I’d already decided that today’s post would be about my latest pet peeves, but as I sit down to type this another one is being added to the list; scorned foreign gay lovers who are oblivious to the social faux pas of solidly hammering upon their (presumably now ex) boyfriend’s door for twenty minutes, interspersed with five solid minutes of doorbell ringing and pathetic pleading to be let in to explain. What makes this even more annoying is the fact it was my own boyfriend who inadvertently let the crazy perpetrator of this socially unacceptable act into the building, as he was heading out to catch a train.
Crazy scorned foreign gay lovers aside (I realise now how specific that particular peeve sounds but believe me, if you were sitting here listening to him pounding down the front door of the flat below you would, I’m certain, sympathise), the two peeves I specifically wish to reference today are as follows:
- Women who wear tights (particularly black ones) in hot weather
- Cyclists who cycle on the pavement
Male readers of this blog (no offence intended) may lack the capacity to fully understand how vexing the first of these points is for relatively normal women like me. Living in a country where we’re lucky to get a month of really warm weather out of every twelve, I simply cannot fathom why anyone would choose to keep their lower limbs swathed in clammy, cloying fibres when they could afford them the brief freedom of shooting the breeze sans inhibition. It makes no logical sense – and, what’s more, it looks ridiculous.
Then there are these bloody cyclists who ride rough shod over the pavement, clearly not having grasped the fact they are not, in fact, pedestrians. Don’t they see the road beside them? Have they never learned that people on wheels use roads whilst people without walk on the side? That’s why they call it the side walk, you cretins! And not the side cycle! I’ll admit there are some cycle lanes that do encroach on pavements, but those are clearly marked and designated. I take no issue with people using them. It’s the ones who cycle on normal pavements who really get my goat. And the worst thing about them is the way they meander and weave amongst the walkers, as if they’re actually courting a rush hour beating (not that I condone violence, but honestly, these people test my patience almost beyond measure).
So there you have it, Belle’s Pet Peeves of the Day. Maybe I should make this a regular feature, it’s really quite cathartic.
Belle 365 
They only call it the sidewalk in one of the larger colonies, populated by larger people. Back here in civilisation it’s called the pavement, which sadly gives no indication as to what mode of transport is preferred.
Pedantry aside, another good post. Keep it up Bege. (c:
And yes I hate those wankers that cycle on the *pavement* too…
Oh, and I have spent ages trying to get girls to take their tights off too…
Ha, good point about the sidewalk. And the pedantry 😉
I understand why you rant about the tights in summer.but as I wear tights in summer I have to offer a word in the defence of women who do so. I am not a slender woman, the kindest way to say it would be fat! I need to wear tights because of chafing. This is not a subject discussed often – one of those embarrassments that people don’t want to talk about, but its a real thing. And bare legs, especially when its very hot and you’re walking a long way, can cause severe chafing. So, you wear tights. Problem solved.
Ok done with that.
I’m soooooo with you on people cycling on the pavement. Pet hate for me too.
Sorry Su, I understand your reasoning completely and feel rightly chastened! (but glad you agree with the cycling comment!) x