# Innocuous things people do that irritate you
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 29, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431 "2005-06-29T21:46:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/1 "2005-06-29T21:46:38Z")
I admit I’m a quirky guy. Okay, make that neurotic. With a generous dose of OCD and Og knows what else thrown in. But there are certain commonplace behaviors that irrationally make me want to tear my hair out, but that most people wouldn’t think twice about.
For example, my job entails a lot of time on the phone, and I frequently have to give people additional/alternative phone numbers to call. It really fries my bacon when someone repeats the number back to me _as I’m giving it_.
Me: Okay, the number you need to call is 800…
Caller: 800…
Me, getting annoyed: 555…
Caller: 555…
Me, royally pissed off: 1234.
Caller: 1234.
I _know_ they’re just trying to verify that they’re hearing me correctly, but by the end of the exchange I’m entertaining fantasies of going all Jason Voorhees on the schmucks.
Hey, I said it was irrational. 😉
I have a friend who seethes inwardly when he’s a passenger in a car and the driver rests his hand on the gear shift. To his mind, you only touch the gear shift when you’re actually shifting; when done shifting, remove your hand. It is not a hand rest. He knows it’s ridiculous, but it can make a car trip downright miserable for him.
What random things push your buttons? I don’t mean whistling or cracking knuckles or anything widely regarded as annoying. I mean perfectly ordinary, socially acceptable behaviors that inexplicably get your hackles up, but you can’t say anything because you know the person isn’t doing anything wrong.
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### Author:  [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/2 "2005-06-29T21:55:39Z")
Breathe.
😛
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### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/3 "2005-06-29T21:58:35Z")
I repeat phone numbers. Especially when dealing with somebody with a strong accent. Maybe you just talk kinda funny? 😛
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### Author:  [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/4 "2005-06-29T22:03:06Z")
People who tap their feet, pencils, etc., incessantly. That little repetitive noise drives me nuts. I usually wait too long to say something, so by the time I do, I’m screaming “STOP TAPPING YOUR GODDAMN PENCIL!” I know, very productive.
Lots of little catch phrases that pop up also annoy me all out of proportion, such as “It’s all good” (no, it ain’t), “ricockulous” instead of “ridiculous,” “anyhoo” instead of “anyhow,” any of the popular business jargon that’s going around, and phrases along those lines. When I hear them, I reflexively go :rolleyes: , even if it’s not appropriate to do so.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/5 "2005-06-29T22:05:47Z")
People who make microwave popcorn at the office.
Women who don’t beg to have sex with me.
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### Author:  [@sleeepy2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeepy2)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/6 "2005-06-29T22:51:03Z")
My neighbor having his car alarm set in his driveway. I’m talking, Saturday afternoon, he’s working in the yard, every fifteen minutes “Beep beep beep beep” to open a door, “beep beep” to close it. We live in a nice neighborhood, and I swear I’ve never seen people who run to the car more often. Everytime I here it beep, I slam something in the house.
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### Author:  [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/7 "2005-06-29T23:00:57Z")
My coworker is a very nice lady. I like her. But every time she answers the phone and says, “Happy Monday”, I want to rip her throat out.
People - especially adults, who say ru-ro (like Scooby). It’s friggen annoying when Scooby does it. It’s even more annoying when a 60 year old woman does it.
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### Author:  [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/8 "2005-06-29T23:03:07Z")
Tippex/Whiteout
42 (One particulary person really killed this for me.)
Impromtu Parrot Sketch Renditions
Guesstimate (Though I do see the point of the word.)
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### Author:  [@Thirty-Nine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thirty-Nine)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/9 "2005-06-29T23:10:44Z")
> [@sleeepy2](#):
>
> My neighbor having his car alarm set in his driveway. I’m talking, Saturday afternoon, he’s working in the yard, every fifteen minutes “Beep beep beep beep” to open a door, “beep beep” to close it. We live in a nice neighborhood, and I swear I’ve never seen people who run to the car more often. Everytime I here it beep, I slam something in the house.
I emphasise with this… For me it’s trucks/vans (with the reverse beeper) doing multi point turns in a narrow road outside my window.
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### Author:  [@The\_Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hook)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/10 "2005-06-29T23:19:54Z")
See, I’m different. I hate being the one _writing down_ the number. I will never understand why the other person simply doesn’t give it to me whole. Instead, I keep saying “Yeah? Got it. Yes. Move on. Keep on. Oh, really? Is there more? Please, wait for me! Oh, the agony! Speak! Agghh!!!”. The sarcasm, anger, and despair are interchangeable. 😛
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### Author:  [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/11 "2005-06-29T23:49:19Z")
When I answer the phone in the office, speaking to a complete stranger, and the first thing they say is, “How are you?”
It’s a bit of fake politeness that really grates on me. _Dammit, you don’t know me. We’ve never even met. We both know that you don’t actually give a hoot how I am. If I answered your question honestly, you’d be disconcerted at best. Please, just tell me what you want. I’ll be happy to help you. Really!_ Grrr.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/12 "2005-06-30T00:08:19Z")
I know a few people, both at work and acquaintances, who will attempt to “help” me finish sentences.
Me: “…so I pulled into the gas station-”
Co-worker and I both, co-worker one split second behind me, attempting to catch up: “-and I filled the tank just before it went empty.”
WHAT THE FUCK???
The only thing I can do, I figure, is change what I’m saying so they look like asshats.
Me: “…so I pulled into the gas station-”
Co-worker and I both, co-worker one split second behind me, attempting to catch up: “-and I filled the tank just before-”
Coworker: “-you ran out of gas.”
Me (at same time): “-purple monkey dishwasher. STFU and let me finish my own sentences, asshat!”
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work permanently. One guy has gotten Purple Monkey Dishwasher three times, and one lady at work has even caused me to progress to Wheelbarrow Mud Socket.
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### Author:  [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/13 "2005-06-30T00:15:24Z")
Comma splices annoy me, they really drive me up the wall because people need to understand that commas and periods are not the same damn thing.
(Yes, that was intentional.)
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### Author:  [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/14 "2005-06-30T00:33:13Z")
_tik dit da dit tik_ People on public transport who _tik dit da tik tik_ think that nobody else can _tik dit da tik tik sching tik tik_ hear their shitty loud walkman.
The fact that there are never TWO crying babies on a long haul flight. This would be better if it meant there would be none on the following flight. But no. One baby. Every. Single. Flight.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/15 "2005-06-30T00:35:48Z")
You know how when you come home and get out of your car, you press the button to lock it and arm the alarm?
My neighbor does this, then presses it to disarm it, then presses it again to arm it. As if he can’t really believe it happened the first time.
Every. Freakin’. Day.
Same time.
One of these days I’m going to shove his keys up his ass.
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### Author:  [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/16 "2005-06-30T00:35:56Z")
People who instead of saying “good-bye” or “have a nice day” say “Have a blessed day”
This is always irritated me.
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### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/17 "2005-06-30T00:46:06Z")
> [@congodwarf](#):
>
> My coworker is a very nice lady. I like her. But every time she answers the phone and says, “Happy Monday”, I want to rip her throat out.
[annoying receptionsit]Sounds like someone’s got a case of the _mondays_.[/annoying receptionist]
(sorry…I couldn’t resist)
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### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/18 "2005-06-30T00:53:52Z")
> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> My neighbor does this, then presses it to disarm it, then presses it again to arm it. As if he can’t really believe it happened the first time.
My mum routinely ‘tests’ the handle of the door she just locked. I just give up.
Ooooh, thought of one - people who double-click on _everything_
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### Author:  [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/19 "2005-06-30T02:38:55Z")
People who recite a telephone number like they’re in a race.
The number is…twofoursixonethreesevenone!
I can’t write that fast. Inevitably, I have to make them repeat it and THEN recite it back to them, just to make sure I got it correct. I feel stupid at the end of it all.
When people aren’t aware that they use the same phrases over and over. My boss, a nice guy, says “quite frankly” “such that” and “at any rate” at least six times in any given exchange. I sat in a presentation once where the woman kept saying “whatnot”.
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### Author:  [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocuous-things-people-do-that-irritate-you/310431/20 "2005-06-30T03:00:38Z")
It drives me right up a tree when people deliberately mispronounce words in an effort to be funny. Especially when the mispronunciation is an old joke, like saying “recipe” instead of “receipt,” “mercy buckets” instead of “_merci beaucoup_,” etc. And when some easily-amused moron laughs at the mispronunciation, thereby reinforcing the behaviour, I feel like throwing things. From up in the tree.
> [@Licentious Ectomorph](#):
>
> I have a friend who seethes inwardly when he’s a passenger in a car and the driver rests his hand on the gear shift. To his mind, you only touch the gear shift when you’re actually shifting; when done shifting, remove your hand. It is not a hand rest. He knows it’s ridiculous, but it can make a car trip downright miserable for him.
I don’t know about automatics, but with standards I believe that you could actually damage the shifting bits (sorry for the technical jargon) by habitually resting your hand on the gear shift. Something about the constant pressure. Anyway, my 2002 Nissan Sentra owner’s manual specifically tells me not to do that, so your friend might be justified. 🙂
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