My new pet hate in the city

[Twitch]

Koop- When my Mom was alive I took her to her many doctor appointments with the obvious long waits. Invariably people, mostly women- no offense- would no doubt be bored and ring up their friends and have rambling stream of consciousness conversations in elevated tones. And though every office waiting room had the "no cell phone" symbols or written word to turn them off no one at the offices would challange them to shut the flock up!:rage: BTW- My dirty looks were ignored.

 

[chippler]

I hate it when someone is in the same room as you and they are having a text message conversation with someone. That is, they message someone and then they get a reply and then they send off a reply and they get a reply over and over again. I reckon if you get into a text conversation and you know you're going to get a message you should just switch your phone to silent and when it vibrates you know you received a message. The constant beeping of the replies annoys the crap out of me.

I also hate it when people treat the footpath like a meeting area. You know, idiots who are walking and see someone they know. They suddenly all stop and start having a conversation in the middle of the footpath, forcing people to walk around them. I also hate it when people are walking in front of me and they just suddenly stop, usually to talk with someone or look in a shop window. Would it be too hard to move to the side to have the conversation or look in the shop window? It should be legal to punch them in the head.

And how about when I am waiting in a massive line at the supermarket and see there are five registers, only two being used. And I spy two checkout-chicks babbling on to each other about the night before rather than walking over and opening a register. Or when I am waiting at the counter for service and the bimbo behind the counter is babbling on the phone to her friend about her new boyfriend rather than serving me.

- Chris

 

[GOK]

Nor do I. (I don't even have a touch-tone phone, let alone a cell.) I just don't like them and never have -- I look down from the projection booth and see those little blue screens flickering in the balcony, and I wonder what kind of "progress" it is when people can't even sit still and watch a movie for two hours without feeling like they have to be calling/messaging someone.

Oh Lizzie, you reminded me of a little while ago when my partner and I were at the cinema; not only did a group of incredibly loud and ill mannered people come in, the two females then proceeded to call their friends during the film to tell them what a load of rubbish it was (OK it was X-Men 3 and it wasn't brilliant but that's hardly the point), and how they were only there because their boyfriends wanted to see the film. Of course, they had high pitched squawky voices too - the kind that sound like fingernails on a blackboard. Horrible. Thankfully they left shortly after, with one of the males procrastinating that he couldn't be @*sed to wait for Superman to turn up Yes, they really were that thick. It's not often I will make snap judgements about people but in their case I was prepared to make an exception. Meh.

I do have a mobile but it is kept on silent for the most part. I use it most for ringing my eldest son who doesn't have a house phone - it's actually free for me to call him from my mobile but would cost a fortune (25p/50-ish cents a minute) from our house phone. Not that I feel a need to justify owning one. I am considerate with it and would never, ever have the private-in-public converstations that I sometimes overhear. And I would like to point out that it gets switched off in cinemas, theatres, restaurants, galleries, at friends' etc. And as soon as my partner gets home from work. if I could switch the house phone off too then, I would!

Getting back on the things-that-annoy-us topic, might I flag up the following?

Parents with children in pushchairs/buggies stopping in the street to chat and hogging the whole pavement.

Parents with children in pushchairs/buggies ramming into you because they think they have the right of way.

Parents with children in pushchairs/buggies who think that because their child is screaming, it gives them the right to jump the supermarket queue.

Now before any parents jump on me - my children were young once and I fully understand how frustrating and tiring it can be but that is no excuse for ill mannered behaviour. And half the time, these so-called parents don't have an ounce of respect for their children either.

Something else that I find horrible is smoking. I know a few people here smoke and I'm not criticising that - all I am saying is that I find having to breathe in other people's smoke, plus my clothes and hair smelling of it makes me feel quite ill. Thankfully most places we go to don't allow smoking - I suppose that's why it is so noticable when we do. One thing I will say however, is that smoking in the street can be pretty irresponsible. My eldest son was burned in the fact by a smoker who walked past; her cigarette was just at my little boy's head level. When I complained to the woman and said she ought to be more careful, she just shrugged and said it was a free country. Presumably by that token, if I'd forgotten I was a lady and slapped her, that would have been ok too...it being a free country an' all.

Again, I am not saying all smokers are irresponsible - just that some appear to be.

Oh and Chippler - I am with you on the shop assistant thing. :rage:

 

[John in Covina]

Ever wonder what some of those people really think?

I am the center of my universe, all others are underlings and second to me.

I serve no one, all others are here to serve me.

My wants and needs supercede all others' wants and needs.

All rules of conduct, and unspoken social contracts are null and void by virtue of my divinity.
(Or: rules are for suckers!)

I am smarter and more important than you, you shall yield all rights to me.

A common theme is the lack of regard for others and how ones actions affect others.

 

[GOK]

Spot on, John...sadly. [huh]

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Yep, I mentioned in passing to someone the other day that we 3 children were brought up to put other's need first. The look I got was as if I casually mentioned I was from Mars.

 

[John in Covina]

Service towards others? What a ridiculous idea!

Yep, I mentioned in passing to someone the other day that we 3 children were brought up to put other's need first. The look I got was as if I casually mentioned I was from Mars.

Contemporary thinking says:
How dare you push your values on others.
You're really attacking my self esteem.
Oh-oh, another religious nutball.:eusa_doh:

We have a quote at church that I can't remember source right now but it goes like this:

God does not need your good works, your neighbor does.

Imagine all the people... Being helpful and considerate in small ways everyday that would be a good thing.

 

[GOK]

Indeed. Reminds me of the starfish story:

A man walks along the beach and sees that hundreds of starfish have been washed up on the beach. Another man was taking them one at a time and throwing them back into the sea.

"Why are you doing that?" asked the first man, stopping to watch, "It won't make any difference".

"It will to this one", the other man replied as he threw another starfish back.

I like that story. If we all did one thing for one other person, how much better would the world be?

 

[carebear]

Folks not waiting for the elevator to empty, or at least those exiting to get off before trying to push on.

Stopping in the street or path is bad enough, but stopping in a doorway or at the top of an escalator?

Those people get my best Sergeant of Marines "Gangway!" and further remonstration as required.

My dear old da will confront the idiots in the movie theater with a "hang up or take it outside" and will tell inappropriate horseplayers in public to "knock it off" or "quit acting like an idiot".

Given some of the punks around today I fear for his safety sometimes, unless we're out together.

 

[olive bleu]

Are we still counting?

when BK gets back to the UK we should form a vintage dissident group (of three).

I don't have a cell phone either... never will.If i am alone, i don't want to be found.When i am home the phone never stops ringing,I would never get a moments peace:rage:

 

[Gray Ghost]

I have gotta say I am sick of people who walk whilst talking on their cell phones and have no idea who is around them, they bump into people, signs and sometimes even cars.

Here in Australia cell phones (or mobiles as we call them) are banned from use in vehicles whilst driving unless you have hands free, I can see why.

I know they are a handy and necessary tool these days, but surely people could try and stand still when talking, I must add that there is nothing worse
than hearing someone pant down the phone as they haul their fat bottom up a hill.

Cell Phones:rage: :rage: :rage: :rage: :rage: :rage: