What gets your goat?

[JenJay]

When someone asks me a question, particularly about myself, and then doesn't wait for me to answer. Man that drives me crazy. Please take a moment to recognize that blatantly turning your attention to something else before I've answered has completely undone whatever "polite points" you think you earned by asking.

People who constantly ask advice regarding X and refuse to take said advice, or any advice at all, so they keep having the same problem. Bonus points when they eventually get frustrated with me when start offering generic "Aww, that must be really frustrating." statements instead of advice.

People who pull out in front of me in traffic when there is NOBODY behind me and then go 5 or more miles per hour slower than I was going. I never roll down my window and scream/gesture, but I'll admit that I curse a blue streak within the privacy of my own car.

[siamesecat2965]

"Have you lost weight?"

Particularly grating when I haven't lost weight and they are just trying to say something complimentary. And when they follow up with "well, you look good" once I say I haven't. Why not just tell me I look good in the first place? Is losing weight the only possible way I could look good? Why are you scrutinizing me for signs of weight loss anyway?

Bonus points to those who INSIST that you have when you know you've actually gained weight.

[Waterlight]

Unwanted touch, especially hugs and/or putting their hand on my shoulder.  Nothing ruins my mood faster than someone invading my personal space.

THIS, definitely--I'm very particular about who gets to touch me.

Also, I may be misreading their intent, but I don't like it when someone young enough to be my child calls me "dear" or "sweetie."  It just sounds condescending to me.

[Midnight Kitty]

When people tell me to "chill out". Might as well pour gasoline on a brush fire. 

Don't worry your little head about that.

[magicdomino]

When people tell me to "chill out". Might as well pour gasoline on a brush fire. 

Don't worry your little head about that.

Them's fightin'words.   

[rose red]

When you are upset about something and the other person tells you about a person who has it worse, like you have no right to complain.

[Piratelvr1121]

Like a PP, when people ask me questions and then don't wait for the answer.

When people ask me for advice and then tell me I'm not qualified to help them when they don't like my advice.  ie  In college I knew a girl with a boyfriend who couldn't be bothered to spend time with her and when he did he was verbally abusive.  She asked me what I should do and I said simply "Well if you don't like how he doesn't spend time with you, and when he does he isn't nice to you, break up with him."

"But-but I don't want to be the bad guy!"

"You'd rather be treated poorly or ignored?

"Oh what do you know about relationships? You've only had one boyfriend your whole life!"  I chose not to point out that the one relationship I had was already about 2 years in length by that time and she'd had 3 miserable relationships in that time because she refused to be the bad guy. 

[Midnight Kitty]

My husband and my father both do a similar thing which irritates me.  I'll be talking and my father will interrupt me to correct my grammar or pronunciation.  It disrupts my train of thought and I lose my place or forget my point.  My husband will interrupt me to make a stupid comment.  For example, I might say, "The store is having a sale on ..." and he'll interrupt with "A jib sail? A square sail? Why don't they have a motorboat?  Sails are so last century."  OK, that was a lame example, but his interruptions are usually based on homonyms or lame puns.

In both cases, I feel like they are not listening to what I am saying.  They don't want to hear any more, so they interrupt me for some stupid reason. I've gotten to the point where I stop talking and leave when either of them do this.  It really gets my goat.  Sometimes I'll say, "Forget it!  It is clear to that you aren't interested in what I was saying. I'll stop wasting my breath now."

[Midnight Kitty]

When people tell me to "chill out". Might as well pour gasoline on a brush fire. 

Don't worry your little head about that.

Them's fightin'words.   

It's even more provocative when they say, "Don't worry your pretty little head about that, Little Lady."

Yep, DD, they might as well pour gasoline on a brush fire.  One of my favorite David Bowie songs is "Putting Out Fire With Gasoline."

[VorFemme]

Idiot today who was coming down the WRONG way on my side of the median (median with grass & shrubs between two lanes each direction - apparently he assumed that the left turn lane was an access ramp.....or something).  The lanes that he should have been in on the other side of the median were not blocked off and there were fewer cars there than on the side I was on......

How do I know he was an idiot?  He kept driving toward the vehicles (multiple) driving on our side of the median after passing a construction zone while gesturing rudely and yelling (his mouth was wide open) - probably for us to get out of HIS way......couldn't hear him.  I was too busy dodging the other cars and him to pay attention to what he did after we passed him....VorSon turned around, but a deliver truck was behind us and not much was visible at that point......

I wonder if he got back on his side of the median before he got to the back hoe digging out the side of the road and blocking one lane?

[Piratelvr1121]

  Sometimes I'll say, "Forget it!  It is clear to that you aren't interested in what I was saying. I'll stop wasting my breath now."

I say that too. 

I've got a few hot buttons myself.
1. People joking about physical abuse.  Ie "Oh I'd beat my kid if they did that!" Is not funny. 
2. Racist jokes.   Especially from people who claim not to be racist.   
3. Jokes about harming animals.  NOT funny.
4. The R word. 

[Figgie]

When some asks me when I'm going to have a dinner party again and invite them.   Um...how about never?  These are people who have accepted my invitations and then never reciprocate. 

And it isn't like I would care if they cooked a meal...take-out would be fine, heck paying for a couple of movie tickets to a movie would be fine.  People get two times and if there is zero reciprocation, then they don't get invited until or unless they offer some sort of hospitality in return.

I also hate it when people who see me heading for the handicapped stall, shove past me to get in there first.   I've had parents tell their (embarrassed) children to run to get into the handicapped stall ahead of the lady in the wheelchair.

[scotcat60]

I also hate it when people who see me heading for the handicapped stall, shove past me to get in there first.   I've had parents tell their (embarrassed) children to run to get into the handicapped stall ahead of the lady in the wheelchair.

My lower jaw has just hit my kneecaps!

I hate people who sit in the ailse seats on buses, and then when you inidicate that they might move to let you sit down, give you the ol'stink eye.  I tell myself that they might have a phobia about window seats pehaps, but still.... I recently got on a bus when out of  four rows of double seats, each one was occupied on the outside, No one moved and one woman suggested I sit on one of the "please give up you set for those less able to stand" seats. I didn't, because someone else moved and let me sit down.

[oogyda]

"Have you lost weight?"

Particularly grating when I haven't lost weight and they are just trying to say something complimentary. And when they follow up with "well, you look good" once I say I haven't. Why not just tell me I look good in the first place? Is losing weight the only possible way I could look good? Why are you scrutinizing me for signs of weight loss anyway?

The ones who say it every.single.time you see them.  I have one acquaintance that does this.  Given the frequency this happens, if it were true I'd be well below my ideal weight by now. 

It tends to diminish my perception of their sincerity.

[Belle]

The phrase, "What you SHOULD have done..." when prefacing unsolicited advice from people who have no experience in said area or have failed in said area. I'm happy to get advice when I ask for it and it's coming from somebody who knows what they're talking about. However, I have an acquaintance who frequently tells people what they "should have done" when the aquaintance should be the one asking for advice (e.g., imagine Susan, who has has totalled four cars, telling Mark what he should have done to avoid being rear-ended while stopped at a light).

The phrase raises my hackles. I have to be careful not to dismiss valid, useful advise when the person giving the advise phrases it in this manner because my gut reaction is, "Oh, no! You don't get to tell me what to do!"