8 Modern Inconveniences Most People Tolerate But Impatient Minds Can't Handle
Patience is hard to come by these days.
KinoMasterskaya | Shutterstock As they say, patience is a virtue. Unfortunately, patience is hard to come by these days. For Americans, especially, being impatient is so common that most people won't wait even a few seconds once a traffic light turns green to honk at the car in front of them. Along with this, there are other modern inconveniences most people tolerate but impatient minds can't handle.
We've all had to deal with long lines, wait times, and public places like airports that really bring out the worst in us. But rather than complain and be rude to others, it's important to remember that these experiences are temporary, and how we respond to them reveal a lot about our character.
Here are 8 modern inconveniences most people tolerate but impatient minds can't handle
1. Self-checkouts
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People use self-checkouts to avoid waiting in regular checkout lines, all in an attempt to shave valuable minutes off of their transaction time. After all, time is money. And companies understand that, as a study from Retail Banking Research (RBR) predicts a 90% increase in self-checkout terminals by 2027.
But when impatient people find themselves stuck behind someone in the self-checkout line, who clearly doesn't understand how the machine works and may start putting in change for their expensive purchase, it's enough to drive them insane. In this situation, their gut truly tells them to be patient, but it's so hard.
2. Public transportation ticket lines
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Not only is public transportation used by many — in fact, an estimated 8%, or 28 million, people rely on trains, buses, and ferries because there's no other option — but in metropolitan areas, it's the primary way of getting around and is more affordable than owning a car, for example. But it's not the vehicle itself that annoys impatient people; rather, it's the ticket lines.
Though mobile tickets are commonly purchased nowadays, when the instructions are on the screen, there's inevitably someone who doesn't have their credit card ready. And it takes every bit of strength to not offer to make the transaction for them. It's one of the understandable modern inconveniences most people tolerate but impatient minds can't handle.
3. Bathroom lines
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Extenuating circumstances aside — which most people are totally sympathetic to — the bathroom line shouldn't be a time to make a call, check your social media, or listen to voicemails, especially if you're at a concert venue, baseball stadium, or amusement park and people are waiting.
For women, especially, bathroom lines are notoriously long. Even though governments have the power to solve the issue, according to architecture professor Kathryn Anthony, it's still a big problem today due to real estate, building codes, and discrimination.
4. RSVP response rates
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Whether it's for a birthday party, a wedding, or a social event, people not RSVPing in a timely manner is one of the modern inconveniences most people tolerate but impatient minds can't handle. Obviously, there are exceptions, but it's still maddening and slightly rude that a simple yes or no response takes longer than usual.
Especially if it's an event or get-together that requires a host to plan in advance for attendance, it's just gracious and kind to get back to someone in a timely manner.
5. Dressing room lines
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While people tend to do most of their clothes shopping online versus in-person, with 20% of online retail sales being attributed to apparel, trying on clothes in a store can trigger any impatient person almost immediately. Whether it's loud people in the dressing rooms or a messy environment, nothing compares to a long dressing room line.
Of course, aside from shopping online, there's always the option of secondhand stores or thrift shops, which frugal people swear by. But it's really just the entire experience that makes impatient people lose their cool.
6. Bad restaurant service
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For people in the food industry, they probably have a soft spot for service workers and give them the benefit of the doubt. But because they know the ins and outs of this type of work, they know when wait staff is providing insufficient service.
Of course, customers can be an issue as well. But bad service at a restaurant is not only frustrating, but can greatly impact the reputation of a business. After all, if it's not a "fast" food establishment, customers rely on workers to provide quick service.
7. People who can't make decisions
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Indecisiveness is tricky — some people are naturally more decisive than others, and that's great. But waffling forever on something as simple as where to go to dinner can eventually drive people a little crazy, especially if they're waiting around for someone to make a choice.
As life coach Patricia Magerkurth pointed out, "Everyone has experienced times when making a decision is challenging. For some of us, feeling stuck in indecision is more chronic than others... know that indecision indicates fear of failure or disapproval. It may also mean you aren't following your true heart's desires."
8. Airports
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Everyone empathizes with challenging and frustrating airport experiences. From customer service to boarding to baggage claim, airports are a minefield for impatient people, and truly test one's ability to cope with situations out of one's control.
The effort and process of flying is one of the modern inconveniences most people tolerate but impatient minds can't handle. For impatient people, every second they have to wait or deal with annoyances is enough to make them never want to travel again. Fortunately, those who can tolerate this experience may have some wisdom to share at the end of the day.
Samantha Maffucci is a writer and editor for YourTango who has written hundreds of articles about relationships, trending news and entertainment, numerology, and astrology.
