Weaponised incompetence

Agree with @srn63 . It's better to be direct. If you're polite and say 'please don't knock the furniture', it should be fine.

I could move our old bed and hoover underneath but the new one won't budge an inch!

I had a new bed fairly recently. When the delivery men took out the older bed I took the opportunity to clean the skirting board and vacuum the area where the new bed would go.
Unless I was disabled in some way I would not have expected the delivery people to do the job for me.

DH demonstrates what I am sure is fairly deliberate incompetence when it comes to housework such as ironing, though he will hoover if necessary. Now I am down to one hand, life is going to get interesting as he will have to step up. I fear I may need some ear plugs. Can you put those in one handed do you think? 😂

Cariadagain
Did the delivery folk take away your old bed hence the need to hoover
Did you give him your hoover? If so you took the risk upon yourself. Wonder how good you would be at walking into a room and start painting, joinery, electrical work or even assembling a bed. Not only all males but females too would not meet your hoovering standards

My brother, aged not a lot more than 6, was asked to make a cup of tea.
He used hot water from the tap, straight into the pot.
He was never asked again.
He always was a devious so-and-so.

And the point if your post is??

You could have just said 'it's OK I'll do it'. A bit silly to stand there while the poor man who thought he was doing you a favour bashed your furniture and walls, and then come on here and appear to be berating men in general.

The example given by the OP isn’t ’weaponised incompetence’, it’s just incompetence.
Weaponised incompetence implies that the apparently incompetent one has something to gain from appearing incompetent.
In the OP’s example, all the delivery man has gained is the sharp edge of OP’s tongue.

Smileless2012

You could have just said 'it's OK I'll do it'. A bit silly to stand there while the poor man who thought he was doing you a favour bashed your furniture and walls, and then come on here and appear to be berating men in general.

I wouldn’t expect any delivery man to do anything other than deliver and set up.

Yes just either hoover it yourself, or just say, thanks, but please be careful of the walls & furniture, ive just had all done new.🙄😆

Neither would I DamaskRose. We ran a furniture retail business and our delivery men never offered to vacuum up for a customer.

Agree! Weird thread

How frustrating.....

But regardless of the above comments, I have often wondered if there are folks who do a chore/job poorly on purpose so that someone else takes over, does the chore, and never asked that person to do that job again~~ Hmmm.......

petra

Oreo

When an old divan type bed is removed you should see what the carpet is like underneath😲so it does need hoovering before the new bed is brought in, but have never had the delivery men offer to do it.
Are you maybe either really old or disabled OP so they were helping you out?

No, she’s a woman that doesn’t like men. 😂 as she frequently tells us.

You've obviously not got the ability to read peoples posts clearly if you think I'm saying I don't like men.

Actually I often get on better with men than with women...

Why make all the oblique comments about having decorated and bought expensive furniture when what you meant to say was 'don't bash the woodwork'?

People aren't psychic. I agree that it was very good service if a delivery man hoovered under the bed.

Why on earth didn't you just say, "please don't bash the walls/furniture" instead of coming out with something too nuanced for the delivery man to understand?

As my DM used to say "Mind the paintwork!!"

Allira

As my DM used to say "Mind the paintwork!!"

I say that all the time to Mr Dog

We've recently had the house decorated, and I don't think there is a single room that doesn't have a chip, a scratch or some other sign of his clumsiness on the paintwork. I think it's because he doesn't realise that he's not as strong as he used to be, and thinks he can carry things more easily than he actually can, so it ends badly.

I found a tiny bottle of white gloss paint on Amazon - a bit like a bottle of liquid Tippex - and regularly touch up the dado on the stairs, which seems to see the worst of his apparent vandalism. It's the best find I've had in ages.

and regularly touch up the dado on the stairs, which seems to see the worst of his apparent vandalism
😂😂😂
I'm not laughing, honestly!!

Everywhere needs decorating here, no point before having the new kitchen installed.
Just wondering why we're doing that, should we go on a world cruise instead?

GrammarGrandma

Why on earth didn't you just say, "please don't bash the walls/furniture" instead of coming out with something too nuanced for the delivery man to understand?

Not only the delivery man either

CariadAgain

Ah - now I see what that phrase means that I've heard women use about men.

Cue for taking delivery of new bed today and the male half of the two delivering it took my vacuum cleaner and started hoovering the floor. Bash at my furniture (new/not cheap), bash again. I make comment of "I've replaced that furniture pretty recently - got rid of the original cheaper stuff I'd had and bought MINE finally". He then bashed my walls - cue for me saying "I've decorated the house throughout - I won't be doing it again". Cue for apparent total oblivion on his part was what I was saying was "Do NOT bash my furniture.....do NOT bash my walls".

Pity the poor women who are married to those doing weaponised incompetence - visions of them telling them "Don't damage my stuff" umpteen times before saying "Here I'll do your share of the housework for you....for free....so go and get lazy and watch the tv instead and I'll do your share, as well as my own".

That would be because he is a narcissist and gaslighting you ?

GrammarGrandma

Why on earth didn't you just say, "please don't bash the walls/furniture" instead of coming out with something too nuanced for the delivery man to understand?

‘too nuanced’ what a great phrase!

It works the other way round as well. The number of women I have seen act useless when it comes to using a hammer or screwdriver and look to the nearest man to help them. If I am close enough I takeover before the man can.

I don’t recognise any of these women in my life who act useless when it comes to using screwdrivers and hammers. The nearest man to me shows zero interest in such things and the “precious giant toolbox” is buried under heaps of other c@#*p in the junk room - I’ve actually been known to go and shop for more screwdrivers, hammers and a new drill. …(just need to learn how to use it now) rather than answer 20 questions on what I want it for👹 will search for instructions on YouTube it’s my best friend sometimes.