Do you have any pet peeves, just anything that people do that really gets under your skin? Sometimes you think “It’s not that difficult, it’s common courtesy.” Well I’m gonna guess that we all do and unfortunately most of these inconvenient or frustrating things can be avoided. Now I’m not talking about people who chew or breathe too loud so you can’t even hear the television or sag their pants so low that everyone can enjoy their cleverly decorated underpants. Although those things can be highly distracting or a serious TMI moment, these types of things cannot be helped or are based on personal fashion. But today I am talking about the “Common Courtesy” pet peeves, actions that should not be asked for and should not rewarded when done. Actions that any basic human being with any knowledge that they are not the only one living on this earth should be taking. Actions that have become so rare that they have been labeled “pet peeves” by anyone who has the nerve to bring them up. So rare that they are filmed and then posted on the internet with headings like “I still have hope in humanity” or “see people do good things too” or “need something to brighten your day?”
Common Courtesy: politeness that people can usually be expected to show.
Pet Peeve: a particular and often continual annoyance; personal bugbear.
I think you can see the difference. When did “common courtesy” actions become so rare that they are now labeled as “pet peeves?” Hopefully, these 11 pet peeves will bring to light this problem and we can again consider them actions of common courtesy.
1. Littering
Realize that you are not the only one to walk this earth and use the conveniently placed trash cans that your taxes have paid for. Walk the extra five feet to throw away your trash, so someone else doesn’t have to walk a mile. Pick up your campsites/party sites, so that our tax dollars can go to educating children, such as yourselves, rather than to picking up your mess.
2. Not returning shopping carts
It really is not too much to ask customers to return their carts when finished with them. Stores realize that walking back up to the front of the store can be a burden, so they conveniently placed shopping cart drop off points throughout the parking lot. Don’t make the cart collector’s job any harder than it needs to be, they do have other duties to be getting on with.
3. People on their phone: Consistently
I get it, phones are a break from boredom, you want to stay connected with everyone all the time. However, I am sure you have plenty of time to do all your phone browsing when you are not with other people. This has become a big problem these days and it is truly sad to look over at a group of people not speaking to each other. Phones can be used as a source of entertainment for the group, but if you are just checking Facebook, Instagram, whatever, it can wait. Also, it’s a domino effect, once one person brings out their phone one by one the other's will. Do you realize how awkward it is to be at a meal with someone and they get on their phone. You want so bad not to be one of those people, but it is less awkward than just sitting there staring at someone play on their phone…
4. Not replacing the toilet paper
It takes less time to replace the paper roll then it does to actually go to the bathroom. It’s really nice of you to get a new roll in the bathroom, but you’ve come so far, don’t put the roll on top and make someone else do your job. You finish it, you replace it.
5. Not cleaning your mess in public places
Having experience in college resident hall and having to share a kitchen with about 50 other people, it is amazing how inconsiderate people can be. It is an easy concept, if you cook in the public kitchen, clean up your mess. Clean your dishes if you dirty them, old dirty dishes stink up the whole place. If you spill or splash food everywhere, grab a sponge and mop it up. It is not other people’s job to be your mother.
6. Lack of acknowledgement: Please & thank you
There are nice people in the world, acknowledge how they go out of their way to help you. Remember they do not need to do nice things like hold the door or answer your questions. Even if it is their job to accommodate you, they still deserve your respect, they are still human beings after all.
7. Being late: Constantly
Life get busy, really busy, but it is important to remember that other people have busy lives also. Constantly being late is very disrespectful by wasting the other person’s time. Taking the time to spend with people can really take a lot of planning and effort by both parties, so do your best to be reliable. People will notice when you constantly dependable or constantly irresponsible.
8. Interrupting
This, I admit, is a difficult one, but by no means less important. If anything it is one of the most important ones. When I am with a group of people and I have a question, I raise my hand. It is bizarre enough to grab people’s attention and I can make my statement or ask my question without yelling over someone. That is just one trick I have learned, but it is so important to give someone your respect and really listen to what they have to say.
9. Not following basic driving laws
Ok, let’s be honest, everyone fudges the driving laws just a little (anyone heard of a California Roll?). So this is not about speeding, not stopping at stop sign, or even not knowing “yield” means (news flash, it doesn’t mean “stop”). Blinkers are a wonderful invention to let other drivers know your intentions, so that they may make better driving decisions. Also, merging lanes are long, so that you may merge BEFORE the end, it is not to give you a better position in the line up. And this is for all the small town residents out there, if you are slow and have line of ten cars behind you, use the turn outs.
10. Double parking
It is one car per spot. You are not the Queen of England and you do not own a car that will not fit into one spot. Your trucks, SUVs, sports cars, etc. are not a universal pass for you to be a jerk, the rules still apply to you. If you want your car to stay in pristine condition, make life hard for yourself and park in the back. If you are unable to park in one spot, do not own such a hard to handle vehicle until you learn how to drive/park one. Oh for those who don’t know, there are COMPACT spaces, that is only for COMPACT cars. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t belong, parking spaces are rather exclusive like that.
11. Not making room on the sidewalk
A sidewalk can generally hold about two or three people in a line across. Please if your group is the maximum or exceeds that number, take a step back and walk behind your friends for two seconds. It is very inconsiderate to make someone walk of the the edge of the sidewalk or awkwardly walk really close to strangers.
