mickeyminnie said:
I *know* this is the thread to list and discuss pet peeves, but seriously maybe we all just really need to chill a bit. Especially with the super busy/stressful holiday shopping season fast approaching.
I mean seriously so you wait another 5 seconds while the cart in front of you is stopped for a sec to grab the cheerios, is that gonna really ruin your day? Perhaps you are wound just a bit tight.
Maybe momma lives out of town and comes shopping once a week and needs to hit 6 places and the last is the grocery so her stuff will stay a least a bit cool on the way home, if junior needs a little snack to get through, how is that hurting you, they aren't wiping it on your stuff, they pay for it in the end and momma and junior have a much better day, smile and enjoy a happy child.
maybe the person who has to stop and check over the receipt got over charged last week. You just can't know or guess at everyone elses circumstances or get so upset about what you think is going on.
I really don't think that people set off to be rude and unkind, but it sure seems like so many are so caught up in themselves that any little inconvience to their day is a major insult. Smile and pay it forward, who knows what may change.
As the OP I should chime it. Since you didn't read through all the replies, you don't know that it has been said (by me, if not other people also) that many if not most of these pet peeves wouldn't be a big deal at all if we all used common courtesy when shopping. We all do things that could be someone elses pet peeve (or even our own pet peeve) and a quick, sincere "sorry" or "excuse me" can very often make all the difference.
Yes, maybe someone was overcharged the week before, but they don't need to block everyone while they check it over, especially if that cashier wouldn't be the person to issue the refund (ie, at our grocery store customer service takes care of that sort of thing). I do try to pay attention when items are being rung up so I can catch any mistakes then and there.
And of course a person needs to pick out their Cheerios, but it doesn't mean that they have to block everyone around while they do so. I went to buy potatoes a couple days ago. They were on an endcap and there was a lady picking out some, with her cart next to her blocking the whole potato display. My DH was with me and could watch my purse while I wedged myself into the area between her cart and the potatoes. I grabbed a few and was off--I didn't say anything to her, didn't shoot her any looks (and forgot about it until now, as a matter of fact). If I hadn't been able to get to what I needed to get to I would have simply said excuse me.
I agree that a person should go out of their way to smile and be nice to others. I'm the first to hold a door open, let someone else go first, etc.
Actually, knowing what pet peeves others has serves 3 purposes that you didn't mention--I've gotten a good laugh out of realizing that others have different pet peeves and we all go through this in one way or another. Doesn't matter where we live and what our situation is.
Also, maybe something I do could be considered a pet peeve to someone else and I should keep that in mind when I'm out and about.
The other is that maybe someone else has a reason for doing what is a pet peeve of mine. Someone might be irritated that someone opens up boxes of food to give to their child, but maybe when that mom of a young chld explains that they forgot their diaper bag, were doing more errands than normal and ran out, etc, we can understand that it was in everyones best interests for her to carefully open a box of food that she is going to pay for.
If reading this somehow goes against your grain, that is fine--you don't have to read or reply. There are MANY things on the DIS that I don't read and respond to. Maybe read the "sister" thread about DISboard pet peeves.
But in my defense, we're usually out of those teddy grahams, which is why we're at the store!
A lady in a cosmetic store recently told me 'oh darling you don't need make-up at your age, wait till you're a bit older ok?' HAHAAAAHHAAAAAAA.....!!!!! Again I was probably older than her 
