# Trivial Things that annoy you **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 14, 2018, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627 "2018-01-14T20:53:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/161 "2018-01-18T02:20:46Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > I frequent a gardening forum, and one of the most prolific and generally knowledgeable posters writes “Like” this; “Random” words in scare quotes, with the first “Letter” capitalised. There’s at “Least” one in “Every” sentence. Even his “User” name features one. […] The 7-11 around the corner from me has a sign that says: No public restrooms. “Sorry” ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/162 "2018-01-18T05:17:51Z")
It irritates me when people mispronounce mischievous and plantain. Mischievous does not have a vowel that produces a long E sound after the V. Quit pronouncing it as if it does! Plantain’s last syllable is the same as in mountain, I’m certain. I’m talking to you, Alton! All the dictionaries say so for both words. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/163 "2018-01-18T06:51:47Z")
Photographers and film directors who have no idea how to use a vintage microphone. The last is especially bad because there are sound people on the set who have to be grinding their teeth. Last night, I saw an otherwise enjoyable documentary about Rose Marie called _Wait For Your Laugh_. She had been in show business since she was four years old, and they had a bunch of reenactments. Fine. But this pinhead of a director had the classic [RCA 44BX](http://www.apb.org/images/44BX-Side.jpg) positioned so the actors were speaking into the **end** of it. It’s a “side address” microphone. [Here’s\* Laugh-In\* announcer Gary Owens using one properly.](https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2015/43/142565032_1423866454.jpg) It’s as stupid as holding a hammer by the head and trying to drive nails with the handle. A Google Image search of “vintage microphone singer” will produce a whole bunch of models holding the old Shure “potato masher” microphone wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/164 "2018-01-18T07:03:00Z")
> [@Scambleshanks](#): > > when imperial measures on containers are converted exactly to metric, such as when a can of shaving gel of 7 oz is converted to 198 g instead of 200 g. The same thing with temperatures in what’s supposed to be casual conversation: “he had a fever of almost 104ºF!” You left out the decimals, Mr. or Mrs. Translator. ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/165 "2018-01-18T08:21:02Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > It irritates me when people mispronounce mischievous and plantain. Mischievous does not have a vowel that produces a long E sound after the V. I am confused when dictionaries show one thing and native people pronounce something else. But then I remember language is a dynamic process. ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/166 "2018-01-18T08:31:08Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > We’re MEN…and we **SNEEZE LIKE MEN!** I think there are women who sneeze ‘like men’ too. I used to really hate those scream-like sneezes, but then I grew up and started ‘performing’ them as well. Once I tried to stifle one and it hurt like the dickens. ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/167 "2018-01-18T08:46:19Z")
I guess there are trivial things annoying everybody. After getting my driving license, I noticed my changed self when I sat behind the wheel and tried to beat the traffic, and I didn’t really like the transformation. That’s when I decided not to let trivial things get to me. Soon and with a little self-education, it worked for big things too. What I do is whenever I sense that my blood begins to boil I gaze out the window slightly skywards and literally enjoy the view. A feeling that life is ultimately beautiful ensues and I manage to focus on only what really matters. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/168 "2018-01-18T14:59:12Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Also, why does Target have 20 cash registers along the front of the store but they never have more than two or three open? Yes! Just when I get ready to check out, up pops 5 more cash registers open! Pickle infested diner food baskets that you told the waitress “NO PICKLE” but get it anyway. I dont like dill pickles. I dont want dill pickle taste on my fries. Husbands who do not set the toilet seat down once he is done standing at the front of the thing! (So much more husband things) Specially made unofficial Christmas shopping day for your little town in which the stores are not open on the weekends nor weekday evenings. Bitch all you want townies but you cant expect shoppers is you dont provide the hours for us to shop locally! Local news that report “breaking news” and then never have a follow up story. Grocery items that get packaged smaller and the price stays the same or is increased, we aren’t suppose to notice and they think we’re too stupid to notice Cashiers who have no idea how to bag groceries, I guess they are to move quickly but criminy. Lets put a 2 liter bottle of pop in with a couple loaves of bread. Or put two loaves of bread in a plastic bag… Anyone ANYWHERE that does not follow up on customer service problems. People who work with numbers that are important to the people who are receiving the money (in any form-mostly paychecks) that dont DOUBLE check the numbers! > [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Grocery store checkout, or any store with lines waiting for cashiers: > > Then they flip open their checkbook (remember checkbooks?), and in the **slowest possible handwriting possible** begin to painstakingly write out > > - the store’s full name, in curlicued 1940’s grammar school script; > - the numeric amount goes quickly enough, but then they have to laboriously squeeze out “Seventy-seven and thirty-five one hundredths ----------------------------” Dollars; > - god knows what goes in the memo corner, but they make sure to write it > - their signature, even more slowly than everything preceding it because one must make a good impression. > Satisfied, they lean back and relax for two seconds. You breathe an infuriated sigh of relief. > > Then they carefully fold the check back, then forward again, and VERY gently tear it off the pad. Three - perforations - at - a - time. zzt…zzt…zzt…zzt…zzt…zzt…zzt…zzt… I find its the older women that do this, they dont like change, they will continue to use a check book until their death and they arent slow on purpose, they are old and slow. I think we all will run down to slow at some point in life. I get annoyed by this at times but not too often. OHHH my husband who starts talking right at the part on the tv that I want to hear!!! Do I go in and talk or get in front of the tv set during his shows??? This REALLY burns me!!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/169 "2018-01-18T15:13:51Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > You probably have a little stifled, repressed, _girly_ sneeze when you do it, _don’t you?_ > (gasp…choo) > > We’re MEN…and we **SNEEZE LIKE MEN!** > > **Hwa-CHOOOO!!!** > > _So there!_😉 > > Anyway (no, I will never say or type anywho) I can’t stand to hear gum chewers on the phone. > > “…yeah, and so I (smack) told ‘em I’m goin’ out (smack-smack) and, like, _totally…_” > :mad: No, I don’t have a stifled little girly sneeze. I just sneeze - it sounds just like “achooo” when I sneeze. My husband’s sneeze almost has a REALLY LOUD cough sound attached and doesn’t sound like “achooo” at all - which is how a sneeze is supposed to sound 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/170 "2018-01-18T15:20:26Z")
> [@WildBlueYonder](#): > > Yes! Just when I get ready to check out, up pops 5 more cash registers open! > Pickle infested diner food baskets that you told the waitress “NO PICKLE” but get it anyway. I dont like dill pickles. I dont want dill pickle taste on my fries. > > Husbands who do not set the toilet seat down once he is done standing at the front of the thing! (So much more husband things) > > Specially made unofficial Christmas shopping day for your little town in which the stores are not open on the weekends nor weekday evenings. Bitch all you want townies but you cant expect shoppers is you dont provide the hours for us to shop locally! > > Local news that report “breaking news” and then never have a follow up story. > > Grocery items that get packaged smaller and the price stays the same or is increased, we aren’t suppose to notice and they think we’re too stupid to notice > > Cashiers who have no idea how to bag groceries, I guess they are to move quickly but criminy. Lets put a 2 liter bottle of pop in with a couple loaves of bread. Or put two loaves of bread in a plastic bag… > > Anyone ANYWHERE that does not follow up on customer service problems. > > People who work with numbers that are important to the people who are receiving the money (in any form-mostly paychecks) that dont DOUBLE check the numbers! > > I find its the older women that do this, they dont like change, they will continue to use a check book until their death and they arent slow on purpose, they are old and slow. I think we all will run down to slow at some point in life. I get annoyed by this at times but not too often. > > OHHH my husband who starts talking right at the part on the tv that I want to hear!!! Do I go in and talk or get in front of the tv set during his shows??? This REALLY burns me!!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: My husband will tell me he’s not interested in a movie I’m going to watch, but then one hour into it, he’ll sit down and start asking me questions - “who’s that?” “why did they do that?”, etc, etc. UGH ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/171 "2018-01-18T19:03:56Z")
Aaarrggh, this just happened. I was exiting Rite Aid behind an elderly woman in a Buick (FTR, I know many people 70+ who are excellent drivers – this driver just happened to match a stereotype). She pulls out onto the 50mph road and drives 20mph. It’s cool: daylight weekdays belong to retirees running errands who can be overly cautious drivers. She gets onto the I-95 on ramp and comes to a complete stop at the merge point. And waits. And waits. And waits. She finally crawls into traffic in front of a car going at freeway speed and the driver had to swerve into another lane to avoid an accident. I’m stuck behind the lady because my exit is a mile away. So we toddle along at 40. Then, damnit, she takes my exit then comes to a complete stop at the merge point, for which we have right of way. We’re off again, 20 on the northbound 55mph street. There is a line of cars piling up up behind us, so I move over to pass Pokey Lady and she swerves between lanes and almost sideswipes me. I get back behind her, by now angry drivers behind us are laying on the horns, but I’m afraid to try passing again and have her possibly sideswipe my car. Poking along, she then comes to a complete stop in her lane for no discernible reason. I was able to stop because I was giving her a lengthy follow space, but I can hear cars behind us braking hard and skidding - I didn’t hear any crunching, hopefully there was no damage. Buick lady gets rolling again at 10mph, angry drivers are passing in the other lane and honking/giving one finger salutes. My turnoff comes in a mile and I make it home alive. Perhaps I should have called the cops to report a dangerous driver. They hang out in the area and could have easily found Buickiana. It later occurred to me that the driver may have been experiencing a medical emergency and I should have reported her. A colleague of mine died in September, he had a heart attack and drove into oncoming traffic. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/172 "2018-01-18T19:13:34Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > My husband will tell me he’s not interested in a movie I’m going to watch, but then one hour into it, he’ll sit down and start asking me questions - “who’s that?” “why did they do that?”, etc, etc. UGH I have a friend who’s wonderful in many ways but who bugs me when movies are involved. First, she tries to talk in the movies! I shut her down and she says, oh right, you don’t talk in the movies, as if she would talk freely if it were anyone else! Not OK! And at home we were watching a movie she hadn’t seen but the others of us had. “Oh, I bet she’s going to \”, and she someone who reads reviews and synopses before the movie and doesn’t mind knowing what will happen. I want to know as little as possible, and let the movie unfold. “Do you think such and such will happen??” “Let’s watch the movie and find out!” ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/173 "2018-01-18T19:27:14Z")
> [@WildBlueYonder](#): > > …I find its the older women that do this, they dont like change, they will continue to use a check book until their death and they arent slow on purpose, they are old and slow. I think we all will run down to slow at some point in life. I get annoyed by this at times but not too often… This is one of the reasons I get annoyed with myself for letting it exasperate me so much- I _know_ they’re not sloooow on purpose, because with 70 only a couple of years away, I’m already much slower than I used to be (mentally and physically). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/174 "2018-01-19T14:43:45Z")
People who, when they don’t like your answer to their question, keep repeating the same damn statement. I had this exchange the other day after ringing up a person’s items and she handed me an American Express Gift Card: Me: I’m sorry, we don’t take American Express. Her: It’s gift card. Me: We do not take American Express Her: It’s gift card Me; (same sentence) Her: It’s just like cash Me: (same sentence) Her (loudly): IT IS A GIFT CARD The head cashier comes over Her: She won’t take my gift card HC: We do not take American Express Her: But it’s a gift card HC: But we do not take American Express Her: Not even gift cards? HC: No. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/175 "2018-01-19T19:23:19Z")
> [@WildBlueYonder](#): > > Husbands who do not set the toilet seat down once he is done standing at the front of the thing! Wives who do not out the seat back up after sitting on the thing! :p:D ---
**Author:** ![Corner\_Case](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corner_case/32/234_2.png) [@Corner\_Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corner_Case)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/176 "2018-01-19T20:11:52Z")
I am annoyed when[ul] [li]I turn on the shower and the last person has set the shower to sprayer+showerhead. I didn’t take notice and it sprays my arm with cold water.[/li][li]I find the dishwasher stacked wrongly. Don’t put cups halfway on the pegs wasting space. Everything has it’s place.[/li][li]Making the bed with new sheets. It’s just all the walking, back and forth, to the corners, again and again, to put on the fitted, then the flat, then the blanket, then the comforter…[/li][li]People speeding through 20mph School Zones or “No Right Turn On Red”. Or not signalling. Or not just getting out of my way.[/li][li][LIST]I dab-brake in two scenarios. 1) Signalling and braking mean I’m going to turn at the corner, but if I’m going to turn into the parking lot just Before the corner, I really want you paying attention and not ploughing in to me because you misjudged my intent. 2) I top a rise or curve and find the traffic suddenly slowing/stopped, so I dab a bit before braking to alter you that something unexpected is happening.[/ul][/li][li]People stopped in line for the light with a two car gap in front of them. After a long wait, they creep forward, and eventually close the gap Before a green light occurs. Why didn’t you close the gap and make room for those people who wanted to get into the turn lane, or turn into the parking lot?[/li][li]Our cat meows to go out. It’s cold. We ignore it. He meows more. We let him out. He walks out, turns around and wants back in. We let him in. He comes in, turns around, and wants to go back out again. The difference is, he doesn’t want to know why it’s cold; he wants me to open a door to the warm place he remembers[/li][li]People having a conversation at the intersection of main corridors or at the top of the stairs. Move out of the way of traffic.[/li][li]Guys in toilets that stand and splash pee. If I go in a stall - I Sit.[/li][li]People passing you in the hall and finishing saying “How you doin?” as they pass. I’m supposed to answer by turning around talking to your retreating back?[/li][/LIST] ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/177 "2018-01-19T20:22:40Z")
> [@WildBlueYonder](#): > > Husbands who do not set the toilet seat down once he is done standing at the front of the thing! I genuinely don’t understand this. Do women reverse into toilets without looking, and fall into the toilet bowl? It’s used in different configurations by the different sexes. When I finish using it, I don’t know if the next person to use it will be male or female. Isn’t the simplest thing for the person who is about to use it just to move it into the position they want before they start? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/178 "2018-01-19T20:31:47Z")
People who think the orientation of the toilet roll _doesn’t matter_. Look, the people who think it should go under are like Muslims or Buddhists or Satan-worshippers or something, just following some weird cult. But the people who shrug it off like it’s no big deal are _so much_ worse, they are evil like atheists or serial killers or something. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/179 "2018-01-19T20:41:03Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > It’s used in different configurations by the different sexes. When I finish using it, I don’t know if the next person to use it will be male or female. Isn’t the simplest thing for the person who is about to use it just to move it into the position they want before they start? Apparently, women are incapable of turning on a light or using some other way to tell if the seat is down during the numerous times they get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Therefore, us men need to save them from falling into the toilet. (from a person who closes the entire seat and lid almost every time) ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627/180 "2018-01-19T20:52:12Z")
> [@MacLir](#): > > People who say “carmel” instead of caramel. I usually respond with “Do you mean caramel? Carmel is a mountain in Israel.” :dubious: Where I come from (rural Illinois, Georgia, most of California), everyone says carmel. If you said “caramel” people would think you were getting a bit uppity. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-things-that-annoy-you/806627.md?page=10)