Why does this irritate me?

[MagpiePi]

Have just seen a thread with the title 'You're heading to the airport for a long haul flight - what have you done to prepare by the night before?' and I knew before opening it that the poster meant 'What would you prepare the night before a long haul flight?'.

It is the inclusion of the 'You're heading to the airport..' bit that irritates me, in the same way as when narration of a historical event is expressed in the present tense, and I don't know why I find it irritating!

Maybe because it’s an attempt to make a thread sound more interesting than it really is, to get engagement? I’m not sure it does that but I can’t think of any other reason for not using the simpler form you give.

Titles like this seem to be becoming more common, I don't know why it's necessary either. I think it's creep from other social media sites

The present tense history thing is incredible annoying.

I think the writer is somehow inserting him or herself into the reader's life by creating the scene, rather than just asking a question.

I agree with @ErrolTheDragon , it might get more people to engage because they can picture themselves in the situation rather than just scrolling on by for something more interesting than answering what they pack when.

Yes, it's almost as irritating as the: "If you are 5'2", have ginger hair and don't like prosecco..."

Oh, sorry - I do know the specific answer to your question and have lots of very useful links, but unfortunately I am 5'6" tall and my hair is blonde so I can't reply.

A little off-rail, but linked to your sentence, the BBC text - sport - cricket - results use the past tense to say 'Blah won the toss and decided to bat' at the beginning of the match and four days later, when the match is finished, they revert to the present tense to describe another bit that is past and say, for example, 'Blah win by 6 wickets'. I rang the Beeb. Batting head against brick wall.

Now that doesn't bother me.
If it was phrased as 'You are 5'2", have ginger hair and don't like prosecco...", then that would be irritating.

It is so odd!

It is something to do with the writer trying to put me in a situation by creating a story with a slight air of uncertainty instead of just presenting the facts. I find it slightly infantalising and patronising, or overly friendly?

I really can't work it out!

A lot of OPs are worded in an unnecessarily "engaging" way, like "If you had to move to the place where the last pair of knickers you bought was made, where would you be living?" rather than simply, "Where were your knickers made?"

Oh god, yeah, that is annoying too. It's a bit trying too hard to be 'FUN!'