I know this blog is about happiness and positivity… but I’m human, and sometimes it’s just hard, okay? As a rider of public transit on my commute to and from work, I see a lot of things that make me shake my head. So today, I hope you’ll indulge me in a post about 5 of my public transit pet peeves that drive me up the wall.

Pet Peeve #1: People who clip their nails in public.

Is there anybody out there who isn’t bothered by this? This one time, I was riding the city bus, and a lady next to me pulled a nail clipper out of her purse. And I’m thinking “Oh don’t you dare lad-“ …clip. A nail goes flying. I cringe and try to bear it.

Clip.

Another nail. Oh, so this isn’t a spot clean, she’s doing her whole damn hand.

Clip.

There goes a third one. Finally, after building up a disgusting collection of nail clippings on her lap, she – urgh, I’m gagging as I type this – she BRUSHES THEM OFF HER LAP AND INTO MINE!!! I lost my mind, as did several other passengers on the bus (god bless your souls).

If you are one of these people who for some unknown reason think it’s acceptable to trim your nails in public, please know this: you are wrong, and you are disgusting.

Pet Peeve #2: Snorting back your snot.

While we’re on the theme of grossness, guys who snort back their snot and then swallow it are probably a close second behind nail lady up there. And I say guys because for whatever reason, it’s always guys I hear do this.

If you have a runny nose, that absolute nastiest way you can remedy the issue is by snorting it back and swallowing it (yep, just gagged again). Grab a tissue and blow your nose like a functioning member of society please… hell, even a snot rocket is more tolerable than that.

I’ve been known to unabashedly hand tissues to guys who do this around me, and I have zero regrets about it. Take the hint please.

Pet Peeve #3: Getting upset when you have to move your bag off that seat.

Your bag is not a person, and your bag has not paid a separate fare to ride on that bus or train. If you don’t remove it from that seat when there are people standing, I will sit directly on top of it and crush whatever valuables it may contain with my under-sized rear-end. You’ve been warned.

Pet Peeve #4: People who use me as their own personal timer.

Admitted, this one is dumb, and I have no reasonable explanation for why it bugs me. See, when my train is arriving at the station, I line up to exit at the exact same time every day. I’m obsessive-compulsive like that; just go with it, okay?

Anyway, there’s this pair of gossipy ladies that always sit near me on the train, and every time I get up, they look at each other, nod, and promptly get up after me to go line up. Ladies, I’m not your canary in a mineshaft. It’s weird that you keep time by me, and I worry about how you get by on the days when I’m not on the train with you.

Pet Peeve #5: The GO train runners.

I saved the best for last! This one isn’t really a pet peeve so much as a fascination of mine. No matter which train I catch, there are always, always, a few people who, upon arriving at our station at the end of the day, break into a full-on sprint to be the first to their car. It’s such a phenomenon, this guy created a documentary-style video about it, which literally makes my day every time I watch it.

Like children, these well-dress, well-heeled men and women practically shove old ladies out of the way to get to their car and peel out of the parking lot before the rest of the masses. I’m amazed by it, because I can’t justify sacrificing my dignity and, frankly, my ability to keep my dress shirts free of sweat stains, for the sake of saving the whopping 4 minutes you save by running to your car.

What’s even crazier is the people who get off the train and then sprint to the sidewalk. What are you running to?! The bus you need to catch is timed to give you enough leeway to make it to the stop without shoving aside every man, woman and child in the process!

Bottom line is that it’s kind of amusing to watch seemingly civilized adults and descend into childish anarchy as they run in their $500 shoes to their car. Maybe they’re peeling out to go watch Game of Thrones, who knows.

Wrapping it Up

Hope you enjoyed today’s tongue-in-cheek post – I was in one of those moods this Friday, and felt like having a little fun with you 🙂 what about you, what are your pet peeves? I bet you have some pretty crazy stories too. Tell me about them in the comments!