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Original poster

Things that grind your gears

103 replies

Imicola · 15/10/2023 10:58

What are those things that just really annoy you? Whether bad design, overused phrases, or unaware people.

Here's a few of mine that I'd like to get off my chest...

Hooks, usually in UK public loos, which don't remotely resemble hooks and are actually just a small stump incapable of holding a bag. Why would you design that, it's shit.

"Good morning, good afternoon, good evening" as an intro from every single participant on an international remote meeting. I'm so over it, why not just say hello?

"Uptick". Seriously, I'm a statistician and I never came across this term in relation to data before the pandemic. Why?

Back to the public loos, but cubicles which are so small you end up pretty much sitting on the sanitary waste bin. Then if you want to actually use said bin you need to be a contortionist. Ouch. Clearly those bins were designed by men.

While back on the subject of public loos...i don't get the thought process for the design of some air fresheners. "Oh, you know what would be great? If we could design something that would freshen not only the toilet with a loo freshener smell, but also cover the people using the loo with said freshener at frequent intervals... let's just spray it into the air above their heads so it lands in their hair add they wash their hand". NO FFS.

That was cathartic... who's next?

OP posts:
BodegaSushi · 16/10/2023 09:49

Porridgeislife · 16/10/2023 06:10

The UK positively encourages changing lanes on roundabouts. I live in a county obsessed sign roundabouts so the first 3 I encounter as I leave my house:

— 3 exits onto single lane roads, but the newly built roundabout has dual carriageway. If you are exiting at the second (turning right) you have to change lanes to your left to get off.
— Roundabout for getting onto the motorway, again lanes mysteriously appear to your left and you have to move across 2 lanes to get to your exit.

  • A roundabout with 2 lanes exiting onto dual carriageway roads (great, straightforward) except for the new exit onto a newly single lane built with no slip lane exit, so instead of going straight ahead in either lane, you’ve now got to change lanes to exit.

For a country that loves a roundabout, traffic planners really miss the basics.

Show quote history

Yes, you’re taught how to change lanes in driving lessons. And to get onto the motorway some roundabouts are painted with the mane you need to be in depending on your exit. And it changes with every exit to coincide with you moving from inner to outer.

Porridgeislife · 16/10/2023 09:58

BodegaSushi · 16/10/2023 09:49

Yes, you’re taught how to change lanes in driving lessons. And to get onto the motorway some roundabouts are painted with the mane you need to be in depending on your exit. And it changes with every exit to coincide with you moving from inner to outer.

Show quote history

Great username 😅 I love John Mulvaney.

Markings are a moot point depending where you live. I live close to two huge motorway junctions and it’s been some years since you could read the lane markings. Obviously as a local you know where you need to be, but you can’t fault people not having a scooby as to which is the exact lane you need.

TigerRag · 16/10/2023 11:44

When your parcel is small enough to fit through your letterbox and someone still knock on the door

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