Pet Peeves

Regarding the cell phone discussion . . . I think the people who use them the most (at least for the most part) are busy families with children. I know we all survived without them before, but it is kind of nice to be able to have quick contact. That being said, my children didn't get cell phones until they were about 16 years old, and were spending more time away from home, at activities and such. If the older ones want newer, fancier phones, they have to buy their own phones (and they do). They are on our plan because it is cheaper per month for them (they just pay us).

Driving while on the phone? HANDS FREE! And be discerning - I don't drive and talk on the phone while on the windy mountain roads where we live. On a long, straight run on the freeway? Yeah, I do, I don't consider it more distracting than talking to someone in the car, EXCEPT that of course the person on the other end of the phone can't see me shaking my head or my facial expressions and I can't see them, so there is some loss of communication. I often feel like I am making use of otherwise 'wasted' time.

Texting while driving? NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!!! That is insane (and illegal in most, if not all, states, as it should be)!

I like being able to call home as I'm driving right past the supermarket to find out if we need anything, so I can stop on the way, rather than getting home and discovering that we are out of milk (we live about 5 miles from the closest Safeway). My time and gas are worth that convenience.

I REALLY like having my cell phone when I'm away on a trip, because I carry everybody's phone numbers with me. I just like being able to be in touch.

Not wanting to be found? CALLER ID is my friend!! If I don't know who it is, I don't answer. If I do know who it is and I don't want to talk to them, I don't answer! If I really don't want to be bothered, I turn it off.

A few months ago, I inadvertently left the house without my cell phone and was driving somewhere when my car suddenly lost power. I had three kids in the car with me. I was able to safely pull over, but it was not in an area where there was anyplace to walk to. It meant waiting until a highway patrolman might pull over and see what I needed. That was a weird feeling, to not be able to just call my husband and have him come "save" me! By God's providence (at least that's the way I see it), I had pulled over right next to a highway call box!! They were able to call Jim's cell phone (reaching him before he got all the way home) and he did come rescue me.

I know some older folks who carry cell phones 'for an emergency' only. I know some who don't have one and don't want one, and I respect all those feelings. But I know my cell phone has been more of a blessing to me than a hindrance, and I try to be courteous and wise in my use of it.

Stepping down off the soapbox now,

Mrs. C

(And laughing because of the length of my post, and seeing that I am about to hit the "Post Quick Reply" button!)

Jim,

Thank you for posting the links to those articles (I read every one). I can't promise I will never make a phone call while driving, but reading those articles will result in me hugely reducing calls while driving.

I am truly aware of the dangers of 'distracted driving,' which can also include eating, yelling at kids in the back seat, tuning the radio, turning the volume up or down, etc. I'm sure we've all heard of the tragic reports of a driver looking away for 'just a second' and causing injury or death to another person as a result. I have to confess to doing all of those things while driving at one time or another. Driving is a dangerous, serious business which should be taken most seriously.

Sue

talking during the movie
the movie channels saying they're gonna show a certain film and showing something else
remakes

Since it has become more and more difficult for me to get around with my bad back and hip, I am more aware of idiots parking in handicapped parking spots without a handicap placard. They usually are young and in the best of health.
Most businesses do not have enough handicap spaces anyway, so these numbskulls sometimes take away the only spot available for someone who actually needs it!

Hi Jay, thats something thats rampant in Corpus Christi. However, a few years ago the City was actually starting to enforce Handicap parking by actually sending out a trained Civilian volunteer team, to go out and take a polaroid pic of someones vehicle wrongfully parked in a handicapped space, and the other part of the team has the powers to write and issue a ticket. I first saw this happen when I was going to a Drs appointment which eventually led to my surgery last year. I happened to be looking out the 5th floor window, and saw a cop car cruising the parkinglot. I saw it stop and two people got out and one took a picture of the illegally parked car-while the other verified if the car was one that belonged to a handicapped person or not? then once verified by radio dispatch-the guy wrote out a ticket and placed it on the drivers side windshield. I wa so glad to see that happen and I got their attention by waving in the window and gave them both thumbs up.

I've sen people driving a car with a handicap tag hanging on the mirrow, and they were not handicapped nor was the handicapped person in the car-when they parked in a space at HEBs and or Wal-Mart. I thought of volunteering my time to do this too. I might check into doing that when I move back to Corpus Christi-hopefully in less than 9 months time.

I hate Houston.

Quote from The Ringo Kid

Hi Jay, thats something thats rampant in Corpus Christi. However, a few years ago the City was actually starting to enforce Handicap parking by actually sending out a trained Civilian volunteer team, to go out and take a polaroid pic of someones vehicle wrongfully parked in a handicapped space, and the other part of the team has the powers to write and issue a ticket.

Supposedly we have a similar volunteer group here in San Antonio, but I haven't seen any evidence of them.
BTW - another one of my pet peeves is people who park straddling two parking spaces. They don't seem to have time to adjust to park within the lines.

I have seen people with a new car or high end vehicle use 2 spaces so as to avoid getting a sratch. Lots of times a litle bit of a walk would let them have no one near them.

I echo this, some of that plastic packaging cuts like crazy, where are the lawsuits on that stuff

Quote from Stumpy

One of my biggest pet peeves (and this may have been mentioned before) is the entire packaging industry. It's become almost impossible to get into a lot of product because of the steel-like plastic surrounding it. Not only that but they put far too much packaging material around most merchandise, causing problems in disposal.

A particular packaging sore point with me is the very tough plastic material used by Kraft Foods to prevent the introduction of foreign substances into their salad dressing bottles. I know that food companies must protect their products from the nuts out there but Kraft carries the protection to ridiculous extremes. I even wrote a letter of complaint to Kraft and received the usual form letter platitude in reply. Grrrrrr.

Quote from Jay J. Foraker

Supposedly we have a similar volunteer group here in San Antonio, but I haven't seen any evidence of them.
BTW - another one of my pet peeves is people who park straddling two parking spaces. They don't seem to have time to adjust to park within the lines.

AMEN to that Jay, and that too is a big peeve of mine. It makes me so mad that I almost feel like keying their car-or slashing a few tires. I restrain myself as im no troublemaker-well, not much of one;-))

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I see a baby Diaper thrown onto the ground in a parking lot, in a street or inside the walkway of some building. I have also seen a hispanic female change the diaper on its kid and threw it out the car window and I went picked it up and tossed it back into her lap. She sped away and threw it out into the street. I called the cops with plate info,