You never know what awaits in public—from people hocking loogies on the street to cutting in line at the grocery store, some behavior makes our eyes twitch. Here are 20 of the most annoying things to stop doing in public.
1. Leaving Your Grocery Cart
Cart corrals are all over the parking lot, so there’s no reason you can’t make the simple trek to return yours. Abandoning it somewhere just means the poor underpaid staff worker has to fish it out between rows of cars.
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2. Walking Slow
Downtown cores, grocery stores, or even suburban sidewalks are no place for slow walkers. Unless you’re an adorable elderly couple enjoying a stroll, slow walkers make everyone antsy behind them.
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3. Blocking Entrances
There’s nothing more irritating than an exit blocked by oblivious passersby. Have those lengthy conversations elsewhere, especially because blocking doorways is not only annoying but a fire hazard, too.
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4. Openly Spitting
What did the poor sidewalk ever do to deserve a loogie? Openly spitting in public is gross and unnecessary, and it’s only made worse by those who hack their faces off first.
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5. Not Using Headphones
Boy, that video playing on your phone sure is interesting. So interesting, in fact, that everyone should indulge…at full volume…in the middle of a crowded bus. There’s nothing wrong with simple entertainment, but keep it to yourself in public so everyone else can enjoy their day.
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6. Leaving Your Dog’s Mess
Nobody wants to step outside to a fresh dog turd, so pick up after your pet. It doesn’t matter if they defecate in a snow bank or no one is around, picking up after Fido comes with the territory of pet ownership.
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7. Not Using Turn Signals
Guessing games are only fun off the road—drivers who don’t use their turn signal put everyone at risk, including themselves. Use your signal several seconds before turning so others know what you’re doing.
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8. Cutting in Line
Cutting in line is just rude whether it’s for the concession stand at the movies or a grocery checkout. There’s no harm in asking to butt ahead if you’re in a rush, but taking the liberty yourself is a surefire way to garner dirty looks.
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9. Letting Kids Run Around
Kids come equipped with seemingly unending energy, but some public areas require more restraint. Parents who don’t stop their kids from running around in restaurants or movie theaters quickly earn side eye from everyone else, especially because it can be dangerous.
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10. Being Rude
The general public doesn’t want to sit through open arguments or rude customers. Save those snarky comments because being rude just makes you look bad.
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11. Leaving Groceries Anywhere
Oh, dear, we decided halfway down the cereal aisle that we didn’t want this box of fish sticks. No problem—so long as you bring that box back to the freezer. Dumping items willy-nilly in the grocery store drives everyone else nuts.
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12. Bad Parking
Parking lots can sometimes feel like Thunder Dome but try to adhere to the unspoken rules. No lopsided parking, don’t take up multiple spaces, and don’t even think about parking in a reserved space unless you need it.
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13. Blocking Train Doors
Despite people crowding onto one subway car, someone else always thinks they can squeeze in. Now the doors won’t close and everyone in the sardine can is upset. Don’t be that person.
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14. Record Strangers
In today’s day and age, strangers everywhere are at risk of someone whipping out their phone to film them. While some circumstances warrant evidence, others are simply for online views—refrain from filming strangers without their consent.
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15. Speakerphone Conversations
Some live for the tea, but the vast majority of people aren’t interested in your conversations. Putting that call on speakerphone is as irksome as watching a video with no headphones, so take it outside if you can.
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16. Parking at the Gas Pump
Gas stations don’t have a ton of parking space, but you aren’t free to make your own! Even if you’ll only be a minute inside, parking at the pump leads to a pile-up of cars behind you, none of whom will be happy with you.
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17. Littering
There’s really no call to litter, especially with the abundance of public trash bins. You may need to hang onto that candy wrapper for a few blocks, but that’s better than the alternative.
Photo by Brian Yurasits on Unsplash
18. Removing Your Shoes
This is the library, not your bedroom, so please keep your shoes on. Kicking up your feet in a public area is one thing, but the general public won’t take too kindly to bare toes wriggling around.
Photo by Alicia Christin Gerald on Unsplash
19. Sneeze Everywhere
We’ve gone through enough as a society—cover your mouth when you sneeze! Sometimes they sneak up on us, but there’s usually enough time to reach for a tissue or cover your face.
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
20. Bringing Kids to the Theater
We’re not talking about kids’ movies, we’re talking about those midnight shows of the latest Fast and Furious. If your child is still too young to sit through a film, it’s best to entertain them at home. They won’t have a good time and neither will anyone else.
