“Sorry I’m late.” Are you? If you were really sorry, would you have been late in the first place?
Over the past few days, I’ve heard people make statements like “You know what I hate more than anything?” or “Do you know what annoys me the most about people?” Those statements got me thinking about my biggest pet peeve.
By definition, a pet peeve is an often continual annoyance. We all have them, and most of us inflict them on others.
It was very easy to determine my biggest pet peeve because it’s been my biggest pet peeve for many years. I HATE it when people are late. Now I can understand when people are late every once in awhile. Things happen. Life happens. Sometimes you hit traffic. Sometimes your car won’t start. Sometimes you leave the tickets sitting on the kitchen table and realize it five miles down the road. There are always exception.
However, some people are ALWAYS late. It’s not only a habit, it’s a lifestyle. If you know these people, you know what I’m talking about. These are the people that are supposed to meet you somewhere at 7:00. At 7:15 you call them, and they haven’t left home. What have they been doing? Nothing! They’re just late! You call back at 7:30 and they say they’re on their way, but you can still hear the TV going.
If you are one of these people, you probably know it, and you probably don’t care. People that fit in this category often think the world needs to slow down and have some patience. Time isn’t that big of a factor.
While I do think patience is a needed virtue, I think being continually late is an act of selfishness. Yes, I do. When you are always late, you are telling others that your time is much more valuable than their time. If you make someone wait on you all the time, you essentially say, “I care more about me than I care about you. My life is more important than your life.”
Being on time is a mark of common courtesy. The old saying goes, ”If you are 5 minutes early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late. If you’re late, then you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”
I don’t necessarily expect people to be like me and show up for a movie 45 minutes early (I’m working on it) but at least be where you said you would be when you said you would be there.
There’s my soapbox.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Tags: Biggest Pet Peeve, Late
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Thank you! Thank you for writing what others have been thinking for years! Being on time really is inconsiserate to everyone else in the world.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Maybe you’d feel differently if you spent a month or so in a South American country.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I’m with you, David–I can’t STAND to be late. And if I’m running late for whatever reason, I am normally freaking out in my car trying to figure out how to get there faster without killing myself and three other drivers in the process. Glad to know I’m not the only one who gets annoyed by constantly late people. And wouldn’t you know that many of my friends are the ones that are constantly late?
I think my biggest pet peeve, other than general rudeness, which is a huge category, is when people talk during movies. I’m not sure why it drives me so crazy. I think it goes back to the rude thing. It is so inconsiderate of the other people in the movie! Also, if there is a lot of background noise, I have lots of trouble hearing, so I always miss things, and that really bugs me. Rest assured that, if you talk during a movie I’m at, I will be the one shushing you…
Interesting blog!
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I totally agree with all of this. I hate being late, and I don’t like when others make me late. And that old saying that you quoted, is what I say all the time too : ] But, anyways good blog!
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Jacob, I’ve lived in South Florida where things run on Cuban time. That’s a completely different world. I went to a wedding that was scheduled to start at 1 PM. It didn’t start til 2:45 PM. Over half the family didn’t get there til 3:30.
February 24th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Two Words: Ryan Troske
I hate when people just throw garbage and cigarette butts wherever they please. I’m not a tree hugger, but c’mon, how hard is it to find a trash can?
I also hate when people spit. Its so nasty. If you gotta spit, at least do it where people won’t see or step in it.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Jeremy’s made me think of another one: Along the lines of the spitting and garbage, I hate it when I step in someone’s chewing gum because they just spit it out on the ground. Like Jeremy said, how hard is it to find a trash can?
February 25th, 2009 at 7:05 am
Yeah, I’m gonna have to go with littering on this one too. I never realized how annoying it can be until I saw it done repeatedly. Just find a trash can and/or get some respect for the Earth that God has given to us.