Pet Peeves: Aka Things That Make You Go "Gah!"

[MrSmith]

2 hours ago, bilgistic said:

IIn the property marketing books I write for work, I have to include notes about the building's construction materials, its number of restrooms, etc. I also note its number of parking spaces, "including x number of ADA-compliant spaces". I don't use "handicapped" because I feel that's an outdated term that's akin to "crippled".

I have a disability that isn't visible (mental illness), so I'm probably "too sensitive" about the issue.

I agree with @theredhead77. You are not "too sensitive". My wife's left kneecap is split in half vertically, which causes her to walk with a limp some of the time and not at other times. It also has reduced the distances she can cover and the speed at which she walks. I've been bugging her to check into getting a handicapped placard for the cars so we can park as close as possible when we go places. She has yet to do this, and I am sure that (once she does) there will be people making comments about whether she is disabled or not. She'll ignore them and you should, too.

[Maharincess]

4 hours ago, janestclair said:

 

There are so many people in that category, and yet for some reason, most people think you can only be handicapped if you have a walker or wheelchair.   My best friend and I are both in the invisible disability category, and I do get some looks when I park in the handicap spot that I have a tag for.  Those people can fuck right off.  Ditto the people who make a comment about parking in a handicap space when you're going to walk around in the mall.  I can only manage so much walking in a day without being tired/in pain. I'd rather that be in the mall than the parking lot. My friend recently hurt her knee, and was actually glad for the crutches and brace, because for a change her disability wasn't so invisible.  How screwed up is that?

I am in a wheelchair and I was still yelled at for using the handicap space. My daughter was driving and when she was helping me out of the car, some woman came running up yelling at us for using the handicap space.  My daughter pointed at my wheelchair and the handicap parking tag but she said that since I myself wasn't driving I shouldn't use the space.  We ignored her and kept doing our thing and she yelled at us every time we came across her in the store.  

[MrSmith]

2 hours ago, bilgistic said:

My aunt (72) and grandmother (91) do this. "This woman cut in front of me in line at the bank and she was [hushed tone] black!" OK, well, I was cut off in traffic by a white woman in a Mercedes SUV.

My mom does this, too. I've consciously avoided it by practicing saying things in as few words as possible. Doing that has helped me cut down on unnecessary uses of words such as "that", as well, which is a bonus in my opinion. Sometimes I am forced to completely restructure my sentences to accomplish it. Still a worthwhile endeavour, in my opinion.

Just now, Maharincess said:

I am in a wheelchair and I was still yelled at for using the handicap space. My daughter was driving and when she was helping me out of the car, some woman came running up yelling at us for using the handicap space.  My daughter pointed at my wheelchair and the handicap parking tag but she said that since I myself wasn't driving I shouldn't use the space.  We ignored her and kept doing our thing and she yelled at us every time we came across her in the store.  

I'm sorry you had that experience. People are unbelievably stupid. I'll never understand where people get this idea that you must be the driver of the vehicle in order to use a handicapped space. I've seen this befall other people. When I've been close enough to intervene, I have and the loudmouth usually ends up tucking tail and running (so to speak). Such blatant stupidity offends me.

[Maharincess]

Thanks @MrSmith   I always carry the handicap tag in my purse and use it no matter who I'm with.  These days I can use my walker for a while before I need my wheelchair but back then I was exclusively in the chair. The woman didn't seem to get it that I am handicapped no matter who is driving.  Thankfully that's the only time I encountered something like that.  

[harrie]

13 minutes ago, Maharincess said:

I am in a wheelchair and I was still yelled at for using the handicap space. My daughter was driving and when she was helping me out of the car, some woman came running up yelling at us for using the handicap space.  My daughter pointed at my wheelchair and the handicap parking tag but she said that since I myself wasn't driving I shouldn't use the space.  We ignored her and kept doing our thing and she yelled at us every time we came across her in the store.  

That's unbelievable.  But sadly, not that unbelievable. 

[Maharincess]

This woman was just an asshole in general. She said that she had "many" handicapped family members and none of them used their tags unless they were driving their own cars.  My daughter, who inherited my sarcastic gene said to me "they're probably handicapped because they broke their necks running away from her".  The woman started yelling that that was a threat and she was going to call the cops.  We just ignored her and went about our business. 

Every time I leave my house I hate people a little more. 

Edited April 9, 2017 by Maharincess

[ennui]

6 hours ago, auntlada said:

I looked out the window and saw some kid I do not know mowing my front lawn. I asked him if someone asked him to do so (after calling my landlord, who did not and who would tell us if he were going to) and he said, "No, I'm just helping people." It's hard to get mad at that, and the lawn did need mowing and was scraggly, but I didn't want it mowed, and he didn't ask. He just mowed. I mow my own lawn, but not until after Easter (unless Easter is really late, like the last weekend of April). We need to have grass long enough to hide eggs.

It's hard to be mad at someone, especially a teenager, just trying to help people, but for the love of God, ask first. I didn't want to discourage him from helping people, so I just said thank you. But I'm still annoyed.

Did you shake your cane and yell "Get off my lawn!"?

[StatisticalOutlier]

What about at the drug store, for example, where there's a car in the handicapped space and the driver, who appears to be quite able-bodied (I know you never know, but I've seen this a lot) goes in the store and leaves an elderly person sitting in the car? 

Or where a family goes to a restaurant and they park in the handicapped space and the driver is a young or middle aged man and it sure looks like grandma is the one with the handicapped placard?

In the first case, if the driver isn't the one who's handicapped, I don't think they should be using the handicapped space if the person who can't walk well isn't getting out of the car.  In the second, back in the old days you'd pull up front and let the people who can't get around very well out, and then go park the car.

In the case of wheelchairs, it doesn't matter to me who's driving because of the wrangling that will be necessary to get the wheelchair out, and blocking the driveway would be a problem.  My recollection is that the first handicapped spaces were big giant ones that had enough clearance to unload a wheelchair. 

It seems to me that if there's a reasonable way to not use a handicapped space, then a person shouldn't use it and leave it open for people who are alone and can't walk that far, or who need the room to unload a wheelchair.

[DeLurker]

1 hour ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

It seems to me that if there's a reasonable way to not use a handicapped space, then a person shouldn't use it and leave it open for people who are alone and can't walk that far, or who need the room to unload a wheelchair.

I have a tag, but I only use it on the days my balance is bad or if there's been rain (even slightly slick surfaces are a problem).  Most days I prefer the extra bit of walking and would rather leave the spaces for someone who needs it more.  I really haven't noticed anyone glaring at me when I do use a spot.  Maybe because my gait is slow and uneven?

[Maharincess]

Well I have a tag and I will use it when I go somewhere. If a person is handicapped the spaces are for them to use.  They aren't for people to sit there and figure out if they should use it or not.  I'm not going to make somebody drop me off, then go park and then come for me. Why would I do that when I have the legal right to use the handicapped spot?!   I use it when its going to be a quick trip and I can make do with my walker. I don't think handicapped spots are for people in wheelchairs only and the rest have to figure out a way to NOT park there.  That's bullshit and not how it works. 

The reasonable way to use a handicap tag is if you're handicapped in any way and have the tag, use it. 

Edited April 9, 2017 by Maharincess

[theredhead77]

1 hour ago, Maharincess said:

Well I have a tag and I will use it when I go somewhere. If a person is handicapped the spaces are for them to use.  They aren't for people to sit there and figure out if they should use it or not.  I'm not going to make somebody drop me off, then go park and then come for me. Why would I do that when I have the legal right to use the handicapped spot?!   I use it when its going to be a quick trip and I can make do with my walker. I don't think handicapped spots are for people in wheelchairs only and the rest have to figure out a way to NOT park there.  That's bullshit and not how it works. 

The reasonable way to use a handicap tag is if you're handicapped in any way and have the tag, use it. 

No one here is saying that you, or anyone with a tag shouldn't use the designated spot if they need it. 

[auntlada]

Let me preface my question by saying that I am not criticizing anyone in any way at all. I'm just curious and think maybe I've been wrong for a long time -- or maybe it's a state thing. I know next to nothing about handicap tags -- either on the license plate or the ones you hang in the window. My dad finally got one, I think, long after he should have. He didn't get one for a while because if a doctor had said he needed one, the doctor would also have said he shouldn't be driving, and Dad wanted to be able to drive to the bowling alley to have coffee with all the other old men.

I had thought that even the hanging tags were tied to a particular vehicle. (Obviously, the marked license plates are.) Is that not true? Could I have used my vehicle for Dad with his tag (that he eventually got) instead of Mom's vehicle? Was I misinformed? Or is that a state-by-state thing?

Like I said, I don't know. Other than Dad, who didn't live in the same town so I didn't have the issue often, I've never had to deal with it. And I only get mad when I see people with no tags at all parking in those spaces -- except at my son's former daycare, where there were two spaces (as required by law), but at the time no one going there with tags, and a parking lot that was at least 10 spaces too small. And then I was mostly mad at the daycare for not having a bigger parking lot so that people didn't have to park across the busy street to pick up their kids. If you have a tag and you're parking in the space, it's not my business.

[MrSmith]

11 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

What about at the drug store, for example, where there's a car in the handicapped space and the driver, who appears to be quite able-bodied (I know you never know, but I've seen this a lot) goes in the store and leaves an elderly person sitting in the car? 

Or where a family goes to a restaurant and they park in the handicapped space and the driver is a young or middle aged man and it sure looks like grandma is the one with the handicapped placard?

In the first case, if the driver isn't the one who's handicapped, I don't think they should be using the handicapped space if the person who can't walk well isn't getting out of the car.  In the second, back in the old days you'd pull up front and let the people who can't get around very well out, and then go park the car.

In the case of wheelchairs, it doesn't matter to me who's driving because of the wrangling that will be necessary to get the wheelchair out, and blocking the driveway would be a problem.  My recollection is that the first handicapped spaces were big giant ones that had enough clearance to unload a wheelchair. 

It seems to me that if there's a reasonable way to not use a handicapped space, then a person shouldn't use it and leave it open for people who are alone and can't walk that far, or who need the room to unload a wheelchair.

In the first instance, if the handicapped person is not exiting the vehicle, I don't think the driver should have parked there. I would not have, that's for sure, because the space is there to ensure that someone who is handicapped has the easiest time conducting their business.

The second instance is similar to Maharincess' situation and, as far as I'm concerned, the driver is fully entitled to park there since there is a passenger who has a placard or plate that entitles them to use that spot. I remember the days when you'd pull up front and let the people out who can't get around well. In fact, I still do this most of the time for my wife. I'll drop her off at the door and then go park. (Of course, that mostly started because when we'd take my Camaro out, I always parked in the overflow lot away from all the stupid people who were hell-bent on slamming their doors into mine and, with her knee the way it is, that was entirely too far for her to walk and still expect her to be able to walk in the place we were going.)

As for not using the space when there's a reasonable way not to, in most places there are so many handicapped spots available that it simply doesn't matter. In places where there are only a few, that might be a courteous thing to do, and that all depends on how easily the person with the placard/plate can get around. I would expect someone like Maharincess to always use the spot, whereas I would revert to the "pull up and drop off" method with my wife most of the time in such a situation specifically because I'd rather leave the space for someone with more trouble getting around.

@auntlada My understanding is the placard is not tied to a particular car. My mother has two placards, one that she leaves in each of the two cars. When I've driven, she's taken one out of one of the cars and used it in my car. Now, that's WI. So, it might vary state to state.

[janestclair]

The placard is not tied to the vehicle. It's tied to the person.  That's why it's a removable hang tag, so you can use it in whatever car you're in, as either a passenger or a driver.  You can also get a handicapped license plate that is obviously tied to the vehicle. Everyone with either a placard or a plate is also issued an ID that you  may be asked for when using the space, although I've only been asked once in all my years of having the placard, and that was at a concert venue where the handicapped spaces were in the same lot as the VIP parking that cost extra.  

The most egregious handicap spot use I ever saw was at work.  Some substitute teacher with a Mercedes SUV parked in TWO of the three handicapped spaces available on two separate occasions. I assume so no one would scratch her precious Mercedes.  I wanted to call the cops, but I didn't, so I just settled for bitching loudly in the faculty cafeteria within her earshot about what kind of asshole would use 2/3 of the available spaces, and she never did it again. Why was that the most egregious? She actually had the tag, but that only entitles you to ONE space, and she should know better.  

[auntlada]

That makes sense, @janestclair. I don't know why I thought otherwise. I must have been conflating the hanging tag and the license plate tag.

[DeLurker]

If the car has a handicap tag, I believe the use of the handicap parking spaces is still tied to the individual.  So if the person who qualifies for the tag is not with the car, any non-hc qualified driver using the car cannot legally park in the hc parking spaces.

[MrSmith]

2 hours ago, DeLurker said:

If the car has a handicap tag, I believe the use of the handicap parking spaces is still tied to the individual.  So if the person who qualifies for the tag is not with the car, any non-hc qualified driver using the car cannot legally park in the hc parking spaces.

This is true. I had forgotten about that. Thanks for the reminder.

[StatisticalOutlier]

It's been about 20 years, but a guy I knew taught high school and the kids would drive their grandmother's car to school and park in the handicapped spot.  He'd tell them it wasn't allowed, but they always argued with him--to them, if they had the placard, they could use the spot. 

I approach the handicapped parking space law the same way I approach most laws--what is the underlying purpose?  Which brings me to HOV lanes.  It irks me no end that someone's child is considered a passenger for HOV purposes.  As far as I know, HOV lanes are installed to encourage car pooling to get vehicles off the road.  And the reward for inconveniencing yourself by using a carpool is that you get to use lanes that don't get as congested.

So how is someone running errands with her child along reducing the number of vehicles on the road?  I'm just waiting for the first state with HOV lanes to pass a personhood amendment, and pregnant women will be able to use the HOV lane. 

[Bastet]

10 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Which brings me to HOV lanes.  It irks me no end that someone's child is considered a passenger for HOV purposes.  As far as I know, HOV lanes are installed to encourage car pooling to get vehicles off the road.  And the reward for inconveniencing yourself by using a carpool is that you get to use lanes that don't get as congested.

Bingo; the purpose is to entice drivers to carpool, rather than drive separately, because having fewer cars on the road a) alleviates freeway congestion (the primary purpose of HOV lanes, at least here), and b) reduces emissions and thus improves air quality (a secondary purpose, which is why, while electric and hybrid cars may quality for an HOV sticker [which allows use of the lanes even with a single occupant], such programs are limited and a recurring subject of legislative debate; a single driver in his Leaf helps with Goal B, but not Goal A).

Junior tucked into his car seat while Dad runs errands has zip point shit to do with either purpose, so I don't think it should confer eligibility. 

[Blergh]

OK, here's road pet peeve I wouldn't have thought of had it not just happened to me: ONE WAY STREETS!

 

 In addition to the traffic headaches and misunderstandings they can cause, today, I found another reason I despise them. I was driving down one when a black cat dashed in front of me and I was unable to turn around or find an alternate route so I had no choice but to cross its path. UGH! Yes, I crossed myself immediately but I couldn't help but think of my late father's voice who would do the same thing!  Oh well.

[3pwood]

10 minutes ago, Blergh said:

OK, here's road pet peeve I wouldn't have thought of had it not just happened to me: ONE WAY STREETS!

 In addition to the traffic headaches and misunderstandings they can cause, today, I found another reason I despise them. I was driving down one when a black cat dashed in front of me and I was unable to turn around or find an alternate route so I had no choice but to cross its path. UGH! Yes, I crossed myself immediately but I couldn't help but think of my late father's voice who would do the same thing!  Oh well.

It sounds like the cat actually crossed your path -- but at least you didn't hit the cat, right?  If I were in charge, you'd get enough points for that to be lucky quite awhile. 

[Blergh]

Nope 3p, I didn't hit the cat that crossed my path (and yes, I WOULD have been upset had I hit that or any other critter while driving even a squirrel). Anyway, thanks for your support!

[3pwood]

5 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Nope 3p, I didn't hit the cat that crossed my path (and yes, I WOULD have been upset had I hit that or any other critter while driving even a squirrel). Anyway, thanks for your support!

Hooray!  And while we're on the subject of careful driving:  this is duckling & gosling season, so drivers should be aware that mothers followed by strings of waddling babies (who are too young to fly) may be crossing roads & highways en route to water.  I live in an area with lots of creeks & ponds & lakes, where the Highway Patrol is kept busy escorting these caravans to safety, bless them.

[MrSmith]

I ran over a rabbit once. It is among the most horrible experiences I have ever had. Seriously, I'd rather have to have my appendix out again than ever run over something living. I could hear it squeak when I first ran it over and I could feel the wheels go over it. Absolutely sickening. If it weren't for the danger posed to myself and any passengers, I'd wreck rather than run over an animal again.

[Qoass]

I'm going to adopt your phrasing, @forumfish.  Thank you.

[Bastet]

18 hours ago, Blergh said:

In addition to the traffic headaches and misunderstandings they can cause, today, I found another reason I despise them. I was driving down one when a black cat dashed in front of me and I was unable to turn around or find an alternate route so I had no choice but to cross its path. UGH! Yes, I crossed myself immediately but I couldn't help but think of my late father's voice who would do the same thing!  Oh well.

You wanted to be able to turn around so you could be sure you wouldn't hit the cat, or because you were afraid it was going to put a curse on you (or something)?  Because I took it as the latter, but then discussion shifted to talking about running over animals, so now I'm second-guessing myself.

[MrSmith]

@Bastet LOL. I took it as the second, but it made me think of the time I ran over the rabbit and I had to share it. Sorry for the derail!

[Bastet]

Oh, it wasn't just your post, @MrSmith -- all posts after that one have been about hitting or not hitting animals while driving, which is what had me wondering if I interpreted it wrong, but now I've circled back around to thinking I had it right and conversation just shifted a bit.  Monday Morning Brain, I guess.

[ari333]

Peeve. I was in line with four items. There was a woman behind me (with a full cart, not that the number matters, but it kind of does - time wise). The next cashier opened her register and said, "I'll take the next person in line. " That was me. The woman  behind me rushed over ahead of me and unloaded her items. I said, "Excuse me. I was next in line. " She said, and I quote, " You should have been faster. " I didn't realize how "fast" (or not) I am disqualified me for being the actual next in line. Plus she was behind me and had a head start in getting to the other aisle. I won't die over it, but it is so irritating and rude. [/rant]

Edited April 10, 2017 by ari333

[MrSmith]

@ari333 People are like that. It's basically "first come, first served", even though by what the cashier said, you were technically the one who should have been first. If it makes you feel better, not everyone is such a rude asshole. If that had been me behind you in line, I would have simply made room for you to pass me and go checkout. I might have followed you; I might not have. All depends on how many things were left for the customer ahead of you in line, relative to what you had. In the end, I would have had respect for your time and let you check out ahead of me.

[harrie]

At one of the stores where we shop, a cashier who's about to open (or sometimes a manager) will directly ask the next person in line to move to the new register.  I get the feeling they arrived at that system the hard way - that is, they've probably had a lot of shoppers like the one behind you, @ari333 -- but I give them credit for doing it that way.  I don't know why people have to be so unpleasant.

Edited April 10, 2017 by harrie

[MrSmith]

My pet peeve for today has to do with the lack of documentation (or completely out of date and obsolete documentation) that accompanies so much software. I'm sick of having to go spelunking through someone else's codebase to figure out what options are available to me and what a function's signature is. For the love of everything holy, please just write good documentation for your software! Programmers who aren't familiar with your code are going to consult it often, possibly every day.

/rant off

[ari333]

Peeve. Can people (please, god and the universe) stop texting while they are freakin driving? How many times do I see someone coming at me half in my lane and all I see is the top of their head bc they are texting and the phone/device is propped on the steering wheel.

[Bastet]

35 minutes ago, harrie said:

At one of the stores where we shop, a cashier who's about to open (or sometimes a manager) will directly ask the next person in line to move to the new register.

That's how it works at the (independent) market where I do the bulk of my shopping; they set things up to make it as clear as possible who has first crack at a newly-opened register, and when that isn't enough to make people follow the rules, they step in and say, no, she was first.  They would never allow what ari333 experienced to stand.  Between that and the fact the cashiers are well-trained not to abide people not following the posted guidelines for the express line, I love shopping there - plus, their express line sign is grammatically correct (15 items or fewer, not 15 items or less).

But I've seen cashiers at Ralph's and Smart & Final step in when someone tried to jump into a newly-opened line out of turn, too.  In ari's situation, I'd be almost as annoyed with the cashier who said "next in line" and then took someone who wasn't next in line as with the jerk who pulled the "should've been faster" remark.  (You could always yell "Towanda!" and ram her cart.  "I'm older, and I have more insurance.")

[BookWoman56]

There's nothing anyone can do about this because it is apparently an unwritten law of the universe that loud background noise will happen at the worst possible time. I work from home, which is an apartment in a complex that is generally pretty quiet. My work requires usually at least one conference call a day, and it's customary to use the speakerphone function because those calls last at least 30 minutes and often more than an hour, so it's tiresome to hold the phone in your hand. Invariably, there will be no background noise when I am doing routine work and not on the phone. Yet the second it is time for me to join a conference call, the landscape people show up about 25 feet from me and start in with the leaf blowers, which sound like chainsaws or something. So I can either put myself on "Mute" so my background noise doesn't get broadcast to everyone else on the phone or hold the phone in my hand until my hand starts cramping up. It's gotten to where I dial in on speakerphone, notify the meeting organizer that I'm on the call, then put myself on mute until I need to comment on something, then quickly mute myself again. The entire time I'm not on mute, I keep waiting for someone to ask what the hell is going on with the background noise, because the leaf blower sounds like it's in the next room. Today this all happened again, and I swear not five seconds after the phone call ended, the landscaping crew decided they were done with my part of the complex. 

[Qoass]

Quote

She said, and I quote, " You should have been faster. "

To which I would have replied, "And you should have been less of an asshole."

[auntlada]

@Bastet, I was thinking that someday that woman is going to meet someone who is older and has more insurance.

[emma675]

Quote

Peeve. Can people (please, god and the universe) stop texting while they are freakin driving? How many times do I see someone coming at me half in my lane and all I see is the top of their head bc they are texting and the phone/device is propped on the steering wheel.

I literally got hit by a guy doing this on a FREAKING HIGHWAY last week. He was going at least 75 mph and looking down at his phone when he rammed the back of my car and sent me flying across two lanes of traffic. Luckily I didn't hit anyone else and he was dumb enough to tell the cops he was looking at this phone, so he is totally at fault.

[ari333]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

That's how it works at the (independent) market where I do the bulk of my shopping; they set things up to make it as clear as possible who has first crack at a newly-opened register, and when that isn't enough to make people follow the rules, they step in and say, no, she was first.  They would never allow what ari333 experienced to stand.  Between that and the fact the cashiers are well-trained not to abide people not following the posted guidelines for the express line, I love shopping there - plus, their express line sign is grammatically correct (15 items or fewer, not 15 items or less).

But I've seen cashiers at Ralph's and Smart & Final step in when someone tried to jump into a newly-opened line out of turn, too.  In ari's situation, I'd be almost as annoyed with the cashier who said "next in line" and then took someone who wasn't next in line as with the jerk who pulled the "should've been faster" remark.  (You could always yell "Towanda!" and ram her cart.  "I'm older, and I have more insurance.")

Hee. Dammit I wish I'd thought of that. :) I wanted to scream that George Costanza line from "Seinfeld, " "We live in a society, ya know!"

I was just reading on another board and almost lost my mind. (It doesn't take much. )

I'm beating a dead horse; but anyway, I was reading about a missing person's case and I can't count how many apostrophes (heh apostrophe's) *snort* there were. Maybe I am a colossal ass. "Where were the parent's?" "Where were the neighbor's? " "Where were the police officer's?"

Just pull the trigger. :-)

or -Just pull the trigger's.

That is all.

Edited April 10, 2017 by ari333

[ari333]

oops or oop's double post

Edited April 10, 2017 by ari333

[MargeGunderson]

2 hours ago, ari333 said:

Peeve. I was in line with four items. There was a woman behind me (with a full cart, not that the number matters, but it kind of does - time wise). The next cashier opened her register and said, "I'll take the next person in line. " That was me. The woman  behind me rushed over ahead of me and unloaded her items. I said, "Excuse me. I was next in line. " She said, and I quote, " You should have been faster. " I didn't realize how "fast" (or not) I am disqualified me for being the actual next in line. Plus she was behind me and had a head start in getting to the other aisle. I won't die over it, but it is so irritating and rude. [/rant]

Oh HELL NO! 

[ari333]

5 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

Oh HELL NO! 

I know, right? And crazy me, I thought when I said, "Excuse me, I was next in line" she'd say, "Oh, sorry; go ahead."

The snarky, "you should have been faster" was just the cherry on the parfait.

[MargeGunderson]

14 hours ago, ari333 said:

I know, right? And crazy me, I thought when I said, "Excuse me, I was next in line" she'd say, "Oh, sorry; go ahead."

The snarky, "you should have been faster" was just the cherry on the parfait.

I'm pretty sure "are you f***ing kidding me?" would have come out of my mouth before I could stop myself. My husband is sure I'm going to die at the hands of a stranger some day for this reason.

Edited April 11, 2017 by MargeGunderson

[AgentRXS]

Quote

I'm pretty sure "are you f***ing kidding me?" would have come out of your mouth before I could stop myself. My husband is sure I'm going to die at the hands of a stranger some day for this reason.

I'm the same way.  ari333's peeve happens all the time down here. The other day I was at the grocery store and I was headed into a line when a guy cut in front of me with his cart. I went to another line and another guy did the same thing.  I said "Fuck both of you" really loudly. The time before that I was in the veggie section of the store, and this woman leans down and RESTS HER HEAD against my knee while going through the romaine lettuce heads. And it wasn't as if it was by accident. She leaned down, and used my knee as sort of pole to rest her head while she was rummaging. I said "EXCUSE ME" loudly and pointed at my knee and she just said "So what? You could move if it bothers you". Even though I was standing there first and she came up after me.  I went off on her about personal space and boundaries and she called me a "psycho".  I said "If I was a psycho, I would have said nothing and just beaned you over the head with one of these lettuce heads" and stormed off.  Last thing I need is an "assault via lettuce" charge on my record LOL

I really should just order my food online, as it very rare to have a courteous and peaceful time at the grocery store. Too bad most of those online services are so darn expensive.

Edited April 11, 2017 by AgentRXS

[AuntieL]

What! Who the hell does that? I mean that's just not normal. I must say I never thought of South Jerseyans as being especially polite but apparently they are because I've never had anything close to that happening - even during peak tourist season. 

[DeLurker]

It's Florida, specifically South Florida.  Nuff said.

[theredhead77]

8 hours ago, harrie said:

At one of the stores where we shop, a cashier who's about to open (or sometimes a manager) will directly ask the next person in line to move to the new register.  I get the feeling they arrived at that system the hard way - that is, they've probably had a lot of shoppers like the one behind you, @ari333 -- but I give them credit for doing it that way.  I don't know why people have to be so unpleasant.

This is how I was trained 20 years ago. You walk over to the next person in line, guide their cart to your register and help them. Shit like that pisses me off enough that I'd write the store manager, or fill out a survey on the receipt.

[Bastet]

8 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

There's nothing anyone can do about this because it is apparently an unwritten law of the universe that loud background noise will happen at the worst possible time. I work from home, which is an apartment in a complex that is generally pretty quiet. My work requires usually at least one conference call a day, and it's customary to use the speakerphone function because those calls last at least 30 minutes and often more than an hour, so it's tiresome to hold the phone in your hand. Invariably, there will be no background noise when I am doing routine work and not on the phone. Yet the second it is time for me to join a conference call, the landscape people show up about 25 feet from me and start in with the leaf blowers, which sound like chainsaws or something.

I think this is a universal law for anyone who works from home (whether that be for one day, full time, or anywhere in between) -- dead silence when it's just you, but as soon as you have to get on a call, the cat/dog/kid starts hollering, a lawnmower/leaf-blower fires up right outside your door, someone nearby embarks on a jackhammering project, etc. 

[MrSmith]

10 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

I'm the same way.  ari333's peeve happens all the time down here. The other day I was at the grocery store and I was headed into a line when a guy cut in front of me with his cart. I went to another line and another guy did the same thing.  I said "Fuck both of you" really loudly. The time before that I was in the veggie section of the store, and this woman leans down and RESTS HER HEAD against my knee while going through the romaine lettuce heads. And it wasn't as if it was by accident. She leaned down, and used my knee as sort of pole to rest her head while she was rummaging. I said "EXCUSE ME" loudly and pointed at my knee and she just said "So what? You could move if it bothers you". Even though I was standing there first and she came up after me.  I went off on her about personal space and boundaries and she called me a "psycho".  I said "If I was a psycho, I would have said nothing and just beaned you over the head with one of these lettuce heads" and stormed off.  Last thing I need is an "assault via lettuce" charge on my record LOL

I really should just order my food online, as it very rare to have a courteous and peaceful time at the grocery store. Too bad most of those online services are so darn expensive.

I probably wouldn't have said anything and just ended up kicking her in the head. Or kneeing her and forcing her to bang her head on the floor or the display case. When people do shit like that, I am real bastard. I'm convinced I have a "Mr. Hyde"-ish alter ego.

[ari333]

14 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

I'm the same way.  ari333's peeve happens all the time down here. The other day I was at the grocery store and I was headed into a line when a guy cut in front of me with his cart. I went to another line and another guy did the same thing.  I said "Fuck both of you" really loudly. The time before that I was in the veggie section of the store, and this woman leans down and RESTS HER HEAD against my knee while going through the romaine lettuce heads. And it wasn't as if it was by accident. She leaned down, and used my knee as sort of pole to rest her head while she was rummaging. I said "EXCUSE ME" loudly and pointed at my knee and she just said "So what? You could move if it bothers you". Even though I was standing there first and she came up after me.  I went off on her about personal space and boundaries and she called me a "psycho".  I said "If I was a psycho, I would have said nothing and just beaned you over the head with one of these lettuce heads" and stormed off.  Last thing I need is an "assault via lettuce" charge on my record LOL

I really should just order my food online, as it very rare to have a courteous and peaceful time at the grocery store. Too bad most of those online services are so darn expensive.

I'm sorry that happened to you, but the way you told the story made it so funny.  The very idea!  Some stranger had her head on your leg and called YOU the psycho.

...which reminds me of another peeve story. (Everyone groan and eye roll here. )

I was in Kmart just before they went out of business here. (or everywhere? IDK.) It was not crowded probably because the items were mostly picked over.  I got what I needed and was waiting in the checkout line. I was wearing a dress with the length just below my knees. That is part of the story, so stay with me.

You know how your brain has an immediate reaction to make sense of something before the reality sets in? I felt hot breath on my leg and my brain went to, "Did someone bring a dog in here?"  Then I turned around. There was no dog. There was  a perv with his head up my dress. I had a reflex kicking and screaming reaction and then I screamed. "Security!"

The perv was running off and either hiding or got out the door. The security guard strolled over taking his sweet time and said, "yeah?" as if he did not have any fucks left to give. I told him what happened and he did not seem surprised or even comforting. He mumbled and shrugged, "Sorry" and strolled off.

The only concern I got was from a woman who leaned over and  whispered to me in Spanish, "Pear-bear-TEE-doe."  (pervertido/pervert.)

I just wanted to go home and take a shower and call the police. I didn't want it to happen to someone else and he may be doing other things worse than dress peeping. I thought I should at least report it.

Edited April 11, 2017 by ari333