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People Share The Random Things That Don’t Bother Others But Ruin Their Mood (38 Examples)
Everyone is different, and we all have our own unique quirks and idiosyncrasies that make us who we are. There are some of us, though, who get inordinately irked by things the vast majority don’t have any problem with.
Someone asked the internet, “What’s a completely normal or minor thing that irrationally gets under your skin, but most people don’t seem bothered by it?” and the community didn’t hold back. Why, however, are some folks so sensitive? Let’s dive right in!
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Music so loud in a restaurant that you can’t hold a conversation.
RELATED:
#2
Speakerphone in public.
Rick Murray 5 months ago
It's usually as bad for the recipient because all that fancy noise cancelling tech doesn't really work when you hold a phone flat and shout at it.
#3
Multiple sources of noise at once. For example- tv is on, and someone also watching videos on their phone in the same room. I can’t breathe.
Some people’s brains are wired to process sensory input like sound, touch, or smell more intensely. This can make everyday stimuli (chewing, pen clicking, humming) feel unbearable. In extreme cases, this is known as misophonia, a condition where specific sounds trigger emotional or physiological responses like anger or panic. To someone with heightened sensitivity, what others call “background noise” feels like an alarm bell going off.
Certain behaviors (like interrupting, humblebragging, or repeating stories) act like “social allergens.” You might tolerate them at first, but over time, they become increasingly irritating. This can be worse when you can’t “tune out” the behavior or aren't able to habituate (get used to) it the way others do. So, while you might not notice your co-worker’s constant throat clearing, someone else is barely resisting the urge to explode.
#4
Loud motorcycles. Why? There's no need for them to wake me from a sound sleep from a quarter mile away.
#5
People who don’t move when you say ‘excuse me’ and then get upset when you shove past. After that idgaf I gave you a chance to be polite.
#6
Songs on the radio that are allowed to have police or ambulance sirens on them.
Emotional bandwidth shrinks under stress. When we’re tired, anxious, or overwhelmed, our brains perceive even neutral stimuli as threatening or irritating. Something you’d normally ignore (like a foot tapping or someone breathing too loudly) can feel like an attack. It's not about the act itself, but the state of mind of the person reacting. Think of it like an emotional splinter: tiny, but painful under pressure.
People who score high on conscientiousness often have a strong preference for order and routine, which makes unpredictable or chaotic behavior irritating. Those with neuroticism may feel more emotionally reactive in general. Plus, people who value personal space or quiet time can feel overwhelmed by those who are loud, tactile, or overly expressive—behaviors others may see as totally normal or even friendly.
#7
Not using indicators when other cars aren’t near but would still be of use to pedestrians.
superfluous 5 months ago
When I drove, I used them ALL the time, even if no one was around. Part of driving and not optional IMO.
#8
I cannot stand the sound of someone chewing loudly, especially when their teeth clack together or they slurp soup. Like… why is that even legal 😩.
What's considered "normal" varies widely between cultures and families. For example, direct eye contact is respectful in the U.S. but can be seen as aggressive in some Asian cultures. Someone raised to value modesty might find confident self-promotion off-putting, while others see it as self-assured. These ingrained standards shape how we interpret “everyday” behavior, so what’s bizarre in one culture might be commonplace in another.
Annoyance often builds like pressure in a soda bottle. Someone might tolerate a small irritant once or twice, but after five, ten, or fifty times, their patience runs out. This “stacking” effect can be subtle; a squeaky shoe might go unnoticed on Monday but drive someone up the wall by Friday. The irritation isn’t about the event, it’s about how many times it’s happened, and whatever else they’re dealing with.
#10
"Unexpected Item in Bagging area". Starting to lose my s**t just typing that.
Rick Murray 5 months ago
F'k off with giving a *machine* a tip when you're ordering an overpriced bag of sweets... 😡
#12
Stopping in the middle of foot traffic to look at your phone/take in the view/pick your nose. Even if I can go around you, the sheer lack of consideration for others drives me insane.
Lowrider 56 5 months ago
I see this the most when I go grocery shopping with my wife. The sheer number of people that are oblivious to their surroundings is astonishing.
People often rely on “unwritten rules” of behavior, like not talking on speakerphone in public, or leaving personal space in line. When someone breaks these social scripts, it causes discomfort. Even if the action is harmless, it feels like a disruption of the social contract. The tension comes not from what’s being done, but how off-script it feels.
Finally, people often don’t realize how their behavior is being received, or how it lands in different contexts. That friend who monologues without listening may not realize it’s draining. Or the coworker who hums while working may not notice others struggling to concentrate. The mismatch between intention and impact leads to friction, even when no one’s being malicious.
#13
The overuse of the words “narcissist” and “projecting.” It’s TikTok pop psychology and more often than not used incorrectly by people who have a tenuous grasp on the concept in general.
#14
Kids running around without their parents in stores and restaurants.
Tabitha 5 months ago (edited)
And the parents, when they do show up, not apologizing to the establishment and other patrons, then not doing a d**n thing about their kids’ bad behavior. My parents were old school. We were taught how to behave in public. We didn’t run around like feral animals. We didn’t touch someone else’s stuff, and we certainly didn’t think we were entitled to have it. Our parents were mortified if we acted up in public, because it reflected badly on them. Now I don’t mean they had us acting like robots, we were allowed to be children when we were children. I just mean, when we were in stores, theatres, restaurants, offices, or other public places, we didn’t act like we were raised by spoiled brat chimpanzees, and we always had at least one of our parents with us at all times, because back then kids went missing in places like that if there weren’t responsible adults around.
#15
Off leash dogs when there is an applicable leash law. Then the unleashed dog runs over to people with a leashed dog while the owner is yelling at the unleashed dog.
In short, we’re all shaped by different life experiences, temperaments, and expectations. What seems harmless to one person might hit a nerve for another, and vice versa. The key isn’t to assume people are being difficult, but to understand why something might land differently for them.
What do you think of the things in this list? Irrational, or totally normal? Upvote your favorites and don’t forget to leave a comment on the ones you found most relatable!
#16
People with 0 spatial awareness. I became more cognizant of this during the pandemic, but some people really seem to walk around as if they have universal right of way and that no one else's personal space should be respected. Stopping in the middle of a busy walkway to stare at a wall. Walking slowly in the middle of the sidewalk and not giving way to someone walking or running by. D**n near running me over with their shopping cart when exiting an aisle instead of waiting 1 second for me to pass by. Breathing down my neck while waiting in line. Nearly stepping on my toes while I'm sitting on a bench even though there's plenty of space to give me breathing room. Its not just the egregious violations of personal space that gets me, but its as if some people arent even aware of or respect the people around them. Drives me nuts.
Sarah Suelzle 5 months ago
Me too - I'm not normally confrontational with strangers but, man, this makes me crazy. If someone has plenty of room to go around and they choose to walk all up on me from behind, I will stop dead in my tracks and make them run into me. LOL You know for a fact that people like this drive the same way! It's so incredibly rude!
#17
Headlights that are too strong or not dipped and always shining into your eyes.
#19
People coming into work when they are sick. Especially if they are going to sniffle and cough the entire day.
#20
Getting too hot, and not being able to cool down.
Nicole Weymann 5 months ago (edited)
I can't for the life of me understand how people can find saunas relaxing. Getting hot shortens my internal fuse from Interstate length to driveway. 🥵 But what absolutely blows my mind is people complaining about hot weather - and then telling me that going to the sauna is one of their hobbues 🤯
#21
People crowding around the luggage belt instead of stepping back so everyone can see what’s coming around them.
#22
Spelling lose as loose.
#23
Not shutting off alarms when they go off.
My wife can hear her alarm, get up, get dressed, and head down to start breakfast and the blaring alarm doesn't bother her enough to turn it off.
#24
I work from home, so people asking for a Teams call to explain in 20 mins what could be much more transparently and traceably explained in a 20 word email.
Huddo's sister 5 months ago
I have attended four teams 'meetings' (more like lectures) that were exactly identical during my time at my current job (about 3 years). Actually it was a lot of info, so about four lots of 2-3 sessions, plus one in person meeting with the same info. Then there have been two meetings in the last 6 months about another topic, that also were identical. All of which had been summarised at different times into emails with info sheets we had to print and display at our service!
#25
A wet sleeve.
#26
Co workers getting smoking and vaping breaks when non smokers don’t. F**k right off.
#27
When people say "exspecially" instead of "especially".
#28
Picking up an item in the supermarket and it's sticky.
Rick Murray 5 months ago
...with *what*? That's the question. Sometimes one doesn't want to know the answer.
#29
Leaving time on the microwave.
Trillian 5 months ago
I always leave 1 second bc the stupid microwave will beep so many times when done and that drives me insane.
Riley Quinn 5 months ago
When mine turns to 1 second, I hit stop because I don't need to hear the beeps. This causes it to revert back to the time.
Science Nerd 5 months ago
But leaving one second of the microwave annoys my wife so much that it is worth watching the timer.
#30
Bottles rolling around inside a plastic bag while a car is moving.
#32
Crowd participation.
#33
Confusing i.e. and e.g. I know it’s petty and a totally stupid irritation, but it makes me nuts.
Bi.Felicia 5 months ago
For those who also weren't aware of the difference, "i.e." stands for id est, meaning "that is" or "in other words," used to clarify or specify something already mentioned. "E.g." stands for exempli gratia, meaning "for example," used to introduce examples illustrating a point.
#34
The toilet paper being backwards, but i have a feeling this is not a minor thing in many people's eyes...
#35
When people step on the back of my flip flop accidentally. I don’t know why is triggers me so bad 😩.
#36
When someone opens something that has plastic but doesn’t take the plastic all the way off.
For example, sour cream. My gf will open the tub and peel back the plastic almost all the way, but then smooths it back down and puts the lid back on.
#37
Being inexact in wording.
I can’t stand being misunderstood, it makes me feel like an idiot.
I hate it when I say something to someone and they misunderstand and I realise it was because I wasn’t clear.
Find it hard to properly articulate some times.
#38
When I have a water bottle in my bag and I can hear the water sloshing around.
What do you think ?
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 5 months ago
Fkn barking fkn mongrel fkn dogs. People who make noise when they yawn. When people say ''step foot''; it's SET FOOT. ''I won't SET foot in that shop again'', not ''I won't STEP foot in that shop again''.
TotallyNOTAFox 5 months ago (edited)
What about people that do an extra loud scream when sneezing?
Load More Replies...
Bec 5 months ago
Summer is starting here in the US Midwest, soon every establishment will be unnecessarily cold. AC is nice when it's hot out, but how cold does it need to be? We just do carryout 99% of the time, I can't deal with the cold, the noise, the people, the waiting, the forced tipping.
MissMePhoenix 5 months ago
Well here on the East coast, when it hits late spring (bout a month and a half ago) I'd rip my own arm out and beat myself with it to have AC that worked that well.
Load More Replies... Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
People that are 2 stupid or, 2 lazy to either put a shopping cart in the rack or take it back to the store.
Don Adams 5 months ago
Especially the ones that dump them in the handicapped spaces. So many times I have seen handicapped people have to stop,nget out of their car, move 2 or 3 carts just so they can park. I do try and help if I am close enough.
Load More Replies...
TotallyNOTAFox 5 months ago (edited)
Forcing interactions with children. "Your uncle can help you", "Ask your uncle", "You should hold the baby and entertain it"... I'm not far away from telling my family that I don't care at all about cro.tch goblins, related or not. Edit: Also b******t censoring on normal words on websites with a f*****g stick up ther a*s like BP
The Majestic Opossum 5 months ago (edited)
Willful ignorance. When someone doesn't know something and is too lazy to spend a couple minutes learning even a little about it before they continue to spew their stupidity. There is a lot I don't know, but if someone is speaking to me about it or it's applicable to my life in any way I'll at least learn the basics...
Sally Moen 5 months ago
Having your phone's notifications repeatedly go off in public spaces. I'm talking library, bus, waiting room. Hardly anybody else is bothered by that musical tone. Even wearing NC headphones won't block the sound
Ahnjunwan 5 months ago
People who do not answer to hello, dirty dishes ON TOP of the empty dishwasher instead of in it, people who drive so close behind you that you can see the white in their eyes, people you see the first time speaking informal to you, easy opening packages wich are only opening of you use a machete, the vegetables in my neighbors garden looking much better than mine and all he does is ignoring them. The list is endless 😩
Little Bit 5 months ago
People who leave empty packets/jars/boxes/bottles in cupboards. You think you've got something, you take it out of the cupboard and guess what, it's empty. My hubby does this and when I asked him why he said that he put the empties back in the cupboard so that I know we haven't got it. NO. If it's not there at all then I know we haven't got it.
Little Bit 5 months ago
People who are late, especially when you're kept waiting for them and they don't have the decency to let you know. It's never been so easy to contact people and it takes just a few seconds to say/message "Sorry I'm just running a bit late but I'll be there soon. Even worse is people who think that their chronic tardiness is a big joke.
Cosmos in your eyes 5 months ago
People idling in their cars on perfectly gorgeous days. Such a waste of gas, emissions, sound, everything.
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 5 months ago
Fkn barking fkn mongrel fkn dogs. People who make noise when they yawn. When people say ''step foot''; it's SET FOOT. ''I won't SET foot in that shop again'', not ''I won't STEP foot in that shop again''.
TotallyNOTAFox 5 months ago (edited)
What about people that do an extra loud scream when sneezing?
Load More Replies... Bec 5 months ago
Summer is starting here in the US Midwest, soon every establishment will be unnecessarily cold. AC is nice when it's hot out, but how cold does it need to be? We just do carryout 99% of the time, I can't deal with the cold, the noise, the people, the waiting, the forced tipping.
MissMePhoenix 5 months ago
Well here on the East coast, when it hits late spring (bout a month and a half ago) I'd rip my own arm out and beat myself with it to have AC that worked that well.
Load More Replies... Beth Wheeler 5 months ago
People that are 2 stupid or, 2 lazy to either put a shopping cart in the rack or take it back to the store.
Don Adams 5 months ago
Especially the ones that dump them in the handicapped spaces. So many times I have seen handicapped people have to stop,nget out of their car, move 2 or 3 carts just so they can park. I do try and help if I am close enough.
Load More Replies... TotallyNOTAFox 5 months ago (edited)
Forcing interactions with children. "Your uncle can help you", "Ask your uncle", "You should hold the baby and entertain it"... I'm not far away from telling my family that I don't care at all about cro.tch goblins, related or not. Edit: Also b******t censoring on normal words on websites with a f*****g stick up ther a*s like BP
The Majestic Opossum 5 months ago (edited)
Willful ignorance. When someone doesn't know something and is too lazy to spend a couple minutes learning even a little about it before they continue to spew their stupidity. There is a lot I don't know, but if someone is speaking to me about it or it's applicable to my life in any way I'll at least learn the basics...
Sally Moen 5 months ago
Having your phone's notifications repeatedly go off in public spaces. I'm talking library, bus, waiting room. Hardly anybody else is bothered by that musical tone. Even wearing NC headphones won't block the sound
Ahnjunwan 5 months ago
People who do not answer to hello, dirty dishes ON TOP of the empty dishwasher instead of in it, people who drive so close behind you that you can see the white in their eyes, people you see the first time speaking informal to you, easy opening packages wich are only opening of you use a machete, the vegetables in my neighbors garden looking much better than mine and all he does is ignoring them. The list is endless 😩
Little Bit 5 months ago
People who leave empty packets/jars/boxes/bottles in cupboards. You think you've got something, you take it out of the cupboard and guess what, it's empty. My hubby does this and when I asked him why he said that he put the empties back in the cupboard so that I know we haven't got it. NO. If it's not there at all then I know we haven't got it.
Little Bit 5 months ago
People who are late, especially when you're kept waiting for them and they don't have the decency to let you know. It's never been so easy to contact people and it takes just a few seconds to say/message "Sorry I'm just running a bit late but I'll be there soon. Even worse is people who think that their chronic tardiness is a big joke.
Cosmos in your eyes 5 months ago
People idling in their cars on perfectly gorgeous days. Such a waste of gas, emissions, sound, everything.
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