Yep, that's right - every single week you can look forward to reading my hate-filled outpouring of rage on whatever topic has wound me up lately! Lucky old you! :)
And for the first week, I have chosen to talk about my hatred of the general public.
Since I had my little boy, I have found myself becoming filled with rage on the vast majority of our outings because of the sheer stupidity and selfishness of what seems like a large proportion of the general public.
I would like to break these people up into four specific categories....
1. Parking Plonkers
This is definitely my number 1 bug bear since becoming a parent. I have to admit, before having a child myself I did occasionally get a little bit miffed at the creation of parking spaces dedicated to parents - particularly on very wet days when I really didn't feel like trudging miles from my parking space to the shop entrance when there were lots of empty spaces much closer which were reserved for people with children.
But no matter HOW horrible the weather was, I was NEVER tempted to claim one of those spaces for myself when I wasn't entitled to it.
However, it seems I'm somewhat alone in my morals on that one - because in the last few weeks, I have discovered just how many people think it is perfectly acceptable to plonk themselves into these parking spaces when they clearly do not have any children with them.
Since becoming a parent, I have realised how important it is to have access to these spaces - with a newborn child in the car we have to get a big pram in and out before we can head off anywhere, as these parking spaces are designed to give extra room and not back onto other cars the job is made FAR easier when we can use the spaces.And of course, for people with older children who are walking by themselves - the closer proximity to the entrance of a shop means that the parking space is safer for the children.
Yet so many selfish, lazy, ignorant, self-important arse holes think that its just fine for them to take up that space because they can't be bothered walking a few steps further to their destination!!!
What surprises me most (I'm not sure why, but it does) is that the majority of people I've seen doing this are older women - I see them coming back to their cars, shopping bags in hand, not a little bit bothered by the death-stare's I'm giving them as they get into their cars and drive away without a child in sight....nevermind the fact that your selfishness may have meant that somebody has had to struggle that bit harder to get a pram out of a car or that a small child has had to walk further and may have been in that little bit more danger from surrounding traffic - no no, as long as YOU get a nicer parking space, who cares?!
HOW F****G LAZY!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Pavement Thieves
Along the same lines as the parking space plonkers are the pavement thieves - the people who see absolutely nothing wrong with parking their big stupid cars up on the curb, taking up half of the pathway which is meant for PEDESTRIANS!But if I was to struggle on past and scratch your big stupid car with my pram - oh you'd have something to say about that, wouldn't you?!So instead I have to walk my pram out onto the road and around your car, putting myself and my infant child in danger and inconveniencing myself.
How very thoughtful of you.
3. Selfish Smokers
I know that people have the right to smoke outdoors in the majority of places - but it bugs the hell out of me when I am standing with my child, and someone stands next to me and lights up a fag.
What is worse still is when their are designated smoking areas provided somewhere, and CLEAR signs asking people not to smoke anywhere other than these areas - yet people can't be bothered huffing their way to their designated space and instead decide to stand wherever they choose to, bugger everybody else who then has to breathe in their filth.
The worst example of this was at the hospital where I had my son - this was a womens only hospital which deals largely in maternity - there were designated smoking spaces a few paces from the entrance, and clear signs asking people not to smoke directly outside.
But everytime I went there, there would be crowds of people puffing away on their cancer sticks - forcing me and countless other pregnant women and even newborn babies leaving the hospital for the first time to have to breathe in their second-hand smoke.
It is YOUR decision to fill your lungs with poisonous fumes, do NOT be selfish enough to inflict that decision on everybody else - particularly pregnant women and young children!
4. Foul-Mouthed Fools
Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming to be some sort of angel who never utters a swear word - I can have a mouth like a sailor when the mood takes me.
But there is a time and a place for it, and what really bugs me is when people are too ignorant to notice that there are children around who shouldn't be exposed to their bad language.
It particularly annoys me when you're in an enclosed space with no option to get away from it - such as on a train or a bus.
Recently I was putting the baby in his car seat at a retail park when a pair of young lads walked past us, effing and blinding at the tops of their voices - I wouldn't mind so much but they were RIGHT outside Mothercare!!! LOOK AROUND YOU, YOU CRETIN!!!! REALISE WHERE YOU ARE AND ACT ACCORDINGLY!!!!
Surely people must realize that swearing loudly around children is out of order?! SO SHUT THE F**K UP!!!!!
So there you have it folks, my annoyance for this week....how do you feel about this?! What things about the general public annoy you?! As always, I'd love to hear from you!
