# what inanimate objects do you hate?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 18, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644 "2013-01-18T19:43:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 4

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**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:** [January 22, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/61 "2013-01-22T21:24:41Z")

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Very bright blue LEDs on bloody _everything_, including things you have to look at (TVs, monitors).

Blue LEDs were cool in the 1990s, when they were new, and we were so tired of the old, dim red, amber and green ones, but damn, can we stop compensating for that now, please?

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**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/62 "2013-01-22T21:33:45Z")

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> [@ftg](#):
>
> _Wall_ warts. Do the designer of these things not understand that you might want to plug two things into an outlet? More than a couple things into a power strip?
> 
> Just have the stupid “wart” part several inches away from the plug, got it? I’ll pay the extra nickel.
> 
> (Ditto other plug in devices that assume you don’t want to plug anything else into the adjoining socket. E.g., a lot of USB devices.)

[Power Strip Liberator](http://www.cyberguys.com/product-details/?productid=7966)

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**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/63 "2013-01-22T21:51:32Z")

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> [@bouv](#):
>
> My computer speakers. They are CONSTANTLY picking up interference.
> 
> I have to put my phone into airplane mode when I charge it at night or else they made a God awful sound. And they often pick up some random radio station.
> 
> They’re cheapish speakers, but a decent brand (Logitech,) so you’d think they would have gone through the trouble of putting on $0.10 ferrite cores on the wires, but nope. In theory, I can go out and just buy a couple and put them on myself, but effort.

If you have AT&T, the problem is the network, not your speakers.  
ETA: I’m not just talking trash about AT&T- it’s a known problem caused by the GSM frequency on which they operate.

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**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/64 "2013-01-22T23:41:48Z")

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I hate leaf blowers and car alarms.

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**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 23, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/65 "2013-01-23T00:34:29Z")

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> [@chizzuk](#):
>
> Clamshell packaging. You know, the really tough plastic kind with no obvious “open here” tabs that requires an X-acto knife and industrial work gloves in order to open without your hands getting slashed to ribbons. Whoever invented this should be imprisoned.

Someone told me that can openers (non-electric crank it yourself type) will often open these damn things easily. Less than half the time, in my limited experience, but better than nothing.

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**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/66 "2013-01-23T00:44:37Z")

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> [@corkboard](#):
>
> If you have AT&T, the problem is the network, not your speakers.  
> ETA: I’m not just talking trash about AT&T- it’s a known problem caused by the GSM frequency on which they operate.

Yeah, it’s StraightTalk using AT&T towers.

But a well-designed set of speakers shouldn’t let that happen. I’m guessing a set of $300 Logitech speakers would have the ferrite cores around the wires to stop it. But the cheap $30 ones don’t. Gotta maximize profits, you know, so saving $0.10 per speaker adds up. :rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/67 "2013-01-23T03:10:12Z")

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> [@UncleRojelio](#):
>
> Traffic lights, any and all of them.

Nailed it in 8! Nothing in the world is more vile than a red light.

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**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/68 "2013-01-23T05:02:39Z")

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> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> Lack of pockets are definitely high up on my list. Unfair that most things I own have no pockets.
> 
> romansperson, take your car to an advance auto parts. They have a machine there they can plug into your car. Then, they don’t just get a “check engine light” but they actually can give you an error code. Then you go home and google the error code.
> 
> I used to do this with my old car. My advance auto parts was so nice, I ended up giving them all my business for incidentals.
> 
> (Now my new car has all specific codes. a few months ago it told my my tire pressure was low. In the winter, it’s been flashing the anti-lock brakes whenever they go into affect. When the oil is low it will tell me. I love my car.)

You can also buy an OBDII reader (which will retrieve those codes) inexpensively and get smartphone apps that work with that reader. My husband has that.

I’ll second the bright blue LED thing. Can’t we at least make them less bright?

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**Author:** ![listedmia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@listedmia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/listedmia)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/69 "2013-01-23T05:51:14Z")

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The french fry slicer at work. It looks like [this](http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1024&bih=631&tbm=isch&tbnid=lEXu5z0vzcKLTM:&imgrefurl=http://www.peasandcornco.com/slicers.asp&docid=V4KEGe_JGg8nXM&imgurl=http://www.peasandcornco.com/images/products/15363501w200w.jpg&w=200&h=200&ei=hXn_UPaMHoTQ2QX09oD4AQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=679&vpy=145&dur=2168&hovh=160&hovw=160&tx=87&ty=94&sig=118018502956351873185&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=141&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0,i:96). The have it hanging in an awkward spot on the wall and the slicy grid things pretty much become instantly dull as soon as we replace them. As a girl with limited upper body strength, I spend about a half hour a day swearing at the thing.

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**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/70 "2013-01-23T06:50:29Z")

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I thought alarm clocks are the most hated, but nobody’s mentioned them?

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**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/71 "2013-01-23T14:58:57Z")

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I hate my computer and browser. I also hate computer viruses and, needless to say, Ebay.

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**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/72 "2013-01-23T18:24:15Z")

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> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> romansperson, take your car to an advance auto parts. They have a machine there they can plug into your car. Then, they don’t just get a “check engine light” but they actually can give you an error code. Then you go home and google the error code.
> 
> I used to do this with my old car. My advance auto parts was so nice, I ended up giving them all my business for incidentals.
> 
> (Now my new car has all specific codes. a few months ago it told my my tire pressure was low. In the winter, it’s been flashing the anti-lock brakes whenever they go into affect. When the oil is low it will tell me. I love my car.)

Going to Advance and Googling are exactly what I’ve been doing, which is just another hassle I don’t need, and is why I hate that damn light. If your new car has the codes, though, this gives me hope that when I buy one in the next year or two I won’t have to do all that anymore.

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**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-inanimate-objects-do-you-hate/647644/73 "2013-01-23T22:57:12Z")

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Those super bright headlights that are on newer cars. Hate them hate them.:mad:

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