# Things You Shouldn't Have To Tell People **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 9, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320 "2010-02-09T19:57:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/201 "2010-03-11T18:18:45Z")
> [@Obsidian](#): > > (Of course, I would also think people would know not to wear flipflops to the opera, but apparently not) Actually, the opera companies I’ve seen express an opinion on the subject explicitly invite you to wear whatever you like. Of course, this doesn’t apply if you think flip-flops aren’t appropriate anywhere except for beaches and locker rooms. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/202 "2010-03-12T14:50:39Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Little background here? Sorry, I forgot to come back and answer this. Basically, in the middle of a demonstration, a Norwegian-born Muslim startled the crowd by getting up and speaking his mind about things the rest of the mostly Norwegian-born Muslim crowd didn’t agree with and didn’t expect to hear. Among other things, he said that in his opinion homosexuality should be punishable by death, and that Islam was incompatible with democracy because under Islam only Allah could make laws and democracy is about humans making laws. A day or two later his father went on record arguing that the newspapers were abridging his freedom of speech by being so critical of him :smack: Of course, that brings us to another thing we shouldn’t have to tell people: Your right to free speech is not abridged when other people disagree with you. No, not even if they’re rude about it. And on a much lighter note, I shouldn’t have to tell my young scholars that when the plagiarism detector (a.k.a. Bozo Filter) is activated on our “virtual learning environment” system, _it always checks Wikipedia._ So could they please stop acting surprised when it catches them copying from Wikipedia? ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/203 "2010-03-12T15:02:05Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > And on a much lighter note, I shouldn’t have to tell my young scholars that when the plagiarism detector (a.k.a. Bozo Filter) is activated on our “virtual learning environment” system, _it always checks Wikipedia._ So could they please stop acting surprised when it catches them copying from Wikipedia? Anyone try to argue yet, that they had updated Wikipedia after writing the paper (or before, and their post is their cite. 🙂 ), and therefore is not plagiarism in that they’ve not quoted _another’s_ work? ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/204 "2010-03-12T15:16:16Z")
Once for a not-very-important assignment in 8th grade US history I turned in a paper on John Adams that was mostly copy-pasted from Encarta, with just a few of the words changed. The teacher didn’t notice. This is only really notable because another kid in my class did his paper on John Adams as well, and he did the exact same thing. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/205 "2010-03-12T15:47:27Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > Anyone try to argue yet, that they had updated Wikipedia after writing the paper (or before, and their post is their cite. 🙂 ), and therefore is not plagiarism in that they’ve not quoted _another’s_ work? My young scholars aren’t quite that sharp. But if one of them tries it now, I’m going to accuse them of plagiarizing from you 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/206 "2010-03-12T18:36:51Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > Of course, that brings us to another thing we shouldn’t have to tell people: Your right to free speech is not abridged when other people disagree with you. No, not even if they’re rude about it. That reminds me of a great quote I read once, though I can’t remember who said it: “You have the right to say whatever you like. However, I am not required to provide you with a forum in which to say it.” ---
**Author:** ![may\_be\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@may\_be\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/may_be_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/207 "2010-03-13T00:53:37Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > Totally. > > That happened once while I was at the gas station filling up my husband’s car (well, he was my boyfriend at the time). This guy kept his boomboom music blaring while he filled up, so I took his most obnoxiously country CD and blared it. The guy in the boomboom car got out, started looking around and flipped me off. I was almost done, so I screamed “howdy!” finished up and as soon as I was out of earshot of the gas station, I turned that obnoxiously twangy crap off. > I personally think adults shouldn’t have to be told to chew with their mouth closed. I don’t want to know what you’re eating. If I did, I’d ask. You don’t need to show me. And I sure as hell don’t want to hear it. My gosh, thank you. People smacking their lips/making obnoxious slurping sounds/chewing with their mouth open really angers me. I am also totally disgusted and enraged when someone in public is eating something like a wild animal, and proceeds to lick their fingers. Unfortunately, I am also for some reason not only disgusted but angry when obiese people eat unhealthy food in front of me in public. I’m sorry, it’s nothing personal, I dont think. I really wish it didn’t bother me, but it does.. Oh well, it is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/208 "2010-03-13T04:48:46Z")
> [@may\_be\_ignorant](#): > > My gosh, thank you. People smacking their lips/making obnoxious slurping sounds/chewing with their mouth open really angers me. > > I am also totally disgusted and enraged when someone in public is eating something like a wild animal, and proceeds to lick their fingers. \<\\> I cannot stand the commercials for that yogurt that has 80 calories rather than 100. (Yeah, like that’ll make a big difference to your weight.) The blonde woman who stars in them should be kept in a zoo. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/209 "2010-03-13T07:06:14Z")
There are a considerable number of animal species whose night vision capabilities are on several magnitudes that much better than the human species. Given the opportunity to discuss and explain, I’m sure there are people whose own night vision is much better than the general population. If you are one of those truly blessed, good for you. You would have a much better chance to pass along those exquisite genes if you turned on your headlights by following a simple clue; if you observe other drivers with headlights on, turn yours on, too, please. Just because you can see does not mean people can see you. There is a reason why many states (most? all?) require drivers turn on headlights from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/210 "2010-03-13T07:10:21Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > \<\\> I cannot stand the commercials for that yogurt that has 80 calories rather than 100. (Yeah, like that’ll make a big difference to your weight.) The blonde woman who stars in them should be kept in a zoo. That blonde woman is Heidi Klum. And I hope that all of her four cherubic little children are imitating her daily and making her life miserable. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/211 "2010-03-13T07:52:27Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Just because you can see does not mean people can see you. Indeed. A surprising number of people don’t realize that headlights really do more for other people seeing you rather than helping you see. On the open highway or on rural roads, sure, you need them to see. In town, where there are plenty of streetlights, they don’t do much for you … except let everybody else see you coming\*. - I know this because I went a very long time with no driver’s license or car, and found I could see where I was going just fine while bicycling to or from work in the dark. That little headlight on my bike was so other people could see me, cuz it didn’t do a damn thing to light my path. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/212 "2010-03-13T08:18:08Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > No, this is not an excuse. If your nose is running in a restaurant, you get up, and you go and you blow your nose in the foyer or the restroom. **If spicy food affects you in that fashion, then don’t eat it in public**. Do not ever, ever, _ever_ inflict the sound of your _mucous_ on other people in a restaurant, ever. I don’t care why your nose is running when you’re in the booth behind me, I don’t want to be put off of my food, whether you have a cold, sinusitis or it’s because you just _had_ to get the kung pao. Get the food to go and do your unsanitary mid-meal nose-blowing in the privacy of your own home. You should see the fun shapes I can make hocking loogies directly into the water glasses of other diners. Because, you know, that’s germologically equivalent to me taking 3 seconds to quietly exhale through my nose, into a muffled tissue in a busy restaurant, with just barely enough force to provide a break in the sniffles. Exactly the same. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/213 "2010-03-13T09:08:15Z")
I think the issue has less to do with germs than it has to do with the sounds of people blowing their noses or hacking and coughing having a negative effect on the appetites of those around them. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/214 "2010-03-13T09:45:28Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > No, this is not an excuse. If your nose is running in a restaurant, you get up, and you go and you blow your nose in the foyer or the restroom. **If spicy food affects you in that fashion, then don’t eat it in public**. Do not ever, ever, _ever_ inflict the sound of your _mucous_ on other people in a restaurant, ever. I don’t care why your nose is running when you’re in the booth behind me, I don’t want to be put off of my food, whether you have a cold, sinusitis or it’s because you just _had_ to get the kung pao. Get the food to go and do your unsanitary mid-meal nose-blowing in the privacy of your own home. You’ve gone beyond propriety with this one. If somebody has a natural affliction and you don’t, you do not have any right to tell them not to do something just because it bothers you. The sound doesn’t really harm you, and, if the person is not sick, the germs will not be any worse than just having that person in the room. While it is true that a lot of these annoying things are because someone is being selfish, a lot of times, you being annoyed is actually your own selfishness. IF you aren’t harmed, and the person is trying to be accommodating, then you’re the one with the problem. And that’s something that shouldn’t have to be said, either. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/215 "2010-03-13T12:54:40Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > \<\\> I cannot stand the commercials for that yogurt that has 80 calories rather than 100. (Yeah, like that’ll make a big difference to your weight.) The blonde woman who stars in them should be kept in a zoo. is that the one where she grabs it, rips it open, shoves the opening into her mouth and horks it down? I detest that commercial … what ever happened to the food porn style of lovingly fellating a spoon dripping with white gooy yoghurt? ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/216 "2010-03-15T06:14:57Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > You’ve gone beyond propriety with this one. If somebody has a natural affliction and you don’t, you do not have any right to tell them not to do something just because it bothers you. I’m not saying that they shouldn’t attend to their runny noses during their meal, I’m saying that they shouldn’t do it where others have to hear it. If that means confining their meal to their home, or if it means excusing themselves from the table is irrelevant. It’s about being polite, it’s the same concept as covering your mouth if you have to belch, and saying excuse me afterward. You don’t inflict the sounds of your mucous and phlegm and gas upon other people _unnecessarily_. Since eating in a restaurant has not yet become obligatory, blowing one’s nose at a restaurant dining table would qualify as unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/217 "2010-03-15T17:19:57Z")
I get that many people do not realize how long you should wash your hands to kill most germs; however, it flabbergasts me that a sign is required to tell people how to wash their hands. You know, the sign that has pictures of someone first wetting their hands, squirting soap on their hands, scrubbing then rinsing? From what I’ve seen in my travels, people wash their hands more or less the same way everywhere, even though the frequency and thoroughness may vary. I should not have to advise people I work with that perhaps it’s not a good idea to espouse one’s personal political beliefs, particularly when you use the words, “grab your guns and head for the hills,” when speaking with a reporter. And I wonder how many times I’ll have to yell, “Duck!” to my husband when he’s running down the stairs to the basement. We’ve only lived in our house four years; you’d think he’d remember that he hits his head almost every single time he runs down the stairs. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/218 "2010-03-15T17:23:10Z")
> [@may\_be\_ignorant](#): > > I am also totally disgusted and enraged when someone in public is eating something like a wild animal, and proceeds to lick their fingers. I agree with you to for the most part about this, though I do think there are some situations in which finger licking is warranted: for example, if you’re eating at an Indian restaurant and using naan instead of a fork. However, I hate, hate, hate hearing loud mouth noises. I get that people have to chew and that I’ll hear a certain amount of noise when they do; however, it makes me nuts when I hear _slop, slop, slop_ or see someone’s mouth hanging open. It makes me think I’m going to see food falling out at any moment. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/219 "2010-03-15T19:28:24Z")
> [@Maiira](#): > > -Read signs. They’re there to help you. I promise. Also, when I catch you doing something you shouldn’t (which would have been avoided had you read the sign) your telling me “well, I don’t READ signs” does not make you look like a savvy, well-read individual–it makes you look like an idiot. The proper response to this one is “You know, there are Adult Literacy programs to help you with that problem.” ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320/220 "2010-03-15T19:55:22Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Getting an idea for an invention - pants with blinkers on the bum. Causes me to get a little queasy when I think about how the stop-light on that would work… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-shouldnt-have-to-tell-people/528320.md?page=12)