Pet Peeves

Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
People who take forever to pick out what scratch off's they want and hold up the line
 
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Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Piggy backing on the previous 2, people who walk into a busy public place (store, mall, gas station, etc) and stop right after they walk through the door for whatever reason, causing a pile up behind them. And also people who walk down hallways or isles, and stop in the middle of them.

Step to the side, and get out of the way! :mad:
 
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northcreek

Member
Jan 15, 2012
3,310
WNY
This is a new phenomenon that I have noticed lately. You enter a coffee shop, fast food place, etc. and the people in line are keeping a 4 foot space between themselves, meanwhile the line extends out the door(needlessly) and into the weather.
It has always been the practice to keep the space to a minimum as a courtesy to those behind you....what changed??
ps.. I have a suspicion that these are the same people who cannot comprehend the complexity of a traffic circle.
 
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Ziggy

Member
Feb 8, 2015
207
This is a new phenomenon that I have noticed lately. You enter a coffee shop, fast food place, etc. and the people in line are keeping a 4 foot space between themselves, meanwhile the line extends out the door(needlessly) and into the weather.
It has always been the practice to keep the space to a minimum as a courtesy to those behind you....what changed??
ps.. I have a suspicion that these are the same people who cannot comprehend the complexity of a traffic circle.

Ironically, I think that this is happens by virtue of fast food type places striving to offer more choices and counter persons to help the people standing in the line. 1) Menu boards are so BIG anymore! You practically have to stand 4 feet off the counter to be able to see the whole thing. Frequently, people don't decide what they want to order until it's their turn to do so (<-- My pet peeve!) instead preferring to engage in conversation with their neighbor in line, or on the phone, or facebook. 2) The more counter people there are taking orders, the more likely you are to experience this symptom. People want to "hang back" and look for the soonest opportunity to order... McDonalds is the worst for this, in my experience. I've seen people cross over 3 lines to be next to the counter because of the "hang back gap".
 

northcreek

Member
Jan 15, 2012
3,310
WNY
Here's another PP. I'm an occasional seller on eBay...ya know, sell junk to buy different junk .
I would say that only about 25 percent of the buyers will leave positive feedback, however, if unhappy a neg. fb is left with out so much as an email many times.
I take feedback serious as a buyer and seller because it is the best indicator when dealing with strangers.
What say you ?....Mike.
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
What say you ?

I haven't had to leave negative feedback for a seller in many years. The few times I've had issues with my purchases, all I want is for things to be made right. So I shoot them a note and try to get the item replaced, or a refund. If I get either, positive feedback for great customer service.

What I used to hate, was sellers that didn't care, and wouldn't respond at all. Then I'd have to go through PayPal to try to get my money back, and file claims and such. Bigger pet peeve than that, were the sellers that pretended to not see my messages prior to Ebay stepping in, and then be all apologetic, then on top of that have the nerve to ask for positive feedback.
finger.gif
 
Mar 30, 2016
1,465
KSA
Was reading the above named article on MSN Autos. And guess what I came across

1) Gauge Overload
It's smart to keep tabs on your engine. After all, the engine is the heart of the car. Honestly, though, most of the gauges needed to monitor the general workings of the car come straight from factory. If the engine has an aftermarket turbo system, it might be smart to add a boost gauge. But when some car builders modify their machines with a ridiculous row of gauges mounted up on the car's A-pillar or enormous dials posted on top of the dash, it's overkill. Unless you have something exotic under the hood, you don't need an exhaust gas temperature gauge, a fuel pressure gauge, or an air-fuel ratio meter. A set of gauges like that are more distracting than helpful. Stick to the basics.

2) Showy Spoilers
For decades, racing teams have been using side skirts and spoilers to accentuate downforce. This technology trickled down to high-performance street cars, as you well know if you've noticed the rising number of rockets souped up with gaudy spoilers and other ground effects kits. Of course, most of these aftermarket additions weren't tested in any wind tunnel. If they have any effect at all, it's to make the cars a little bit slower (besides, few street cars can even reach speeds where these parts would be useful). Worse yet, the skirts hang precariously close to the ground, so if the driver doesn't slow down for that speed bump in the parking lot, these pieces could get torn off. Nevertheless, not only spoilers but also scoops, canards, mirror covers, and roll pans are still sold and installed in huge numbers.

3) Fake Engine Sounds :duh:
New regulations are encouraging (or forcing) automakers to put a lid on engine and exhaust noise. Yet automotive enthusiasts love nothing more than the roar of a great engine at their command. To satisfy both camps, automakers are synthesizing sounds from the engine and playing them through the audio system of the car. They're faking it. The most notable examples are the Mustang's Ecoboost four-cylinder engine and the V8 in the current BMW M5, but plenty of other automakers have adopted the fad. The way an engine sounds is central to the personality of the car and the enjoyment of the drive. I think most car lovers would prefer an honest, if quieter, exhaust note over something "enhanced" and piped-in through stereo speakers.

4) Phony Performance Badges
Just about every luxury automaker has a high-performance line. Mercedes-Benz has its AMG badge. BMW has its M division. These top models cost a lot more than the basic cars, and sometimes, instead of paying a $25,000 premium for the real thing, people buy the "AMG" or "M" badge and slap it on the backs of their cars. While these guys deserve bonus points for initiative, I'm not sure who this is supposed to impress. The only people paying attention to badges are hardcore car enthusiasts—the people who are going to know right away that you have a Mercedes-Benz C350 with an AMG badge and not a real C63 AMG. To end this weird dance, I propose we adopt the European version of this fad. Instead of adding badges to premium cars, Europeans remove them altogether. It's a good look.

5) Fake Exhaust Tips
Few performance fads are as goofy as those gargantuan exhaust stacks pointing toward the sky that some diesel truck owners insist on bolting to their trucks. But hey, at least they are real exhaust pipes. The same goes for those extra-loud oversized mufflers. Sure, they're dumb, but at least those parts are connected to the real exhaust system. One of the lamest fads is when automakers themselves wrap their exhaust pipes in elaborate "finishers" molded into strange oblong oval or angular shapes. These tips make expensive performance cars look cheap. One of the worst offenders was the first-generation Lexus IS-F back that launched in 2008. This car used a vertical quad tip setup that looked convincing from several feet away. But when you really examined the back of the car, it was clear that lower "pipe" was just a hole. It wasn't expelling anything from the engine but rather fresh air from the rear of the car. Lame.

6) Infinite Adjustability
Because many of the car's systems (engine, transmission, steering, throttle and suspension) are electronically controlled, engineers can tie them all together and create settings for "Comfort", "Sport" and even "Economy." This adjustability is good for, say, a crossover. That's because at the push of a button or the turn of a knob you can crank up the performance to a level that wouldn't be acceptable as the default setting. But sporty cars should be responsive, engaging and athletic all the time.

Consider the current BMW M5. It offers an incredible scope of adjustments. The driver can alter transmission shift speed, steering feel, suspension tune, and more. You can curate the ride to match your mood. But what is the true personality of this car? In the 1990s and early 2000s, that same sport sedan was tuned with nicely weighted communicative steering, firm but not too firm suspension, and crisp throttle response. It was perfectly tuned the moment it left the factory floor. The current Mazda Miata follows this ethos. Sports cars should get back to that idea.

7) Awkward Shifters
Some things just didn't need to be fixed. Take the shifter. Like the steering wheel, a vehicle's shifter should perform in a simple, self-explanatory way that doesn't challenge or confuse the driver (recent shifter-related recalls in Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep vehicles prove the point). Because today's transmissions don't need a mechanical link to the shifter, automakers can use a wide variety of levers, knobs, and buttons to operate them. To save space, some shifters have become a small rotary knob on the center console. At least there's a practical reason for that. What's much worse is when engineers design a fancy shifter for its own sake and it works counterintuitively.

BMW is one of the worst culprits, with the range of oddly misshapen shifters it has used for more than a decade. BMW puts a button on the top for "Park" and a button on the side to allow the driver to pull it down into drive. To engage Reverse, you need to push the button again and slide it forward. But shifting into Neutral requires no button pushing. Forget all this. Bring back a simple lever with the traditional "PRNDL" pattern and manual shift controls if necessary. Cars are complicated enough. Shifting gears should be easy.

8) Racy Parts for No Reason
Lots of racers outfit their street cars with roll cages, deeply bolstered fixed position seats, and even racing harnesses instead of ordinary seat belts so their rides meet safety requirements for a track day session. No doubt, though, you've seen cars outfitted with fancy racing equipment that have probably never been driven around a racetrack. Okay, fine, the owner just wanted to look fast. But there are some serious drawbacks to outfitting a street car to look like a racer. A roll cage can seriously cut into a car's interior space. Those seats and belts and four or six point belts aren't comfortable or convenient on the commute to work. Plus, this equipment is all very expensive. I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money, but if you're going to make your ride looks like a racer, then head to a track day and race the damn thing.

9) Driving Around Without a Hood
Yes, engines look cool. Those modified with big superchargers, turbos, and other shiny go-fast parts look even tougher. But driving around without a hood is a fad that needs to end. First, it is illegal in some states. And guess what? Even if it's not technically illegal, it's a good excuse for any cop to pull you over and make sure everything else is legal. Who wants the hassle? In addition, foul weather and road debris could seriously damage unprotected engine components.

10) Brake Calipers Painted After the Fact
Painted brake calipers originated back in the late 1980s. Back then, the top exotic cars with the most potent brakes often received Brembo calipers painted red. Because these cars had large-diameter wheels, those brakes were easy to see. The trend spread and now performance cars of all types wear calipers painted in a variety of hues. Porsche's Cayenne Turbo S models come with huge calipers painted an outrageous lime green.

What goes for phony badges is also true for brakes—people want their cars to have the features of supercars they can't afford, so some people simply paint their stock brakes. Of course, they usually don't use the high-temperature caliper-specific paint a carmaker has at its disposal (even though brake painting kits are readily available on Amazon for around $40) so the paint job isn't going to look great. Plus, many people do this to cars with ordinary tiny brakes, not the giant Bembros of a supercar. So by painting those calipers, the owners are drawing attention to the fact that their vehicle has small brakes. Probably not what they intended.

Source : http://www.msn.com/en-nz/motoring/news/10-car-fads-that-need-to-die/ss-BBuvkzp?li=BBqd5YO#image=1
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
That's two. Where are the other eight?
 

DocBrown

Member
Dec 8, 2011
501
They pretty much have it down on all points. Especially the fake exhaust noise pumped through the interior speakers. That is just really lame, especially on higher end sports sedans.
 
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Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
I had only bad camber and my tires were shot in 15k miles. Those guys must get what 1000 miles maybe out of their tires?
 
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littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
Insane tire stretching...
 

Stryker11

Member
May 20, 2016
152
North Texas
Angel eyes and all forms of led strips in the headlights...It's so played out even new factory cars have them now...
 
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northcreek

Member
Jan 15, 2012
3,310
WNY
Honda Civics with stove pipe exhaust systems that sound like "Rice-A-Roni"....
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Angel eyes and all forms of led strips in the headlights...It's so played out even new factory cars have them now...

You do realize that it was factory cars (BMW and Audi) that started it in the first place, right? :wink:

I prefer separate LED DRL over using the headlight bulbs as DRL. Why wear out your bulbs faster, plus - OK I'm that guy - I like how they look when done right.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
I just saw the first ricer with stupid camber. It literally had only an inch of rubber touching the ground. No traction at all! What's the point? That you can ruin $2000 worth of rubber in a week?
 

05envoy

Member
Sep 13, 2015
49
well thanks a lot

there goes all my mod list that i saved up for
 

littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
I just saw the first ricer with stupid camber. It literally had only an inch of rubber touching the ground. No traction at all! What's the point? That you can ruin $2000 worth of rubber in a week?
It's for the mad cornering ability yo.
 
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DAlastDON

Member
Apr 6, 2014
5,550
Kentucky
The shifter in the toyota prius totally stumped me. Thought B ment Balls to tha wall gear that released the hidden power the car DID NOT have. P just turned the parking lights off and on instead of being Park. I had to watch a youtube video to just get it in park. Had to put it in N then B. Couldnt just goto B. Belonged to my brother-in-law and i was going to drive it to the store and back and see if i could do it on the battery only but i just parked it in the yard and took the envoy. Then i had to push it out of the yard because one of the tires was in a small hole and that little engine just couldnt.

prius_gearshift.jpg
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
The other thing that needs to go is dashboards that are fully lit up but doesn't have automatic headlights. With DRL on, makes you think the lights are on when in fact, only the DRL are on. Noticed a lot of Fords drive at night all dark, some imports too.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
And Chryslers. Some idgit this past weekend in that horrendous rainstorm was driving a white Chrysler with all his lights off. I saw him previously so I kept my eye out for him, otherwise I may have missed him a few times in that rain.
 
Mar 30, 2016
1,465
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The other thing that needs to go is dashboards that are fully lit up but doesn't have automatic headlights. With DRL on, makes you think the lights are on when in fact, only the DRL are on. Noticed a lot of Fords drive at night all dark, some imports too.

Sooo true. We have a lot of imports here, Toyotas, Hyundai's, Kia, most of them drive without their lights on in the dark, because their Dash is lit up, they think the lights are on. :duh:
 

Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
Sooo true. We have a lot of imports here, Toyotas, Hyundai's, Kia, most of them drive without their lights on in the dark, because their Dash is lit up, they think the lights are on. :duh:
I've witnessed this as well. So stupid of these manufacturers to have Dashboards that light up without DRL being active.
 
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Mar 30, 2016
1,465
KSA
I've witnessed this as well. So stupid of these manufacturers to have Dashboards that light up without DRL being active.

Thinking about it, it just doesn't make sense at all. Then there are some cars (Lexus and such) they enter a tunnel and the lights immediately come on. Two Extremes on either side. Why can't they be sensible and at least try to copy the American way of making cars. Sadly even the American way of making cars is passing away slowly. Always makes me love my Trailblazer more and more everyday :cool:
 

Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
Thinking about it, it just doesn't make sense at all. Then there are some cars (Lexus and such) they enter a tunnel and the lights immediately come on. Two Extremes on either side. Why can't they be sensible and at least try to copy the American way of making cars. Sadly even the American way of making cars is passing away slowly. Always makes me love my Trailblazer more and more everyday :cool:
The Trailblazer is a love/hate relationship mostly, for me :crackup:
 
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littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
The manual shift on new automatics... where you click it up and down to shift. My sisters car has it an I always knock into that mode when pulling out of a parking spot or doing a k turn or something like that.
 

djthumper

Administrator
Nov 20, 2011
14,950
North Las Vegas
Sooo true. We have a lot of imports here, Toyotas, Hyundai's, Kia, most of them drive without their lights on in the dark, because their Dash is lit up, they think the lights are on. :duh:
Aren't all of your vehicles imports of some sort?
 
Mar 30, 2016
1,465
KSA
Aren't all of your vehicles imports of some sort?

Hahahah. :crackup: Yaa I guess so, but I dont consider American cars imports!

I mean we don't have any cars made in Saudi either. And one of the first cars to make it here were American and afterwards came Toyota Land Cruisers. Hence American cars aren't classified as imports here unless you specifically import your car from America, and due to the fact that there is a specifically made version that is sold here to cope with the heat and stuff. Hence me always saying that my car doesn't have DRL :biggrin:
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Here's one that needs to die right now! Stick figure family stickers!
 

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