How Would You Answer These Questions?
What are your pet peeves? Tell us about the things that bother you the most? About people, politics, society, you name it!
Kris (84): I must have had a mean old man. Maybe that's why I hate people with AUTHORITY! That is, false authority.
I don't like it when the fire department comes and demands that I buy a permit to weld. I don't like it when they complain, and give me a citation about a two-foot extension cord on an 80-watt lamp that's five feet away from anything else.
I don't like it when they break their way into my blacksmith shop because some neighbor told them that he saw smoke coming out of the building. Especially, I don't like when they cut my seventeen dollar lock when another door was open around the corner of the building. They would have nervous fits if they ever found out that I had welded more than 1,000 gas tanks, some of which were half full of gasoline, and cut up maybe a hundred butane tanks. They evidently don't understand fire. They panic when they get to a burning building. They don't want me to have a bucket of oil near the forge. I use it for tempering steel.
"Doesn't it ever catch fire", they ask
"Sure it does, it generally catches fire".
"Well, how do you put it out?"
"I lay a board over it."
One time there were three firemen who spent about a half-hour studying my forge. Finally one of them asked, "What is that black stuff there?" I whispered to him, " That's coal. It comes out of a coal mine". He got madder than a boiled owl. Why did he ask? I don't know.
And I don't like cops when they lie in court.
And I don't like game wardens when they confiscate other people's property.
When one man's bridge washed out during a storm, he wanted to lay a pipe culvert in the creek and drive over it to get to his house. The fish and game cop made him buy a permit for that and charged him $137.00. His neighbor was told by the Fish and Game that he could cross the creek but he should be careful not to dam up the creek because the fish had to be able to get out to the ocean at Gaviota. (The creek goes to Lompoc and Surf)
A building was being put up in Lompoc, and when the studs were up, a gusty wind came up and blew the tangled mess down. The paper said -- AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING.
Didn't the contractor have enough trouble already without the Authorities?
Some years back, the Authorities in Sacramento demanded that the hospital come up with a five year plan (maybe like they have in other communist regimes). I was in favor of writing down, in longhand, what our plan was at the time, on one page, and sending it to them. Naturally, with eleven people on the board, I was overruled, and we spent $6,000.00 on a nice looking pamphlet of 60 pages, which we were commended for, but I'll bet nobody ever read. But, remember, the AUTHORITIES wanted it.
Another of my pet peeves is that you can sue a person for most anything, and the sued one has to pay big money to a lawyer to defend him when all it should take is a statement to the judge of what really happened. On a ridiculous lawsuit one should be able to collect expenses for defending himself. What are judges for?
Three million dollars for making hot coffee? The customer poured it down her crotch and then sued the restaurant because it was too hot. Sure, the case was overturned but it cost the sued one a bundle to put up a legal defense.
I don't think the lawyers give a damn whether the case makes sense or not. I think they just want something going on to live off of. They get paid either way. If you win the case, you pay your lawyer. If you lose, you pay your lawyer. Will it ever come to the point where a man can tell the judge or jury what happened without hiring a lawyer? Is the law so complicated that ordinary people can't defend themselves? If that is the case then how can an ordinary person keep from breaking the law?
At one time there were ten rules to live by. They didn't change. They were chiseled in stone. Now we have several hundred people in Washington making new laws and turning them out on fast copying machines every day. And there are thousands of other lawmakers in every state and county and municipality. They are all making new laws and rules to make life more complicated. Will it ever end?
Lewis (79): I have three significant pet peeves. One is the frequently experienced lack of respect for their elders displayed by youthful employees in doctor's offices, who address you only by your first name. The second is the blatant discourtesy demonstrated by so many motorists and by rude clerks in retail establishments. The third is the aggravating annoyance of telemarketing interruptions
Lois (77): My pet peeves would seem old fashioned today. Men wearing hats in restaurants, young people living together before marriage and particularly having a child, men leading the fight against abortion, politicians in general.
As you can tell, I was never one to advocate women’s liberation. I feel I have always been liberated.
Martin (66): The only pet peeve I have is waiting in line, but I better get used to it because it’s not going away. Lines are getting longer rather than shorter, however, and patience has not always been one of my strong points.
Norma (65): People who say they will do something and then never show up. I thought Social Security was an insurance, but now just because I work I have to pay taxes on it and they won't give it to me.
Rosie (54): My pet peeves is "lying" or "being untruthful". People using you for their personal gain or agenda. Instructions given, but are not being consistent at another time. People with authority that thinks they are the "All Mighty". People who think they have the authority to manipulate any system as long it works for them.
Tom (73): 1) It’s a long walk to get the morning paper, due at six daily and seven Sunday. I go out for it at six-thirty daily and seven-fifteen Sunday. I'm upset when it’s not there and call to complain. My calls must be one of their pet peeves, judging by the results. 2) Chauvinistic Males: I once berated an Alisal Men's Golf Club President when he asked the Ladies Club to stuff and stamp the Men's Round-up Tournament invitations. He thought the task was beneath the men. 3) Receiving telephone solicitations at dinnertime.