Pet Peeves....

[Raffine]

People who walk around with those stupid looking blue tooth headsets on all the time (I feel like getting them in a headlock and ripping it off).

I refer to these people as "The Borg".

[CheezeFlixz]

As far as driving goes ... makes my very last nerve when someone comes to damn near a complete stop on a major road to turn into a parking lot, meanwhile I'm behind them slamming on the breaks thinking they can turn and roll forward at the same time and to add to that they don't use a turn signal.

[Poogie]

Many years ago I used to take the freeway every where I went because to me it was the safest way to go, no stop signs, no turning off to a parking lot or side street. Every body was going pretty much the same speed. Now I won't even get on the freeway because there is always a couple of cars swerving in and out of traffic. It scares the hell out of me because they get soooooo close when they do it. The car I drive is a MR2 (Toyota), it's very small and low, one little tap and I would go flying to ziggyland. Let's put it this way, if someone is next to me all I see is tires and if it's a truck I could probably drive right under it.    So for now I'll stick to side streets which are just as bad but going at a slower speed most of the time.   

And don't even get me started on Cell phones and I-Pods. 

NEXT.............................

[Zapranoth]

I play my iPod while I drive (plugged into my car stereo -- not headphones).

But the cell phone-yapping bastards, I agree with you there.  Or the ones who think that yapping on a hands-free is somehow less distracting than holding the phone (it's hands free, but you still aren't paying attention to the damned road). 

[Shadow]

Speeding per se doesn't bother me, as I tend to drive fast, but what gets to me are those folks who constantly feel the need to change lanes in order to jockey for a better postion at the light or just because they are impatient and want to go around everyone. I am the most impatient bastard out there, but I try and pick a lane and stay there. If I do need to pass someone, I'll take my time doing it and not dart in and out of multiple lanes, cutting people off and risking an accident.

When it comes to the road, my biggest pet peeve are big rig trucks. It bugs me to no end when I see them speeding. I live in California where the speed limit for any vehicle towing a trailer or with more than two axles is 55 MPH. Too many truckers exceed that limit. I know speed limits for big trucks are higher in many other states, but here it is 55 MPH dammit! I really believe that none of those trucks has any business going over 55 anywhere. Those things don't stop on a dime and are not all that maneuverable. If it was in my power, every single trucker going over 55 for any extended period of time in CA would be getting some major fines.

[Yaddo 42]

People who walk around with those stupid looking blue tooth headsets on all the time (I feel like getting them in a headlock and ripping it off).

Strangely I have the urge to smack them in the ear, Bluetooth vs. ear cartilage = pain.

[Ash]

Speaking of driving pet peeves...

Slow drivers!

I'm not one of those rush-rush-rush drivers that ulthar was talking about but I do like to get to my destination within a reasonable amount of time.

There's nothing worse than someone in front of me going 25-30 in a 35 MPH zone.
AHHH!

It's understandable if it's an elderly person.
But when someone who isn't elderly is in my way and slowing not only me, but everyone else behind them, that's a problem.
It's even worse if it's a two lane road and both drivers at the front of the pack are side-by-side, driving slow as hell and no one can pass.
I have zero patience for extra slow drivers.

Remember the scene in the beginning of Office Space when Samir flips out behind the wheel of his car?
That's me when I'm behind a slow driver.

[raj]

My sister, who lives in Newport News VA, tells of some poeple who are proud that they will drive right next to another car, at the speed limit, thus blocking everyone else.  Folks, it isn't your job to enforce the speed limit, let the cops do that.  Plus, I was always taught that the left lane is for passing only.  Grrrr.

And one time, driving on 17M in northern Jersey I actually was passed (I was in the righthand lane) by a guy who had a freakin' book propped up in the steering wheel.  F'ing jackass.

[ulthar]

My sister, who lives in Newport News VA, tells of some poeple who are proud that they will drive right next to another car, at the speed limit, thus blocking everyone else.  Folks, it isn't your job to enforce the speed limit, let the cops do that.  Plus, I was always taught that the left lane is for passing only. 

I agree with that, but I will say that if I am in the left (passing) lane on the highway and going the posted limit, passing someone going quite noticably SLOWER than the posted limit (that is, I AM moving past them), I feel NO RUSH getting out of the way of the jack4$$ behind me who wants be doing 20+ over the posted limit and is riding my bumper flashing his lights and swerving side to side (like he's gonna pass on the shoulder to get around).  It is not my job to enforce the law, but neither am I obligated to break it to cater to someone else's impatience.

Truthfully, bad driving IN GENERAL is probably my biggest pet peeve.  It saddens me the life and property (over a billion dollars PER YEAR in South Carolina alone) wasted due to bad driving.  There are very, very few accidents on the road.  There is virtually always some form of human negligence (not error) behind collisions.  We speak of speeding, cell phones, being to old behind the wheel, being too young behind the wheel, whatever.  In 2000, 1.26 million people died worldwide in traffic collisions.  That's a lot of folks, folks.

[raj]

South Carolina, yes.  I lived there for a few years and some there think they're in NASCAR -- can't stand the "I'm not tailgating, it's drafting" bumpersticker/mentality.  But I always try to get out of the left lane quickly -- except when the bozo in the right then decides to speed up.

[Poogie]

That's another thing, when you're entering the freeway if there's somebody coming up near the enter lane they speed up so you can't get in front of them. What's that line? "I'm fed up and I'm not going to put up with it anymore!" I'm going out to buy a TANK!   

[Automan2000]

My sister, who lives in Newport News VA, tells of some poeple who are proud that they will drive right next to another car, at the speed limit, thus blocking everyone else.  Folks, it isn't your job to enforce the speed limit, let the cops do that.  Plus, I was always taught that the left lane is for passing only.  Grrrr.

And one time, driving on 17M in northern Jersey I actually was passed (I was in the righthand lane) by a guy who had a freakin' book propped up in the steering wheel.  F'ing jackass.

I live in Virginia Beach, VA and around here the left lane isn't the passing lane its the ONLY lane. 

Thats seriously how people act around here. That and they lose complete control and the slightest sign of a snowflake, raindrop, or slight breeze.

[Yaddo 42]

We've got the rding in the fast lane problem here too.

Whatever happened to all those "Slower Traffic Keep Right" signs that used to be on the highways? We need a new batch of them to remind the idiots how to drive. If you drive slow or have a slow car (like I often do, damn 4-cylinders) move over.

[Poogie]

I have a pet peeve and it involves pets.....These people who leave their gates open so their dogs can run loose around the neighborhood. I take my 2 dogs for a walk and at least once a week this neighbor has left her gate open and her 4 dogs come running out at full speed towards mine, which scares one of mine into the fetal position and the other one wanting to play(she's a puppy). I'm standing there trying to walk and block with my feet like I'm trying to do some ballet or something when finally the lady comes out to apologize and get her dogs. It's gotten to the point where the scared one, who is pretty strong, pulls me to the other side of the street every time we go by, which is not a bad idea but sometimes there's a lot of cars going by. And to top things off when we go around the other way there's another neighbor who has a Saint Bernard and 4 Chihuahuas and the Saint Bernard is out roaming around. It is very lovable but it just comes over and stands over my 2 dogs and starts pawing and sniffing like they're little toys. Meanwhile mine are laying there like they're going to be killed.  So far these loose dogs haven't hurt mine in any way they just scare the heebeejeebees out of us, I never know what they might do. Okay I'm done. 

[Dennis]

Not a peeve but it does have Poogie and a couple of pets in it. We were walking the dog, only had one at the time, followed the same route we usually take. There is one little old pooch we call the "little face", very old guy, about the size of a dachshund, very friendly, comes out to inspect us every time we pass. I sometimes stay behind and play with him a little bit, then catch up to the wife and doggie. One time I did this a little longer than usual and the wife and Odie got to the end of the block, we turn left here to head home, across the street from this corner is the home of Goliath, a really friendly, playful St Bernard. As I started toward the corner where the wife and Odie were waiting I heard the housekeeper yell "NO GOLIATH", and there he was, heading for the driveway gate that someone had left open. Here's the funny stuff, Goliath, all 150 plus pounds of him was headed across the street, the housekeeper had one hand on his collar and was trying to stop him, she was yelling, trying to say no goliath, but as she was being carried along it came out as "NO GO LIE". Odie's lead is 6 1/2 ft. long and as Goliath approached he decided to run around the wife and then out between her legs, he and Goliath were having a great time chasing in and out and around the little woman who was sort of dancing around while being wound up in the leash, and of course the housekeeper was still being towed around by Goliath, both the ladies were yelling. Both dogs were barking and having a fine old time, when I got there I was laughing to hard to be much help but eventually I got Goliath calmed down, the wife and Odie left for home and we managed to convince Goliath that he belonged in his yard. He had one more trick to perform, he stood up on his hind legs, put his paws on my shoulders and started to lick my face, in about 1 second I was covered in dog spit, but that's just his way of saying "see y'all later".
The other St. Bernard Poogie mentioned is Baby, and all she really wants is someone to scratch her behind the ears and give her a milk bone.