It never hurts to vent a little

By Staff
Kim West
Everyone has pet peeves, and I'm no different. Most of the time I keep them to myself since there's not a whole lot that can be done about them, and also because I know it's very likely that some of the things I do are annoying to other people.
But it can be healthy to vent from time to time and I do feel the need to release some frustration this week, so I'm going to explain why there are three things in this world that drive me batty.
Have you ever driven into a Walmart parking lot and been unable to park or back out of a space because it was blocked by a shopping cart/buggy? There are plenty of racks where customers can return their carts, but for some reason people will unload their items and then just leave their carts in a space near their vehicle.
I don't understand this unless you have a physical disability because no matter where you park in a Walmart parking lot, the racks are within walking distance. If you're lucky, that distance is no more than a few feet. And even if you have to park at the far end, at the most you would only have to walk is 40 or 50 yards.
I guess some people might feel that it isn't their job to put the cart back, but the Walmart cart pushers already have their hands full trying to make sure store customers have enough carts to worry about tracking down ones that are scattered throughout the parking lot.
And on a windy day, a cart that isn't secured in a rack has the potential to roll around the lot and hit someone's car. During college I had a co-worker one time whose truck was dented by a buggy that had been left out, and he had to pay for the damages himself just because someone had been too lazy to put a cart back.
One summer I had to collect roadside trash in Tuscaloosa County for a total of 20 hours, which is another story. But you wouldn't believe how many cigarettes I picked up. I had expected to find beer cans and soda bottles, and there were plenty of those, but the majority of trash I found was used cigarette butts.
I have nothing against people who smoke. But, both my parents were smokers before they kicked their habits, but I never once saw them flick a cigarette out the car window.
My final pet peeve is about referees. I've played sports all my life and there's nothing wrong with disagreeing with a call – as we all know, refs aren't perfect. But I'd like to see someone try to make a robot referee that works because I don't think it's possible since officiating is so subjective.
I don't believe there's any justification to scream personal insults at a referee, whether it's a youth league contest or the Super Bowl.
It sets a horrible example for children, and it turns what should be a game into a negative free-for-all. It's always easier to blame someone else for your problems, and referees are easy targets for fans, players and coaches.
But if people kept yelling at you and questioning your intelligence, ability, integrity, etc., would that make you sympathetic to their point of view?