Adverts without a ‘skip’ button, someone nabbing the social media username you wanted and tangled earphones have been named among the biggest inconveniences of modern life, according to O2. Calls from unknown numbers, running out of phone battery or data and a cracked screen were also among the woes causing the British public daily anguish.
The study, exploring the top 40 things which get on the nerves of the nation, found public transport continues to be a bugbear for many, while issues with mobile phones are also a frequent frustration. Not having enough leg room on a journey, websites with contact forms instead of email addresses and bars or shops which no longer accept cash payments also featured on the list.
The study was commissioned by O2 to launch their new Unlimited Data tariffs, which give customers limitless mobile phone data, and found this to be within the top 10 biggest frustrations for the British public, where more than one third have run out of data, doing so once every four months.
A spokesperson for O2 said: “Modern life is frustrating – it’s usually the small, seemingly insignificant things which – over time – all add up to an even bigger frustration. These small things tend to have a knock-on effect for the day ahead – another reason why they can be so annoying.
“A late train might make you late for a meeting or your phone running out of battery could mean you can’t reply to an important message. It’s why we want to make things just that little bit easier and give our customers the option of having unlimited data, so they have one less thing to worry about.”
During a typical day, adults will complain an average of three times, and nearly half admitted to enjoying a whinge or moan over the inconveniences modern life throws at them.
It also emerged 35 per cent reckon the British public has a regular whine because it’s easier to find problems than solutions, and nearly a quarter reckon complaints come from those who enjoy the attention. Meanwhile, three in four agreed it’s a typically British trait to have a moan or a groan about things.
The study of 2,000 adults, conducted via OnePoll, found partners are the ones typically on the receiving end of a complaint, followed by friends and work colleagues. Nearly two-thirds of people even get annoyed with themselves when complaining about modern nuisances.
Also featuring on the list of modern grievances was your mobile phone running out of storage space and apps which almost, but don’t quite, do what you need them to do.
Nearly half of those polled would feel lost if they ran out of data, and four in ten wished they had more each month. Binging on YouTube videos, browsing social media and using a mobile as a SatNav are among the biggest culprits for consuming those precious gigabytes.
Top 40 modern inconveniences:
For more information on O2’s new Unlimited Data tariffs, including pricing and available handsets, visit http://www.o2.co.uk/unlimited-tariffs.