Does it really annoy you when people cut you off when speaking?

@kiran1978 (4134)
Australia
March 20, 2008 8:00am CST
I know this has all happened to us here, maybe a few times, or maybe it happens to you regularly. I would like to hear your experiences with this topic. Do you get cut off when speaking to people? By whom? If so, do you continue to speak, or let the other person take over the conversation? ARe you brave enough to tell that person how rude they are for butting in half way though your sentence? Some people have bad habits of doing this, it can become very frustrating. It is also annoying when another person speaks for you. For example when we used to go to dinner at my partners parents house. You would ask a question to his father and the mum would often answer the question for him or she would cut in half way through his answer. I often feel embarassed when this happens to people. How about you, is this something that happens alot to you? Or are you the guilty one, lol??
7 people like this
38 responses
@chrysz (1602)
• Philippines
21 Mar 08
I am guilty of butting in in some conversation but I always say "Excuse me, can I butt in or can say something". If they will allow me to talk, then I'll say my peice. But if they are in a heated argument, I'd rather keep quiet than be blamed later. My little girl would also butt in when she hears something like when I was talking with my high school classmate and we were talking about our life back then, the moment my kid hears high school, she would talk about high school musical :-) I would really scold her or tell her to say excuse me if she wanna say soemthing or better, she must not butt in when I am talking to other people unless her opinion was asked. If she thinks what she will say is very important, she can always ask for our permission to talk and be heard.
1 person likes this
@chrysz (1602)
• Philippines
21 Mar 08
She had learned her lesson I guess coz she now knows how to say excuse me but sometimes she just butt in and I will wave my hand or signal my hand that she must stop talking and wait for her turn. Eventually, when everyone had said their peice, I will ask her what she would want to say to make her realize that she will also be given time to talk.
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
21 Mar 08
Hi chrysz, atleast you have manners when you want to butt in, lol. Kids can be really bad with interrupting when people are talking, they are very egocentric and always want the attention on them, lol. My 3 year old is really bad with this too, I have to constantly tell her to wait her turn when someone has finished speaking then she can speak. She loves it when it is finally her turn to speak, she then repeats the story several times, she likes hearing her voice. Hopefully your daughter is learning now the importance of not cutting people out and she will be a good conversationalist when she is older. Thanks for your response.
• Philippines
21 Mar 08
When this happens to me, I would politely tell the person to let me finish first. If I am exchanging opinions with someone, and the other person would butt in on every point I make, I sometimes raise my voice, and let the other person know to wait for me to finish speaking.
1 person likes this
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
21 Mar 08
Good to see you are sticking up for yourself. I think too many people let people take over the conversation and but in. I am one of them, I never have the guts to say anything, I let them cut me out. Thanks for your response.
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
20 Mar 08
It happens to me all the time, usually with my mother in law and sister in law, they are terrible for it, they used to do it that much that I just never used to speak when I was with them, no point they either did not want to listen or they would just talk through me. No I never said how rude they were, I just used to rant about it for ages after I got home.
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
20 Mar 08
Gee, that would drive me bonkers, lol, not only that you have to see these people regularly. I do not know how you have put up with it for so long. You must be a very tolerant person. Thanks for your response.
@gemini_rose (16264)
20 Mar 08
Tolerant, you are not kidding, I am so tolerant it is unbelievable. I never used to be you know, I would never stand for anything, I used to be so fiery and fierce. I think that since having children I have just become as soft as a pile of.....! I just seem to tolerate whatever anyone throws at me and never do anything about it!
• United States
25 Mar 08
OMG this is so annoying. Especially when its the people in customer service that you call and they cut you off before finish and its even worse when they get it wrong and you have to start over. I will say though that my husband and I do this to eachother but it doesn't bother me as much, its just that we both know eachother well enough that we know whats coming next.
• China
21 Mar 08
Yes, i do feel angry if people cut off me when i am speaking, At this time i will feel the person very rude and i will continue to talk.BUt however, I admit that sometimes i am really the guilty one, though i knew in my heart it is rude to cut off people when they are speaking, but sometimes i just can't control myself,i am so urgent to let others know my opinion. So i will try my best to avoid this .
@anarki99 (40)
• Portugal
21 Mar 08
hehehe of course its reaaly annoying
@mode09 (158)
• United States
20 Mar 08
There is one particular person I know who does this constantly. When I or some other people are starting to speak he has a habbit of talking at the same time and will not shut up even if someone else is still talking. It is pointless because no pont ever gets across, because it comes out as just noise when two people speak at the same time. He is a bit of an odd person, he has a habbit of speaking about his personal life too all the time to people, but he will never give anyone the opportunity to share similar experiences in discussions. I almost think he honestly believes that things only happen to him and his family. He is the only person to have a flat tire, get wireless internet, have a bad commute on icy roads, buy a new car, fly on an airplane, etc...He really entertains himself. He does not want to hear anything anyone says so that is why it does not strike him as rude to cut other people off.
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
21 Mar 08
]Sounds like this person definately likes to hear his own voice. You should buy him one of those talking parrots (my daughter got one for christmas), they are great they repeat everything you say. Then he can sit there all day talking to the parrot and hear his own voice replay back to him, lol. Then he might get sick of his voice and start listening to you more.
@Chey1970 (1186)
• United States
20 Mar 08
If I am just idly chit chatting with someone and they throw something into the conversation in between my sentence, no it doesn't bother me. However it annoys the crap out of me, when someone asks for my opinion or input on a certain matter, and then don't let me finish. To me that clearly tells me they really didn't want to hear what I had to say, so I no I won't finish. They can go some where else for the advice/opinion they needed.
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
20 Mar 08
Yes I totally agree with you, I don't mind if someone adds a little something into your conversation. But it is plain rudeness when they ask you for advice or question and do not let you finsih. You wonder why they ask you in the first place? One good thing about emails, is people can't cut you off, you can clearly express your opinions, lol.
@rashmigs (400)
• Singapore
20 Mar 08
Ya, such things do happen to me. If the topic is a sensitive issue, and if i feel that it is right on the other person to cut me off, then i dont continue talking about the topic furhter. However, sometimes, few of them try to change the topic and abruptly cut me off when speaking. In such cases, if it was an important conversation, then i repeat the question, and try to get the answer out of him/her :) I usually dont mind if someone tries to stop me from what im talking. There will be a valid reason behind it. :)
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
20 Mar 08
Yes I agree that is totally RUDE when people cut you off and change the subject. Who do they think they are? I do not know if there is a valid reason behind why people cut you off, I think some people just really like to share their stories and donot have patience to listen to others. Thanks for sharing your response.
@nixxi76 (3191)
• Canada
20 Mar 08
I'm sort of on both side of the fence here. I have been cut off and cut off people. When I"m cut off 90% of the time, I forget what I was going to say when that happens, and when I cut people off I feel so terribly bad when I do so.
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
20 Mar 08
I commend your honesty, we are all guilty to different degrees, lol. Atleast you have conscious and you feel bad for cutting people off. Yes it is annoying when you forget what you were going to say because you were cut off so much. Thanks for sharing your response.
1 person likes this
@skbh12 (2946)
• Philippines
20 Mar 08
yes.. it is rude to cut off when you are talking to someone.. i hate it when somebody does that to me.. it simple tells you that he/she is not interested on what you are about to say.. well, there are some who does this to me.. what i do is stop what im saying and just simply walk away or pretend to do something else..
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
20 Mar 08
Hi, well that would definately give someone the message loud and clear that they are being rude for cutting you off, when you walk away. Maybe I should try that method one them, if people keep cutting me off.
@skbh12 (2946)
• Philippines
21 Mar 08
yup you should do that for them to feel that respect is needed when someone is talking to someone and that cutting you off isnt a good thing to do..
@jenni7202 (1598)
• United States
20 Mar 08
I personally HATE it when this happens. A lot of people do it to me. I think it's just because I'm a chatterbox and that's the only way people can get their two cents in. I had this problem a lot with a friend from work. She was just as much a chatter box as me, but probably worse. No matter who was speaking, she would just start talking. It got to the point when I just yelled at her and told her to knock it off. She still didn't get the point, so I told her I would no longer listen to her because she wouldn't give me the opportunity to speak my own mind. After that she slowed down a bit, but still found herself doing it. I think I got through to her a bit, even if she can't completely help herself. In her case, I think she may just have jabberjaws syndrome, lol. I personally don't like speaking when a person is talking, unless of course it's a close friend or family member and I'm doing it deliberatly to anger them. They usually just whack me one and I quit it. Don't worry, I always do this with a grin on my face, so they know I'm just joking with them. I tend to keep my mouth shut when others talk, and it gets annoying when they never shut up or I'm not at all interested in what they have to say. Oh well, I guess I'm just polite like that.
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
21 Mar 08
Hi Miss Chatterbox, lol, I can see you like to talk, it shows in your responses. That is a good thing, you must earn alot here in mylot for your detailed responses. I am sure your friend from work will think twice next time she decides to cut someone off whilst talking. Thanks for sharing your response, happy chatting.
• India
20 Mar 08
I am really irked when this happens to me. It does not happen to me all the time as I don't speak too much to anyone. When am into humorous mood and my conversation is cut off, I don't mind, but if somebody cuts my conversation off when something serious is going on, I get very irritated. I don't tell anything to the person at the very moment but remember him, so I can help myself next time. I consider it as a very bad habit. One can always wait for someone to conclude his dialogs and then continue with one's own. But very few people do understand this, so busting on them may make them speak more rudely causing more frustration. The best thing is let him finish and try again. If he does not understand, get away from there, because there is no use talking to such people.
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
20 Mar 08
Yes I do not mind either if the conversation is not too serious, but like you said it is really irritating when they cut you off when you are talking about a more serious topic. Sounds like you have alot of patience, by letting the other person finish, then trying again to finish what you were saying. Thanks for your response.
@sld1966 (21)
• United States
20 Mar 08
It drives me nuts to have someone cut me off or speak for me. I work at a convenient store and one of the guys that I work with is a "know it all" type of guy. People will come into the store and ask me a question and John is so rude he cuts me off and answers the question in my place. I get so upset that I actually have to leave the area we are in as to not blow up at him.
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
20 Mar 08
Hi, that would drive me nuts too, lol. I think if it keeps happening you might need to say something nicely to John at first, otherwise you might blow your top one day with him and say something you might regret. He should learn some manners, he must like hearing his own voice. Maybe you could tape record him and play it back to him so he can realise how many times he cuts you off, lol.
• United States
8 Jun 08
No, I don't like it either! And, I hate it when someone speaks for me as if my tongue does not reside in my own head. I suppose they speak for you because they want to voice their own version of your truth. But, you can speak for yourself!
• Philippines
9 Jun 08
This happens to me a lot of times and I really hate it. It's okay for other people to cut me off if they would say "excuse me", say what they've gotta say then let me continue. I also do not like it when people would answer questions that are asked of me. I just think that it is rude. I do not cut off people while they are speaking unless I do have a good reason to do so.
• United States
20 Mar 08
i hafta tell people to stfu all the time when im tlkin. it is very rude but everyone i know does it. i guess im guilty of doin the same but when i have sumthin to say i got to say it and sometimes people when thy start talkin never know when to shut the hel up so u got to cut them off to get a word in at all.
@kiran1978 (4134)
• Australia
20 Mar 08
Sounds like this happens to you alot, I understand your frustration. Thanks for your response.
@julyteen (13252)
• Davao, Philippines
9 Jun 08
yes it is really annoying, i experience this many times during friends conversation specially if it about important suggestion, i am a frank person so everytime that somebody cut off me when i am speaking i will tell him/her that i am not finish and my question is not for you.
@celticeagle (157593)
• Boise, Idaho
9 Jun 08
It does irritate me. I just figure that they are into the conversation and eager to say their part. I think I have been guilty of it too. I have never told them they were rude but I doubt they didn't figure it out by the look I gave them. I do have a killer look!
@nadooa247 (1096)
• United States
7 Nov 08
Ugh i hate it not a little a lot. But i keep in mind sometimes when it is a good conversation it can't be avoided. But if it happens a lot and as you said a habit... then it really irritates me. Happens a lot when a well meaning friend or my mother, more recently my husband talks for me or interjects their opinion stating it as mine... sometimes i hotly respond is your name _____? That gets the point across sometimes... i sometimes return the "favor" if you get what i mean =P I would be planning with my husband for weeks sometimes to go out and it is important because his busy and crazy schedule literally makes it like an appointment lol. Even if it is to go and buy the groceries and grab a bite to eat nothing fancy... she comes and keeps interrupting me when i am speaking to my husband... as if im not there... What do o do i do? I interrupt her and do so rudely... not even on topic i'd change the topic completely as if she wasn't there. For example if i was asking my husband what time he needs to get back to work she would ask him about something else cutting him off from answering me... and does so repeatedly... once it was that she would say did your brother come to work with you today... what do i do? I cut in with something like... By the way my mom called she was asking about when we'd be able to come over for our visit, when do you think that will happen.. rude people hate to get a dose of their own medicine.