September 30, 2024 - I suppose that you could call this a partial list of my “pet peeves”. Webster defines the word “peeve” as – “A vexation, to cause to be annoyed or resentful, to irritate, to vex”. All of these feelings befall all of us at one time or another. The following are a few of my most irritating peeves:
Parking – It seems that to some drivers the yellow lines which indicate the boundaries in which to park their car mean nothing. Some drivers straddle one of the lines which then occupies two spaces for one vehicle. Perhaps they use the line as a marker to follow with their hood ornament to get their car in straight. Who knows? The post office parking is particularly dangerous as drivers angle their cars in most any direction other than the parking stripes. I wish drivers could do better than that.
Postcards in Magazines - I used to be able to thumb through a magazine to determine its contents. Now I can’t do that because of those little advertising post cards inserted all throughout the magazine. The first thing that I do now is to pull out all the cards, toss them in the waste basket, then thumb through the publication. They are definitely a vexation to me.
Supermarkets - Remember the good old days when stores had “checkers” who had to read the marked price then punch the numbers into the register. This required all their attention and concentration. Now days stores have “scanners” who do nothing but scan merchandise over a computer which “reads” the price. They have to do no thinking, and many take this time to converse with the sacker or another “scanner” about how tired they are, how much they hate their job, or what person they hate and why. There is no pleasant greeting, and little attention to the customer. Sometimes I have been tempted to say to them, “Hey ! Look at what you are doing, dummy. You are spending my money and I would appreciate just a little attention.” It is definitely an irritation to me.
Shrinking Merchandise – Have you noticed how small the cans, boxes, and rolls of items are getting? A can of soup or beans is about one third smaller ( but not the price) than it has ever been. The only thing getting larger is the hole in the roll of toilet paper and paper towels, which equates to less paper for the same price. These manufacturers must think that we, the public, are complete idiots not to notice this devious trick being fostered upon us. This makes me resentful.
Babies At Solemn Functions - I love babies as much as the next guy. In fact, I was a baby once. But, I get annoyed at the parents who bring their six-month old to a public function and allow it to cry, scream, and yell all the while, never bothering to remove the irritant. Most churches provide nurseries with trained helpers to take care of your child while you worship. In my humble opinion, babies should never be taken to worship services, funerals, weddings, and recitals. These type functions are designed for adults to enjoy; so please, mom and dad, if you can’t get a baby sitter for the event, just stay home. All the rest of us will thank you for your consideration.
Navigating The Circle - The intersection of US96 and SH21 ( the circle) was poorly designed, I think we will all agree. The Highway Department has refused to put down driving lanes to indicate left turn, right turn, or straight across instructions for motorists. Consequently, drivers use their own rules to get through this intersection, which creates a dangerous situation. If drivers would remember what they learned in the driver handbook, the inside lane should be for left turns, the middle one for straight across, while the outside lane for right turns only. Apparently most do not remember, consequently they make turns from any lane they like.
Another rule broken regularly is this – any vehicle entering a major street or thoroughfare from an alley or driveway, must yield to ALL traffic until safe to enter. So, I get irritated, vexed, or annoyed daily at this location.
So, there you have it – only a few of my pet peeves. I am sure that you have your own as well. I realize that things will probably not change, but it does help to talk about them once in a while.
P.S. Since originally writing this article, the circle has been replaced with a new large, modern intersection with signal lights. The verdict is still out on this new intersection, however.
