WARNING: This week’s column may offend – please let me know if it does.

I could have told you it may contain nuts, after all, just about everything seems to carry that warning, including nuts. Are there really more people around who are allergic to nuts than when I was a lad?

I have no idea, but I do know political correctness has reached such a ludicrous level it is sending people nuts.

Now, I realise times change – things that were common playground parlance when I was knee high to a grasshopper would have even me shuddering now. Kids today wouldn’t dream of telling the jokes we used to tell and hear. Crikey, even Roy Chubby Brown would think twice.

But, that’s the point, times change and it’s a good job they do. To call someone a spastic, or blind, or a girl, or gay weren’t frowned upon. Using such terms in a derogatory manner now is clearly wrong.

Now people are disabled, visually challenged, more understanding or LGBT – I assume these are all acceptable? Actually, hang on a minute, is disabled OK?

My blind friend was once again challenged when she objected to being termed visually impaired – as she says, she’s blind.

But does it make terms more acceptable if the people we are speaking to, or about, don’t object to the way they are being addressed?

My cousin was christened Gay and used to be ribbed mercilessly about her name – would that type of nonsense go on in a playground today? Would it be tolerated? Mind you, while I’m not up to speed on child names I suspect Gay doesn’t rank very highly any more.

The trouble is, as particular customs change, society takes time to catch up. And certain individuals, particularly on social media, jump on to the politically correct bandwagon to shout about the latest fad.

I’ve mentioned before the occasion when I was told off for holding a door open for a woman. She claimed I was sexist, I said it was common decency not to let a door swing into anyone, man, woman or child, and particularly a pensioner (or can I still say pensioner?).

And that’s my point, I was taken to task this week for referring to a fellow as a pensioner, he didn’t mind, he’s of pensionable age, but I was accused of being ageist.

So, is this political correctness gone mad or am I being thoughtless and insensitive?

Fortunately I also witnessed a small act of kindness which restored my faith in common sense and the belief everyone should do all they can to help their fellow man, or should than be man and woman?

A woman in a wheelchair was struggling to propel herself up a steep slope in a pedestrianised area of the shopping centre. A fellow sitting drinking with friends at a pavement bar stood and offered to help push her up the hill. You could tell he was sensitive about offering to help as he began with: “Please don’t be offended or think I’m interfering, but…”.

I was delighted to see a wide smile break out on the young woman’s face as she gratefully accepted his kind offer of help. They then spent several hundred yards engrossed in conversation before he left her on level ground and returned to his pint – both individuals, I would suggest, gained a great deal from this experience.

Having witnessed this victory for common sense and decency at first hand I resolved to continue opening doors for people politely rather than leaving them to smash into their face – even if doing this for a woman makes me a sexist.

Does anyone have the latest figures for beggars in Brighton? Even allowing for seasonal adjustments and other factors it seems numbers are spiralling. I was out and about a fair bit on Monday evening and I took a note of the number who approached me directly – 18.

I won’t get involved in the “should you or shouldn’t you” give to beggars’ debate but even they realise they are part of an ever-swelling business.

One fellow made the most profuse apology before saying: “I realise this won’t be the first time you’ve been asked this evening and I doubt it will be the last, but can you spare some change?”

He was right on both counts. The next approach came from a guy in the very next doorway.

I also found it interesting they never use the word money or cash, it’s always change and they invariably suggest this is spare change, which, I suppose by definition, implies you don’t need it – just a little clever street psychology.