Stupid things that instantly piss you off

[Crankin]

I get easily pissed off when people have loud personal conversations in public places. Loud cell phone calls, too.
I also had the same pet peeve as Veronica, and it was my older relatives who addressed me as Mrs. Steve Crankin. But, they are all gone now. I don't mind Mrs., probably from all those years as a teacher. I am one of the few in my program at Lesley University that uses that title on my official correspondence; in fact I am one of the few in my program that has the same name as my DH. I use both my last names.
Oh yeah, and insufferable parents who carry on conversations about their precious darlings who are just going through the same normal developmental stages as every other kid on earth.

[Tri Girl]

I have the opposite issue. What bothers me is when my kids (older grades) call me Miss Brown. I'm a Mrs. dangit. I'm married. I wear an obvious wedding ring. My name tag says Mrs. Brown for crying out loud. The big name plaque on the outside of my door says Mrs. Brown. How hard is it to insert the *R* in my title?
It also really bugs me when parents send me e-mails and address it as "Dear Miss Brown." Makes me feel like they are instantly putting themselves *above* me by addressing me as a young person (and I'm as old if not older than many of them).

If you're really unsure if I'm married or not, address me as Ms. I'm damn near 40- I think I'm a little past the *Miss* phase in life.

[tulip]

Hmmm...those don't bother me. When I was called Mrs. HisLastName when I was married, it sounded funny because I kept my own last name, but I certainly didn't take any offense. I haven't really noticed if people call me Mrs. or Miss or Ms, although I work with alot of people who address me formally. Whatever, I usually just say, "Please, call me by my first name." But that throws them for a loop because I have a very unusual first name. Sometimes I shorten it for them.

When I worked for a company (as opposed to from home now), I could not stand the banter from new and expecting mothers (and a few dads) about constipation (if they were preggers), babies and poop and throwing up and all as if it was so cute...IN THE LUNCHROOM! My goodness, people! NOT WHEN AND WHERE WE EAT! In fact, not at work! WE DON'T CARE! And I always wondered if there were other people around who may have been trying to start families without success. The incessant babble was inconsiderate on number of levels.

[shootingstar]

I can see NBNwy how a guy near your age addressing you as "Miss" is ...well actually laughable, but quite patronizing when he knows you are married. You might remind him it is the 21st century.

As mentioned before, I did work for a German engineering firm. In configuring our database software, I had to explain to the rambunctious computer German support person that we needed a Ms. selection in the database field menu drop-down when drafting a letter.

He had never heard of 'Ms.' This is an university educated guy...in Germany. There is no German equivalent or at least not commonly known, if my dearie doesn't know by now.

I had to explain the basic (feminist) philosophy that the marital status of a woman in the workplace ..really is of no reflection on her competence/work performance.

Occasionally people refer me as "Miss"..it's not totally inaccurate. But if they know me, it's first name, for even the most heavily male-dominant organizations..and I've worked for 4 different ones out of several employers

What ticks me off which some other women might find complimentary, is when some men wink at me upon knowing me in the workplace. I've had 2 senior managers do this to me...what the hell for? The manner in which it was done was to 'soften' me or get me to do something. I was a manager myself, running a department and supervising other staff.

Just ask to me respectfully to do something . No need to butter me up.
When it happens I just continue talking as if I didn't notice. It never happens again.

[shootingstar]

I do wonder at times if being short and petite prompts certain responses from various people. It would not surprise me if some people are unprepared by my style - for a woman, I'm a straight shooter in terms of personal style in the workplace. Which can be both good and not so good for certain situations.

[OakLeaf]

I do wonder at times if being short and petite prompts certain responses from various people.

Huh. They don't even see you. Literally. Not just men, but women too, will run me down on the sidewalk if I don't get out of their way... and I'm 5'3". I can't imagine what it must be for someone much shorter.

DH got angry with me for "always yielding." Just to prove a point, I didn't, for a couple of blocks. After I'd bounced off of four people's chests, he relented.

[badger]

I haven't read all the posts here, but I thought I'd put in what set me off this morning.

My supervisor was talking to my co-worker. Sup went to a chinese restaurant and had something vegetarian, a prawn dish. Said she's being vegetarian this month.

Eh? since when did prawns become vegetables? I actually ripped right into her saying prawns are animals ("no they're not", she claimed ), and how shrimp harvesting is so devastating as they troll everything in the nets' path.

What's worse is that another goof standing by listening in said that fish are considered part of a vegetarian diet. That set me off even more.

Grr

Oh my god, just as I put this up, my coworker says "ever been to the Crab Pot? sounds good, they take a crab and smash it with a hammer for you".

Yeah, that sounds great.

[malkin]

Searching for BIKE BELL getting a bunch of Bell Helmets etc.

I'm not sure why that bugs me so much in light of the fact I am endlessly delighted by a search for a BROOKS SADDLE turning up a bunch of "Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles" hits.

[Irulan]

I haven't read all the posts here, but I thought I'd put in what set me off this morning.

My supervisor was talking to my co-worker. Sup went to a chinese restaurant and had something vegetarian, a prawn dish. Said she's being vegetarian this month.

Eh? since when did prawns become vegetables? I actually ripped right into her saying prawns are animals ("no they're not", she claimed ), and how shrimp harvesting is so devastating as they troll everything in the nets' path.

What's worse is that another goof standing by listening in said that fish are considered part of a vegetarian diet. That set me off even more.

Grr

Oh my god, just as I put this up, my coworker says "ever been to the Crab Pot? sounds good, they take a crab and smash it with a hammer for you".

Yeah, that sounds great.

uh, yah. It's called Pescatarian if you eat fish.

This may have already been mentioned & I did not read this entire thread, but I am sitting here in my living room listening to a dog up the road barking...and barking....and barking....he stays in a pen & if he hears the slightest thing he starts barking and will not stop. No one at his house pays any attention to him and no one ever tells him to stop. I feel bad for the poor thing & his owners piss me off because they 1. neglect the poor thing and 2. do not have enough respect for their neighbors to make the dog stop (or send him to a home where someone loved him).

uh yah on this one also. for me it would be a) not have to listen to your semi abandoned dog bark all the time and b) to not have your free roaming cat pooing and hunting all over my yard.

[oz rider]

Great thread.

I do wonder at times if being short and petite prompts certain responses from various people.

Hell yeah! They seem to assume stupidity. (Or is that just me, hehe?) Not long after I had my son I had reason to point out I'd had a kid, not a lobotomy. Same for too many tradesmen and bike shop guys. But my plumber is a mtbr so he's fabulous!

And anyone assuming anything about my marital status, as if your value relates to availability like a lump of meat.

And lazy/selfish/incompetent/impatient/ignorant drivers.

And waiters who don't check ingredients properly.

[Crankin]

+1 to the petite issue. Though, now that I am of a certain age, it seems to matter less.
My issue with the "kid talk" is not so much from when I was teaching, as Veronica described, although I experienced that a little. It's more what Tulip described, but expanded to every little thing, i.e. getting a license, college application, etc.
One time many years ago, I was at the monthly children's service at my synagogue. My 2 kids were about 8 and 10. Before the service started I had to listen to this horrible rant from the woman next to us about how her little genius was not being challenged in writer's workshop. Blah, blah, blah. I was getting enraged by the second, so I said, kind of loudly, "I don't want to hear this **** when I am in temple," so I made my kids get up and move. My older son was really embarrassed and was like, Mom, calm down.
I had to stop going to the cheapo manicure shop near me because I kept seeing too many people I know who were saying things like, "Oh, did you know that ---- (their kid) was married? graduated law school?, etc. etc." It never stops. These "kids" are closer to 30 than 20!

[Selkie]

Over-privileged people who think the rest of us should step aside because they have money. These are the ones who cut you off in traffic in their big expensive SUVs or cut in front of you in line at a store. Their kids are even worse...

People who come to work sick and spread around their illnesses.

People who take credit for other's work/ideas.

Dishonesty.

A sense of entitlement (my big beef w/much of the "younger" generation -- those who were indulged and told they were special).

Selfish people---the ones who lack manners and think it's all about them.

[Mr. Bloom]

I'm a Mrs. dangit. I'm married. ... If you're really unsure if I'm married or not, address me as Ms. I'm damn near 40- I think I'm a little past the *Miss* phase in life.

Tri Girl makes it easy to know what she prefers.

In business, I've almost gone exclusively to addressing people - male and female - by their first name...and to the surprise of many! It's just too hard and complicated to know what someone's preference is and the risk of offending someone is just not worth it.

I'm gonna go postal.

Indy! You work in a federal office building! Don't say it!

[Tri Girl]

Tri Girl makes it easy to know what she prefers.

hee hee... I guess with a login like Tri Girl...
I should have chosen: middle aged tri woman.
I actually don't mind being called by my first name by parents, colleagues, etc.
Of course, I'm reading more into this than there actually is. I teach in a very wealthy parochial school where you're "unofficially" expected to bow down to those with money, and I'm often talked "down" to by parents with a lot of money. I'm like the "hired help." They really should be kissing my arse because I'm teaching their children for less than 30K a year. I made a lot more $ in public education (but it had it's drawbacks, too).
I get that from the kids, too. They think they can talk down to me or treat me with less respect because mommy and daddy have money, but I am not influenced by money and I call them out when needed (parents AND students). I shouldn't take it personally. I never say anything to the kids when they call me Miss, but it just goes all over me sometimes- especially when it's accompanied by an attitude.

I do love my job, tho. "Miss" and all...

[lph]

It's stupid, I know, but that is the name of this thread after all. I get pissed off at pedestrians who insist on walking in the exact middle of the bike/ped-path on their way to work. Gaggles of kids are excepted, they don't know any better and are too busy goofing around to pay attention. But grown people walking alone on the same path every morning being passed by bikes should at some point grasp that they are in fact on a shared path, a large one, and that those passing cyclists are a lot less intimidating if they would just pick a side.