Americans get really annoyed when people drive badly, smoke in no-smoking zones, or don't pick up after their dogs, but the rude behavior that bugs them most is workplace discrimination, according to a survey.

A poll released Friday by the Civility Initiative at The Johns Hopkins University and the Jacob France Institute of the University of Baltimore found workplace offenses featured highly on the "Terrible Ten" list of rude behaviors.

In the survey, 615 people from two companies in Baltimore and the University of Baltimore were asked to rank 30 examples of rude behavior ranging from text messaging when talking to someone, taking other people's food from the office fridge, to snubbing people.

Dr P M Forni, director of the initiative which promotes civility in the workplace and conducted the survey, said he was surprised discrimination topped the list above other more usual peeves in the workplace such as colleagues brushing their teeth in the water fountain.

"When a worker felt they weren't chosen for a project because they did not speak English as well as others, or felt they weren't promoted because of their national origin, age or sexual preference, they were really upset," he said.

"The American workplace is the most diverse in the world and the American worker is very sensitive to any kind of treatment that seems to be unfair."

Erratic or aggressive driving -- behavior typical of rush-hour commutes -- came second in the list with taking credit for someone else's work rounding out the top three.

Forni said it seemed from this survey that people were starting to focus more on the big issues.

He said people were far more forgiving when family or friends behaved in a way seen as rude than work colleagues.

"With the long hours that are so common today in the workplace, the real determinant of our ability to have a good or bad day is linked to the people we work with," he said.

Here is the list of "Terrible Ten" behaviors:

1. Discrimination in an employment situation

2. Erratic or aggressive driving that endangers others

3. Taking credit for someone else's work

4. Treating service providers as inferiors

5. Jokes or remarks that mock another's race, gender, age, disability, sexual preference or religion

6. Children behaving aggressively

7. Littering (including trash, spitting, pet waste)

8. Misuse of handicapped privileges

9. Smoking in non-smoking places or smoking in front of non-smokers without asking

10. Using cell phones or text messaging in mid-conversation or during an appointment or meeting.

一项调查显示，美国人对违章驾驶、在禁烟区吸烟及不清理宠物狗的粪便等不文明行为极为反感，但最让他们厌恶的不文明行为则是职场歧视。

本周五，美国约翰霍普金斯大学和巴尔的摩大学雅各布?弗兰斯研究院的“文明礼貌”项目公布的一项民调发现，职场歧视高居“十大最令人厌恶的粗鲁行为”排行榜之首。

巴尔的摩两家公司以及巴尔的摩大学的615人参与了该项调查，调查人员让调查对象对30种粗鲁行为进行排位，其中包括边与别人说话边发短信、从办公室冰箱里拿走别人的东西以及责骂别人等。

倡导职场文明的“文明礼貌”项目负责人弗尼博士开展了该项调查。他说他很惊讶职场歧视竟名列榜首，排在了如同事在洗手池里刷牙等其它更为平常的职场不文明行为之前。

他说：“如果一名员工觉得自己没入选某项目是因为他的英语不如别人好，或者没得到升迁是因为他的出生国、年龄及性取向，他会非常沮丧。”

“美国的职场多样性居全球之首。美国员工对于任何不公平待遇都极为敏感。”

上下班高峰期典型的驾驶风格——不遵守规则或野蛮驾驶位居第二，抢别人的功劳名列第三。

弗尼说，这项调查表明人们开始更多地关注“大事”。

他说，人们对家人或朋友的粗鲁行为比对待同事要宽容得多。

他说：“如今，长时间呆在工作场所十分普遍，因此，同事便成为决定我们一天心情好坏的关键因素。”

“十大令人厌恶的粗鲁行为”如下：

1. 职场歧视

2. 危及他人安全的不规则驾驶或野蛮驾驶

3. 抢别人功劳

4. 看不起服务人员

5. 嘲笑或议论他人的种族、性别、年龄、生理残疾、性取向和宗教

6. 儿童行为过激

7. 乱扔垃圾（包括乱扔废弃物、随地吐痰、不清理宠物粪便）

8. 滥用残疾特权

9. 在禁烟区吸烟或未征得不吸烟者同意就吸烟

10. 与人交谈、约会、开会时打电话或发短信