# Things you notice that others don't. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 4, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439 "2009-02-04T17:47:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/21 "2009-02-04T20:02:43Z")
I notice when people change font size for no apparent reason and it really bugs the hell outa me ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/22 "2009-02-04T20:04:34Z")
Accents and dialectal differences in English. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/23 "2009-02-04T20:07:15Z")
> [@Dromish](#): > > I notice traffic flow at red-lights, and foot traffic in crosswalks. It drives me up the wall that some people will cross without looking to see if someone’s about to hit them or not. It also bugs me when someone doesn’t know when it’s OK for them to cross. Simple rules people! Why do you fault the pedestrians? Many times on foot I’ve been damn near ran down by a maniacal asshole driver even when I very clearly had a lit crosswalk. **That** bugs me. People who don’t know that pedestrians **always** have the right of way bug me. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/24 "2009-02-04T20:13:28Z")
Being left handed I always notice left handedness in others. Left handed girls are the hottest girls alive. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/25 "2009-02-04T20:16:44Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > This sounds really obvious, like something everybody would notice, but they don’t: changes in facial hair. It’s always surprising to me when I shave my beard or someone else shaves their’s and nobody seems to notice. Once you point it out they’ll often say “oh yeah… I thought something was different”… My dad always let his beard grow when we were on vacation. One day he shaved off just half his mustache as a joke, and swears it was lunchtime before any of us noticed! ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/26 "2009-02-04T20:17:28Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > I notice when people change font size for no apparent reason and it really bugs the hell outa me I am quite good at noticing that too. For example, did you know that some of your words have different font sizes? See. I told you I was good. > [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > They give better hand jobs when you’re driving > > Did you, by chance, grow up in North America? No, which in hindsight, is a bad thing. > [@Rigamarole](#): > > Why do you fault the pedestrians? Many times on foot I’ve been damn near ran down by a maniacal asshole driver even when I very clearly had a lit crosswalk. **That** bugs me. People who don’t know that pedestrians **always** have the right of way bug me. 😛 Let’s not get too flergbloob about this. While I agree that many (most) drivers need to re-take their tests. Pedestrians are not immune from blame. One thing my Driving instructor told me was “Watch out for people who dive out in front of you. Believe it or not there are people who will stand near a crossing with no apparant intention of crossing, then dart out when you’re too close to stop safely” Never happened to me yet, but I was warned. My rule of thumb as a driver is: Look for people walking towards the crossing and reduce speed until it is clear they are not going to cross. Rule of thumb as a pedestrian is, approach the crossing and look at the road both ways, if drivers are too close to stop _comfortably_ then assume they won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/27 "2009-02-04T20:18:56Z")
I can’t think of a famous hot female left hander. help. Strangely I know of the male ones - Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Bruce Willis, and so on. No female ones. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/28 "2009-02-04T20:22:36Z")
Our office is moving in two stages. Most cubicles have a sign designating their new cube number in the new building. Our admin just hung up signs for the rest of us: **Move date is schedule for Friday February 13, 2009** I had to make a new one for my cube. No way am I reading that for a frickin’ week. I am the worst at seeing spelling and grammar errors. It bugs the shit out of me. :: crossing fingers Gaudere’s Law doesn’t get me :: ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/29 "2009-02-04T20:29:49Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > This sounds really obvious, like something everybody would notice, but they don’t: changes in facial hair. It’s always surprising to me when I shave my beard or someone else shaves their’s and nobody seems to notice. Once you point it out they’ll often say “oh yeah… I thought something was different”. This is me - I regularly say things like “oh - nice new shoes” or “oh - nice new haircut” or whatever, and it seems like the usual reply is “you’re the FIRST person to notice - thank you!” and I am just kinda left 😕 - especially, say, when a woman gets bangs or a new hair color, or a guy gets a shirt with French cuffs and cufflinks - I mean, how can people NOT notice? Sure, I know in many cases, folks notice but don’t say anything - but, like you **Sampiro** , when I state “oh, nice new X” and then the person says “thank you for noticing” and THEN other folks in the meeting say “THAT’s what it is…” Oh, and, no surprise, I notice guitar stuff. It can freak people out when I ask them how long they’ve played Classical - because their right-hand nails are perfectly manicured and slightly long for picking. Or just guitar in general, when they have calluses on their fretting hand fingertips… ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/30 "2009-02-04T20:37:26Z")
I usually notice when an instrument or a recording isn’t tuned to A = 440 Hz. It bugs me. I cannot listen to Billy Joel’s album “Cold Spring Harbor,” or watch the “Stayin’ Alive” disco scene in _Airplane!_, or watch “Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl” because the taped sound is off-tune. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/31 "2009-02-04T21:08:56Z")
I notice that the pirates in that free credit report dot com commercial appear to be purposefully obscuring the price of the daily special on the chalkboard… Why is that anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/32 "2009-02-04T21:11:26Z")
I am always the first to notice the arrival of an elevator. If I’m blocked from entering by a group of people also waiting for said elevator, then almost invariably I have to watch them crane their necks to see which one lit up and went “ding” – then slowly realize that the door has been open for several seconds and is very likely to give up on us and go find passengers who pay attention. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/33 "2009-02-04T21:12:38Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > II notice when my sister is trying to manipulate me. That’s exactly what she wants you to think. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/34 "2009-02-04T21:34:05Z")
I notice lost gloves. I just happened to notice one on the road one day, now I can’t help but see them - so I’ve been collecting photos of them. I’m not sure if this really counts as ‘noticing’, but I look at plants out of the windows of cars and trains. I can identify most common field crops at quite a distance and can spot many wild species too (comes in handy with the whole wild food thing) ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/35 "2009-02-04T21:44:00Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I notice lost gloves. I just happened to notice one on the road one day, now I can’t help but see them - so I’ve been collecting photos of them. Oh that reminds me - I saw a lost glove outside a store the other day & took a picture of it for you! Now I just have to put it up somewhere… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/36 "2009-02-04T22:02:51Z")
Hehe. Thanks - if you email it to me, I’ll put it in the reader submissions gallery on my website. [http://www.atomicshrimp.com/st/content/lost\_gloves/](http://www.atomicshrimp.com/st/content/lost_gloves/) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/37 "2009-02-04T22:19:50Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > **Move date is > schedule for > Friday > February 13, > 2009** **Sorry for any inconvience.** I think the thing I notice the most is misuse of “he and I” and “he and me”. I have to say in my head what it should be so I don’t pick up any bad habits. And I always correct myself out loud when I err on those. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/38 "2009-02-04T23:02:30Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I am quite good at noticing that too. For example, did you know that some of your words have different font sizes? See. I told you I was good. Holy Crap !! You’re right Dam Me all to hell! ---
**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:** [February 4, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/39 "2009-02-04T23:42:29Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Being left handed I always notice left handedness in others. > > Left handed girls are the hottest girls alive. _bats left hand_ Oh you’re too kind. I notice nonverbal cues in people (including the, um, somewhat verbal cue, tone of voice.) I’m good at determining if someone is troubled even if they’re trying to hide it. I don’t really notice much else, to be honest. I’m not a very observant person. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-notice-that-others-dont/484439/40 "2009-02-04T23:44:16Z")
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