Life’s biggest inconveniences revealed – from queues to a broken boiler
Research shows that the biggest inconveniences in life include people cutting in line, bad WiFi and broken boilers.
A survey of 2,000 adults revealed the top 50 annoyances people face when trying to get through their day. Finding the end of the sticky tape and a wobbly, noisy shopping trolley at the supermarket also made the list.
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37 percent find it annoying when it rains after they have hung out the washing on the line and 14 percent have had to take a cold shower because the boiler broke down.
But 40 percent claim that something always breaks when they have a bad month and can’t afford to have it repaired or replaced.
It also turned out that 36 percent of respondents feel that these daily inconveniences have a negative effect on the rest of the day.
To mark this year’s Gas Safety Week, Gas Safe Register, which commissioned the research, has released a new, humorous film that brings to life the consequences and impact on people’s daily lives when they run out of gas at home.
Actor Will Mellor, who stars in the new film, said: “Why does it always feel like everything goes wrong at the worst possible moment?
“I was caught by it once myself. When I came back from vacation, I saw that the boiler had broken down. It was the Baltic current.
“I have to admit that I didn’t know that you had to have all your gas appliances checked for safety annually, but now I know why it is so important to pay close attention to this.
“You are less likely to experience problems and any defects can be fixed before they become more expensive problems.”
The survey also found that 46 percent of respondents experience up to four unpleasant things per week.
But 67 percent believe that you can prevent problems by being a little better organized in advance.
When something goes wrong, 38 percent of people react by swearing, 32 percent complain to others and 28 percent take a deep breath.
Household appliances breaking down and not working properly are the biggest source of inconvenience in life (39 percent), followed by technology (31 percent).
A quarter also indicated that their boiler always breaks down at the most inconvenient time.
However, 22 percent of households have not had their gas appliances serviced in the past year. This can help prevent breakdowns and ensure that appliances operate safely.
It also emerged that 24 percent of respondents claim that the biggest accidents in life happen at home, compared to outside the home.
The washing machine (45 percent), the gas boiler (38 percent) and the central heating (29 percent) appear to be the biggest problems in the home.
Onepoll’s research shows that 13 percent of respondents still have a broken appliance at home.
And 18 percent wait up to two weeks before having their device repaired.
The Gas Safe Register film aims to remind households how important it is to have their gas appliances checked for safety annually.
Rob Denman, Head of Professional and Field Services at Gas Safe Register, added: “Small inconveniences like a broken boiler or a Wi-Fi outage in the middle of work can really ruin your day, especially if they pile up.
“But by preparing in advance, you can prevent many problems from occurring, as the research shows.
“While minor inconveniences are part of life, proactive measures such as having your gas safety checked annually can minimise their impact and keep our homes running smoothly.”
50 OF LIFE’S BIGGEST INCONVENIENCES:
1.
People crowding in a line
2.
Need to go to the toilet but can’t find a public toilet/no open toilets
3.
Wi-Fi goes down
4.
It rains when the laundry has just been hung on the line
5.
Public transport does not run on time or not at all
6.
The central heating boiler breaks down, leaving the household without heating, especially during the colder/winter months
7.
Leaving something in a bag when washing clothes
8.
Staining a favorite piece of clothing with food
9.
Trouble finding the end of a roll of tape
10.
Holding the door open for someone who doesn’t say thank you
11.
Stuck at every red light
12.
Getting wet while walking in a vehicle
13.
Getting stuck behind a cyclist while driving
14.
A wobbly or noisy shopping cart in the supermarket
15.
Drivers who don’t say thank you when you let them out
16.
Locking yourself out of your home
17.
An engine light that flashes on the car dashboard when you are driving somewhere
18.
Having to pay for someone to come by and fix something that only takes a few minutes
19.
Getting stuck behind a garbage truck while driving
20.
Discovering that the milk in the refrigerator has gone bad
21.
Light bulb broken and not the correct replacement
22.
All digital clocks must be reset after a power outage
23.
A laptop/computer that automatically restarts without warning
24.
An unexpected bill that disappears from your bank account
25.
Color runs in the washing machine
26.
Food explodes in the microwave
27.
Alarm clock does not go off
28.
Forgetting an umbrella when it rains
29.
Forgot to pack a specific item for a vacation
30.
Arriving late for work through no fault of your own
31.
Finding out that the clothes you want to wear are in the wash
32.
The temperature is too hot or too cold, for example at the workplace
33.
A pen that runs out of ink while taking important notes
34.
An online bus/metro timeline does not match actual times
35.
Putting the kettle on and not having enough water for all the drink requests
36.
Accidentally burn toast
37.
Getting caught in the rain after washing or styling your hair
38.
A cookie that breaks down in a cup of tea or coffee
39.
Gas stove/oven unexpectedly packs up when you start cooking
40.
Have to take cold showers because the boiler is no longer working
41.
Noisy construction work when working from home
42.
A video call that gets stuck
43.
Recognizing that the garment you want to wear needs to be ironed
44.
A load of laundry that doesn’t fit on the drying rack
45.
Accidentally read a message on WhatsApp but not ready to reply
46.
Showering or bathing doesn’t work the night I wash my hair
47.
Forgot poop bag while walking the dog
48.
Neighbor’s dog barks while working from home
49.
Long wait for the bathroom in your home
50.
A working meeting scheduled for 5:00 PM
