What Are Your Larry-David-Style Pet Peeves?
Have you ever been out in public when a stranger does something that drives you instantly bats, a la Larry David?
A few examples, above
A few years ago, on a flight to visit my sister, I was reading my book when I heard a “click.” Then, another “click.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. There was no way. Someone wasn’t actually clipping their nails on the plane, were they?! Slowly, I forced myself to turn around. Right there, in the middle seat, was a woman casually giving herself a manicure. And then — omg, I can barely type this — one came flying between the seats and onto my arm. A STRANGER’S NAIL!!!!!
Also, people need to quiet down at restaurants, haha. “That group keeps laughing very loudly,” I told Freddie the other day, when we tried a new alpine place. “I’ll go talk to them,” he laughed. (He didn’t.)
What are your Larry David-style pet peeves? I want to hear! And for comic relief, here is Larry David breaking during scenes:
P.S. My friend’s embarrassing run-in with Ethan Hawke, and do you have misophonia, too?
Comments
178 commentsWhen they tell you to pick a restaurant and you do and they say, “no, not there!” Non-decision makers posing as adults.
Also, I am truly so happy reading these. I think of myself as being so critical of the world/people and you are all cracking me up, knowing silly things are getting you into a tizzy (see: pet peeve #79 the use of idioms, as a rule) on a daily basis. Carry on.
– when people talk to me while I’m eating cereal. I cannot listen and chew cereal at the same time. No family member of mine seems to grasp this concept despite being repeatedly exposed to it!! – clothing hung the wrong way on the hangers. The hook needs to be open on the left when you’re facing the front of the shirt – loud talkers
Hook to the left!!
When people say he or she “passed away” Where did they pass to??? Please just say they died!!!!
I’m late but my very niche pet peeve is when people confuse sequin with sequined and sequins with sequence. And please don’t call something covered in sparkly paillettes sequenced. Nails on a chalkboard for me.
I’m very late to this party but TWO FACTOR AUTHENTICATION. Just let me use my password!! Do not make me get out my phone and check a text message!!!! All my passwords and my phone number and email have been hacked by now and I DO NOT CARE
Meta, maybe, but my pet peeve is Cheryl Hines ruining Curb Your Enthusiasm for me by apparently being more than a-okay with RFK Jr’s bastshit agenda. I’ll miss you, Larry.
My pet peeve is people who demand that everyone else should hold identical beliefs or be shunned.
HARD AGREE!
Totally agree! Love that show and watching her now is intolerable! So grossed out by her and her nut job husband. I think that there are a few seasons where she isn’t in every episode…
The smell of dryer sheets. It is especially irritating if I can’t remove myself from it. I get the worst headache and it puts me in a very grumpy mood.
Playing loud music / instagram clips on the metro without headphones. No one wants to hear your sexiest bro-podcast / cat videos! That said, today a woman across from me was playing the darth Vader soundtrack on full blast for the entire metro car, which was hilarious.
so recently, I was in a hospital waiting room for a few hours and the guy next to me was watching on his phone, without headphones, The Price is Right. And, he was INTO IT. Like cheering for the contestants, exclaiming “oh no, too high!,” and such throughout. Normally, this would be so annoying but I was just bemused by the whole thing- Where do you even watch the price is right online? Why was he so into it? Did he know one of the contestants? Is he just a huge fan?!?!!? It was really so funny to me.
Thought of one more. ha! When people are grocery shopping and stop their cart and body right in front of where you are looking. Also, LEAVE YOUR CARTS SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM THE PRODUCE. You’re blocking like four feet. Ugh. That one really gets me.
When people call old people, “cute” or “adorable.” It’s so condescending and forces them to be childlike. They lived a FULL LIFE.
People who call older adults ‘cute’ or ‘adorable’ clearly don’t spend much time with them because they are brilliant and talented and wise…and more often than not will give you a very direct piece of their mind because they’ve earned the right! I don’t baby them…because ooof. They’ll slice ya with one look. ;)
I came to the comments to post that my pet peeve is people misusing the phrase “pet peeve.” A pet peeve must be BOTH 1. peculiar, unusual, specific to you, not something widely thought to be irritating, AND 2. small, petty, trivial – an annoyance, not a significant offense. Thus, things like tailgating, getting cut off in traffic, etc., are not pet peeves because they are actually dangerous. And things like clipping nails in public or watching TikToks out loud with no headphones are not pet peeves because most everyone agrees these things are unacceptable. BUT, having perused the comments, I see that others have already noted their annoyance with many of these pet peeves not really qualifying as pet peeves. Therefore, my pet peeve of people misusing the “pet peeve” concept fails the peculiarity condition for a pet peeve, and I will have to stop telling people that this is my pet peeve. To borrow a dated internet phrase (another pet peeve of mine), I’ll see myself out.
Oh, bravo! And I agree, totally.
Eheh, I agree. English is not my first language and while reading about the nail clipping on the plane I was most certainly sure that is not a pet peeve, just common consideration and good sense. I wasn’t going to comment but now I have to say one pet peeve of mine to add to the conversation: You know those elbow patches on sweaters? With the rise of fast fashion they appear everywhere else BUT on the elbow area. Is so funny and absurd. My fiancée looks ridiculous in a blue jumper with super high above the elbow patches, is like a costume hahah. But he is very sensible that “he dresses badly and I dress well” and I just can’t make myself to say anything. But is so funny, and annoying to see. Oh, just a dunny dilemma and challenge for me. I will survive.
I meant “funny” not “dunny” of course :)
Dang, I forgot a big one. Joanna, I wholeheartedly love this page but MY FREAKING STARS how I absolutely hate the way that your menu bar (is that what it’s called?) just shows up on my screen after I’ve perfectly lined up what I want to read. That damn thing always pops in and cuts off the top four lines of text on my screen, then I have to readjust my perfect screen to make it go away, and I hate hate hate it. Thanks for the opportunity to vent.
Thank you, we will see if we can take care of this!! Xoxoxo
Co-sign! lol
1000 plus comments and some are hilarious. However, I am surprised that no one has mentioned that friends not chipping in their share of money, if you paid for it. It has happened to me several time now. I pay for stuff at restaurants or buy a group gift or something and then let the friends know their share. Crickets after that. I know everyone is busy but it takes 2 seconds to do this with Venmo/Zelle etc. I let these go in the name of friendship but when it happens too many times, I cannot help feeling that I am being taken advantage of. I am sure people dont forget to pay intentionally but it would be really nice if people intentionally took care of it right away.
100%. I am often the one organizing it which is why I’m footing the bill initially, and then I wonder why friends have the audacity not to pay for themselves. I am not making money here, people!
A former friend has done the money withholding game so very often with me, but I saw that she would also try to be dominant with me. It seemed to be one more way she thought she was establishing importance.
– the rise of woah as an acceptable alternative to whoa – music in nature – IKEA’s unsteerable carts – liars, interrupters, Republican assholes (as opposed to the nice ones, of whom there are indeed many), the demise of the truth, a populace that isn’t paying attention enough to be outraged, fascism in general
The demise of the truth! LOL YES. And that’s more than a pet peeve – that’s like concern for the future if humanity.
Fully co-sign “woah” being painfully flabbergasting. Why do people think that counts???
Yes to ikea carts can’t stand them. I’ve always used woah. Sorry! Haha
Yes to woah. How does that spelling even make sense? Woo-ah?? The word ends in AH!! There is no ah sound in whoa.
Late to the game, but… When people refer to an older woman as “granny” without any context that she is, in fact, a grandmother.
I’m usually tolerant of spelling mistakes but for some reason seeing walking down the “isle” in a wedding context drives me insaneeee. And its very common!
i don’t know how i missed this post last week but i have to add my contributions! I actually keep a note on my phone with pet peeves i keep encountering so this is my time to shine! without further ado, my list: -Using bronzer as contour -overlining lips -related, people runding out their top lip especially when they have a very pronounced cupids bow -corset tops/dresses that don’t fit the boobs correctly -using “aesthetic” as an adjective (you can have an x aesthetic or something can be aesthetically pleasing!) -people buying super expensive and huge engagement rings that they cannot use in daily life/travel so they have to get a fake one to use then (just get something wearable omg) -fashion advice that basically is “do this to look taller and thinner!” i am sure i have more but these are the ones that show up often enough that i had to keep a list lol
+1 for the ill-fitting busts and aesthetic as an adjective
Not a comment on pet peeves, but I clicked the link you posted to Cafe Brume! It immediately brought me back to Austria! I did a 2 week road trip last summer and instantly spotted some places that I have too have pictures of! Specifically the little village with the charming skyline and church. My picture is also moody and cloudy.
I cannot STAND how younger generations say they are making something “more aesthetic.” That is NOT what that word means. Also the way people stop pronouncing the letter T- saying “forgah-en” instead of “forgotten” or “Buh-en” instead of “Button.” I turned 40 this year so I guess the irritation with the youths was bound to happen.
Abigail, I have one related to the not pronouncing the letter “T.” My last name is Martin, and so many younger people pronounce it “Mar-in.” So very annoying to me. And I’m even older than you (63), so this really annoys me.
i also said the “aesthetic” thing in my comment lol it irks me to no end
The missing T’s are a dialect thing! I’m over 40 and I come from the Mid-Atlantic and have to make and effort to add t’s, and when they do they sound really funny, think Brittany Murphy’s accent in Clueless (except mine is less intense) when she says Awl-tin (for Alton). My d’s never sound like t’s but that’s also a thing. I don’t know I’d the youths put it on because it’s become ubiquitous because of social media but us older people have a good reason that we can’t help. Mar-in, buh-in, and a bunch of others words where it’s omitted are definitely in my dialect and there’s not much I can do but sound silly when I really try hard to insert it.
Oh my goodness, I am 38 years old and I never realized I did this! lol I will work on pronouncing my T’s!!
I’m from MA and realizing from your comment that the OVERpronunciation of T’s drives me nuts. It sounds too proper. Definitely a regional thing!
When people put cell phones on dining/kitchen tables. Generally, phones are so dirty. I will move phones to a chair if I catch it at my house.
I might have several but the most recent one I’ve been reminded of this morning: my phone asks for things and wants me to thank it for it like I’m a kid being taught good manners, and I find it really odd. “Change to battery saver? yes / no thanks” I’m just so put off by thanking a piece of technology lol. Phone people, if you’re out there, please stop this nonsense!
lol, yes! But then my brain stats jumping to when technology takes over in a Sci Fi future scape where a robot says “we will spare her because she was nice.” Time to override that thought because they should also know that no is a complete sentence. Just NO!!! (Said in a neutral not mean tone).
People who say ‘I did London’ ‘we did Paris’ when talking about past travel. As if a place is just a quick checkmark and saying I went to is too hard? It drives me bonkers!
I thought it was just me! I haaate that, too. Aww.
… or when people say they’re going to “do” an item on a menu when ordering -“I’m going to do the salmon”.
When a child is acting out or having an undesirable behavior saying “no thank you” to redirect them. What are we thanking them for? Isn’t this confusing and too wordy for them? “No.” is a complete sentence, doesn’t need to be mean and should be modeled. Stop with the “no thank you!” It’s dishonest, I’m not thankful! Say no and explain why it’s not a good behavior. Really you’ll be doing them a favor in the long run.
Totally see your point on this, Julia! I think it may be that we’re thanking them for obeying. No — and thank you for obeying my “no.” In our family we add the “thank you” also as a way to instill polite manners, so that when they’re with teachers or grandparents or other adults or friends (or anyone!) their habit is to follow “yes” with a “please” and “no” with a “thank you.”
Very interesting! I always say no thank you. I think the thank you is for the fact that they listen and comply right away. I’m pre-thanking them knowing they will make a better choice. I think it also sounds less like I’m talking to a dog.
This kind of summarizes some of my thoughts on it. https://gooddayswithkids.com/2023/04/14/no-thanks-is-not-a-discipline-tool/#:~:text=3%20Replies,things%20they%20didn't%20like. I just feel like the intent from the grown up is to be polite but it leaves the kid confused. The have to make this mental leap about what the thank you is about. I think clearer language while being aware of intonation and cadence is a more effective approach.
I hate it when comedians start commenting on how the crowd doesn’t find their jokes funny… it’s so cringe and only makes the vibe worse.
Parents not teaching their kids that there is a difference between public and private behavior. Your toddler twirling in your living room for 10 minutes might be super cute. But your toddler twirling in the middle of the pasta aisle at the grocery store for 10 minutes at 6pm on a Wednesday night is obnoxious. Kids and parents who don’t know that difference are my pet peeve.
Not sure parents can really control this. Also worth reflecting on the trade off: kids are kids! They’re going to act the age unless you’re micromanaging and saying no non stop. On this note: childless people who criticise others parenting is a pet peeve. LOL
Hi Charlie- One- I’m not childless and two I agree not all behavior is controllable. Would also add that there is nothing wrong with saying no to your kid.
I completely agree! I know most parents have a lot on their plate but public places are not all playgrounds. It drives me crazy when someone’s child is repeatedly invading my personal space and the parent does nothing. We are not all raising your child!
My newly formed pet peeve is that I can’t upvote many of these comments.
Yes, ditto this x1000
Yas!
My kids not sitting squarely on their chairs at lunch/dinner. They’re all over those things if they’re on them at all, and we’re not even talking about four legs being on the floor. It instantly makes me CRAZY. The chairs aren’t comfortable, in my kids’ defense, but we’ve tried higher Ikea kids’ (junior) chairs and cushions and nothing seems to work. I guess I need to try hot glue. But if any COJ readers have suggestions for what has worked for them, my kids will thank you . . .
Their bodies probably know what they need. Mine needs movement too – even without sitting in a school chair all day. X
When you’re in a workout class and the instructor says “10 more seconds” and then goes, “ok now 10 more seconds, you can do it!” Like ma’am just tell me it’s 20 seconds. I’m already here! I’m already motivated! Give me the facts!
People who don’t bother owning a trash bin, and use other people’s bins religiously for decades.
Adults riding bikes, electric bikes, electric scooters and motorcycles on the sidewalk. I’m afraid if my child or I step sideways to avoid something on the ground we will be mowed over by a véhicule going 10 or 20mph. It’s rude and it’s illegal. If the street doesn’t feel safe for biking then please WALK your bike alongside us pedestrians.
The “my so-and-so wants to show you his/her blah-blah-blah” so YOU BETTER BE NICE” videos on TT and IG. Seriously, just stop.
I’m many days late to this post! I am adding my pet peeves anyway. 1. The soft, slurpy noise the dog makes when he’s licking himself. (Shudder.) 2. Tupperware lids that are always wet coming out of the dishwasher. 3. Poorly-made tea in coffee houses. (It’s actually simpler than coffee! Properly hot water and a tea bag!) 4. My sister’s pet peeve – when people start loading their groceries onto the belt before you’ve finished unloading your own cart. 5. When airline attendants SLAM the overhead bins shut rather than simply pushing them closed. It gives me actual pain and occasionally triggers a migraine. 6. When magazines say a pregnant person is “flaunting her belly.” Ummm, she’s just existing while pregnant, in public? 7. Baby talk from grown-ups to other grown-ups. (I have a family member who does this and it sets my teeth on edge.) 8. When you have to go through the AI Chatbot for “help” before you can connect to an actual person. (Omg, the question I have is not in your FAQs.) 9. When air pressure changes cause a door to randomly slam shut in the house and then, even though I’m not superstitious, I feel like the house is haunted. 10. When the NYT Crossword app doesn’t give me a yellow start for solving the puzzle, even though I did it without hints! (I deserve more than the blue star!)
Children in bars. Bars are for forgetting your troubles in a space that doesn’t remind you of them. It does not make you a hip parent; it makes you a self centered human. This is my forever #1 pet peeve.
Kirstin you have to go to a bar to forget the troubles of your children? Am I reading this right? 😬
Mine is when women say “my husband” instead of his name when I personally know said husband.
… or when people refer to their parents as “Mom” or “Dad” when we don’t share a mom or dad (and they should be saying “my mom” or “my dad”!)
Leaf blowers!!! Loud. And mostly used to create enormous dirt clouds.
Hugh Grant agrees with this one.
When people use “1000%” incorrectly as in “I agree with you 1000%”…… 100% is enough!,
Haha YES! 1000% agree!
Drawers and doors left partially open.
After reading 1K of these comments, I think my pet peeve is when people think an obviously rude, asocial behavior (such as loud music in a public space) is a pet peeve, i.e. unique to them. Pick something weirder!! Haha! Stay grumpy, friends!
I love this comment!
Ha! Yes!
I came here for some salt. Thank you for delivering. ::chef’s kiss::
I have so (too?) many, but my hottest Larry David-style take, the platform I will run on, the hill I will die on is: I don’t want to see entire families, couples, groups of roommates, etc. shopping at Trader Joe’s together. The aisles are too narrow! Space is at a premium! Employees are stocking the shelves everywhere! I will give an exception to individual parents/guardians shopping with their children. But if I see two adults with kids? No. One of you take those kids out of here and let the other person shop alone. I feel like such a curmudgeon every time I’m there. Oh you both need to pick out the yuzu sesame gochujang nut mix together? Get outta here.
This is so specific and so funny. I love you.
Bahahaha – this take is solid gold.
this is so funny…I thought I was the only one! I live in a very touristy area, and the grocery store mid August is already bananas. Like, please don’t bring your parents, spouse and 3 kids to pick out the hot dog rolls.
Oh my god, you’re my grouchy soulmate. WHY are you completing mundane errands TOGETHER? Split them in half so you can get home sooner and do actually worthwhile stuff! Nobody will ever convince me that going to CVS together is quality family time.
Wasn’t it on this site, many times, where it was suggested doing these so called “mundane ” errands together is a way to spend time with friends ?
agreeeeeeeed! Trader Joes is the worst because it’s small- Costco is also bad. It’s the entire family- my gosh! divide and conquer, it will go much faster and you can get back to being together quicker!! My husband and I always divided up, one hit the food court with the kids and the other ran through the store and shopped. Easy.
I am reading these and finding many of them hilarious!! Here is my pet peeve list about myself.. -I just bought a box of Starbucks Keurig pods. What was I thinking??? I will be peeing microplastics for the next month. That is, if they’re not lodged into the cells of my body. -I have FaceTimed with my sister in the thrift store so we can shop together. Ugh, but fun. The loud music in the store probably covered up my quiet speaking, right? RIGHT?? Haha -Speeding 42 km above the speed limit and getting a ticket. Of course I would get a ticket, the police officer gave me the lowest possible fine, but there was no getting around the fact that he had to give me a ticket for that one. DUHHH, that was expensive. -I drive with a shredded windshield wiper that flaps which I haven’t bothered to replace yet. I really don’t care about repetitive noises as I just ignore them, so it’s probably really annoying for my passengers. Also, I have a giant zucchini on my back deck and I keep putting off making zucchini bread. Also, I just paid my phone bill 3 days late. Anyway, I could go on for days so I will leave this here. Thank you for letting me vent haha
It drives me crazy when I’m dining out at a restaurant and the appetizers get to the table before the drinks.
I’m perimenopausal, what ISN’T a pet peeve right now?! Here’s a few that are particularly loatheful at the moment. – Cars – not using their blinkers or sharing the road with bikes. Also, multiple beeps when locking (This isn’t a thing in Scandinavia and I miss the peace so much!) – Not saying “Excuse me” when walking in front of someone, just barging through – Ringtones on full volume or having conversations in public on your speaker phone. – When in a car, not waiting for me to buckle up or reach my door before taking off – Messing up my (very easy) coffee order – People with dogs on the stretchy leashes that take up the whole aisle or sidewalk – Having to listen to other folks terrible music while trying to enjoy nature. – General rudeness Thanks for the prompt and space to kvetch!
I agree with all of these!
Out of date posters in public spaces. There’s a poster in a local restaurant for Arbor Day 2018 festivities.
My husband and I love to laugh at the local restaurant whose website STILL has a front page message the reads: “We are aware of the coronavirus situation and are taking precautions.”
And grand opening signs for places that have been open for years!
I thought of another one: how every retail site has a bajillion popups and things that slide across the screen when you first visit it. Like I just wanna see the stuff first not decline to enter my email five times.
THIS
Mine is people who wear earbuds while driving. Why? Also, babies/toddlers running around at breweries. It’s a bar. I don’t want your child running around my table.
Lol my pet peeve is people not being understanding of how hard it is to raise children. It’s a brewery, not a bar. Let the kids have some fun and the weary parents remember briefly what it feels like to socialise
Boo to babies at breweries! Literally one of the few things that kept me sane as a new young mom was being able to have a semi-normal evening with my husband at a kid-friendly brewery. Also, kids are the best! :-)
I agree with Peevey. Bars are for adults. Breweries are often family friendly (and often says so right on their website). Adults have enough spaces to go with only other adults!
My number one pet peeve forever and always is Americans wearing their shoes in the house. And then having the kindly remind people to remove their shoes when they walk into my house.
Yes yes YES. Even worse when the house is carpeted. How are you all not disgusted??
Agree except that I can’t walk across hard surfaces like ceramic tile, hardwoods, etc., without arch support. Even a few steps without arch support is agony. Winter is hard for me to go to friends’ houses because I know my shoes are wet but I just cannot walk across your yard floor without some shoes on. Although, if I know in advance I’m coming over, I will bring clean dry shoes to change into. But that doesn’t satisfy everyone, sadly.
Reversing into a parking spot for no reason! I get it if you’re a first responder or if the situation calls for it, but it takes soooo much more time backing into the spot than just driving forward into it. How does this save any time?! It especially annoys me when it’s a crowded parking lot and you’re stopping the flow of traffic to reverse into the spot. Feels good to vent about our pet peeves among Cup of Jo friends :)
It really takes like 2 seconds longer unless people are really bad at it.
THIS.
I play my own private game in this situation wherein, I pull head first into another spot, turn off the car, and jump out ready to go before the backing in person is even done. They have no idea they lost the race, but I know that I WON!
yes, this! what is the purpose of having to work harder backing into a narrow space vs backing out of one into the great wide open?
it’s funny because in many places this is the norm, it was kinda surprising to me being in America earlier this year and seeing everyone drive straight into their spot!
At my place of work we are required to back into parking spots – every single car. It’s because you are much more likely to hit somebody backing out of a space (with cars blocking your view either side) than when you are slowly backing into it, especially children who are harder to see out of a rear windscreen. Pedestrians can clearly see someone backing IN to a spot and wait, but it’s harder to see someone trying to back OUT of a spot hence more accidents in that scenario. I always back into spots for safety reasons even when I’m not at work – this article gives lots of reasons why it’s important https://www.thejournal.ie/reverse-into-parking-spaces-3906360-Mar2018/
Eh, my dad worked on health and safety issues, and taught us that it makes it so, so much faster in an emergency when everyone is trying to get out. And it’s safer for kids/pets because of blind spots and likelihood of someone walking behind your car. So actually better for everyone, even if it takes maybe 2-3 more seconds
I genuinely cant drive into a space so if you were waiting for me to do that you would be there a lot longer than waiting for me to reverse into it. Plus I dont like reversing out into the traffic and to the people. In a car park, people seem to forget there are actual cars, kids are running about, people in front of your car so in my view, its much safer to drive out into that as you can see far more. On that note one of my pet peeves is people who cant park and take up 2 spaces for their car, why??
I 100% reverse park every single time. I HATE backing out of spots. It does not take me long at all.
But isn’t that a requirement? It is in most places of my country anyway, or even if it’s not required, it’s generally preferable and you will get frowned upon if you do not do it. Reverse parking along with paralel parking are also like half of driving license test (the other half are navigating the hand brake and half clutch in an uphill road) I guess it is different in the US.
I get unreasonably irked by “good news” that is just regular news. A flight was recently delayed, and then cancelled, and the well-meaning pilot kept coming on to tell us “Good news! We have been cleared for take off, we don’t have a time slot yet, so we’ll keep you posted on when we receive that so we can head out.” That is not good news. That is just an update.
When some says, “I’m very, very picky about … my hair, my clothes, my food, my whatever” … as if the rest of are just too ignorant to care about our hair, clothes, food, whatever. Remarks like those have a backhanded feel.
I wonder if this is a form of masking though. I have ADHD and am very sensitive to sensory items, like overhead lighting, fabrics, lack of music at family dinners, etc. and it makes me feel lame to be intensely impacted by it when so many people don’t seem to notice or care, so I try to downplay it in public settings even though it’s internally disruptive.
When my personal peeve receptors are activated I tell myself, “so many enemies!” – which is just supervillainous-with-a-dash-of-letter-to-the-editor-persnickety enough to laugh and move on.
This is hilarious and cute! I’ll be using this in the future!
Keurig. I understand why they’re convenient, but making a little piece of trash for every cup of sub-par coffee is a crime. And yeah, when I’m overwhelmed, we use paper plates sometimes. And I’ve contributed my fair share of to-go cup landfill space. No real Scots here. But still. They’ve replaced drip machines and French presses in so many places; so the extra trash is real. And if you’re an Airbnb host, and you say you have coffee, and I get there and it’s a Keurig, I’m so, so mad about it. (This doesn’t happen to me anymore, because I’m a nutter who packs her own Clever with pre-weighed beans in ziplocks, but in the French press era before, I didn’t have to.)
Agree so much, and yes, I bring my own coffeemaker and my own beans and grinder (assuming this is a road trip. I don’t want to be disappointed by someone’s weak or god forbid flavored coffee while I’m on vacation.
I have no idea what a Keurig is (it just means well-organised and clean and proper where I come from) but I absolutely pack beans, grinder, filters, filter holder when I go on holiday. I also make a point of visiting local coffee roasters to top up beans on the way. I’ve been known to do the same (minus the grinder, I’m not crazy) when I was working at a huge company that served their office staff the. worst. coffee.
Keurigs make me mad too!!!!! Also styrofoam in most cases…
Now I can’t stop thinking about this and need to add — People who say “you’re welcome” when they’ve told me some bit of information they assumed I didn’t already know. “It’s called a *whatever*. You’re welcome.” — Toothpicks — Children SCREAMING outside while playing. I know it’s good they’re playing and not in pain and that they’re outside, but really
This is well-covered territory, but the computerizing of everyday objects. And I don’t just mean “smart” stuff, which: GROSS, NO, I WILL NEVER OWN A TOASTER I HAVE TO LOG IN TO USE, OR A TREADMILL THAT CANNOT TREAD BECAUSE OF A SOFTWARE UPDATE, AND HOLY SH!T HOW DID WE GET TO A PLACE WHERE A NETWORK OF HOSPITALS HAD A DDOS ATTACK BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE CHANGED THEIR FRIDGE PASSWORDS?!) *whhhhooo* I mean: how every user interface on everything is a screen that beeps unnecessarily, and is full of blue lights you can’t turn off. Give me a knob. A button. A quiet switch that maybe goes “click.” And if a screen really does add usability, put a little door on it so it can go away. I’m 37, btw. But I’ve been spiritually 100 since birth.
10/10 agree. This is more than a pet peeve for me and feels like a personal attack anytime a small gadget demands I create an account and download an app. It took us forever to find a dumb washing machine last year that had just regular basic knobs. I refuse to download our Roomba app. I’ll manage it just fine from the button on top thank you very much.
I have a little nokia phone, I can make and receive calls, send and receive texts and that’s it. I have a smart phone for work but it’s not used out of work. I showed my personal phone to a 15 year old girl I was working with and she could not comprehend how I was able to live my life with such a phone! I am willing to die on this particular hill and will not get a smart phone until I absolutely HAVE to, until that fateful day, NO to QR codes, NO to having to download apps, NO to digital train tickets!
lol: https://reductress.com/post/i-lived-it-i-had-to-download-the-app/ It’s me, all of the time. “Have you tried using the App?” “I would rather fail to accomplish this thing than do that” “Ma’am this is the school pickup line” “I know. So do they live here now, or what?”
Kara, I’m 36 and I completely and totally agree!! It took us so long to find a fridge and washer/dryer that didn’t connect to the internet or require an app. TRULY WHY.
here for your all caps rant and 100% agree! I want my fridge to be smart enough to make ice, no more than that
Amen!!! I still use a flip phone for this very reason.
I texted a screenshot of your rant to my wife, saying “These are my people.” She has to listen to me make this rant on the regular. I also lose my phone constantly, which is not endearing because then we have to frantically search every time we leave the house, but I tell her, “I lose my phone because I hate my phone.” Maybe I should get that Nokia!
Kara I am 100% with you. I am okay with it when there is an app-based option, I guess? But I don’t like it when some of the functions are reserved for the app. Or in the case of my sous vide… ALL OF THE OPTIONS!!! You literally can’t even turn the thing on without the app. I never would have purchased it had I known. Reminds me of when I was renovating my bathroom and a designer I was working with tried to get me to install an on/off for the shower that I could operate on my phone. I was like well what if the wifi goes out? Well… then there would be NO WAY TO TURN ON THE SHOWER. What in the actual hell are people thinking. I’ve got to think it’s just a weird fad and we’re almost done with it.
Another Kara here (36 years old) and I agree. My new oven has a WiFi feature that I will never use. Because…if everything has an app…then everything is being TRACKED and where is that data going???!!
When people bring blankets to the movie theater or wear pajamas in public. Also, the saying “hold space” – something about that language really grinds my gears. Of relevant note, there was a hilarious Roz Chast cartoon in last week’s New Yorker that really hit on this very issue. I saw my curmudgeonly self in it a bit, although I am a frequent user of the word “chillax”!!! Hahahahaha. :D
HAHAHAHA here it is! https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/10/20/to-each-his-own
The whole pajamas and blankets at the movies didn’t bother me until out local theater got BED BUGS!!!! The whole place had to be closed and fumigated and pillows and blankets are banned, as they should have been from the start. Sometimes pet peeves are totally valid!
Yes!!! The blanket at the movies thing is a major ick!
Living in NYC I often feel like Fran Lebowitz: “pretend it’s a city!” -E-bikes or scooters on the sidewalk -People who stop short when they walk -Music played on the train without headphones -People who walk three abreast on the sidewalk without moving for those passing -Kids with scooters on the train at rush hour (don’t @ me, moms, this is sociopathic behavior) -People who are repeatedly late without communicating why -People misspelling my completely phonetic name even after they see it written in an email they’re replying to (copy/paste exists if spelling is an issue for you) -Manspreaders (i knee their legs closed when I sit down)
My pet peeve is sitting alone at the dinner table when the meal is served–everyone else discovers they must use the bathroom or let the dog out or read an email even after they’ve been given the 5-minute warning. Related, I used to date a man who would invariably need to pee after we got up from a restaurant table, leaving me alone to wait for him at the front of the restaurant on the way out. I caught on and would ask if he needed to use the bathroom before we left the table, and even then he’d change his mind when we’d stand up.
I’m just gonna share my own personal experience of my anatomy, which is that I often don’t need to pee until I stand. I think it’s something about the pee receptors and gravity?
I don’t get this date needing to pee situation. Like what’s wrong with having to pee ?
I HAAAAAAAAATE being called “Young Lady.” {I’m 68, are you blind, you condescending moron?} I HAAAAAATE being addressed by my first name at the bank or by customer service reps either on the phone or in the chat function, and I especially hate it when they use my name over and over and over, inserting it into every sentence. When they ask me for my first name, I tell them it’s “Ma’am.” I HAAAAAATE being called “Dear” or “Honey” by strangers. {Although I did relax myself when I was traveling in Yorkshire and allowed myself to enjoy everyone addressing me as “Love.” Y’allright, Love?} I hate riding on the subway next to people who blast TV shows or music videos or games. Get some fucking earbuds! I confess that when someone calls me dear or sweetheart, I get all fluttery and say, oooh, you called me dear! Did you want to go out on a date with me?
I was in New Orleans this month and EVERYONE calls EVERYONE “love” haha.
Hi Loren or Ma‘am – you make me a bit nervous now :) – I had to giggle at your gorgeous retort: „When they ask me for my first name, I tell them it’s “Ma’am.”“ I would love to stand behind you in a Starbucks, stellar stuff!
I am 67 and I agree with so much of this, Loren, but I hate when people call me Ma’am! I’d rather they call me Julia, but I might steal your idea and tell people my first name is “Ms.”. I find I am being addressed as “Dear” more often since I let my hair go naturally silver. How about replying that my first name is “Badass”?!
Hey Charlotte I don’t do Starbucks but I aspire to be like this guy: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovesoreal/video/7492871959655599390?lang=en
When a person starts a speech or presentation and the audience gives a lukewarm response to the greeting and the the speaker says, “oh you can do better than that” and forces the audience to reply more cheerfully. I hate it, you have completely lost me, I have mentally checked out from your speech.
This is peak pet peeve! I hear you on this one!! haha
How about when you are at a meeting with adults and someone (always a woman) says “123, eyes on me!” or expects a clap back? My husband has never experienced this and I am jealous.
Alycia I’m a 40 y/o woman in corporate America and like your husband, I’ve never experienced this!
This happens to people. other than teachers? I absolutely hate this! It feels like you are treating me like a child. And, I also hate when people come to school and speak to our students and do that. It’s the equivalent of feeding someone’s kids sugar when you’re babysitting them and then leaving their parents to deal with the aftermath.
I hate forced enthusiasm as well. Alycia – I distinctly remember the first time someone pulled the 123 eyes on me move in a meeting. I was working in NYC for a major sports brand and the meeting culture was atrocious. Everyone on their phones and computers during the whole thing, then a new sr leader started her first meeting that way and made everyone shut their electronics and focus on task at hand. It was revolutionary. It’s happened a few times since then in other places, but never compared to that NYC moment.
I started to read through these and realized this comment thread is making me feel anxious – no idea why. Maybe just taking on the emotions of the commenters? Anyway, I love that there is this space for everyone and I also love that I can just skip it if it’s not for me today! (But the nail clipper thing – ugh!!!, lol).
LOL: me, too, Jen! I tried to skim the comments when it was first posted and decided I really did not need more negativity. Thought I’d try again, read 5 comments, and–nope, definitely a “not for me” post. I’ll go re-read the one about ‘glimmers’ instead.
Agreed and agreed again!
Me too!!!! This is usually such a warm fuzzy place, and this time I feel anxious. Thank you for saying it. Will stop now.
Yeah this is a strict bunch ! Ha. I never thought about any of these things. Except finger lickers who then touch my items, grocery bags, hand out papers or whatever. Aside from that I never thought of any of it. This rule about only having one person per family go into a store is cracking me up. What ??? Hilarious. Back in parking ? Who cares. Funny.
Omg me too!!! Too much negativity for me, I literally feel a bit sick to my stomach reading most of these and just realized I need to close the page and let all the haters hate without me lol!
I think of a pet peeve as something that bothers you that shouldn’t necessarily bother you and does not bother everyone else. I would argue someone clipping their nails in public SHOULD BOTHER EVERYONE AND IS A CRIME.
– Product reviews on YouTube – My partner loves to watch reviews of random product he’s interested in. Usually its someone speaking authoritatively at length about some inane (to me) subject and I can’t stand the tone and style of stuff like car reviews. – Guys at the gym – young guys lifting weights and grunting loudly. On the other hand, the women at the gym are inspiring. Many old and young lifting like pros and not grunting! – Leaving water bottles in the sink – My kids leave alll theirs for some bottle fairy to wash. – My dog waking me up in the middle of the night. Sometimes its to go out, but often its not for any real reason.
Oh Lord, the amount of loudly breathing sweaty men in gyms immediately made me stop going. The way the air is more humid next to them on a treadmill, just EWWW!
COJ audience – yes, we’ve probably annoyed one another at some points in this conversation. But I have learned there are some (to me) random things I do that are a pet peeve to someone else. You have made me more aware – and given me some giggles and sighs – a nice relief on a cloudy Friday. Thank you.
– CYBERTRUCKS!! ugh hate them – Men in my pilates class. Why are they so loud??? – when someone says “irregardless” – kids glued to an ipad
Andrea, are you actually ME? Your whole list. I cannot help but mutter “Ugh, SO stupid” under my breath when we pass cybertrucks. I normally pay zero attention to vehicles, but something about those things drives me nuts! I remember feeling the same way about hummers in the 00’s…
Ooh I have one! The dreaded “couples shopping excursion” at Trader Joe’s! It’s already crowded and we all know certain aisles are almost inaccessible at the best of times. But upon closer inspection it’s just clusters of useless (usually) men trailing alongside their partner clutching the shopping cart or just standing in front of items and acting like a remora fish under a shark. Go home, superfluous people! Or better yet, make yourself useful and venture off for items solo. Sheesh.
GET YOUR BOYFRIEND OUT OF HERE, JEN! His puns are bad, and not in the way they’re supposed to be. Go put him in Boyfriend Daycare, AKA the Apple Store
Haha, I love this so much. So true. There is, in my area, however, the “family shopping trip” to Trader Joe’s, including visiting elderly grandparents and kid in stroller, which makes this experience even more fun. And preferably on Sunday afternoon. (I try to avoid that time if at all possible.)
Except one time, about 10 feet from the butcher counter at Whole Foods, I overheard a girlfriend/wife hiss under her breath to her boyfriend/husband “Don’t get burned like last time!” as he was about to approach the counter. You never know when a pet peeve can result in a catchphrase for life!
An interesting audience we all are! It’s both funny and prickly. I hope the posted replies offers pause too because capable, caring, intelligent people need to vent to the void without apology. Consider the protest of protection swirling in our heads. I love the comment section here. Respect.
My husband has always set the bedroom clock 15 minutes ahead. WHY? There is no secret here, we both now the clock is fast when the alarm goes off in the morning! Can’t even LOOK at the clock without my blood boiling. Also, people walking around in public on FaceTime calls. I want to take their phones and throw them into oncoming traffic.
Fish tanks in restaurants, just gross.
Well, yes, but it never occurred to me before. I am reading all comments with great interest and adding more and more to my own list. But is that a good thing?
Once upon a time in pre-subway tile backsplash Portland, there was a beloved corner pizza place/bar. It had an upstairs section that looked like the basement of a house with a Fun Stepdad: just a huge gross lumpy recliner couch in front of a giant teevee with several video game consoles connected to it in perpetual wire-spaghetti marriage. Anyway, The first floor was mostly a pizza shop, with Blazers games on over the bar counter and PNW-style, pizza topping crimes, like broccoli or whatever. But the left side of this establishment had another bar over in the corner, awkwardly close to a Simpsons’ themed pin ball machine that I think broke in 1993, and a Big Buck Hunter arcade game, that I only saw used after like 1am, and always by girls in cutoff jean shorts with undercuts. I never, ever once saw anyone staff that bar, or try to order at it. But it was clearly meant to be part of this establishment. There was a fish tank on that bar, because of course there was. Like the size that would be impressive or obtrusive on a kid’s desk at home, but out in a public establishment, felt awkwardly small, like someone put it there “just for a minute” and the minute lasted 8 years. That was the only good restaurant fish tank.
Screaming at the phone on a bus Leaving cigarette butts on the stairs of your house Turning on loud the music or tv during rest hours Speaking on their phones during driving
100% always and forever pot smoke/scent, it’s the worst, so, so much worse than cigarette smoke (also repulsive).
Look, I understand I’m tardy to the party here, but YES. Thank you! There seems perpetually to be one or more twenty-something dudes in the middle of my street smoking a joint and forcing me to close all my windows so I don’t get a migraine. I hate it! Go hotbox your car! Even better – drive your car somewhere else first! Take your skunk-stink elsewhere!