Pet peeves eh? Hmmmm........
Ridiculously large restaurant portions - I really don't need it. I also don't want to bring it home because I don't find leftovers to keep very well, or I don't want to carry my food around with me for the rest of the day/night. Why can't restaurants make smaller portion meals (provide choice for those of us who don't need a huge meal)? Also, I find that because the portions are so large, I can't order variety or try new things - the appetizers and desserts are meals unto themselves!
Cell phones. Without a doubt. At least in here in America where it seems borderline obsessive. When I was in Europe, people actually talked to each other and had conversations and interactions. Cell phones in line, in cars, in movie theaters, in class, in church, on the airplane, in the bathroom (you've got to be kidding me).
Loud car radios - I was driving with a friend once and couldn't hear an emergency vehicle coming because the car next to us had the stereo on so loud - needless to say, the firemen were pissed at us.
Lack of Common Courtesy - I guess this is a generic gripe. I just see people are more and more selfish, rude, and inconsiderate (at least in the cities). People don't hold the door for each other (except the posters above
), people don't say "please", "excuse me", or "thank you" anymore. No one gives up their seat on a bus for the elderly, handicapp etc. Everytime I do, people freak out like it's the strangest thing or something. We barely even ackowledge each other. Look how many people are hostile to others even in this thread - we can't even tolerate tourists (who bring money to our economy and may even admire or respect what we have). We can't even share the road or sidewalk because we have become so sensitive and feel entitled "to our space". I wonder if it's an American thing. One thing I've noticed after traveling abroad is that we are too damn uptight.
Ah, pet peeves are fun...