Before you begin to read this, take a moment to think about your pet peeve. Visualize your daily life and concentrate on what really irks you. What one thing gets under your skin?

I was chatting with a group of friends recently and one mentioned standing in the express check-out line at the grocery store when she noticed a person in front of her with more than the allowed items B次元官网网址� way more. B次元官网网址淭hat really bugs me B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 my pet peeve,B次元官网网址� my friend said. B次元官网网址淭hat and those old people that pay with pennies. And people that hog the fast lane and donB次元官网网址檛 drive fast, or those jerks that park in the handicapped stall B次元官网网址�B次元官网网址�

Do you see where this is going?

We all began to share our peeves. Surprisingly, other peopleB次元官网网址檚 driving skills and grocery store mishaps topped the list.

Along with those B次元官网网址減assing lane hogs,B次元官网网址� are the B次元官网网址渘o signallers,B次元官网网址� the B次元官网网址渆arly mergers,B次元官网网址� those who stop in the merging lane and the heinous drivers who B次元官网网址渨onB次元官网网址檛 let you in.B次元官网网址�

The traffic complaints didnB次元官网网址檛 stop there. Why, someone wondered, do people move over without looking? Why do they drive below the speed limit in the fast lane? B次元官网网址淏eing in the fast lane is a privilege, not a right,B次元官网网址� one of my friends said.

The list expanded when another agreed with the grocery store peeves.

B次元官网网址淚 hate going to the store and trying to get my basket around some old lady whoB次元官网网址檚 dragging her old man around with her. He doesnB次元官网网址檛 know what heB次元官网网址檚 doing. He doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to be there. DonB次元官网网址檛 bring your husband and your kids shopping; we donB次元官网网址檛 need all those excess people to get around,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚 hate those stunned shoppers, too,B次元官网网址� she added.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sorry, thatB次元官网网址檚 me,B次元官网网址� I replied.

Really. I can stand in front of the 300 choices of toothpaste for 10 minutes. My vision slowly blurs and the tubes run into one mass of whitening, tartar control, fluoride, plaque removing, calcium building, gel, paste, cinnamon, natural, nighttime, bacon flavoured-what-now?

Shopping peeves included the sales clerks who talk on the phone while they serve you.

B次元官网网址淚 just want to reach over and put my finger on the trigger and go B次元官网网址榗lick,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� one woman said.

Then thereB次元官网网址檚 the clerks who donB次元官网网址檛 make eye contact. Those who donB次元官网网址檛 say thank you. The carts with wobbly wheels. The people who stop to chat in the aisles.

How about when you run into someone and say hello, then you have to change direction or go to the other end of the store so you donB次元官网网址檛 have to repeatedly pass them, in order to avoid those awkward B次元官网网址榟i againB次元官网网址� moments?

B次元官网网址淲hat about those seniors on their scooters who beep at you then go zooming by?B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淥r those people who talk and talk and talk on their cellphones on the bus.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淧eople that donB次元官网网址檛 wash their hands in the restroom.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淧eople that stop at the top or bottom of the escalator B次元官网网址� donB次元官网网址檛 you know someone is right behind you?B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗ow about when you get a cold and three hours later your husband is sicker that you?B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淧ackaging you canB次元官网网址檛 open without a crowbar.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 usually have so much patience,B次元官网网址� one of my friends said. B次元官网网址淏ut if I canB次元官网网址檛 find my scissors and I have to go hunting for them in the kidsB次元官网网址� room or the family room or the garage. B次元官网网址� Take anything else B次元官网网址� just donB次元官网网址檛 take my scissors.B次元官网网址�

As I listened to the litany of minor annoyances, I couldnB次元官网网址檛 help but agree with most of them. OK, all of them. When it came to my pet peeve, I couldnB次元官网网址檛 think of one. ThatB次元官网网址檚 right. I couldnB次元官网网址檛 think of just one B次元官网网址� and you?

Laura Lavin is the editor of the Oak Bay B次元官网网址.

editor@oakbaynews.com