Especially the 'ask to ask' over instant messenger, when you're known to be responsible for something.
People giving polite introductions to themselves when I'm working annoys me greatly, as they're only saying "hi" to ask a question, and it requires that I respond to them and break my focus as they spend the next 3-5 minutes writing a question; whereas they could have just spent those 3-5 minutes saying in their IM:
"Hi,
I'm working on <X> and <Y> happened. Have you come across this before; and, how do I fix this?"
And accomplish the same thing without wasting my time.
People giving polite introductions to themselves when I'm working annoys me greatly, as they're only saying "hi" to ask a question, and it requires that I respond to them and break my focus as they spend the next 3-5 minutes writing a question; whereas they could have just spent those 3-5 minutes saying in their IM:
"Hi,
I'm working on <X> and <Y> happened. Have you come across this before; and, how do I fix this?"
And accomplish the same thing without wasting my time.
</rant>