Petty Annoyances

[Pierre]

- Cyclists who jump red lights. I'm a cyclist myself and when I saw a woman pedestrian hit a cyclist with her umbrella because he'd jumped a red light and nearly knocked her flying, I felt myself siding with the pedestrian.

- People who tell me that because I don't have children I don't understand*: this is usually bleated to justify what in any other circumstances would be an incredibly selfish, inconsiderate or rude act, for example taking up most of the pavement with an excessively large wheeled vehicle (why the hell don't small children _walk_ anywhere now? Why must they be pushed or driven?) or shattering other people's Sunday afternoon pub relaxation with unsupervised badly behaved spawn who think that wheeled toys either belong underfoot next to the bar or should be driven at high speed into other people's shins.

- "Baby on board" signs. Why on earth does anyone need to know this? It's not like anyone thinks "oh, thank goodness they've let me know there's an outside chance that huge off-roader with the bling alloys may contain a child - I'll now drive much more considerately around it so I don't damage it."

- people, and this is not gender- or race- specific, who refuse to correctly pronounce the words "ask" or "text".

- The Daily Mail. Actually that's not a petty annoyance, that's all-out disgust. Anything who had "give them something to hate" among its founding principles is despicable.

There are lots of others, I could probably rant for pages given the time, but I'm not actually a bitter person!

: P

(edited once for grammar infringements! ; )

* I actually would like to have children in the next couple of years, God and Mrs. Pierre willing, but I'm really worried this is going to flip some switch in my brain and turn me into that kind of inconsiderate arse who thinks that everybody else should feel as disproportionately and irrationally protective of my offspring as I do...

[Moos]

> People with no manners. They don't cost anything do they. Is it just me but are people lacking in basic manners these days? Saying please or thank you or excuse me as they brush past you.... It really annoys me and I don't really think I'm being petty here either but I was brought up to have good manners and respect for my elders but I really do feel that manners DO maketh man. Rant over.

I was thinking on my commute this morning about what Jah Lush said, and I think it might be because when you are rushing around it takes a big effort to keep your antennae out and pay attention to others' needs as well as to your own. I don't know whether things have always been like this, but it seems to me that many people's lives are so packed that they spend their whole time racing from A to B, trying to do as much as possible in as little time as possible. In those circumstances, who has the energy to spare to pause and consider others, to hold back, to wait patiently, to smile and say thank you?

Maybe if everyone accepted that their journey was going to be 10% longer they would be able to relax, not get so angry when other people are inconsiderate and hold them up, and not be inconsiderate to others. And in paying attention to other people, they would start to see them as real, and equal, and communicate to them with a polite nod or word. A 10% longer journey would be a pain, I know, it would make you late for work, or rush your breakfast even more, or have to get up earlier. But perhaps it would make commuting less hellish.

I feel really, really old now.

[Ant]

Not to excuse every single buggy pusher, but just because a kid can walk it doesn't follow that they can walk far enough without tiring. If you're out for a while or going a long (for them) way you'll still need the buggy.

[chuff]

I think the baby on board signs were originally used to inform the emergency services that a child was in the car in a crash situation. There have been some incidents where car seats, not strapped in properly, have ejected from the car. The risk is if the other occupants are unconscious etc, there is no-one to tell them to check for the child.

Or so I have been told

[Jimbob]

heard that one myself.

[Moos]

I'm with Pierre on the 'baby on board' stickers (especially when they nauseatingly read 'princess on board' or 'little monkey on board'). Why should people drive more considerately for babies than anyone else?

I didn't know the emergency thing, though, chuff. Seems a reasonable argument - but then I bet most parents who buy the stickers don't know either.

[kristymac1]

People who push forward against a shed load of people waiting to get through the tube barriers when there is obviously no-where to go. Am thinking of London Bridge this morning around 8.30, barriers to JL were limited due to broken escalstor and some rude person behind me digging me in the back constantly trying to get forward even though it was pretty obvious the other 500 people in front weren't moving. Seriously where are you going to go?

Ever-so important people who push in at the front of the ticket barriers - obviously the world will come to an end if they don't get to work before all the other people queuing to get through.

People who launch themselves on to the tube before you have a chance to get off.

Maybe I should find another way to get to work.......

[SeanMacGabhann]

You have just outlined some of the reasons why I gave up on the tube/train combo and started the bus/legs combo. I just can't convey how MUCH more relaxd I am (even if it means allowing some more time to read)

[Ant]

Background music on websites. Useless flash introductions. Pointless faff that gets in the way of the information I want to find.

[Cassius]

Can't remember if this has been mentioned, people especially adults who should know better, who cycle on the pavement. I am the pedestrian the pavement is for ME.

People who don't acknowledge when a car stops at a zebra crossing - even a smile is nice.

People who refer to roles in soap operas as if the characters are real - it's a tv programme for flips sake!

[Horsebox]

Golden :-)

seamusmac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> People who in one post defend paralympians from

> foul mouthed Australians and then go on to pan a

> whole nation with one word.

[Pandora]

People who don't acknowledge when a car stops at a zebra crossing - even a smile is nice.

Interesting one.. I'm never sure about that one. I'm don't drive and feel like cars don't need acknowledging because they're supposed to stop - it's not optional!

However, I was hit by a car that didn't stop on a pedestrian crossing a while back. So I'm very nervous going across them now, and there's a particularly bad one outside my office where it takes about three cars going through before one stops. So I do tend to wave and make very grateful faces at the cars that stop for me there, and if I'm feeling brave I shake my fist at the fast escaping car that went through before it.

Cars going through pedestrian crossings without stopping for pedestrians - now that annoys me!

[Horsebox]

The Bestival mud that I cant seem to get out of my clothes(6)

[Izodia]

My OH always seethes when pedestrians don't thank him for stopping at crossings. I always say "Why whould they? You're supposed to stop". Occasionally I might though.

My dad doesn't thank cars that have stopped for him to come through if it was his right of way (e.g. cars parked on the other side of the road) but I've tried to persuade him to start. It doesn't hurt to spread the love a little a reduce road rage.

Maybe I should be more consistent and apply the same to pedestrian crossings.

[TillieTrotter]

I always thank drivers that stop for me at pedestrian crossings and always feel a tad disappointed when pedestrian don't thank me when I'm the driver. As Mr Lush pointed out, manners cost nothing!

[SeanMacGabhann]

I know cars are meant to stop - but plenty of areas they don't at all. Mostly pretty good around here and I reckon if I'm nice to them they'll carry on being nice to me

[Jah Lush]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I know cars are meant to stop - but plenty of

> areas they don't at all. Mostly pretty good around

> here and I reckon if I'm nice to them they'll

> carry on being nice to me.

The same applies to people Sean. Oooh! And thanks Tillie.

[TillieTrotter]

Prago Lushy:))

[Keef]

Cars going through pedestrian crossings without stopping for pedestrians - now that annoys me!

Innit!!!!! Sydenham is terrible for that the feckers!!!

Although I also smile or wave when drivers stop for me.

[KalamityKel]

Moos I werent complaining about someones "right" to travel on board wiv a pushchair more of their assumption that on an already full bus they have right of way (for want of a better word) over everyone else regardless of the situation.

[Izodia]

As a slightly shy poster, I hate it when my OH repeats what I've been posting on here when I get home. I'm going to hate it even more if he's read that everyone agrees with him on the pedestrian crossing thing!

[SeanMacGabhann]

Oooh good one Izodia. Lady Mac has never posted but the amound of detail she is able to recall if I say something "off" is unreal

[Asset]

Chuff - you are right about the 'baby on board' signs.

They were developed exactly for that purpose: to alert emergency services in the event of an accident to head for the car containing babies and young children first.

[Asset]

In re: petty annoyance - mine is intolerance.

[Pierre]

I think the baby on board signs were originally used to inform the emergency services that a child was in the car in a crash situation.

I have friends who work for the emergency services and although they say this may have been the original reason, they will _always_ look for ejected passengers or check the less accessible areas of a damaged vehicle in case there are babies or children on board. I think one of the reasons they now do this is because people tend to leave those signs in their cars when they don't have the baby on board, so that used to leave the emergency services desperately searching burning cars for babies that weren't there in the first place. Thus they're now viewed as irrelevant by the emergency services.

: P