PEEVE ››
When someone asks a question that they could answer themselves.
People do this all the time. For example, a person wearing a watch will ask you the time. A person with a cell phone in their pocket will ask you the time, knowing that you have to take your cell phone out of your pocket to answer. It's not easier for you than it is for them. A person emails you asking what the weather will be like on the weekend. Or "what's the name of that song?" launching you into a manic internet search which they could have done themselves.
At work people ask, "do we have vacation on labor day?" and you have to look it up on the company web site. But *they* could have looked it up on the company web site. Or someone will ask "what's George's office number?" rather than looking it up. It's not ask if they expect you to happen-to-know. They expect you to look it up.
— jmc from san francisco | Conversation | 5.1.2010 | Comments (6)
COMMENTS ››
It sounds like a weak means of being social, of communicating with a fellow human in these times of the information superhighway and technological convenience; akin to talking about the weather.
— Biffy
you could say, "i don't know." which in turn makes them look it up themselves. if you repeatedly find the answer and give it to them, you become the kind of person they know they can ask. if you always say i dunno, they will stop asking you.
— .
But if you solve it then it's not a pet peeve any more! You have to care for and feed your pet....
— Ant
The worst version of this is when someone suggests you go do something, for example try out a new bakery you had both talked about or whatever, and you say "sure" and then the other person is like "Uh, so how do we get there" as the computer continues to function five feet away from you both. YOU suggested it, so why is it suddenly my project?!?
— Diana posted 5/2/2010
That's why I love lmgtfy.com!
— jmc posted 5/3/2010
My sister and husband do this to me all the time! She's always asking me to look up stuff for her (I live 1,000 miles away and she has a computer too) and my husband always expects me to have our schedule for the next two years memorized and asks me directions to places I've never been. AAARGH.
— Acacia posted 5/3/2010
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