Do you have pet peeves

While sitting up last night contemplating my next blog entry, I finally decided to make a post on pet peeves. Each one of us has a list of things (usually a long one) that never fail to get on our nerves anytime, anywhere. Some of us deal with such things by taking three deep breaths (probably this method was followed only by Lord Buddha), some by using profanities that would make a sailor blush, some by throwing tantrums (like Mayawati) and some by cursing the genius of Murphy (like me). Whatever be the method adopted, the list of pet peeves for any individual only gets longer. Here's my list:-

1. Cars which play an annoying tune while backing up.

The guy who lives next door has a Maruti Alto that breaks into a ridiculous rendition of an old song everytime he engages the reverse gear. Many a time I've been sorely tempted to indulge in vandalising his car. Why can't people just use a simple beeping sound.

2. Cellphones which shatter the ambience with their jarring ringtones.

Why people don't bother using a simple ringtone is beyond me. What is the need to publicise one's hideous taste in music to others. The other day while dining in a quiet restaurant, one patron's mobile came alive with a really loud ringtone that sounded like a hyena's mating call.

3. Boarding a non-stop, point to point, long distance bus and feeling the urge to pee after the first 5 minutes of the journey.

I once requested the driver of one such bus to stop for a moment so that I could answer the call of nature. He bluntly refused saying he would halt only at the scheduled stop which was 3 hours away. He finally relented after I threatened to make the driver's cabin look like a communal toilet.

4. Sitting next to sleeping beauties in the bus.

I've lost count of the number of times I've had the misfortune of sitting next to guys who feel the overwhelming need to rest their oily craniums on my shoulders. Everytime I am seated next to one such guy, I wish I could put his head into an industrial vice and crush it to pulp.

5. Persistant Salespersons.

I realise these salespeople too have to earn their livelihood, but they choose to disturb you at the most inconvenient times. There was one guy who rung my doorbell when I was taking a wonderful nap on a weekend afternoon. Turned out he wanted to sell me a special kind of conditioner that would apparently make my hair as soft as rabbit fur (yeah, right). Having been cheated by enough shampoo commercials on tv, I'm not falling for another one.

6. Commercials in the midst of an interesting programme on tv.

Every Indian knows what it is like to be forcefed annoying commercials while watching cricket, especially. And some of those ads look like they've been made by a bunch of people under the influence of TASMAC liquor.

7. Navjot Sidhu on tv.

This guy was amusing at first but now he is as stale as the chappathi they serve on trains. Listening to him is right up there with a visit to the dentist on the list of most painful things to do. Now that he's become an MP, God help those parliamentarians.

8. Power failure in the midst of a favourite tv programme.

This is one of the major irritants to be put up with in Chennai. The other day while watching my favourite programme on Fashion TV (actually all programmes on Fashion TV are my favourites), a voluptious model with a curvaceous figure was sashaying down the ramp when the EB guys decided to get into the act. Result, a power failure that lasted 4 hours. Damn! What an amazing sense of timing these guys have got.

9. Trying to reach unreachable customer service personnel.

Nothing can be more frustrating than spending one nerve-racking moment after another trying to achieve this near impossible task. And indeed by a miracle if you manage to reach them, getting them to deal with your predicament is like trying to get George Bush to write a treatise on Particle Physics. By the time they attend to your problem, even T.Rajendar might produce a hit.

10. Dealing with callers who have the wrong number.

I've had my fair share of wrong numbers while attending calls. I understand it is human to err, but some of these callers remain as stubborn as the cows that roam around in the midst of Chennai traffic.
Me: Hello
Caller: Hello. Saar, I am Sathyan speaking. The 2 love birds that you asked for have arrived. Where do you want me to send them?
Me (confused for a moment): Uh...what?
Caller: Sathyan saar......the lovebirds.....where do you want me to send them?
Me: Sorry , wrong number.
Caller: Enna saar. I know this is the correct number. Please tell me where to send the birds?
Me (deciding to play along): Ok Sathyan. You do one thing. Go to Koyambedu junction, first.
Caller: Ok saar
Me: Take a right onto the market complex road
Caller: Sari saar
Me: Walk for about half a kilometre and take the 3rd left
Caller: Right..then what saar?
Me: You'll see a Madurai Muniyandi Vilas hotel there. Give the birds to them. They'll know what to do. (click)

Ever wonder why the majority of our daily annoyances result from our usage of modern gadgetry. Do these marvels of modern technology which are intended to make lives easier end up creating more headaches? While you chew on that for a while, the above is my list of pet peeves (which is by no means comprehensive). What is yours?