Everyday things you find offensive
Discussion
Just occurred to me on the 'swear filter' thread that when some people are offended by swearing, others see them as just words.
I don't usually find swearing that offensive unless it's constant or unnecessary, or is coming from adults/parents in front of kids, or the kids themselves.
But the thing I really do find very offensive is LATENESS. I cannot comprehend this social understanding that somehow it is accepted that someone will be at least 15 minutes to an hour late. I find it offensive because if I have made an arrangement and planned my day around it, usually turning up early myself, only to have my time wasted and then for someone not to apologise when they finally do turn up is, to me, as offensive as knocking on my door during tea-time and trying to sell me double-glazing.
And yet it's accepted. What other everyday occurences do PHers find offensive?
I don't usually find swearing that offensive unless it's constant or unnecessary, or is coming from adults/parents in front of kids, or the kids themselves.
But the thing I really do find very offensive is LATENESS. I cannot comprehend this social understanding that somehow it is accepted that someone will be at least 15 minutes to an hour late. I find it offensive because if I have made an arrangement and planned my day around it, usually turning up early myself, only to have my time wasted and then for someone not to apologise when they finally do turn up is, to me, as offensive as knocking on my door during tea-time and trying to sell me double-glazing.
And yet it's accepted. What other everyday occurences do PHers find offensive?
Not explicitly disagreeing with you (though I should because I am often guilty of lateness!) but would the following constitue being "late"?
Arrangement is to turn up at someones house "at about 7:30"... now, does the "about" mean that anytime between 7:15 and 7:45 is OK... or would anything after 7:30 be late?
Just curious because to me "about" means just that, to Mrs Knee it means that 7:30 is latest we should aim to get there (I usually win BTW
)
Arrangement is to turn up at someones house "at about 7:30"... now, does the "about" mean that anytime between 7:15 and 7:45 is OK... or would anything after 7:30 be late?
Just curious because to me "about" means just that, to Mrs Knee it means that 7:30 is latest we should aim to get there (I usually win BTW
)I'm always at least 15minutes late to non-business arrangements. I always apologise but most that know me just add on a certain amount of "stu-time" to whatever time I agree.
I don't think lateness is the height of all evils - what really narks me off is when people nick two bacon sarnies at breakfast meetings. Or when people don't thank you for holding doors open (covered ad nauseum on these pages), or when people try and board trains before you've had a chance to get off, and then get huffy because you've barged past them and knee-capped them with your briefcase -
WELL GET OUT THE 
ING WAY THEN.
Ok, I'm a bit of a .
I don't think lateness is the height of all evils - what really narks me off is when people nick two bacon sarnies at breakfast meetings. Or when people don't thank you for holding doors open (covered ad nauseum on these pages), or when people try and board trains before you've had a chance to get off, and then get huffy because you've barged past them and knee-capped them with your briefcase -
WELL GET OUT THE ING WAY THEN. Ok, I'm a bit of a
.i completely understand the lateness issue. it really bugs me aswell.
i am at uni and generally have about 4hours lectures a day. but what really gets me is other people talking all the way through lectures. my year group is only 50 people and we have small lecture theatres so it is impossible to really sit anywhere away from the people who talk every single lecture.
as a year group we have been politely (and subsequently sternly) asked not to talk because it distracts the lecturers yet it happens every single day.
what is even more annoying is that it can get to a point when almost half the group are talking because they all think that it is ok for them to talk as other people are doing it.
there. my rant is done now.
chris
i am at uni and generally have about 4hours lectures a day. but what really gets me is other people talking all the way through lectures. my year group is only 50 people and we have small lecture theatres so it is impossible to really sit anywhere away from the people who talk every single lecture.
as a year group we have been politely (and subsequently sternly) asked not to talk because it distracts the lecturers yet it happens every single day.
what is even more annoying is that it can get to a point when almost half the group are talking because they all think that it is ok for them to talk as other people are doing it.
there. my rant is done now.
chris
chim_knee said:
Not explicitly disagreeing with you (though I should because I am often guilty of lateness!) but would the following constitue being "late"?
Arrangement is to turn up at someones house "at about 7:30"... now, does the "about" mean that anytime between 7:15 and 7:45 is OK... or would anything after 7:30 be late?
Just curious because to me "about" means just that, to Mrs Knee it means that 7:30 is latest we should aim to get there (I usually win BTW
I don't mean turning up to a party! That's different and TBH if you said '9PM' and opened your door at 9 to find all the people you'd invited lined up rank-and-file that would be stupid.
I mean more like, if you've got a busy day and you've got an hour for lunch when you said you'd meet someone to discuss something important, or when you arrange with a group of you to go out on a night and meet somewhere to get the same train, and people just turn up in dribs and drabs over the course of half an hour, meaning whatever plans you had slowly get eroded.
Happened to me the other night - we were going to the cinema to see Hitchiker's Guide (top film btw
), but one of our group decided to be nearly half an hour late, and as a result we got into the screen a few seconds before the film began and were climbing over everyone's knees in the dark - it's really antisocial!
catretriever said:
I have a top-tip for you my anally-retentive chum! Try being the person who is always 30-45 minutes late & you will find that anyone you plan to meet will always be there waiting for you
You'd better be female with a damn good body, otherwise you might get a nasty shock, what makes you think that my time is worth less than yours?
Twincam16 said:Nor did I really - more "coming to the pub?, turn up about 7:30 then". But thanks for being patronising
I don't mean turning up to a party! That's different and TBH if you said '9PM' and opened your door at 9 to find all the people you'd invited lined up rank-and-file that would be stupid.
chim_knee said:
I don't mean turning up to a party! That's different and TBH if you said '9PM' and opened your door at 9 to find all the people you'd invited lined up rank-and-file that would be stupid.
Nor did I really - more "coming to the pub?, turn up about 7:30 then". But thanks for being patronising
Didn't mean to be patronising. I basically meant anything where time is of the essence and some people just let it pass them by.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff