PET PEEVE

Those of you that have followed me know I am an almost annoyingly positive person. It takes a ton to rile me and I can usually find something good out of most situations as long as no one is being mistreated.

But, I too can get annoyed. This time it is not at a person, situation or condition that has my ire. My pet peeve revolves around an inanimate object. How, you say, can a person get ticked at a mindless thing that has no motive?

Easy, when it is an auto flush, touchless toilet.  Years ago when they first appeared I was delighted. It was rather luxurious and I only saw one draw back to this handy gadget. In order for the toilet to flush, originally you had to get totally off, often stand by the door and wave at the toilet for it to finally flush.

I thought this was OK except it made it impossible for your neighbor in the next stall to honor you with a courtesy flush if they happened to be aromatic that day.

Then the toilet folk upped their game with manual flush buttons in addition to the automatic magic flush. These tiny buttons were usually directly behind your back which required reaching around behind you to activate if you wished to be courteous. This motion allowed the whole reason for the courtesy flush to escape as you were no longer keeping the seat plugged with your bum.

I was coping with all this with only mild irritation when using public toilets, after all I am Positive Patti. Then came the newest development, probably instigated by those wishing for an easier courtesy flush.

The hair trigger flush was born.  Now all you have to do breathe deeply or reach for the toilet paper and gallons of water are unleashed violently. No matter how quickly one springs up, it has the same effect on your behind as a bidet without the benefit of clean water and a blow dry.

I have always looked down on those who hover over the seat, sprinkling on it for the next person's displeasure.  However, now I am thinking of working on my balance and core so I can do the same thing--thus bypassing the auto flush.  I will be considerate though and raise the seat so the next person doesn't have to wonder what social disease they just picked up. You fellows have it made.

Sometimes the better mouse trap--or in this case--the better toilet was a step backwards---in my humble opinion.

Is there an invention out there that you feel has done more harm than good thus creating your own pet peeve? Or are your pet peeves more on the human side?