Manspreading. I take a train to work and this is a real problem. I have sat next to many women some of whom were quite large but they knew how to stay in their space. I’d say half of men even very thin ones feel like they have a god given right to infringe on your space. So irritating!
I’m ashamed to admit that humming from anybody drives me crazy. Humming is an activity that benefits the hummer, so do it in private, please.
Who is responsible to put across the divider on a grocery store belt? Is it a regional thing? I never considered this until seeing the post upthread.
I think here it is almost always the person behind, so therefore, they are putting it in front of their groceries. Maybe this is a Midwest thing and we are annoying all the out-of-staters! I can see people here thinking it was rude for people in front to put the divider behind their groceries.
^ I am fine with putting the divider thingy up when I am behind the person checking out, BUT its really irritating when I can’t reach it and the person checking out doesn’t slide it down so I can get it.
Whistlers. In the grocery store, waiting in line at UPS, etc. I find it beyond irritating and a cry for attention. And…it’s often followed up by the whistler trying to engage me in conversation. Ugh! I hate it and dash away ASAP.
I live in the Midwest. I’d say it’s like holding a door open for someone. It’s not rude exactly not to do so but it’s considered a real plus to do so. I always do so because it’s such an easy thing to do and is appreciated. And it is rude not to slide down the bar so the person behind you can get to it
New Englander who has lived many places in the country. I have never experienced a hard and fast rule on this anywhere. More often than not, though, it has been the person behind doing it for themselves.
@maya54 - ditto about the door. Whether the person is entering when the other is leaving, or someone is leaving and there is someone right behind them, for peet’s sake hold the door. Having it practically slam in someone’s face is rude.
Bad breath, body odor, and perfume. I just can’t deal. I will leave the room.
^ I’d take perfume over body odor! But not if its overbearing or doing a bad job of covering up the fact that someone didn’t take a shower.
I try to put the grocery divider thing up when I am done loading my groceries on the belt. The person behind me can’t always reach and can’t always see when/if I am unloaded.
It annoys me when someone starts putting their groceries on the belt while I am still unloading. I figure that me putting the divider thing up is a clue to them that I am done unloading and they can start.
I’m in the west and putting up the divider is more the rule than the exception. And, yes, you often can’t reach it if the person in front of you doesn’t, at a minimum, slide it down.
The things that come to mind are the common courtesies like looking behind you before letting a door close, sliding your chair out, etc. to see if someone is coming and you should hold the door, wait a moment to push out your chair, etc. Minor, I know, but, when I let someone in ahead of me while driving, a simple raised hand/wave as a thanks is so nice. In the absence of one, it does irritate me (very briefly).
And being aware of who’s around you and whether your behavior might negatively impact others. For example, I really can’t stand it when someone is in public and has a conversation on their cell phone on speaker. It’s bad enough when they speak loudly (one can almost always be heard when speaking softly) but why in the world is it OK to have the speaker on so everyone can hear both sides of the conversation? Same thing with just conversing in public. The other night we were at a restaurant and a woman at the next table was so loud I couldn’t focus on the conversation at my own table. We were in close quarters but that also meant she was very close to her companions. Why couldn’t she just speak more softly (and, yes, there is a small chance someone in the group was hearing impaired, in which case, I understand completely, but this was a young group, she was the only one and I didn’t observe anything that led me to believe this was the case).
And lastly: why are some restaurants so loud? And why is music so loud at events? I often think, “If the music were a little softer, would anyone here have a less good time?” And I really believe the answer is no. Not good for our hearing and the ability to converse is almost impossible.
Wow, that was a little cathartic. Rant over but it felt good, lol!
On the subject of using the speaker while talking on a phone in a public place, while my husband was in the hospital, I ate in the hospital cafeteria. The cafeteria was a peaceful place to eat. No piped in music. Very quiet. It just so happened the place was virtually empty and I picked a table to sit at. A few minutes later, I hear someone engaged in a phone conversation sitting at the table behind me. Let me just say, at that time I didn’t know if I would ever be able to bring my husband home from the hospital again, so I had zero patience. I turned around to see where the obnoxious noise was coming from, picked up my tray, and swiftly moved to a far away table.
Why that woman chose to sit at a table next to me, when the entire cafeteria was empty, is beyond my comprehension.
She did take the phone off speaker though.
This is my biggest pet peeve too. Especially in public bathrooms. I join in the conversation and it shuts them up quick.
Its like people dont know how to hold a phone up to their ear or talk without video face time.
OMG - you reminded me of the worst - co-worker who FACETIMES while sitting on the toilet!!! Then walks out still chatting without washing her hands!!! Aggghhhhh
Family members who put the toilet paper on top of the tp holder instead of actually putting it on properly.
Loud restaurants bother me. I shouldn’t have to shout to someone sitting across from me, or walk out with a sore throat from having to do so.
I have no tolerance for cigarette smoke. Many places are smoke free, but the outdoors isn’t. It bothers me when smokers, walking outside, hold their cigarettes down by their side, so that anyone walking behind or next to them gets to inhale their smoke.
People who leave their shopping carts in the middle of the aisle, instead of off to one side or the other, leaving an open passage.
Anyone who tosses things out of their car window (cigarette butts, liquids from an old drink, etc.). I usually honk (which is probably on their list of things that drive you crazy).
So much dog poop in the park today! Garrr!
I guess we can add “People who don’t pick up after their pets” to my list too.
Dirty dishes left in the sink while the dishwasher is empty ;(