Should I be offended?

God knows. I have no idea why people behave as they do. Tell them to get stuffed the next time they call on you.

You should have refused the bike and dumped it back in their garden/outside their door. You should have also made a comment about the car. Why don't you start offering them your tat for a laugh!!

That's awful Lindy R. What a sad pathetic bunch of snobs!
Do live in Belgravia for goodness sake? Such a shame you can't "drop in" how well educated, successful and content you and your family are and then refuse to speak to any of them. Bizarre behaviour .

Their problem really. Who cares what they think of you as long as you are happy!

My dad was a very very intelligent clever man with all sorts of letters after his name. He was also incredibly humble and a very quiet person. It used to drive my mum mad when people used to patronize him, ignore him, start pontificating and he would quietly let them! Until he taught her that it made no difference to him atall, and that if it made those people feel better about themselves that was fine with him!

Amazing attitude...one I don't quite always manage to follow but "valiantly" attempt to!!

With some people having more money than others makes them feel superior.

I don't think a person's 'worth' has anything to do with money.

If they lost all their money would they then feel inferior. They probably would if that is the way they think. Sad people.

I know people who have always had money, those who have by luck or judgement earned good money and those who have never had anything. In my experience those who have always had money and those who have never had money are lovely but many of those who have 'moved up in the world' (their words not mine) look down on the less well off. You often see it on campsites. An always rich family camped in a pair of very old but serviceable tents, we camped in our Reliant Rialto camper and some people were in very expensive motor homes. We got on really well with the always rich but the nouveau riche didn't want to know us. They ignored the always rich too until they found out that they weren't poor. Then they were all over them like a rash. The always rich weren't having any of it so then were called snobs.

Sorry. I know this a wild generalisation. It's just my experience.

life is short.
why don't you tell them what you think, if they accost you again.
but basically, it's their problem, not yours. ignore.

They sound like idiots. You should have refused the bicycle.

What puzzles me is why you bother with and are worried by trash like this?
You are clearly a far better person.

They just don’t sound like nice people.
There are nice , wealthy people and not so nice, as there are in any walk of life.
Avoid them. Try and treat them kindly, and with humour, they may learn something and it may make you feel better.
Also, just keep saying NO.

Perhaps they thought they were doing you a favour by offering you the car/ bikes? - a simple “thanks for the offer, but no thanks” should be enough. We’ve been giving a neighbour, a single parent with no work since March, some extra veg from our garden - are we being snobbish? ( we live in same sized houses)

'We prefer to buy new'...would have been my response to the car/bike offer.
You need to start getting a bit more assertive and speak your mind. You'll be more respected for it.

Stand your ground and ignore their snobbish nonsense and having a degree and letters after your name doesn’t make you a better person either.

I think it's mostly insecurity which makes people behave like this. The nouveau riche perhaps feel ashamed of their humble beginnings - and possibly that they'll get 'found out' and kicked back down again. All very silly.

They sound weird, I think I’d have said the same thing as lady muck said, if we need anything we buy new, I would have tackled him on the comment well it wasn’t a good car anyway though, I’d have said so what gives you the impression that I would want it, off you go now

It's really maddening but you lose nothing by making sure you don't bother with them again.

Next time they try to sell you something cheap, smile and say oh dear are you struggling for money, I am sorry!
Otherwise ignore them..doesn’t matter whatever people think about you so long as you are happy. You don’t need to justify yourselves to anyone or compete. It is definitely a lack of self confidence in their part if they need to show off.

Money can't buy class, but don't let other people's ill-breeding dictate your behaviour? I hope you didn't pay for the bike by the way! Cheek.

You sound like your falling into caring what they think. Why would you bother.

I can remember two friends in particular who, if you went by their choice of dress or type of car or holiday, you would never guess they were extremely wealthy. They were just so down to earth and never tried to be better than anyone else. I think it is the 'nouveaux riche' who have that attitude.

My grandmother used to say “not used to anything” about people like that. I took me a long time to realise what she meant.

I have been known to say do I look like the type of person who would use that that said with raised eyebrows.

It amazes me how easily some people take offence. I don’t really come across it in real life, but it is rife on discussion sites like this one. It must make life very difficult. None of the things mentioned would bother me in the slightest.

These posts make me wonder whether I've ever offended people by offering them stuff. Definitely NOT that I've ever looked down on anybody concerned in any way, just thinking how sensitive some people might be. Also definitely not Madam Bountiful.