# Things that infuriate you well beyond their actual importance **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 4, 2024, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712 "2024-09-04T02:18:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 87
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1721 "2025-06-03T19:33:47Z")
I say car loan, car insurance, windshield repair place. Shrug. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1722 "2025-06-03T20:55:52Z")
There’s a recycling bin in the break room / kitchenette in my office. When I go to throw a soda can or whatever in there, I frequently notice someone is putting paper towels in the recycling bin. The recycling bin is right next to the garbage can, so I don’t think this is a case of someone just throwing their trash into the first bin they come to without paying attention to what it’s for; they’d have to reach past the trash can to put them in the recycling. I think someone is purposely putting paper towels in the recycling, and therefor I think someone in the office thinks paper towels are recyclable (to my knowledge, they are not). ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1723 "2025-06-03T21:30:51Z")
What’s acceptable for recycling varies a whole lot from place to place; but clean ones I would think would be recyclable paper. But dirty ones I don’t think are. And why would somebody be throwing out clean paper towels, especially routinely? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1724 "2025-06-04T14:25:47Z")
Down here, the Solid Waste Division specifically states that they do NOT want pizza boxes in the recycling bin because they are greasy and dirty (the boxes, not the Solid Waste Division). So I put mine in the garbage. Someone occasionally takes it out and puts in the recycling bin. So, not only am I getting annoyed about it being put in the bin, but someone else is getting annoyed about it being in the garbage. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1725 "2025-06-04T14:38:59Z")
Actually, dealerships don’t call them cars either. Nor autos. Nor trucks. Nor SUVs. They say “vehicle.” No matter what model you’re looking at, it’s always a “vehicle.” ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1726 "2025-06-04T15:13:16Z")
Some of the reason for the confusion is composting. I’m supposed to recycle clean paper, plastic and metal , not pizza boxes or paper towels. But they don’t go into regular trash - food stained paper goes into the (mandatory) compost container along with food scraps and yard waste. Technically, it might not be recycling but a lot of people don’t really make that distinction. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1727 "2025-06-04T15:41:57Z")
Yeah, it varies a lot with where you are. Here they don’t take compostables – but it’s a rural area and a lot of people (me included) have their own. I think you can also get a separate compost pickup service, run by a small private company. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1728 "2025-06-04T15:45:29Z")
For a while now, Domino’s has been claiming that their pizza boxes _are_ recyclable. [![](https://media.dominos.com/content/images/story_recycling-pizza-boxes_inline.jpg) ](https://media.dominos.com/content/images/story_recycling-pizza-boxes_inline.jpg) [https://recycling.dominos.com/faqs](https://recycling.dominos.com/faqs) [https://www.fastcompany.com/90530442/your-old-pizza-box-isnt-actually-too-greasy-to-recycle](https://www.fastcompany.com/90530442/your-old-pizza-box-isnt-actually-too-greasy-to-recycle) ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1729 "2025-06-04T15:51:13Z")
Our recycling program says pizza boxes go in the recycling. The next town says they go in the trash. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1730 "2025-06-04T15:56:53Z")
If I get a stuffed crust pepperoni pizza oozing grease, that pizza box is going in the trash. If I get a thin crust veggie pizza that doesn’t leave a big mess in the box, that can go in recycling. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1731 "2025-06-04T16:17:35Z")
We can either put pizza boxes in the trash or in the yard waste bin. Such freedom. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1732 "2025-06-05T12:26:27Z")
This is not infuriating, just confusing. My Wifes two best friends are named Lisa One of my best friends is named Lisa My Wifes boss is name Lisa The realtor selling our house is of course, named… Lisa That’s 5 Lisa’s that are in our lives and involved with us daily. I just can’t keep it straight. Leads to conversations like this - “My Lisa, your Lisa or our Lisa?” When I mention my friend I always say “My Lisa”. My Wife can’t do that, she has 3. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1733 "2025-06-05T20:28:02Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > I frequently notice someone is putting paper towels in the recycling bin. The recycling bin is right next to the garbage can, so I don’t think this is a case of someone just throwing their trash into the first bin they come to without paying attention to what it’s for; they’d have to reach past the trash can to put them in the recycling. I think someone is purposely putting paper towels in the recycling, and therefor I think someone in the office thinks paper towels are recyclable (to my knowledge, they are not). No, I saw that in my last job- people just put trash in the recycle bin- and recyclables in the trash bin, as they are lazy and ignorant. However, clean paper is recyclable out here, > [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Down here, the Solid Waste Division specifically states that they do NOT want pizza boxes in the recycling bin because they are greasy and dirty (the boxes, not the Solid Waste Division). So I put mine in the garbage. Someone occasionally takes it out and puts in the recycling bin. So, not only am I getting annoyed about it being put in the bin, but someone else is getting annoyed about it being in the garbage. Down here they said to put them in the green waste bin, now, ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1734 "2025-06-05T23:24:43Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > My Wifes two best friends are named Lisa > One of my best friends is named Lisa > My Wifes boss is name Lisa > The realtor selling our house is of course, named… Lisa > > That’s 5 Lisa’s that are in our lives and involved with us daily. I just can’t keep it straight. > > Leads to conversations like this - “My Lisa, your Lisa or our Lisa?” Eight people in the family with my husband’s first and last name. At least that many Marias. Then there are all the people whose names are variations on the same name. My husband’s problem is solved by using first and middle name. With the Marias it’s a bit more complicated, as some of them are Marias by marriage, some are cousins, others divorced but are still in the family (because they married their cousin) and yet others married back _into_ the family, so a given Maria’s last name will not necessarily be a good clue of which Maria they are, if that makes any sense. Because there’s a Maria X, a Maria Y, a Maria Z, and all the families X, Y and Z are related and there’s been intermarrying. Also the Maria that divorced and is still in the family married a man with the same name as her ex-husband’s brother, so it’s not enough to say his first name, either – you have to specify which one he is. This once caused me great consternation. Now that I know who everyone is, it amuses me more than it infuriates me, and what amuses me more was what happened when the grandparents flew everyone to Italy and all of these people had to go through customs. I used to complain about the weddings they have with 400-500 people until I talked to my Aunt Maria (which one? Guess!) and she showed me a photo of her wedding - 2,000 people. My worst nightmare. And I bet there were like, only six names among the lot of them! ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1735 "2025-06-06T00:23:54Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Eight people in the family with my husband’s first and last name. Let me guess - he’s Italian, isn’t he? Can’t even distinguish them by Uncle Joe or Cousin Stephanie because there are multiple people with the same name and relationship. ETA Just noticed the grandmother flew them to Italy - but I knew from the naming. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1736 "2025-06-06T11:43:54Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > This once caused me great consternation. Sometimes context helps, sometimes, not so much. When I hear the name Lisa, I listen very closely, If I can’t figure it out, it’s “Wait, Lisa who?” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1737 "2025-06-06T14:45:35Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Eight people in the family with my husband’s first and last name. I’ve never really understood this. Doesn’t it kind of defeat the purpose of having names if multiple people have the exact same name? ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1738 "2025-06-06T15:18:59Z")
It’s a naming tradition, which is not followed so much anymore and doesn’t have much to do with distinguishing people within the family . First son is named for the paternal grandfather, first daughter for the paternal grandmother. Then come maternal grandparents. Only then do other names get chosen. It’s not always the original Italian version that is used- so my great-grandfather Giuseppe’s namesakes are mostly named Joseph. But he had a son and at least five grandsons named Joseph , three of whom had the same last name. You tell them apart by using middle names or nicknames - this one is Joseph Anthony, that one is Joe, this one is Pepe and the other one is Joey. Or by their mother or wife’s name. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1739 "2025-06-06T20:53:53Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Doesn’t it kind of defeat the purpose of having names if multiple people have the exact same name? And look, I have the same first and last name of my Father- but a different middle- but still I had many issues with credit and such with people mixing me up with my dad. Junior, II, III ect will have it even worse. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712/1740 "2025-06-06T21:15:47Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And look, I have the same first and last name of my Father- but a different middle- but still I had many issues with credit and such with people mixing me up with my dad. Junior, II, III ect will have it even worse. Worked with a guy named Henry III . He went by Trip. For the longest times I though maybe he was conceived at Woodstock. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712.md?page=86) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-infuriate-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1006712.md?page=88)