Co-worker's remark about overweight woman - really crossed the line here ... what would you have said?

Question

Man in his mid 30's works with an overweight woman (in this case, the woman has had to have a special chair ordered to fit her rather large carriage).

So, apparently duing a meeting, there was discussion of accidentally bumping cars in the parking lot (backing in, putting a car in gear and letting it roll...etc)

Well, this woman's car hit another one in the parking lot...

The man asked "well, was she in the car?"

Someone responded "what difference does that make?"

He said that "well, if she were in the car, and it rolled into another it would most likely be wrecked"

Someone told him to stop... this was IN A MEETING!

He then asked "have you ever read a physics book"...(referring to the momentum the car would gain with the large lady inside).

What would have happened at your workplace in this situation?

Answer 1

This dude probably has never taken any harrasment course offered by the comany. Most comanies require employees to take madatory anti-harasment class. It's people like that cause harrasment issues at work. Shame on him. I'd probably just said "Shame on you" :)

Answer 2

Oh for crying out loud, he was correct, Mass plus momentum would equal a bigger hit than the car alone.

Can't people stop with all this politically correct mumbo jumbo, if this conversation took place during a meeting it is quite a legitimate question. One to find out if she was injured and two to see who was at fault.

If she cannot fit into a regular size work chair I can only assume that she is not only overweight but morbidly obese.

Answer 3

Wow - that's appalling. I don't understand why people think that the rules of common courtesy no longer apply when you're dealing with overweight people. My mother is overweight, and it absolutely enrages me when people think they are entitled to make insulting remarks about it in front of her. It's not a question of being politically correct here, it's a question of being a decent human being!

I hope my boss would have told him that it was inappropriate, but you never know until it happens with that sort of thing. If my boss didn't say anything, I would have. I'm generally non-confrontational, but it would be near impossible to sit by idly while that man said such asinine remarks.

Answer 4

I would tell him that everyone has flaws and that it was not appropriate. Depending on how well I knew everyone I might ask him "So I guess your car would float considering that your head is filled with so much hot air?" or make a remark about how suddenly it smelled, it must be all of the BS that just showed up.

Answer 5

We would have laughed. And if we are looking at this from a physics point of view, he was basically correct. More momentum would have caused more damage.

Answer 6

He did cross the line. Very insensitive and rude remark. In my experience, his boss would have called him into the office for "a talk", where he would be formally warned and lucky not to be fired.

Answer 7

Who knows. I mean I am black and two employees already said the N word to me. Not calling me one but used it in sentences. I didn't bother to even say anything. I just know how to treat them.

Answer 8

I would have looked at him and said, "You are an idiot. Shut your foul mouth. No one wants to hear you open your tooth again, so keep it shut."
Then I hope he would try to hit me so I could crack him in the head with a stapler.

Answer 9

He would have been severely disciplined. Possibly terminated. That is a discrimination lawsuit waiting to happen.

Answer 10

Hostel work environment, the company could be sued