You know what really grinds my gears?...
I have to admit there is a certain element of Victor Meldrew in me. It's good to let off some steam and have a good moan about the things in your life, that really Grind your Gears!
Windows Updates: Automatic-Rebooting
You tell Windows you're going to reboot later. But does it listen? No! Then, when you turn your back for a few minutes, it strikes. You come back to find that it's rebooted!
Windows always has had its annoyances, but I think the Windows Update Auto-Reboot box that pops up all the time, tops them all!
Unsolicited Junk Mail
Boy does this one really grind-my-gears! It seems most problematic around the time your car insurance is due for renewal. I always make sure I call them stating;
"I have the right under Section 11 of the Data Protection Act 1998, to insist my details are removed from your database, such as to prevent them being processed for purpose of direct marketing."
This usually leaves them flabbergasted, but that is the law here in the UK, so they cannot argue with you, and seems to do the trick! I did fail once, but after a stern telephone conversation with the company's Managing Director, my details were soon removed.
Dave 1 | 0 Junk Mail
The Quality of Spoken and Written English, by the English
Those who speak English, but not as their first language, speak and write better English than most English people. Why is this?
Well to me it seems most of our under-30s just do not seem bothered about using correct grammar. I am always seeing something written, even by adults, with the wrong there/their/they're ...why?
Even people I'm at university with - very clever people, seem to show this common disregard for the English language.
Added 05/07/2008: I've had a few comments regarding my grammar and this article. There seems to be some misunderstanding as to what exactly grinds-my-gears! Language is an art. Unlike science or maths, where there is a correct or incorrect answer, most of what makes up the syntax of language, grammar, is subjective and down so ones individual writing style. I do not have a problem with individual writing styles ('though some of you seem to have a problem with mine!). What I do have a problem with, is the failure to understand, or blatant disregard of the basic rules of English language, where there is a distinct correct and incorrect use of grammar (such as the there/their/they're example). What is more; people make mistakes. Occasionally, even I make mistakes with my grammar. Once again, I do not have a problem with those who make mistakes - we all do it! Again, my problem lies with the not-knowing or not-caring about the rules of English language of which there is a correct and incorrect use.
Turn It Down!
This one usually makes me scream. Literally. Picture this. You and your family (or any other group of people will do) are sitting together - usually in the lounge. You turn on the T.V. and, the last person to use it, has left the volume up pretty loud. Suddenly, at least one person will shout at you "turn it down!" ...as if you are unable to detect the fact that the television is very loud, and as if it was you who turned it so loud! Ugh!
Expanding Adverts
Don't you just hate those adverts on web sites, and free software such as Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger (shown in the example).
They really get in the way when you accidentally hover across them. It's like having an annoying fly constantly flying into your face - it's the same sort of annoyance.
I understand why companies do it. I mean, a lot of advertising space is charged per pixel! But come on! It's sooooo annoying!
There are patches around to remove the adverts from Windows Live Messenger, however this probably infringes the product's licence agreement, so I cannot officially endorse them *wink*
"No Road Markings" Signs
What is the point? Just in case anyone reading this doesn't drive, I will just tell you; when one does, one must continually look at the road. There are also minimum requirements for ones eyesight. Nevertheless, if you can read the "No Road Markings" sign, surely you can see the road, and so see that there are no road markings, right? Why do you need a sign to tell you this fact?
I mean, if we need a sign to tell us when there are no road markings, do we need a sign to tell us when they are there?
What frustrates me further is, when they finally do get around to painting the road markings back, they never seem to collect the "No Road Markings" signs back in!
People who press the button for a crossing more than once
Please don't press the button when it's already been pressed! It's blindingly obvious when it has. And people who stand there, continually press it, drive me insane!
A solution is at hand (I'm just waiting for whoever makes the crossings to adopt my plan). It's simple and requires a simple modification to the crossing's button. Astetically, the only noticable difference, is a tiny hole in the centre of the button, which acts as expected ...the first time! Any presses after this, will deliver a tiny pin-prick though the hole. Perhaps a tiny electrical shock too? I don't know - sounds dangereous =P
People Who Drive Slow for No Reason
Download:
DrivingBelowTheSpeedLimitProblem.pdf (630KB)
I think this one has to be the thing that gets my blood curdling the most. For no aparent reason, the car in-front of you is driving 10-20mph below the speed limit. Now I understand this is very wise in certain (rare) condictions, such as extremely heavy rain or dense fog etc. but 98% of the time, road conditions couldn't be better. So whty drive slow?
It actually creates a hazard in the road, because you need to overtake the slow-moving vehicle. If you do not, the vehicle behind you will try to overtake both vehicles - a greater hazard. This is something I am told by my father, who has completed an Advanced Motoring course as part of his job.
So how much extra time does it add to your journey? Speed equals distance divided by time right? Well, Charlotte (my best friend and maths student at UEA) helped me with the maths. You can download our calulations, or just try it out for yourself:
Time Difference Calculator:
This just makes it even more annoying to me! If you're reduced to 50mph from 60mph, it only adds 12 seconds per mile to your journey time! Small enough for people to say, 'what are you complaining about?'! However, doing 20mph in a 30mph zone, adds an extra minute for every mile! Multiply that by the number of cars in the queue behind the offending vehicle. That's a lot of wasted time!
People Who Say "My internet..."
There are two things wrong with statements that begin so. Firstly, it is not your Internet. The Internet is not owned by any one individual or entity. It would usually come to light the writer or speaker actually meant "My Internet connection..." which is something very different.
Anybody notice the second error? I've corrected it already in my last sentence.
Internet is a ‘proper noun’ and therefore requires capitalisation in the same way London, David, Big Ben all do.
Dereham Road / Guardian Road Roundabout
To the right you will find a photo of the road-markings of the approach to the Dereham Road roundabout on the Norwich outer ring-road (courtesy of Google Maps).
Now, I'm sure you don't need a driving licence to understand that the road markings show the left lane is for vehicles wishing to turn left (towards Norwich city centre) or straight on along the ring-road, and that the right-hand lane is for vehicles wishing to turn right on the Dereham Road towards Costessey ONLY.... agreed?
So why do so many people ignore this? The number of times I've had to break hard on the roundabout to avoid having a vehicle to my right colliding into the side of me as I leave the roundabout on Guardian Road (2nd exit) when they should take the 3rd exit to Dereham Road! Grrr!
People Who Put Upside-Down Bottles the Right Way Up
Those clever people at Heinz came up with a beautifully simple idea to boost sales of its ketchup -- turning their bottle upside-down!
It's wonderful! You no longer have to wait for the ketchup to come dribbling down the sides of the bottle -- you just point and squirt, and you get exactly as much as you want, where you want it. Neat and tidy. Incidentally, they found their sales rose considerably with after introducing their bottles and even found that customers used more!
My problem is though, those people who invert the bottle, such that the lid is on the top. OK, yes, every other bottle you've ever used all your life, has had its lid at the top, but is it really that hard to get used to these new style bottles? Stop putting them the wrong way up!!!
