PET PEEVES – WE all have them.

We can all relate to the red hot rage that can flash through us when we encounter one of our pet peeves during our day. Unfortunately, they seem to just press all the wrong buttons for many of us, making us irrationally angry. We’ll try explain why they annoy us so much, and afterwards, we want you to rank how you feel about some common pet peeves. You can see how your answers compare to other readers after.

According to the scientists, pet peeves are actually part of our leftover survival skills. When we see people break social norms, such as coughing in public or chewing too loud, it goes against our evolutionary instincts. Noise-related peeves, such as cracking your knuckles or hearing a loud phone conversation in quiet environments, can trigger our fight or flight response system. 

It’s like how if you were to imagine nails scratching a blackboard, you might immediately get uncomfortable and unsettled. You may feel shivers down spine just imagining it, or feel like your skin is crawling.

This means that sometimes we just can’t help becoming irked, even if it’s irrational! Next time you get annoyed about a particular pet peeve, remind yourself of that, and you’ll be fine. Some produce less of a reaction than others, but there’s no doubt that they’re all capable of annoying us.

Before we approach all annoyances with zen-like poise, let’s take some time to rank pet peeves. We’ve compiled some common pet peeves and we want you to rate how annoyed each of them makes you. Remember to remain calm and don’t let these irritants get to you! 

Dog poo on the street

People not cleaning up after their pets can be frustrating for all pedestrians. Whether it’s stepping onto something you’d rather not have on your shoes or smelling something a bit off as you go about your day, these lovely little surprises annoy us all. 

Coughing out loud

Being in public and hearing someone sniffling, coughing or convulsing makes the hair on the back of our neck stand up. We’re all a bit more aware of catching a cold or flu in public these days, and the sound or sight of someone’s obvious illness is off-putting. According to research*, 1 in 3 Irish adults say that coughing in public irritates them enough to prompt them to move away.

Whilst it’s normal to be sick, try and deal with it as quickly as you can, as being side-eyed whilst suffering through an illness is the last thing you want to happen to you. Good cough etiquette, such as coughing into your elbow and keeping your distance from others when you’re under the weather, should always be practised. 

Playing music on public transport

Headphones were invented for a reason, and yet people still think it’s acceptable to listen to their music or social media out loud on public transport. Even if you are peacefully listening to headphones, your journey will most likely be ruined if you have to suffer through a fellow passenger endlessly scrolling TikTok, with incessantly loud videos being blared every 30 seconds from their phone. Taking a phone call is bad etiquette too, but sometimes it can’t be helped. However, don’t even mention those passengers who play music out loud through a speaker. 

Talking at a gig/cinema

When we go to a gig or to the cinema, we go to escape and to be entertained. We don’t go to listen to the people behind us converse for the entire time. This annoys so many of us as we pay to be there and can feel our hard-earned money go to waste as we hear about some drama that happened last weekend from your fellow gig/movie attendees.  

Leaving the lights on 

Whether it’s the people you work with or the people you live with, seeing someone leave a room without turning the lights off can get under the skin of some people. It’s bad for environmental reasons and it costs money to light an empty room. Turning the lights off yourself fails to completely scratch the itch, but it’s the best you can do in the situation. 

Loud chewing

Hearing or seeing someone’s half-eaten dinner is often enough to put you off your own dinner. It’s an attack on our senses, with our ears and eyes subject to it. It’s a classic instance of bad manners, but most open-mouth chewers don’t even realise it.

*Consumer research on cough, cold & flu was conducted by Coyne Research for Perrigo in April 2023

Struggling with cough? Always ask your pharmacist for advice.

New Broncho 5 in 1 Multi-Symptom Action Syrup to relieve all coughs associated with a cold including dry cough, chesty cough, sore throat, hoarseness and throat dryness. A medical device which contains Marshmallow, Icelandic Moss, Xanthan Gum and Hyaluronic Acid. Use in children under 12 years of age is not recommended. Always read the leaflet. 

For more information about coughs, talk to your pharmacist or visit Lloyds today.