Innocuous things that make you irrationally embarrassed

Minutes silence

ordering the first round

I got caught in a minutes silence while on my way to a departure gate at Heathrow once, only the Brits were taking any notice of it so I tried to look foreign while actually observing the silence cos I wasn't feeling talkative anyway. The whole thing was an embarrassment for the entire airport tbh, esp since it was probably honouring the war dead who'd perished while bombing some of the passengers' ancestors.

Minute (or more) silences in open plan offices or indeed major public spaces are excruciating and ridiculous.

Waiting to use the only hand dryer in a public toilet when I've finished washing my hands

And...drying your hands while someone waits.

Minute (or more) silences in open plan offices or indeed major public spaces are excruciating and ridiculous.

― nashwan, Monday, November 11, 2019 6:29 AM (four days ago) bookmarkflaglink

had a daft bastard of an ops manager once who, despite the fact that we were in a huge open plan office and the fact that no one was talking for once was extremely noticeable, tried to make a phone call to elsewhere in the office during the silence, then vocally bemoaned the colleague for not picking up. then ventured some sort of small talk to the group of us who were seated nearby, then was like "yous are awfy quiet". all this while people were giving him looks.

this didn't make me embarrassed mind you, thought it was fucking hilarious and was trying not to laugh

I mean, in these situations it does become like a very tense game of sleeping lions

When a taxi shows up and you're standing outside your apartment building but it's not for you and the person that ordered it isn't ready and waiting

i find getting taxis irrationally embarrassing altogether and only ever catch them at the behest of other people or if I've a serious amount of luggage and need to get somewhere quickly

How about trying to get into what you think is your Lyft/Uber car but it's just someone's regular car

^^^ that’s legitimately rationally embarrassing

^^^ I have done this. Ironically the guy *was* an uber driver, but was not actually working then, just waiting to pick his wife up.

I was not his wife.

The new black cabs in London have a clearer rooftop sign that in bright sunny weather can look on when it isn't (as the orange LEDs reflect sunlight better than previous design) so a few months back I asked a driver in traffic if he could take me somewhere only for it to be pointed out there was indeed already a passenger in the back. I can just about tell the difference now.

How about trying to get into what you think is your Lyft/Uber car but it's just someone's regular car

A co-worker of mine did this in Dallas a few years ago.

We were all, "Chris, our driver is over here." He hopped out, saw what was up, and said to the civilian driver "I swear it was because you both have blue Toyota Camrys!"

And then, turning an awkward situation into something even more cringey, "...not because both of you are black!"

i was waiting to meet someone in the detroit airport rideshare pickup area a few months ago and it was just chaos -- riders getting into the wrong cars, drivers blocking traffic to bellow peoples' names, etc. i was embarrassed for our culture

there are just too many Toyota Camrys on the road, how am I supposed to know which is which

when my rail ticket fails to work the turnstyle barrier at height of rush hour

er, turn STILE

When I try to use my public transit card to access my work premises

Is there a Rideshare pickup that truly works well? I haven't had issues at airports, but arenas/stadiums, experienced exactly what you described. Nobody able to find each other, thirty minute queues, pedestrians milling about aimlessly trying to find their driver, drivers giving up.

Took me 30 mins to find my driver after a friendly soccer match at Hard Rock Stadium. And after seeing Iron Maiden, had two drivers cancel on me, and as I started to get anxious about not getting back to my hotel, the third actually showed up (saw his license plate number matched). Put my hand on the door, and yet he sped away without letting me get in.

Drunkenly wrote an email to Uber saying OMG FUCK THIS MOTHERFUCKING DRIVER and finally got a driver to show up on 4th try

I always check the license plate against what Uber says it is as I'm afraid of accidentally car-jacking an innocent motorist

Double posting.

When I’m waiting at a stoplight, ready to go straight, and the green arrow comes on and I jump the gun, mistaking it for the green light, and let off the brake for a split second, and then have to quickly stop and sit there like a schnook.

Is there a Rideshare pickup that truly works well?


HAIL A CAB

That's cool if you live somewhere where that's easy.

Here, you usually have to call, they don't always show up, and they're mad expensive compared to rideshare

Also i was referring to the designated rideshare areas at stadiums/arenas, which are usually terrible

I used one at LaGuardia and they built a whole plaza with numbered spots and you get assigned a spot by the rideshare app. It worked great. It may be part of the new construction there?

We have something similar at Orlando International that is fairly effective, though we only have a few numbered areas. But it works!

The scariest version of this was the Ninoy Aquino airport in Manila, Philippines. It's a free for all, a giant mass of people moving about, and locating vehicles often requires several phone calls

After being banished to a circle of hell for a couple of years, Lyft and Uber are now allowed once again to pick up directly at the terminal at Cleveland Hopkins. In the apps, there's a menu where you just put in what level and door you're at, and they pull right to the curb.

Yeah i like airports with that kind of setup. Orlando also used to prohibit pickups from the airport, until people screamed about it, as the rates for the cabs at the taxi stand are insane (unless you're going to one of the areas with a flat rate)

The last time I was in San Juan, I learned that Uber is legally allowed to transport both ways from the airport there, but it is advised against and many drivers refuse the fare. Was told the reason is cab drivers hate ride share for hurting their earnings and will physically attack the Uber drivers.

One business trip, I had to head back 30 minutes to the airport, and the cabs had just gone on strike an hour ago. The receptionist heard I was trying Uber and he told me to abort and he gave me a ride himself. Mega sweet man.

I can understand the cab drivers' anger given the current economic climate there.

When I’m waiting at a stoplight, ready to go straight, and the green arrow comes on and I jump the gun, mistaking it for the green light, and let off the brake for a split second, and then have to quickly stop and sit there like a schnook.

I do this almost every Saturday when I'm at a light that turns green first for the straight-ahead drivers and then for the left-turners like me. Usually it's the other way around.

At least y'all realize it. I've been near t-boned by folks who did that,then keep going

Billie Eilish thread

I'm not sure exactly how to describe it, but that thing when someone gets on the train or bus wearing some costume or otherwise ridiculous outfit during an unexpected time of the year (i.e. not Halloween or something) and makes smirking eye contact with everyone else, individually in the hopes of getting some sort of reaction. I nearly die of second-hand embarrassment whenever I see this.

I saw a guy in a thrift store last week in full elf regalia. I didn't say anything.

I usually just scream HEY YO LOOK AT THE COSTUME MAN THAT'S QUITE THE COSTUME, A STRANGE AND UNUSUAL COSTUME, WELL DONE

until they feel uncomfortable and leave

haha

I figured he's harmless, and probably happier than I am, so why piss on his fun.

my job in life is to remove all happiness

starting w/ my own

It's not as much about pissing on their fun, more just the people that do it in such a performative, "look at me, NO, LOOK AT ME" way make me cringe.

xpost

Yeah, this guy was different though, he seemed like someone who dresses for himself, in exactly the way he wants to.

But I get what you're saying, I've seen those types too.

https://i.imgur.com/TN07oNK.jpg

lol

i actually bought some passion fruit chobani a week or so ago and realized something about it. two things actually

1) it doesn't embarrass me anymore, it's just yogurt
2) chobani yogurt has a smell so strong that i can smell it before i turn the corner into the room where someone is eating it

with the lifting of the chobani-schmerz, i think i am incapable of being irrationally embarrassed.
i only get embarrassed when it's inevitable & justified. otherwise, zero tolerance for self-shaming. life's too short.

It probably doesn't, but I still imagine the creamer spilling out in yogurty chunks.

"Has It Expired? No! It's CHOBANI®"

ah the rich taste and surprising mouthfeel of CHOBANI

Chitchat between sportscasters or weatherpeople and newsreaders after the former have finished their segment

Unless it's "Then i won't have to wear my jacket?"