# What completely normal situations get your goat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 27, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874 "2013-11-27T02:09:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**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:** [December 7, 2013, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/201 "2013-12-07T10:07:14Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Here’s one specifically for the Dope: > The OP writes a hypothetical with very clear and defined lines. Yet, there’s always going to be a handful of posters that simply can not follow the rules and simply MUST offer their input that clearly steps outside the purview of the hypothetical. You’re right, of course, but also: badly-constructed hypotheticals with wide-open, obvious loopholes are annoying. If you’re going to pose a hypothetical. at least throw in a mutant alien squid (or something) to close up the obvious get-outs. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/202 "2013-12-07T11:40:34Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > You’re right, of course, but also: badly-constructed hypotheticals with wide-open, obvious loopholes are annoying. If you’re going to pose a hypothetical. at least throw in a mutant alien squid (or something) to close up the obvious get-outs. This is why I said “Write better hypotheticals.” Because when this happens, 9 times out of 10, it’s because the hypothetical writer didn’t include a super important or very obvious detail that completely breaks the hypothetical. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/203 "2013-12-07T16:02:34Z")
I’ll stipulate that this makes no sense, but…when I’m sitting in the break room, reading my book, and someone asks me, “Whatcha readin’?” The hell am I supposed to say? Most of my co-workers either don’t read, or don’t read the types of things I do, so chances are they’re not going to recognize the title. Which of course prompts the follow-up question - “What’s it about?” And then I have to come up with a précis of a China Mieville or Neil Stephenson novel on the fly. I should start answering that question with “Derrida’s essays on existential phenomenology”. A related annoyance is those people who insist on starting a conversation with me while I am reading. Jesus! Do you not see that I am reading? What about that act makes you construe it as an invitation to a dialogue? Asshat. I actually think that the people who do that are extroverts, for whom interacting with other people is revitalizing, and who genuinely believe that I am reading because I have _nothing better to do_, and they are saving me from boredom. Perhaps they cannot conceive that anyone would read for fun. But I’m not bored, I promise you, and reading at lunch is how I recharge my batteries for an afternoon of talking to strangers. ---
**Author:** ![James\_Toothpaste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@James\_Toothpaste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Toothpaste)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/204 "2013-12-07T20:07:24Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > Okay, agreed. “McDonald’s food” is an oxymoron. Why? > [@Ambivalid](#): > > People taking shits in public toilets and then just leaving the shit in the toilet bowl. **W-T-F** is wrong with some people? Fucking disgusting. I agree with you. That’s disgusting ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/205 "2013-12-07T20:32:41Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > I’ll stipulate that this makes no sense, but…when I’m sitting in the break room, reading my book, and someone asks me, “Whatcha readin’?” The hell am I supposed to say? Most of my co-workers either don’t read, or don’t read the types of things I do, so chances are they’re not going to recognize the title. > > Which of course prompts the follow-up question - “What’s it about?” And then I have to come up with a précis of a China Mieville or Neil Stephenson novel on the fly. I should start answering that question with “Derrida’s essays on existential phenomenology”. > > A related annoyance is those people who insist on starting a conversation with me while I am reading. Jesus! Do you not see that I am reading? What about that act makes you construe it as an invitation to a dialogue? Asshat. > > I actually think that the people who do that are extroverts, for whom interacting with other people is revitalizing, and who genuinely believe that I am reading because I have _nothing better to do_, and they are saving me from boredom. Perhaps they cannot conceive that anyone would read for fun. But I’m not bored, I promise you, and reading at lunch is how I recharge my batteries for an afternoon of talking to strangers. Amen! Entire threads are posted about this very subject from time to time. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Uvs2g5Nj0NI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque I guess you can consider it a good screening tool. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/206 "2013-12-08T00:07:03Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > I actually think that the people who do that are extroverts, for whom interacting with other people is revitalizing, and who genuinely believe that I am reading because I have _nothing better to do_, and they are saving me from boredom. Perhaps they cannot conceive that anyone would read for fun. ^ That pretty much describes my in-laws. Actually, if you’re visiting them they get _offended_ if you read anything with others present. They think you’re angry at them - why else would you do something as awful, difficult, and tedious as _reading_ when there were other people around unless you were so angry at them you really would rather do something horribly unpleasant than interact with them? I am so glad I live far away from these people. Also, when I visit them I take my knitting. I can sit quietly in a corner without speaking to anyone and knit and that’s totally OK, but Og forbid I read a newspaper in their presence. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/207 "2013-12-08T06:00:07Z")
> [@Lowdown](#): > > (Good one!) > > Are we holding hands or shaking hands?! I’m not fond of the other extreme, either - the limp fish fingertip handshake. Women are the worst for this. If we’re going to shake hands, shake hands already - don’t just wave them in my general direction. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/208 "2013-12-08T07:18:54Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Here’s one specifically for the Dope: > The OP writes a hypothetical with very clear and defined lines. Yet, there’s always going to be a handful of posters that simply can not follow the rules and simply MUST offer their input that clearly steps outside the purview of the hypothetical. I don’t mind so much if someone comes in and says “Well, the hypothetical doesn’t apply to me because [valid reason], _but assuming it did_, then [response].” The one that annoys me here is if you post something based on a reasonable observation (“Why are there so few left-handed can openers?”, for example), the first post is someone disagreeing with you despite it clearly not being the point you’re making (“There’s heaps of them, they’re really common in Leftburgh. Stop by the Leftorium on the left hand side of Left St as ask for Lefty!”) and that’s the entire thread derailed right there. ---
**Author:** ![JacksMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@JacksMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacksMom)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/209 "2013-12-08T10:47:47Z")
I go to great lengths to avoid being around people while they are eating because I find both the sights and sounds disturbing. My dogs have better manners than most people I have been forced to eat near recently and I don’t understand why it’s no longer rude to display your cud at the table. I also don’t understand the sudden large numbers of free range children. As in, allowing children to roam freely through the restaurant as though they were at home. I don’t like strange children under my table, standing behind me playing with my hair, or lurking at the edge of my table staring creepily. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/210 "2013-12-09T01:17:36Z")
Another everyday thing that annoys me: those damn ad trucks. The trucks that drive around pulling a big ad. They’re not even going anywhere in particular or transporting something from one place to another. They’re just driving around ads for people to see, and adding needlessly to air pollution, and distracting other drivers. The trucks showing video ads must be especially distracting to other drivers. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/211 "2013-12-09T04:58:48Z")
Speaking of ads, I realized another one today as we drove around - billboards and signs for an event that has come and gone already. People need to get on top of that shit! ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/212 "2013-12-09T07:22:22Z")
That reminds me - signage still up for companies that no longer trade. I believe company owners should be required to remove signage and be fined if they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/213 "2013-12-09T08:20:41Z")
I fly completely off the handle (quite uncharacteristically) when someone interrupts me while I’m singing. Or worse, insists that I stop. In high school it was even the turning point of a relationship. (Note: Most youth relationships are kinda shallow like that). I’m a musician; I’m sensitive to that sort of thing. I also get very angry when, because someone couldn’t hear what I just said, they say, “Stop mumbling!” Hey, I took YEARS of speech therapy in grade school to correct that problem, and nowadays I speak in a steady cadence, rhythm and volume, planning out exactly what I’m going to say before I even start talking. I do NOT mumble, thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/214 "2013-12-09T09:40:51Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > All persons who in shaking hands, shake hands with you like _that_. They’d none of them be missed… FWIW, Nobody suggested taking my Wisdom Teath out. When they came in, they threw out my bite, which, over a 10 year period, destroyed my top front teeth. > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > And it’s almost always trucks, too (at least around here). Trucks don’t need a better view when they’re getting out of a space - they’re the ones BLOCKING everyone ELSE’S view! > > We’ve also noticed that motels have signs saying “Please don’t back into stalls,” and there are _always_ a number of trucks ignoring the signs. I don’t understand this. Why do motels have signs saying “Please don’t back into stalls,”? ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/215 "2013-12-09T11:16:52Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > That reminds me - signage still up for companies that no longer trade. I believe company owners should be required to remove signage and be fined if they don’t. I agree. Also, websites which haven’t been updated in literally years - occasionally I’ll find an abandoned forum for an old video game where the forum (and game information website) is still up, but hasn’t had any post besides the occasional “Hello? Is anyone here?” since August 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Jesse\_Pinkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@Jesse\_Pinkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jesse_Pinkman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/216 "2013-12-09T11:18:17Z")
Also, seeing other people out on dates or seeing happy couples together. Because I know I’ll never get to experience that myself. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/217 "2013-12-09T16:20:41Z")
Hypotheticals bother me. Not sensible ones, but ones that have a completely improbable premise and have completely arbitrary and meaningless options to choose from. “Say all the oxygen completely disappeared from the earth’s atmosphere in one millisecond. Would you rather be wearing a red sweater or a blue sweater?” Exaggerating for effect, but a lot of the hypothetical threads on this board seem to me to fall into this category. I just want to say, “First of all, that would never happen. Second of all, who cares?!??! What good would answering one way or the other do for you? What could you learn from that answer? What’s the point?” So I don’t open them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/218 "2013-12-09T16:52:08Z")
People that sneak up on me. I sit with my back to my cube door/entrance. Dammit, don’t just walk in and lean over my shoulder or bump my chair to get my attention. Clear your throat, say something, anything, but STOP STARTELING ME. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/219 "2013-12-09T17:05:12Z")
I’m not searching the whole thread to see if this one has been mentioned yet. Those “NOTW” (not of this world) bumper stickers. Buddy, you’re probably mentally somewhere in another world indeed, from what I can see. But you’re very much physically IN this world right now, and you had better start paying attention to your damned driving. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874/220 "2013-12-09T18:24:11Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I don’t understand this. Why do motels have signs saying “Please don’t back into stalls,”? I assumed it was so your fumes don’t spew right at the door to the person’s room. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-completely-normal-situations-get-your-goat/674874.md?page=12)