EEEEEWWWWW!!! I WOULD SUGGEST TO HER TO USE A DAMP SPONGE OR PAPER TOWEL THAT SHE CAN KEEP NEAR THE REGISTER JUST LIKE THE TELLERS @ THE BANK DO THEY WET THEIR FINGERS TO COUNT THE MONEY. IF THIS DOESN'T WORK THEN SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOTTA SPEAK UR MIND ABOUT WHAT OTHERS DO THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS U.

Answer 13

"ma'am do you mind not l*****g your fingers when you open the bag, please?"

say it with a smile too :)

Answer 14

Ugh I hate when people do that!

Like when they have to l**k their fingers before handing out papers in class. It's like, thanks... you just licked my paper and now I have to study from this? Aha. It's a big pet peeve.

I personally don't tell people to stop because I know that it's a heavy habit for many people, I have some weird quirks as well, I would say just try to avoid touching the bag as much as possible. Maybe take a napkin and hold the bag from the napkin? I'm not sure, I don't think it's very polite to ask someone to not do that, but that's just me.

Certainly, you CAN ask her to stop.

"Ma'am, would you mind not dapping your fingers before opening that bag? Thank you."

Or "Ma'am, it's alright, I can put it in the bag myself."

If not, then sanitizer (like you said) & a napkin. [:

Answer 15

I work in a major australian supermarket called coles, they have actually banned that sort of thing here, everyone has sponges that they use to moisten there fingers.

Try mentioning to the managers that you have seen a few staff members doing this and you belive it is not sanitary for them or the customers.managers

Answer 16

She most likely licks her fingers because they are dry and it is difficult for her to open the bag without a little moisture on her fingers.  I would suggest that you not watch what she is doing with her fingers--what you don't know won't hurt you.  Besides, you probably have touched a LOT worse than that every day and don't think twice about it because you are not aware of what touched the surface before you did.  Maybe you need some Dr. Oz therapy, where he takes you to a trash dumpster, has you touch the trash and then l**k your fingers!

Answer 17

If you think that's gross, I suggest you never EVER look up info on the sheer amount of filth that's on a typical dollar bill.  The bags you're so concerned about would seem 100% sanitary in comparison.

Answer 18

Oh, grow up... if you're that terrified of germs, then carry hand sanitizer with you.  

Answer 19

Go to a different store.

Answer 20

before she licks her fingers be like, "oh my goshh. do you know how many germs are on fingers? its so gross. i read about it in a medical magazine." she'll stop if she has any sense.

or, just go to a different register.