Find out which of your habits irritate others the most

Dubai: You may think the seemingly ‘little things’ you do like jumping queues and not throwing your garbage in the chute are excusable as very few people, if any, point it out to you.

Living in a cosmopolitan city has its own perks and perils. And it also comes with pesky issues that confront residents every day such as people parking irresponsibly, turning up late in meetings, littering, among others. Despite warnings, city fines, and common knowledge, some people’s habits prove really difficult to break.

Gulf News did a random and informal survey among 100 residents who live or work in Dubai to shed light on the habits people have that irritate them most. The results show problems with trash and parking are high up in residents’ list.

Asked what could have caused this apparent lack of discipline or loss of civility among some residents, Dr Saliha Afridi, clinical psychologist and managing director of the LightHouse Arabia Clinic, told Gulf News it all boils down to the residents’ innate cultural differences.

“Dubai is a very special city. It’s not a melting pot—people have not melted together. It’s actually like a salad bowl where everything exists separately. And so people are coming from their world, their background, their knowledge, their experiences and they’re thrown to work, on the roads, the malls. So, it’s not about being intolerant, it’s more of a culture shock that happens,” Dr Afridi said.

(See pictures above for list of top 10 habits that irritate people)