# Pet Peeves only you have **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 7, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001 "2018-04-07T21:32:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/223 "2018-04-17T14:42:10Z")
Me too. I’ve worked in two different dishrooms and they had different ways of sorting the silverware: one made you sort it before it went through the Hobart at all because in the end result was cups of sorted silver, whereas the other only sorted when they had been through the Hobart several times because that avoided silver of the same type spooning (!) each other and thus preventing the liquid from hitting everywhere on them. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/224 "2018-04-17T15:05:29Z")
One thing drives me crazy, but everyone else seems to tolerate or not notice When I’m done eating at a restaurant, I want to be able to request the check and pay. However, in many places, especially upscale or snootier places (I notice it most in NYC and Europe), I get great service from the moment I enter until the last plate is removed. At that point, the server disappears and refuses to make eye contact. They run around the restaurant doing all kinds of stupid stuff, but don’t even give me a chance to request the check. I don’t mind a 2 hour meal, I don’t mind a 5 hour meal, but for gods sake, when the meal is over, it’s over. I want to leave. Just got back from Europe, where we had two or three extremely bad experiences with this. I’m talking 20 or 30 minutes, which we would rather spend walking around the city than waiting to pay. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/225 "2018-04-17T16:33:56Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > When I’m done eating at a restaurant, I want to be able to request the check and pay… I’ve been known to pack my stuff up and put my coat on. If it looks like you might leave without the check, it magically appears. One time I stopped at the cash register on my way out and watched the server rush up and say “Oh, I haven’t written up any checks in a while, let me find yours, just a second!” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/226 "2018-04-17T16:41:45Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I’ve mentioned several times on these boards about my absolutely abhorrence for those little wooden paddles people eat ice cream with. They make me shudder. If I see someone using them, I either have to move or stop what I’m doing and get them a real spoon. Along these lines, I know someone who likes to eat ice cream by first putting a bite in her mouth with a spoon, then taking that bite back out of her mouth again, then putting it back in again (having only imbibed the surface layers of the ice cream.) She would repeat and repeat. I just could not stand it for some reason, it was terrible. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/227 "2018-04-17T17:02:05Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I’ve mentioned several times on these boards about my absolutely abhorrence for those little wooden paddles people eat ice cream with. They make me shudder. If I see someone using them, I either have to move or stop what I’m doing and get them a real spoon. Ok, that \*is \*pretty unique. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/228 "2018-04-17T17:33:18Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Along these lines, I know someone who likes to eat ice cream by first putting a bite in her mouth with a spoon, then taking that bite back out of her mouth again, then putting it back in again (having only imbibed the surface layers of the ice cream.) She would repeat and repeat. I just could not stand it for some reason, it was terrible. Many of these peeves could be right out of Seinfeld. Specifically, they fit the category Picky Reasons Jerry Breaks Up With Women. I’m picturing a scene with the woman saying “Mmmm…” as she takes the ice cream back out of her mouth, cut to reaction shot(s) of Jerry looking grossed out. Then cut to… \*\* – Diner, the next morning – George puts down paper, looking astonished. George: “She… took it out?” Jerry: “She took it out.” George: “She… put it in…” Jerry: “She put it in.” George: “THEN. She took it out again.” Jerry: “Then she took it out again.” George (shakes head in disbelief): “And then. _Then,_ she put it back in…” Jerry (shrugs):_"Then,_ she put it back in…" George: “Multiple…” Jerry: “Oh, _multiple_ times.” George: “So, are you going to see her agai…” Jerry: “Ohhhh, noooooo…” George picks up paper. George: “Well, that’s a shame…”\*\* ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/229 "2018-04-18T01:15:23Z")
It’s becoming more and more common to refer to people as “that” instead of “who”. He’s the man that stole my shoes. instead of He’s the man who stole my shoes. It hurts my head. Forget “who” versus “whom”. That battle is lost. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/230 "2018-04-18T01:44:29Z")
fruit labels. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/231 "2018-04-18T11:39:07Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I’ve mentioned several times on these boards about my absolutely abhorrence for those little wooden paddles people eat ice cream with. They make me shudder. If I see someone using them, I either have to move or stop what I’m doing and get them a real spoon. Not the most efficient things in the world but they are bio-degradable, unlike the plastic variety. Other than the possibility of a sliver in the tongue, I have no problem with them. I have another: not being able to see what I’m typing when I put a password in. I never have anyone near me when I enter it, I’d prefer to see it because sometimes I’ll fat finger the wrong key and not realize it. What Windows needs is a setting for “never conceal a password”. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/232 "2018-04-18T12:13:43Z")
I like what some smartphones and websites are doing now - show just the character you just typed to make sure you didn’t fatfinger it (especially crucial on a smartphone) and then conceal it. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/233 "2018-04-18T14:42:05Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I’ve mentioned several times on these boards about my absolutely abhorrence for those little wooden paddles people eat ice cream with. They make me shudder. If I see someone using them, I either have to move or stop what I’m doing and get them a real spoon. Have to agree with you on this one. Those wooden spoons have always given me a nails on chalkboard reaction. As much as I lurv me some ice cream even as a kid if I was offered some with a wooden spoon I would have to pass. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/234 "2018-04-18T14:56:46Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Have to agree with you on this one. Those wooden spoons have always given me a nails on chalkboard reaction. As much as I lurv me some ice cream even as a kid if I was offered some with a wooden spoon I would have to pass. Those wooden ice cream spoons repel me too. I think that they somehow remind me of those wooden tongue depressors that the doctor used to shove down my throat when I was a kid. No thank you. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/235 "2018-04-18T15:02:27Z")
To me, those wooden spoons are reminiscent of the disgusting “ice cream” (read: frozen milk and a little bit of sugar) that we had in elementary school. Utterly disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/236 "2018-04-18T22:43:49Z")
Whereas, when I see them, I think Honey Hut ice cream, which is better than most (I think they might only be in Cleveland). Mind you, if I’m eating a Honey Hut, I still prefer to use a real spoon, but sometimes the little paddle is all that’s available. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/237 "2018-04-19T00:04:24Z")
This business with little wooden paddle spoons reminds me - I _hate_ the texture of wood. If it’s polished and lacquered that’s okay, but if I can actually feel the wood itself, _hell_ no. And it’s ten times worse if the wood is in my mouth. So no, no wooden paddle spoons - I won’t even eat a popsicle if the stick is wood. Or anything else if the stick is wood. I can barely tolerate handling a wood shish-ke-bob, and will only do so if I can get the meat off it without it touching my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/238 "2018-04-19T00:28:56Z")
I especially dislike the taste of wood, but lacquer will disguise both the texture and taste of wood. I especially dislike the fag ends of a popsicle because you might taste the wood when you’re shiggling off the remnants from the stick. For some reason I’ve never had to eat any non-stick based dairy product with a stick but I suspect I would dislike that as well. I don’t mind tasting a bit of the wood when you’re roasting marshmallows but I don’t crave it either. I also don’t mind tasting some cookie dough from a wooden stirring spoon but I suspect that they’ve long had the wood taste cleaned out of them in the washing cycle, whereas popsicle sticks are made from new wood each time and then thrown out. I dislike American wood when any sort of alcohol has been aged in it. I prefer Burgundy wine for that reason since it is aged in European oak which has a mellower taste to it. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/239 "2018-04-19T05:13:18Z")
The wooden paddles remind me of going to the movies as a child, where I used them with those little cups of ice cream. My favorite was the vanilla with the chocolate syrup swirl. ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/240 "2018-04-19T11:08:55Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > One thing drives me crazy, but everyone else seems to tolerate or not notice > > When I’m done eating at a restaurant, I want to be able to request the check and pay. However, in many places, especially upscale or snootier places (I notice it most in NYC and Europe), I get great service from the moment I enter until the last plate is removed. At that point, the server disappears and refuses to make eye contact. They run around the restaurant doing all kinds of stupid stuff, but don’t even give me a chance to request the check. I don’t mind a 2 hour meal, I don’t mind a 5 hour meal, but for gods sake, when the meal is over, it’s over. I want to leave. Just got back from Europe, where we had two or three extremely bad experiences with this. I’m talking 20 or 30 minutes, which we would rather spend walking around the city than waiting to pay. That‘s one of my main peeves too, but I am suprised you encountered it outside of Germany. Drives me up the wall, because I am loth to address waiters without eye contact having been made first. German waiters have a knack to walk from the kitchen, to table, to table, to table, and back to the kitchen while either having their back to me or taking to someone all the time. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/241 "2018-04-19T11:48:00Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > That‘s one of my main peeves too, but I am suprised you encountered it outside of Germany. Yep, I mentioned a similar thing earlier in this thread. In my case, it was in Hungary (elsewhere, as well, but most my time was there). We even joked about needed a flare gun to get the attention of the servers once the last bit of food/drink had been dropped. It was so unlike the experience of other American expats, where back home rapid table turnover is expected/desired. That said, after a few months or year or so, I got used to it and quite enjoyed not feeling rushed out the door after I finished my meal. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001/242 "2018-04-19T12:07:53Z")
I’ve never eaten at a sit-down restaurant in mainland Europe so if I ever do I’ll be prepared for the worst (wurst?). It’s bad enough in America, geesh! Especially since I dine alone and don’t have anything to do afterward at the table especially if the restaurant doesn’t have wi-fi. I’ve only eaten 3 times at sit-down restaurants in England and they seem prompt with the check but that might have been an anomaly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeves-only-you-have/812001.md?page=13)