Pet Peeves

This topic may go on and on, but I feel a need to mention a few that are at the top of my list (and at the top of my mind) right now. Some or all may not even apply to any of you, but I have to unburden myself.

- Turn signals. The are standard with every car - not optional accessories. USE THEM!

- Customer Service. Having been employed in various aspects of working for the public, I cannot tolerate poor customer service.

- Headlights on high beam. Have the courtesy of dimming your lights for oncoming traffic.

- Price tags pasted over important information. I'd like to read the print on products I'm about to buy, without peeling the price tags off the valuable data obscured by those pesky permanent labels.

- Messages left in voicemail. Please identify yourself and your phone number (date and time you called is also helpful). Some information why you're calling can also be of value. "Hi, it's me, call me" will result in an automatic deletion if I don't recognize the voice. I'm too cheap to pay the phone company more money for Caller ID.

- Safe Driving. Just because there happens to be 3 to 4 feet between the car in front of me, doesn't grant you permission to squeeze your auto between us.

- Traffic Signals. If the light turns yellow ( - CAUTION- ) does NOT mean to "GO FASTER." It is a clue that red ( -STOP- ) will soon follow! I have learned that when the light turns green, NOT to depress the accelerator, but to wait several seconds to ensure that someone hasn't decided to 'beat the signal.'

- Answering Phones. (Two subjects on this topic). Identify yourself ("This is Mike"), don't say "Yeah?" so I have an idea whom I'm may be speaking with. And if you are a sales clerk and the phone rings while you are assisting a customer, DO NOT STOP AND ANSWER THE PHONE. I was in line (first), and someone else can get the phone. I made the effort to get in my car and travel to your store and give you money. If you want to keep my money, process my transaction before moving on to someone else!

Enough of these - check back for more at another time. Feel free to respond with some of you own . . . . Please!