We’re not so tolerant of people choosing to do things differently than we would, especially when it comes to minutiae. We sweat the small stuff.

We can manage peaceful coexistence when it comes to the bigger issues – conservative or liberal, religious or atheist, Pepsi or Coke: when it comes to these things, most of the time we agree to disagree.

Yes, there are wars and horrors, but they reflect a minority of people and a sliver of time. Statistically speaking, the history of us getting along with each other isn’t that bad.

Of course, people who quote statistics can be irritating. Especially when they make stuff up. People mostly believe what you tell them. We’re funny that way.

Statistics aren’t one of my pet peeves, but I can see why they piss people off. Ditto logic. Logic’s not nearly as welcome as you’d think. And never apply it during an argument. That’s a rookie mistake.

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We all like to think we’re the casual, go-with-the-flow people. We’re the voice of reason, the one who never gets lit. We’re chill; nothing bothers us in the slightest. We say things like this with sincerity, and we believe them.

Perhaps that’s why we shock ourselves when we overreact to what in hindsight is less a mortal offence than our response would suggest. Other people go off. Not us. Especially not over the trivial.

That first road rage is the hardest. But bad drivers aren’t the only thing that gets my goat.

I miss that goat.

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Truth be told, I can be irritated by any number of things. I’m only tolerant on paper. Stand too close to me in the line at the grocery checkout and see what happens. I have a large personal space bubble at the best of times, and grocery stores aren’t the best of times. They make me tense.

We all hate to wait in lines, but something strange happens in grocery stores. Some people seem to think that if they squish up into your space from behind, things will go faster. Crowding me with speed up the pace at which the cashier is scanning, because that’s how that works.

I used to think hateful thoughts while tolerating the misery and uncomfortable feelings. Later, I’d use body positioning to ensure adequate space. It’s hard to encroach on a cocked elbow.

These days, I’m direct. I simply ask them to back up. Back up, you’re crowding me with your buggy. Please back up, you’re bumping into me. Please back up, I won’t be using the PIN pad until you do.

I was terrified the first time I asked for space, but no fisticuffs ensued. I’m not nasty, I don’t think. I am direct. So far, so good. Potential crowding pisses me off less now that I have a working solution. I don’t get anticipatory anxiety or anger, and that’s a nice thing.

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Littering. Are you kidding me? Littering is the ultimate in lazy. It’s the ultimate in entitled. And don’t get me started on the rage I feel towards rude dog owners who don’t pick up after their pets.

The truly annoying instances occur when a trashcan sits in plain sight of the offending cup, label, or wrapper. And if you throw out those plastic six-pack rings without shredding them, shame on you.

Some people argue that there aren’t enough trashcans about. I agree one hundred percent. This is a failure by municipal governments everywhere. I understand that garbage cans require staff to collect, maintain, and manage them. Write letters and encourage your local councils to do that.

Businesses and corporations need to do better as well. They need to be more responsible for their immediate areas. Clean up. Be good citizens. Surprise us.

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People who talk during movies make me so mad. People who look at their phones during movies show a complete lack of consideration for everyone around them. People who get up multiple times so the rest of the row has to stand up or adjust multiple times are incredibly thoughtless: if you’re going to need to leave frequently, sit at the end of the aisle.

The movie starts when the lights go down. You may not like previews, but some of us do. Sometimes, previews are the best part. And keep your feet off the back of my chair. You won’t like what happens when you don’t. It’s deliberately rude, and if you’re over twelve, you’ll get the same back. I like my movies. Don’t wreck it for me.

And clean up after yourself. What’s wrong with people who go to the movies? You’d think a solid sixty percent only had experience eating with troughs. Spills and nastiness everywhere. They definitely don’t pay movie staff enough.

I have driving pet peeves as well, and they’re plentiful. At the top: if you don’t use turn signals, the people in your orbit have my sympathy. A shocking number of drivers seem to think that road rules are suggestions.

And I don’t want to talk about the LED headlights. They require a primal scream.

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