Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Daily irritants - what's your (in)tolerance level?

Today I work at my office in the north of the city. I don't mind the commute and because I'm going to opposite way from most commuters, I always have a seat. For some reason I am particularly crabby and wanted to scream at the behaviour of two of the people who sat near me. They weren't doing anything wrong per se, they were only annoying to me.

The first woman was eating an apple. I really don't like people who eat on public transportation, but oddly enough, healthy food eaters (yoghurt and apples/bananas/pears) are the ones that drive me to distraction. First of all, I hate having to listen to the sound of either crunching into an apple or that annoying spoon dipping scrape/scrape/scrape noise of yoghurt-eaters. Also, there is so much risk of spill and mess. Not to mention that it is revolting to have to endure apple odour when I'm trying to do my cross word.

The woman went two stops. She couldn't have waited four minutes to eat? I don't mind at all when parents give kids crackers or apple pieces - I mean, kids get hungry and whiny - but for the love of god, can North American adults not do without food for even a half hour subway ride? And if you're time is so pressed, stick to smoothies in well-contained bottles. Don't make me share your meal. I confess - I have been guilty of eating an apple on the subway but when I realized that no one else was eating and how really unnecessary it was, I never did it again.

Ditto for people who feel that the subway is a good place for personal grooming. It's not. I'm not referring to people who clip their nails on the subway - I think that's seen as universally vile. Today though, as soon as apple-eater got off the subway, make-up chick got on. I'm not adverse to a quick application of lipstick, but I hate, hate, hate seeing someone's entire blush, foundation, and eye routine. Especially the use of an eyelash curler.

Again, get up 10 minutes earlier if you can't leave the house without make-up or make use of your office washroom, but please don't force me to watch you root through your grubby cosmetic bag. I know I've ranted about this before, but it makes me crazy. Literally. I had to stop myself from screaming -Can't this wait???? I also reserve a special place in hell for women (and in my experience it's always women) who brush their hair on public transportation. Again, yuck. I don't want your hair dropping all over the floor. Of course there is nothing to quite compare to the couple where the woman was sitting meticulously sqeezing her boyfriend's facial zits [he had a lot]. They were on a bench right next to the food court at my workplace.

Okay, rant over for now. I'm feeling better.

What are your pet peeves of fellow commuters? I'm wondering what things are annoying to YOU. I think there are universally despised behaviour spitting on the floor, hogging seats, cutting people off (if in a car); but we also all have those little annoyances that may not be offensive to others.

9 comments:

Susan as Herself said...

Ugh. Don't even get me started. I cannot STAND when someone files their nails in public. That noise is abhorrent to me... and it seems to go on forever. There used to be a woman on my commuter train who filed her nails EVERY morning. I tried switching train cars, but she "found me" more often than not.

I also witnessed a man feeding his child nachos---that's right, full-blown, hot, ground beef, chile con queso, beans, and sour cream-topped NACHOS on the subway. The smell almost made me heave---and I normally LIKE nachos. But seeing them eaten on a train out of astyrofoam container? Ewwww.

Perplexio said...

*note to self* Do not sponge bathe, shave, or shampoo my hair on Toronto mass transit. ;)

In all seriousness, I'd rather see people doing those things on mass transit than seeing them doing those things in their cars zooming by on the 401. It may be rude and impolite on mass transit but if they're attempting to do those things while driving it may not be as rude or impolite as they're in the privacy of their own vehicles but it's an hell of a lot more dangerous.

Inexplicable DeVice said...

Nail clipping in public is just too vile for words, you're right, Snooze.

I can't stand those idiots who don't use their indicators! Either in their cars or on their various forms of arial transport (magic carpet pilots I'm looking at you!). Why only this morning some twat in a Citroen Xzara Picasso swung out in front of me at a roundabout (don't even get me started on the ineptitude of drivers at roundabouts - Give way to the right, you morons!) before veering off unexpectedly without so much of a flash of his indicators.

Gaaaahhh!

* and breathes *

eroswings said...

It's irritating to listen to other people blab loudly on their cellphones!

And the only thing worse than being near stinky, sweaty people with poor hygiene is being near people who soaked themselves in pungent, awful stinking perfumes! And I can't stand rude idiots who sneeze but don't cover their mouths! Or the filthy bastards who wipe their noses and boogers on their hands before wiping their nasty hands on the chairs!

I do remember one time on a train in Chicago late at night. We had to move to another car, because a drunk idiot at the front passed out and pissed his pants! And his piss was making its way towards the back of the car!

Matt Swift said...

i loathe the idiots who stand in the doorways, blocking everyone else.

Rox said...

I don't commute but I do have to drive my kid to town every morning for band. Anyway, my blood boils with contempt for the people who don't use their signal lights. I find myself swearing at those dumb fucks the whole way home. I have issues.

Oh and the food eaters? Start coughing like crazy. Nothing like hacking all over someone's apple to make them not want to eat it. Told you I had issues.

Snooze said...

Susan: Filing nails in public? Oh I would go mental. that's gross. nachos too - what are people thiking???? [and I wish they would go back to only selling popcorn in movie theatres. Having to smell/listen to people eating nachos there is vile as well]

Perplexio: That's a good point.

IDV: I agree. It even annoys me when fellow cyclists don't use hand signals before turns. You know though, if I were ever driving in England I would no doubt cause havoc in roundabouts because I'm not familiar with them. I'll make a note of how to drive in them.

Eros: I snapped at a cell phone talker last night in a bakery. She was so loud! And please keep those filthy people who pee and snot all over public transportation down in your area (okay, we have them here as well...)

Matt: Oh me too! I shove past them as aggressively as possible. I imagine you do too ;-)

Rox: I have no idea why people find it so difficult to signal. It's so basic! The coughing is a good idea, but I am so programmed to do the healthy 'sleeve cough' that I couldn't bear to cough openly

tornwordo said...

Well I usually put the ipod on and then the noise has to be really loud for me to notice. I think my pet peeve is someone with garlic breath standing next to my seat where I'm sitting. There should be some kind of breath screening before they get on.

Snooze said...

Torn: Can you imagine? A breathalyser for people who haven't heard of oral hygiene. Love the idea.