The New Grumpy Old Man Thread.

[InsaneApache]

We had a grumpy thread a while back, I couldn't find it so I decided to start another.

What really ticks you off? Here's a starter.

Mobile 'phones.

I hate the buggers. When I used to own one they always rang at the most inopportune moments. Like when I was negotiating a roundabout on the North Circular.

Then there is those bloody polyphonic ringtones. What's all that about? What's wrong with a simple bell sound? Another thing is the owners. Why oh why do they have to shout into the damn things? I don't want to hear what you're saying to 'Baz' or 'Shaz' or whatever twonk your connected to. I feel like grabbing them out of their hands, jump up and down on them (ala Basil Fawlty) and then handing them back to their owners. Bastards.

If that aint enough. they're not just 'phones anymore, are they? No they play music, videos, take pictures, tell the time and generally just irritate the hell out of me.

I'd take a leaf out of Nu-Labs book and ban 'em.

[Gregoshi]

I'm with you on that one IA. It is a useful tool but too many people are discourteous in its use. Without getting into a massive rant, my pet peeves are (in order):

1) Talking on the phone when you are with others. I see this a lot in the teenage crowd locally. A group of 8-10 kids at least half of whom are talking on the phone to some else. I guess the friends who took the time to actually BE with them aren't as important as those who didn't. I put the rap on the young but I experienced it with my best friend too. We hadn't seen each other in a few months so getting together was a big deal. He'd gotten a new fancy schmancy cell phone and was reaching for his phone every couple of minutes to check a text message or email he received. I felt like I was talking to the wall after a while. I finally said something to him and he's been good about it ever since. But man was that frustrating!

2) Walkie talkie style phones where you get the bonus of hearing both sides of the conversation.

3) Transacting business (restaurant, store, etc) while talking on the phone.

4) Watching someone walk to their car, hop in, and then call someone before they drive off (one-handed).

5) The Borg: those wearing the Bluetooth ear pieces (do they wear them to bed too?) who walk around apparently talking to themselves until you see the headset. On the bright side, at least they can drive with both hands if needed.

Better stop there - I got a call on my cell phone.

Edit: yes, I forgot to second your motion on the ringtones. 95% of them are just stupid ringtones. I will admit to hearing one or two that were alright. My son cracked me up though. He recorded our toilet flushing and set it up as his ringtone when a text message comes in. It is rather funny to hear.

[Adrian II]

Then there is those bloody polyphonic ringtones.

They are the one redeeming aspect of mobile phones. Some are brilliant. Mobile phones as such are a pest. And Gregoshi, a flushing lavatory was the last thing my mobile heard. That's because I literally flushed it down the John in some fancy restaurant last year. I felt extremely satisfied, just like I did at the office about eight years back when I threw a no-good, persistently malfunctioning office chair out the window (four storeys high) onto the pavement, accidentally before the feet of our janitor and a health & safety inspector who happened to be making his round of the premises. I have never seen management replace the old chairs on our floor so fast.

[Tribesman]

What really ticks you off?

Grumpy old men .

[InsaneApache]

Grumpy old men .

[Rhyfelwyr]

Don't know if this is an old fart thing to say, but I'm pretty annoyed at all the coverage sub-sports are getting on the TV. I'm sick of seeing adverts about rugby, marathons, an the Olympics (GAH!). No-one cares!

Football and a little tennis should be the only sports allowed.

just like I did at the office about eight years back when I threw a no-good, persistently malfunctioning office chair out the window (four storeys high) onto the pavement, accidentally before the feet of our janitor and a health & safety inspector who happened to be making his round of the premises. I have never seen management replace the old chairs on our floor so fast.

Reminds me when someone at my school threw a chair out a window down onto a group of people from the second floor. A teacher happened to see him at the time, and he got chased all the way up to the top floor.

And afterwards...

[Adrian II]

Football and a little tennis should be the only sports allowed.

And only at night.

*grumping on*

[Gregoshi]

Grumpy old men .

Welcome to the club.

[CountArach]

People with iPods or MP3 players on WAY TOO FREAKING LOUD on public transport. There is no way to escape, barring turing up my own iPod. It is a perpetual cycle...

[PBI]

Sunshine makes me grumpy.

If I go out in the sun I burn, I can't concentrate on my work if it's too hot (and my office has no AC), it causes all the morons who would normally be safely locked away in their houses to meander around on the cyclepath I ride to work on, getting angry at me when they brainlessly wander into my path, it causes fat hairy men to walk around topless, and it causes annoying smug people to wonder aloud at me why I could be so grumpy when it's so sunny.

And worst of all, just as I retreat into my dark cave to hide from all the smug cheerful morons it shines on my computer screen, meaning I can't see it well enough to play TW anymore .

I hate the sun. If I had my way every day would be suitably sombre and grey.


On the subject of ringtones, anyone remember the Crazy Frog? A good argument for extrajudicial execution in my opinion.

[Tribesman]

Sunshine makes me grumpy.

Thats easily solved , move to Ireland .

[LittleGrizzly]

Gift vouchers make me grumpy, why in gods name would you force someone to spend thier money at only one shop (or a few depending on voucher) to start with they had a currency accepted for goods and services all over the country but what do they send me ? a currency which is limited to a small range of goods i don't really want and a currency which i can only use at shops miles away!

[naut]

The Australian Federal Government. Increasing taxes on alcohol! It's so damned hot all the time, and everything is so damned expensive too, and we can't even get cheap booze to ease our pain and cool us down!!!

[Samurai Waki]

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. Who do these saggy, wind socks think they are? I'm tired of them going door to door trying to sell me Prohibition. Yeah, I'm really sorry you never kept an eye out on your son when he was 17... but stop being Kyle's Mom about it. Then if that weren't enough, they harass you over the phone if you don't give them a donation. If I seriously have to see one more of those scraggly hat wearing cows walk through my neighborhood, I may very well join Drunks Against Mad Mothers.

[PBI]

Thats easily solved , move to Ireland .

You'd have thought moving to Wales would be sufficient!

[Caius]

Edit: yes, I forgot to second your motion on the ringtones. 95% of them are just stupid ringtones. I will admit to hearing one or two that were alright.

I hate the 110% of the ringtones. I have those generic Motorola that only can play monophonic sounds and they suck big time, thats why I use it in vibration all the time.

Oh, I'm sorry mum, I didnt receive the call because I didn't notice, ma. Its confortable, but unnoticeable at the same time.

And I'm tired of cellphones, and you wanna know whats the best use I can make of it?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Check the hour

[Caius]

Another thing that annoys me (and I'm a young guy, but well, I have things to complain too!) is about how girls wear. Yes, instead of thanking God of that, I complain about it. Why? Because its a contradiction of them.

The only thing they do is use sexy clothes. They use a short skirt, and a sexy shirt. Now, whats the real purpose about wearing revelative clothes? I think it is for to catch the attention of the members of the opposite sex, and hell, they can do it. The thing that surprises me is that when you tell them that she looks very well, its ok, three aren't any problems. The problem is when you tell them something else. They get annoyed and say things like : You pervert!

Then, damn, why the hell do they wear with those kind of clothes?

[CountArach]

The Australian Federal Government. Increasing taxes on alcohol! It's so damned hot all the time, and everything is so damned expensive too, and we can't even get cheap booze to ease our pain and cool us down!!!

Damn right! Considering that I pretty much only drink the stuff that is taxed now I have to pay more for the few times when I actually do drink.

[Ice]

Another thing that annoys me (and I'm a young guy, but well, I have things to complain too!) is about how girls wear. Yes, instead of thanking God of that, I complain about it. Why? Because its a contradiction of them.

The only thing they do is use sexy clothes. They use a short skirt, and a sexy shirt. Now, whats the real purpose about wearing revelative clothes? I think it is for to catch the attention of the members of the opposite sex, and hell, they can do it. The thing that surprises me is that when you tell them that she looks very well, its ok, three aren't any problems. The problem is when you tell them something else. They get annoyed and say things like : You pervert!

Then, damn, why the hell do they wear with those kind of clothes?

Hahahaha

[Crazed Rabbit]

US coverage of the Olympics. Thank goodness I get CBC (being somewhat close to Canada) which airs more sensible footage.

The thing is, the stupid US tv networks seem to think everyone wants to watch emotional background features on Olympic athletes instead of the darned sports themselves! *rips out hair*

CR

[Sasaki Kojiro]

US coverage of the Olympics. Thank goodness I get CBC (being somewhat close to Canada) which airs more sensible footage.

The thing is, the stupid US tv networks seem to think everyone wants to watch emotional background features on Olympic athletes instead of the darned sports themselves! *rips out hair*

CR

Yes exactly. It's fine when the people are actually winning but usually it's just really boring. I like getting a bit of background on michael phelps for example just because he was in just about everything the first week.

I also hate that they only show events that have americans.

Beach volleyball has absolutely no place in the olympics. It's a terrible sport. Extremely predictable. Regular volleyball is more fun to watch. Get your hot girls elsewhere :verymad:

[Samurai Waki]

The one thing I appreciate about Montana, is although for the most part are food isn't necessarily to die for, we can cook a Steak Dammit! Rare, Extra Tender (you could cut it with a fork), and a dash of salt. Thats it, thats all thats needed. I've been to local restraunts, and somehow they muck it up, and I've been to some of the Finest Bistro's in LA, New York City, and Montreal and I walked away with the notion that (who the hell bakes a steak anyway?) I've even went to a high dollar Texas BBQ thinking this is the one thats gonna beat us, and no... disappointment as usual. I don't know if it's something in the Cattle that makes ours taste so much better than the rest, but now I'm convinced that I'll never eat a steak that for one isn't home-made, and two, doesn't come out of Montana.

[Ja'chyra]

Oh where would I start?

First has got to be TV adverts, 99% of them are crap, I mean, I don't need pile cream, yet, and you never see me jumping up in the air when I have to take Gaviscon and doing so while directing traffic is just plain negligence.

Next has to be the news on TV, how thick do you think we are "Let's go to the news in your area" complete with a map in the background, I KNOW WHERE I LIVE. Not to mention the guy pressing down on a lift to show that Christmas sales were down, someone should have pushed him down the shaft and then preseed the damn button.

As for mobiles, the new craze here is to use them to play music, not through ear phones, but at full volume in the street or on the bus, bloody weans. Oh, ny ringtune is House of Pains Jump, when its not on silent.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Oh, that reminds me, the anti-smoking ads they run in Washington (and perhaps other places) that feature a bunch of sanctimonious twenty-somethings who act like the fact that cigarettes are unhealthy is some incredible breaking news, and the commercials often seem to be visually disgusting and revolting.

On the other hand, at my dorm this past school year the ************* smokers would throw their butts on the ground, when a trashcan especially for cigarettes was less than a dozen feet away! Oh, how I loathe those lazy ass jerks.

CR

[Adrian II]

Because its a contradiction of them.

Girls, eh?

The only thing they do is use sexy clothes.

Huhhuh! Yes sir! It's as if they have nothing else on their pretty little minds.

Terrible, terrible.

They use a short skirt, and a sexy shirt.

How can they? I feel your pain, brother Caius. They have no business wearing these kinda clothes. They should take em off immediately, so help me God!

And I'm tired of cellphones, and you wanna know whats the best use I can make of it?

I think I gave you a clue earlier in the thread.

[Fragony]

People entering the train before everyone is out. I mean it isn't going to leave any faster, always place a shoulder or an ellbow a tiny bit more firmly then is really needed, laptop vs coffee resulting in clothes-catastrophy is a nice bonus when I get the chance.

[Adrian II]

People entering the train before everyone is out. I mean it isn't going to leave any faster, always place a shoulder or an ellbow a tiny bit more firmly then is really needed, laptop vs coffee resulting in clothes-catastrophy is a nice bonus when I get the chance.

I knew it, we do have something in common.

Only I think the situation is far worse than you depict. The Neds is the only country where passengers descending from a train, tube or bus are physically pushed back in by those wanting to board. It's a defect in our gene pool that seems hard to mend.

Since I am tall and broad-shouldered [insert affable smile here] I simply block their entry, step on as many toes as I can whilst getting out, take the path of maximum resistance (preferably straight through a bunch of gum-chewing teenagers or headset-talking salesmen) and in the process elbow as many cups of coffee, sensitive electronic gadgets and flabby waists as I can manage. Expressions of hurt and ignominy ensue, but my rather imposing frame [insert modest wink here] is usually enough to deter overt hostilities.

I love doing this.

[pevergreen]

I knew it, we do have something in common.

Only I think the situation is far worse than you depict. The Neds is the only country where passengers descending from a train, tube or bus are physically pushed back in by those wanting to board. It's a defect in our gene pool that seems hard to mend.

Since I am tall and broad-shouldered [insert affable smile here] I simply block their entry, step on as many toes as I can whilst getting out, take the path of maximum resistance (preferably straight through a bunch of gum-chewing teenagers or headset-talking salesmen) and in the process elbow as many cups of coffee, sensitive electronic gadgets and flabby waists as I can manage. Expressions of hurt and ignominy ensue, but my rather imposing frame [insert modest wink here] is usually enough to deter overt hostilities.

I love doing this.

You are now my hero.

Wakizashi, if you want a steak, come to Australia


"Reminds me when someone at my school threw a chair out a window down onto a group of people from the second floor. A teacher happened to see him at the time, and he got chased all the way up to the top floor"

My Dad told me a story about him at school. For some unknown reason, him and his friends decided to throw all the chairs in the classroom out the window, from the second floor. One chair hit the headmaster.

They all spent 6 weeks in the basement of the school, building new chairs! Suspension etc. He had a hard time after a few weeks lieing to make up for the lack of homework.

I forget what the moral of the story was...

[naut]

Wakizashi, if you want a steak, come to Australia

That brings me to another, New Zealand has somehow usurped the beef quality crown. I bought some New Zealand steak the other day, because I noticed it was cheaper than Aussie beef, and it tasted better! Injustice I say.

[Geoffrey S]

Scantily clad, yet ugly, young women shoving their way onto public transport whilst shouting into their mobile phones?

And I never thought I'd hate sunshine, but I'm getting there. Why? Because at the sight of a ray of sun every bloody yahoo gets on his boat and potters around aimlessly, without a thought for keeping to starboard and enjoying making big, big waves...