About 3 years ago, I was working an interim job at a local gym (big chain operation here in Alaska). There were several regulars who were always wandering out 10, 15, 30 minutes after closing.
Hint. Closing time means that’s when you should be walking out the door, NOT finishing up your last set and heading to the locker room to relax in the steam room.
We also had several very rude women who not only stayed late, but would sprinkle strong scented oils on the steam mechanism in the steam room (not everyone can handle this on their skin). This despite the fact that several other members had complained about them (some to their face) and the fact that it was posted very clearly that this was not allowed.
We, the managers, were the ones who got to hear about people who were having skin issues thanks to these rude women and they (the ones who used the oils) had the audacity to act as if WE were the ones being rude when we came in and sprayed off the steam mechanism to rid it of the oils.
We were always very polite about it and acted as if it must have been someone before they came in, we never accused anyone of putting the oil there. We’d just say “oh we got a call from the locker room, someone must have left some oil there before you got in here, sorry this will just take a moment” or something to that effect. Didn’t matter, this highly entitled little group would have a hissy fit never mind that their fellow members paid the same as they did, and were just as entitled to a decent gym going experience.
This is why I don’t work in the service industry, too many idiots amongst the customer base.
I agree with you. In fact, I can’t stand people reading anything over my shoulder. I don’t care if it’s Yahoo frickin’ News. Subtle hints never really help with that sort of person, so I usually end up having to tell them to knock it off.
I HATE having to do the hug thing. I prefer not to be touched other than a handshake. All my friends, however, insist on hug and a kiss (no kiss for men). When we visit my in-laws it’s TWICE as bad. I have to do that weird euro-latin kiss on the cheek thing. I’m just not down with that.
For that matter, I hate many common internetisms: LOL, RFLMAO, “Inorite?”, “Amirite?”
I hate textisms such as “NE1” and “ur”. Spell out the damned word, people. It’s not that hard.
I hate it when people drive slowly in the fast lane.
I hate it when salespeople insist on using my first name liberally (I don’t much like my first name, and having it thrown at me constantly will do nothing but lose you a sale). I reserve a special place in hell for supermarket clerks who make a depressing and incorrect attempt to call me by name and mangle the pronunciation. This is worse because I know they can get in trouble for not doing it, and thus I don’t feel justified in yelling at them about it).
I hate people who refer to me as “Mrs. <spouse’s last name, which I don’t use>,” or worse, "Mrs. <spouse’s first name and last name, which I never use>. Or “Mrs.” anything, for that matter.
I hate it when people expect me to be interested in babies, small children, or anything related to them.
On the other hand, I adore cats.
I’m going to third or fourth or fifth the not moving out of doorways/stairwells, etc. I’m going to reserve an extra special spot in Hell for those who do this in front of escalators or revolving doors. Mrs. D_Odds and Li’l D_Odds got an earful when they did this to me yesterday. I was kind enough not to leave my footprint on their backs…this time.
On the supermarket theme, idiots who block aisles. It isn’t much effort, especially in the larger mega-markets, to ensure people have room to pass.
I would also like to pit the 80 year old bitch, taking her 100 year old friend/mother/whatever to the beauty shop about two weeks ago. Did you have to park one inch from my bumper. I was stuck for an hour because I couldn’t move my car. There was ample room in front of your car, before the next car (which was there when I parked). The car behind me had the hydrant at his/her back, so s/he could have escaped if need be. Me, I had nothing. I always envision people like that being the first to complain about how inconsiderate everyone is.
Weather forecasters who are not meteorologists, just pretty faces reading whatever drivel is put in front of them. Even worse is when they try to pretend they understand what is happening when a storm actually occurs.
People in the office who wait until they see you going by when you’re going somewhere else and in an obvious hurry to decide that they need to talk to you about something THAT HAS TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW!
I will walk by someone’s office, and it goes like this
AttentionDeficitDisorderFellowEmployee: plynck, we need to talk about somethingwickedfuckingimportant
plynck: I’m on my way to…
ADDFE: I’ve been meaning to get hold of you all day, but I got tied up.
p: I’ll stop by on my way back…
ADDFE: It’ll just take a minute.
p: I just told ThoughtfulFellowEmployee that I was on my way…
ADDFE: TFE can wait, this is important!
I’ve got to that point with seniority and with attitude that I will agree with them that it will only take a minute. It just won’t be this minute.
There are telephones. There is email. And, if these are too challenging, there is nothing wrong with saying “plynck, would you stop by on your way back?”
Agreed. Restaurants ought to post two closing times. One when they stop seating new customers and one when they expect everyone to clear out. And it’s inappropriate to run a vacuum in the dining room while there are people dining there (absent some acute mess). Failing two times posted, I expect to be served as long as I show up before the listed closing time.
I went to a Chinese restaurant one time with 35 minutes left before closing, and they were already stacking chairs up on the tables. They were reluctant to even let us order for take out. WTF?
I fucking hate when people do this. Yes, I buy an expensive, large $2.00 cup of Starbucks coffee every day. Yes, I know you have free coffee in the kitchen.
Why do I do it?
I do it because your free coffee in the kitchen sometimes tastes like tepid dishwater, sometimes like the cyrelean blue Van Gogh used, and sometimes like melted semi-truck tires. At least when I buy $2.00 Starbucks, I can be sure that my coffee will taste like melted semi-truck tires every time and actually be what I like.
As far as I’m concerned, if there’s one time posted, it’s the last seating. If it says they’re open until 10:00, then I expect to be able to walk in at 9:59 and sit down to eat. If they expect everyone to be out the door at 10:00, then they should post their closing time as 9:00.
A lot of this is the fault of management. They’ll get on to the employees/shift manager if the employees are in the store (on the clock) for too long after close. It pretty much forces the employees to start their closing work early or leave it half undone when the shift manager orders them to clock out. Then, of course, they get in trouble for not getting their work done. Damned if you do; damned if you don’t.
That’s ridiculous. Hours posted are by default the hours a business is open. Your viewpoint seems to be a real stretch, and if I was a restauranteur and you pulled that 9:59 stuff I’d ask you to leave and couldn’t care less if you never came back.
Bars close at 4:00 am where I live. You cannot walk in at 3:59 and ask for a beer and nuts. Closing time is close of business, as in “no more transactions”.
So how come your first paragraph disagrees with me (and denigrates me), but your last sentence agrees with me?
Yes, closing time should be “we’re not doing any more transactions after this time.” That’s when the last order should go into the kitchen.
Think about it for a minute. If you’re looking for a place to eat, what’s more important to you: how late they’ll serve you, or what time you have to leave? If there’s only one time in the window, it should be how late you can go in and order a meal.
I hate it when I’m with a friend and someone they know comes up and says hi to my friend, engages them in conversation, whatever, and doesn’t greet me or even acknowledge my existence.
Fortunately, I have a line tailor-made for the occasion. “Hi there! I’m another living human being.”
Being a frequent watcher of televised sporting events, I have a few peeves relating to such:
First of all, if I’m watching a (American) football game, chances are that I am aware of the fact that it is, in fact, a football game and not a Latvian Ballerina Roller Derby or something. However, I’ve noticed that analysts of football, more so than analysts of any other sport, will CONSTANTLY use the word “football” when they’re talking, as in:
Dirk: So how do the Colts get back into this football game, Fred?
Fred: Well, Dirk, I think the key is that Peyton Manning is an outstanding football player. He throws the football very well. He’s got very high football IQ. And he’s got a lot of people who can catch the football, as well.
Dirk: Well, they certainly have to hold onto the football and run the football if they want to win this football game, and -
AAARRRGGHHH, you can stop saying “football”, you morons, I get it already. Holy Touchdown Jesus on a goalpost.
Second, if you’re getting paid the megabucks to sit there in a suit during the halftime report and impart your words of wisdom to the viewing audience, can you maybe say something more profound than, “the Steelers have GOT to score more points if they want to win.” Score more points…than the other team…to win? OMFG, did that just blow your mind?!?
And finally, I grow weary when the color analysts start playing armchair coach during the game. “Why don’t they play zone? They should really play zone. I don’t know why they don’t just play zone”, etc. etc. Billy Packer seems to be an extreme offender in this category.
