Stupid things that instantly piss you off

[Zen]

my second husband.

[Deborajen]

I don't understand why "no problem" is such a bad response to "thank you." When the doctors I work for give me a task and say "thanks, Deb," I tell them "no problem" meaning that I'm glad to help - no bothers, no worries - feel free to ask again. But I usually say, "no problem - glad to do it" or something along those lines, and I say it with a smile and with some enthusiasm to make it clear that I mean it. They've always looked pleased with that response, or at least I've read it that way (and I still have a job after almost 15 years!).

Other languages have responses that, if taken literally, could sound different. In Spanish, "gracias" is replied with "de nada" which means "it was nothing." In German, "danke" is replied with "bitte" which is used for both "please" and "you're welcome."

Tone makes a lot more difference to me than what is actually said. Lots of people say "thaaaanks" or "pffffth - well, thanks" and it's obviously not sincere. I'll take a "no problem" over an obviously condescending "why, you're most certainly WELCOME" any day.

[Eden]

I don't understand why "no problem" is such a bad response to "thank you."

+1 - I don't get why it should be annoying either..... (and I'm pretty sure I say it often... I think I may also respond with "any time" or something similar too) as long as the response is sincere.

I guess I'm just more informal than most.... I don't actually care to be thanked by store clerks.... as long as they are pleasant and helpful I don't need them to thank me - they helped me after all....... I think its kind of ah, presumptuous of me to expect to be thanked just for shopping somewhere... like I'm somehow giving them the gift of a job by shopping there or something. Kind of makes me feel icky.

[lph]

Probably other parents think I'm a ***** for snapping at him about it, but he's got to learn! And it doesn't help when people do stupid stuff right in front of him!

I agree, I'm a right b*tch about telling my 12 yr old son to HOLD RIGHT LIKE I TOLD YOU TO! Actually he's worst when it comes to ski trails, he'll happily tootle along on the left hand side so he can chat, and not notice anything until he's sent a fast approaching skier flying into the underbrush...

On the bike path I'm merciless about holding right. He just has to learn it, and the sooner the better.

[WolfGirl]

I agree, I'm a right b*tch about telling my 12 yr old son to HOLD RIGHT LIKE I TOLD YOU TO!...
On the bike path I'm merciless about holding right. He just has to learn it, and the sooner the better.

Me too! That, and PULL OVER TO STOP! WHY ARE YOU STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PATH! YOU NEED TO PULL OVER! *bangs head* I know he's only 6, but I don't care; he needs to know sooner than later! I was holding my breath when we did Ride the Drive and he had bikes all around him for six miles. We all managed to survive, thankfully.

[Veronica]

I'm glad you're both merciless about teaching your kids the proper way to ride.

My husband's bike had to be replaced when he had a head on collision with a little kid on a BMX type bike. The kid was on the wrong side of a path on a blind corner. They didn't hit hard but it was enough to do some major damage to the steel frame of Thom's bike. He was in Australia so Thom was very focused on staying on the correct side of the path himself. It was his first weekend of a month long business trip there too.

Ahhh... well accidents do happen.

Veronica

[marni]

I thank you both for training your children- I no longer ride on bike hike trails (not that there are that many around here) because of the riders who will not warn me when passong, will swerve into my side as I pass them after I warn them that I am passing, or the oblivious ones who suddenly stop in the middle of the path to answer their cell phones and the small children who, bless their hearts, swerve alll over the place by accident or because no one has taught them better. I much prefer riding on the road in spite of the Texas drivers.

[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.

[bunny_ninja]

As a vegetarian of many, many years - I have heard 'do you eat fish?' sooo many times after explaining that I don't eat meat.

[rubywagon]

As a vegetarian of many, many years - I have heard 'do you eat fish?' sooo many times after explaining that I don't eat meat.

+1! Someone asked me once, "What about chicken?" I got a good chuckle.

[WolfGirl]

Getting cut off (and almost crashed into) at an intersection by another cyclist who ran a red light! I guess the fact that he was riding on the sidewalk made it okay.

[OakLeaf]

I've met people who call themselves vegetarians who eat more meat and fish than I do. Not that I eat that much, but I wouldn't dream of calling myself a vegetarian.

You know what else pisses me off? "Pescatarian." "Flexitarian." The idea that someone who is capable of eating a meal without red meat in it has to have a label. And that many of those people embrace those labels.

[bunny_ninja]

Getting cut off (and almost crashed into) at an intersection by another cyclist who ran a red light! I guess the fact that he was riding on the sidewalk made it okay.

HAHAHAH! yup...

[PamNY]

I can shut down the whole "what do you eat and what should you be called" conversation by explaining that I don't eat anything I wouldn't be willing to kill myself. Which is true.

Nobody has suggested a label for me yet.

[OakLeaf]

That was where I was for a good decade after I was no longer a vegetarian. People now would call me "pescatarian," I suppose , but I would explain that I had no problem cleaning fish, but when it was my turn to wring the chicken's neck, I just couldn't do it - and the two cattle brandings I went to, I passed out both times from the smell and the screaming. You're right, that shut them down.

Nowadays, I take a more global view of agriculture and my role in it. Call me a Michael Pollatarian.