Pet Peeves

[si-am]

You know I have been thinking about this post today. As the wife of a tall man 6'7", i find it annoying that if the op was talking about an obese person and called him an elephant or hippo everyone would be in an uproar and the moderator would probably edit the post. But because it's a tall person no one says a word. My dh has been told he should move to the back row when waiting for a parade because he is tall even though we get there early and stake out a spot and if he is going to stand for the parade he makes sure to stand for a half hour or forty five minutes before so people realize how tall he is and can adjust accordingly. We get groans when we enter theaters. Not to mention te idiotic jokes. The world is made for average size people. No one would tell a short person to wear stilts. Or an obese person to go on a diet but jokes and name calling about tall people are a-ok.
Go back to your normal posting. I just had to get that off my chest.

Thank you. It was hard enough being an 11 year old girl in and of itself without being called giraffe on top of it all!

I'm only 6'0", which is pretty tall for a woman but not outrageous in the grand scheme of things. But I've never understood why it's socially acceptable for strangers to point it out as if I'm some kind of freak when they probably wouldn't dare say anything if I were an average height but maybe obese instead.

 

[JimS4210]

Thank you. It was hard enough being an 11 year old girl in and of itself without being called giraffe on top of it all!

I'm only 6'0", which is pretty tall for a woman but not outrageous in the grand scheme of things. But I've never understood why it's socially acceptable for strangers to point it out as if I'm some kind of freak when they probably wouldn't dare say anything if I were an average height but maybe obese instead.

Yeah, but we kick some serious butt at Basketball...

Jim

P.S. Yes, the weather's fine up here!

 

[deegack]

Yeah, but we kick some serious butt at Basketball...

Jim

P.S. Yes, the weather's fine up here!

lol DH is so horrid at basketball its comical!

 

[CamoMama]

Funny, after reading more of these I had some thoughts.

I don't swim. My kids love to swim, but I just don't enjoy it, for multiple reasons. If I'm wearing contacts, losing one in the pool could be very bad. If I'm wearing glasses they'll get spotty or I'll just have to leave them on the table and be completely blind while I'm in the pool. I don't like having water on my glasses or being unable to see, so that's part of the reason I don't swim. My kids have asked me to swim with them on occasion and sometimes I will, but if I really don't feel like it I'm not going to, and that's not bad parenting.

I have teenagers. We visited WDW in February and used the buses. Some evenings the buses were very full when we left the parks in the evening. On one trip there was a woman in a tank dress standing up in front of me holding the strap with her arm in the air, she had extreme body odor and was waving her armpit above my head. It was a very uncomfortable ride. Had I been able to stand and offer her my seat I would have done, but it was packed so tight that I couldn't move. I ended up just keeping my head down and my mouth shut.

On another evening we were seated in the back and the bus was full, but not a lot of people were standing. A family with one small child got on the bus, and they had to stand, the poor kid was wiped out. No one else stood up, so my exhausted 15 year old (who weighed about 90lbs at the time), sat on my lap so the mother could sit with her child on hers. Sure I was a bit uncomfortable, but it's only about 20 minutes and I was more comfortable with my kid on my lap than that mom would have been standing with hers. Sometimes your own personal comfort isn't the most important thing in the world.

When my youngest and I were at DLR over the week of the 4th of July we went to see Fantasmic. We were seated in front on the ground, and had a rather good view. During the show a few small children moved closer to us. At one point I had a kid of about 6 snuggled up against me, and my daughter had one of about 4 lying next to her, using her knee as an armrest. We both agreed that it was cute and were glad that the kids were able to see the show.

I'm not above getting annoyed at things, and have already posted a peeve, but seriously, getting irritated over small stuff like kids being able to see at parades and having your 40lb kid on your lap for a 20 minute bus ride? I don't get it.

 

[goofyernmost]

Originally Posted by alexxussss
Yes, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk is by far my biggest pet peeve. It is just completely self-centered...I believe that those are the same people who leave their grocery carts in the middle of the aisle so no one can get around them. Ugh.

I would bet it has less to do with being self-centered than it has to do with poor situational awareness and being generally oblivious.

I'd be willing to bet the farm that there isn't one single guest that has been to a Disney Park that hasn't done this at some point. It is a natural reaction to a sight, sound or confusion. Some are even very unaware that they are doing this and it certainly isn't because they are self centered. The good thing and the simple way to not have it be a pet peeve is to slightly alter direction and go around them. I don't believe that anyone has ever been promised a perfectly straight line to their destination.

Just remember that it may be you that suddenly, unthinkingly stops mid-stride activating someone elses Pet Peeve! It's a theme park...relax!

 

[si-am]

lol DH is so horrid at basketball its comical!

Haha same here. The coaches at school always tried to recruit me, but backed waaaay off once they saw me in action on the court.

 

[mefordis]

Yeah, but we kick some serious butt at Basketball...

Jim

P.S. Yes, the weather's fine up here!

What about volleyball? If you are not at least 5'9" as a woman, forget about playing! Check out those Olympic volleyball players? All women wish they looked like that.

 

[Murron]

Funny, after reading more of these I had some thoughts.

I don't swim. My kids love to swim, but I just don't enjoy it, for multiple reasons. If I'm wearing contacts, losing one in the pool could be very bad. If I'm wearing glasses they'll get spotty or I'll just have to leave them on the table and be completely blind while I'm in the pool. I don't like having water on my glasses or being unable to see, so that's part of the reason I don't swim. My kids have asked me to swim with them on occasion and sometimes I will, but if I really don't feel like it I'm not going to, and that's not bad parenting.

I have teenagers. We visited WDW in February and used the buses. Some evenings the buses were very full when we left the parks in the evening. On one trip there was a woman in a tank dress standing up in front of me holding the strap with her arm in the air, she had extreme body odor and was waving her armpit above my head. It was a very uncomfortable ride. Had I been able to stand and offer her my seat I would have done, but it was packed so tight that I couldn't move. I ended up just keeping my head down and my mouth shut.

On another evening we were seated in the back and the bus was full, but not a lot of people were standing. A family with one small child got on the bus, and they had to stand, the poor kid was wiped out. No one else stood up, so my exhausted 15 year old (who weighed about 90lbs at the time), sat on my lap so the mother could sit with her child on hers. Sure I was a bit uncomfortable, but it's only about 20 minutes and I was more comfortable with my kid on my lap than that mom would have been standing with hers. Sometimes your own personal comfort isn't the most important thing in the world.

When my youngest and I were at DLR over the week of the 4th of July we went to see Fantasmic. We were seated in front on the ground, and had a rather good view. During the show a few small children moved closer to us. At one point I had a kid of about 6 snuggled up against me, and my daughter had one of about 4 lying next to her, using her knee as an armrest. We both agreed that it was cute and were glad that the kids were able to see the show.

I'm not above getting annoyed at things, and have already posted a peeve, but seriously, getting irritated over small stuff like kids being able to see at parades and having your 40lb kid on your lap for a 20 minute bus ride? I don't get it.

Wisdom......some have it and some don't. You do.

 

[leebee]

I think my biggest issue is sexual/obscene/rude language, whether spoken or worn on clothing. I'm not trying to be the Morality Police, but there are young kids everywhere at WDW, and this is just inappropriate. As an adult, I don't like listening to you drop f-bombs every other word, either! (this extends to overt making-out in line, at the dinner table, etc... get a room!)

Hate it when people think it's OK to hack up big gooey things and blow them to the sidewalk. GAG.

Also not happy with folks who think it's OK to smoke wherever they want. DD and I both have asthma and are very careful to avoid the smoking areas so we don't get sick on vacation. Your silly little "sneak" means I will be sick for a couple of days. Thanks.

Hmmm... misbehaving children and the parents who allow them to be annoying. I know the lines are long and the kids are restless, but jeez... do you have to let them swing on line chains so they bang into everyone, or run around in and out of the line, bumping into people and stepping on toes?

Loud conversations on cell phones- I don't want to hear your business.

 

[TheAceOfAces]

The world is made for average size people. No one would tell a short person to wear stilts.

Oh, really? I've been told by people on this board before to wear high heels or platform shoes in the parks--no thank you! (Those people also don't consider that that wouldn't help in the theaters; I only watch those shows, not the parades. I guess they want me to lug around a phone book to sit on or something.)
Disney is a tall person's world. None of the really tall (or even average-size, honestly) people ever had to deal with having to wait until they were 9 years old to be tall enough to ride everything, or the embarrassment of watching kids obviously quite a bit younger than them getting on rides that they were still too small for. (Think the scene in The Muppets where Walter can't get on the ride that everyone else can because he's too short. I could really relate to that because I've been in that situation countless times.)
I understand that some tall people to try to be considerate of those behind them, and I do greatly appreciate them. It's the ones who think it's funny to block people's view or just don't care at all that really bother me.

I think most of the things in this thread are related to the lack of consideration for other people in today's society both in Disney and in regular life.

 

[chloe4ever]

You must be reading a different thread than I am. The one I'm reading seems to say - don't make judgement calls and call someone you don't know a nasty name based on a 30 second encounter. Although, the fact that you seem to be able to read things that aren't there, does go well with your ability to see things that aren't there.

Yes. Yes. You are right all knowing one.

Mom's rock!

I love this thread....

 

[chloe4ever]

I am not going to judge one mom in a brief encounter in a park bc I also know from my real life that there could be a legitimate reason for them sitting out of the pool.

Would you criticize a parent who said no to their child about going on a roller coaster if they get motion sickness, but blamed it on something else, or a parent who had a fear of heights who said no to TOT but blamed it on the line being too long because they didnt want their child to have that same fear?

The mom was not at a park. It was not a brief encounter. I have seen her many, many times. It was at my local pool (something I mentioned in an earlier post). Each time she would not swim. It was not some rush to judgement after a two minute encounter.

And the roller coaster thing is a COMPLETELY different situation.

The great pool thread of 2012........

 

[ttintagel]

Disney is a tall person's world.

I'll be thinking of this the next time I'm awkwardly trying to fold my long legs into a Space Mountain, Pooh, or Peter Pan vehicle!

Maybe we can gang up on the average people!

 

[TheAceOfAces]

The great pool thread of 2012........

And for once it has nothing to do with resort hopping!

 

[si-am]

I think most of the things in this thread are related to the lack of consideration for other people in today's society both in Disney and in regular life.

True. However, I do think that calling people silly names (like, ahem, giraffes) might also demonstrate a lack of consideration.

 

[chloe4ever]

And for once it has nothing to do with resort hopping!

True!

 

[chloe4ever]

Yes, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk is by far my biggest pet peeve. It is just completely self-centered...I believe that those are the same people who leave their grocery carts in the middle of the aisle so no one can get around them. Ugh.

And the same people who refuse to get out of the left lane on the highway and who merge onto the highway at 20 mph..........

I agree that it is self-centered. Not being aware of others. Or being clueless. Or having your "head in the clouds" are all the very definition of being self-centered. There other people who exist around you--you don't live in a bubble--be aware of how your actions are effecting others.

 

[fizbobunny]

My biggest pet peeve is for so-called 'family places' that cater to younger children with kids meals or events (yes, you McD and Chuckie Cheese!!) yet in their restrooms they do not have a smaller toilet or god-forbid a smaller sink. I've asked in some places whether they have a step stool so a small child can wash their hands and was told it was a hazard. Really?? And my having to hold a 40 lb child up by the belly so they don't lean on the counter so they can wash their hands isn't a hazard to both mother and child?? It makes me so furious that they have stupid booster seats so they can sit safely in chairs or seats, but refuse to child-enable restrooms. Sigh. Thanks for letting me vent.

The Chick Fil A in Gulfport MS has a step stool in
the bathroom.

 

[chloe4ever]

I would bet it has less to do with being self-centered than it has to do with poor situational awareness and being generally oblivious.

Having poor situational awareness and being oblivious is being self-centered....

 

[Talking Hands]

Thank you. It was hard enough being an 11 year old girl in and of itself without being called giraffe on top of it all!

I'm only 6'0", which is pretty tall for a woman but not outrageous in the grand scheme of things. But I've never understood why it's socially acceptable for strangers to point it out as if I'm some kind of freak when they probably wouldn't dare say anything if I were an average height but maybe obese instead.

Probably the same reason people think it is socially acceptable to ask short people why they are short and call them pigmies. I have the perfect answer for people that ask me about my size, because God made me that way. No one questions me after that. Maybe it would work for tall people as well.