# I pit the rude, lazy and annoying people in my office **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 13, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332 "2006-02-13T20:57:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/21 "2006-02-14T14:52:57Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > If they leave a dish in the sink, it will be placed back on their desk or thrown away. Anything not labeled will be thrown away or given to someone else who wants it and will put their name on it. > > It is guaranteed this will solve the problem. These slobs should be ashamed and embarassed at themselves! At my volunteer firehouse, there is a semi-complete set of ‘communal’ dishes and glasses and flatware. The rules are that if you fix something to eat, you clean up as soon as you finish eating. If the captain or senior lieutenant walks through the kitchen and there are dirty dishes in the sink, they’ll look around for the guilty party. If no one owns up to them, and jumps up to wash them, they get dumped in the trash. Same for the fridge. Everything put in it is to be labeled with your name and dated, even stuff like ketchup and jelly. Each week, someone is assigned the task of sorting through it. Anything not labeled or out of date is tossed. ---
**Author:** ![Crab\_Rangoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Crab\_Rangoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab_Rangoon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/22 "2006-02-14T15:39:59Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > Annoyance 1: > The guy sitting in the cubicle directly adjacent to me loves to chew ice cubes, with his mouth open, really loudly. **CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP slurp slurp** , all day long. I KNOW I should say something to him, but it’s awkward… I just think, doesn’t this idiot know that this loud chewing is annoying and offensive to his neighbors? > > Oh and it’s not just ice cubes. Most days for lunch he will eat a bag of chips, very loudly, with his mouth open. He eats the chips like he hasn’t eaten in a week and he’s starving, and he stuffs his mouth and chews really fast, with his mouth open. It’s disgusting. Oh yeah, I hear ya. I’ve got a nail-clipper neighbor and one that seem to have to talk REALLY LOUD anytime he’s on the phone. Plus another who has 15 different ring tones on her cell phone that goes off 10 times a day. I mean, come on people, ever think that maybe some of us are trying to concentrate??? Huh??? So - I get all frustrated and need to go for office walks - and I vent at home to my husband who comes up with the solution: Wear headphones. Either with music or just the hearing protection kind. I choose music when I just don’t want to hear them, and regular hearing protection when I have to concentrate. Woo Hoo! And then I just ignore the one who can’t seem to understand that when my back is to my cubbie door and I’m clacking away at the computer - it means I’m WORKING (or replying to the Straight Dope), not ready for an endless conversation about your child’s dog. After awhile it seems to work. I feel bad, but what else can you do??? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/23 "2006-02-14T15:48:57Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#): > > These are the kind of annoyances that office email circulars were designed for. > > I recommend firing one off right now. \ My office manager has sent off more than I can count. For a few days, people clean up their shit, then it goes back to the old ways… ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/24 "2006-02-14T15:52:49Z")
> [@Crab Rangoon](#): > > Oh yeah, I hear ya. I’ve got a nail-clipper neighbor and one that seem to have to talk REALLY LOUD anytime he’s on the phone. OH GOD I had a nail-filing neighbor… he was an older guy who would file his nails every day for 5 minutes. It was gross and annoying. What makes any adult think it is OK to manicure their fingernails while at work in a cubicle with coworkers around? And just the other day, my other coworker was clipping her nails. That was really excruciating. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/25 "2006-02-14T15:56:15Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > Communal dishes? Jeesh! Talk about your bad ideas. Just having a refrigerator and microwave alone can be a nightmare. Let alone _communal dishes_ > > If it were me I’d kindly sugest paper plates and plasticware instead of communal dishes. I WISH we could do paper/plastic but my boss is way too cheap. She even stopped buying paper napkins, and recently refused a group request for coffee supplies. I feel extremely lucky just to have a water cooler! To the person who suggested having your own stuff - well I did that for a long time and it still didn’t solve the annoyance of people leaving their shit in the sink. I have to look at it every time I go into the kitchen or when I want to use the sink. I’m still looking for ideas for a sign I could post in the kitchen reminding people to clean their dishes… anyone? ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/26 "2006-02-14T16:03:56Z")
Maybe put up a sign which says “Any unwashed dish will be thrown away.” The problem will take care of itself one way or another. Put me in the never-use-a-communal-dish camp. There’s no way I would trust every co-worker to properly wash the dishes. And why would you need communal dishes at work anyway? There’s no cooking going on. If you want to reheat something, bring it in a microwave safe dish. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/27 "2006-02-14T16:23:34Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > Any other witty sign ideas?? Clean up your god damn dishes you lazy fucker. Maybe not too professional, but it is to the point. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/28 "2006-02-14T16:35:10Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > Clean up your god damn dishes you lazy fucker. > > Maybe not too professional, but it is to the point. You know what? I like it. I really really like it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/29 "2006-02-14T17:48:45Z")
It sounds like the dishes are getting washed, but not by the user, right? So how about something like: _ **PLEASE!** _ Be fair to yourself – Do not wash other’s dishes! Sure, it preys upon people’s selfish natures, and it could be a cynical exercise, but it just might work. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/30 "2006-02-14T18:21:28Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#): > > These are the kind of annoyances that office email circulars were designed for. Not really annoying, but more in the ‘stupid’ camp. The office manager where I work constantly sends out notices about using less paper towels in the bathroom. She’s one of those tree-hugger save-the-Earth types. “Why use two when one will do?” “Save a tree, don’t use three!” The thing is, we don’t have work-based email (it’s a preschool), so she prints them up on real paper and puts them in our mailboxes. One of these days, I’m going to snap and ream her out for wasting paper to chide us for wasting paper. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/31 "2006-02-14T19:36:27Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > Any other witty sign ideas?? Welcome to our itchin. Notice there’s no ‘K’ in it. Let’s keep it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/32 "2006-02-14T19:57:21Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > Welcome to our itchin. Notice there’s no ‘K’ in it. Let’s keep it that way. Um, I don’t get it/// 😕 Here is the sign I think I am going to post: > [@](#): > > Dear coworkers, > > It’s fantastic if you are lucky enough to have a maid/spouse/parent/roommate to clean up after you at home, but unless you bring that person to work with you, please wash your own dishes. Please don’t leave them in the sink and expect your coworkers to do your dirty work. > > Thank you! > > Signed, > Not Your Maid ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/33 "2006-02-14T21:37:39Z")
In my years of working in various offices, one thing never changes - there is ALWAYS someone who is too special to clean up after themselves or participate in any of the communal things that the rest of us have to do (refilling coffee, replacing the toilet paper roll, etc.). They ignore the signs, and no one ever talks to them about it because no one ever catches them at it. Pretty much all you can do is move their dirty dishes out of the sink so other people can still use it (just stack them up out of the way), come here and vent, and get on with your life. And bring your own cutlery. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/34 "2006-02-15T15:51:59Z")
So I posted the sign last night, and this morning, guess what I find in the sink… a bowl and a spoon with little bits of soggy cereal floating in it. Damn. People are so fucking stupid. I think they didn’t see the sign so I moved it into a more conspicuous location. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/35 "2006-02-15T16:21:47Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > OH GOD I had a nail-filing neighbor… he was an older guy who would file his nails every day for 5 minutes. It was gross and annoying. What makes any adult think it is OK to manicure their fingernails while at work in a cubicle with coworkers around? And just the other day, my other coworker was clipping her nails. That was really excruciating. Let me add my disgust at women who insist on applying makeup in their cubicle. This is a place of business, not your boudoir! And don’t get me started on the hair brushing. Keep it in the bathroom, girls! ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/36 "2006-02-15T16:50:24Z")
Don’t be a sign-poster. They’re the worst! I also fail to how filing one’s nails is ‘gross’. Annoying, maybe, but gross? When I chip a nail, I’m going to file down the sharp edge as soon as can. I never once thought I was grossing anyone out. Live and learn, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/37 "2006-02-15T16:57:42Z")
> [@UrbanChic](#): > > Don’t be a sign-poster. They’re the worst! No, the worst is lazy and rude people who leave their dishes in the sink. I’m at the end of my rope! The sign is the best way I know to make these imbeciles feel stupid, ashamed and embarassed (as they should). > [@UrbanChic](#): > > I also fail to how filing one’s nails is ‘gross’. Annoying, maybe, but gross? When I chip a nail, I’m going to file down the sharp edge as soon as can. I never once thought I was grossing anyone out. Live and learn, I guess. The sound of nail filing is not one that I want to hear whilst sitting in my cubicle. Personal hygiene activities should not be performed in one’s cubicle while within earshot/view of one’s coworkers. It’s just nasty and annoying. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/38 "2006-02-15T17:17:06Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > No, the worst is lazy and rude people who leave their dishes in the sink. I’m at the end of my rope! The sign is the best way I know to make these imbeciles feel stupid, ashamed and embarassed (as they should). If that’s what you think you’re going to accomplish with your sign, I think you’re sorely misguided. I’m willing to bet that people who think it’s ok to leave their dirty dishes in a communal sink aren’t going to feel anything but mild amusement at the sign, let alone the other feelings you mentioned. If it makes you feel better, however, to a post less-than-witty missive for your co-workers to ignore, more power to you. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/39 "2006-02-15T17:55:44Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > They ignore the signs, and no one ever talks to them about it because no one ever catches them at it. I’m of the opinion that they clean up after themselves when other people are around, but if no one else is there, they just dump their dirty dishes and scamper off, hoping someone else will clean up the mess. No one saw them leave it, so it doesn’t count. That’s why it’s so hard to figure out who does it - “Well, I know Jane cleans up after herself; I saw her washing her dishes yesterday, and Dave was washing stuff, too. I can’t imagine who left this stuff.” ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332/40 "2006-02-15T18:33:48Z")
Update - I was just in the kitchen and one of the culprits walks in, goes over the the sink and hastily rinses out the bowl and takes it with him. It’s is precisely one of the people I thought it was. I think the sign shamed him into compliance. I hope it lasts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-rude-lazy-and-annoying-people-in-my-office/344332.md?page=3)