im still in learning but i did not think  a t-12 ballast whould even light up a set of t-8 32 watters i was scratching my head on that onehttp://

I Just thought of another one

Incandescents that lack internal fuse wires that blow up the wiring in a dimmer when it burns out

So true! I've lost a few dimmers that way....

I'll second:

1. Metal halide lamps replaced with HPS (on a MH ballast of course) - just saw another installation "fixed" like that
2. "Fake" NEMA yard lights - so far I have destroyed two of these for parts, and they aren't even worth anything for scrap metal. The plastic HID yard lights are even worse!
3. T8's on a T12 ballast- yes they are running at the wrong current so they will be dim & flicker. T12's seem to work on T8 electronic ballasts though - maybe they are more tolerant?
4. Those cheap quality "reproductions" - yes, they don't even look authentic, they look, well, cheap and stupid. I guess most people wouldn't know the difference though.
5. Battery powered lanterns - yes, I've ruined way too many F6T5's as the batteries ran low and the lamp dimmed - watch the electrodes sputter away. I just talked a lady out of buying one of those lights last weekend.
6. Vandalism! Yes - I remember my neighborhood having 6 luminaires in a row all having their refractors & lamps broken by vandals. After being fixed, several of them were vandalised again! And how about those people that manage to steal the entire POLES!
7. mr_big: Your local skating rink uses ALL LPS? Do people like skating in yellow & white? I went to a college where the gym & the swimming pool were solely lit by HPS hi-bays - that was bad enough!

Just the outside lighiting such as the parking lot and uplighitng to light up the sign It drives me crazy though how like 5 of them are out they have replacements yet they choose not to replace them if they replace the fixtures I will see if I can nab one for myself

I do and have done lighting maintenance work so I can tell you what drives me nuts:

1. Chinese junk, especially Chinese GE and Philips incandescents that fall quality-wise by the wayside.
2. Low mercury fluorescent junk
3. GE and Sylvania PLs and Quads which never make it close to the 10,000 life rating
4. HPS lamps without external amalgam reserviors which shorten lamp life and creates undesirable color
5. People who don't install fluorescent properly. I have replaced many fluorescent tubes that failed prematurely becausse they weren't seated properly in the sockets
6. People who throw out working fluorescent lamps even if it was just the ballast
7. Poorly designed fixtures that overheat and shorten lamp life. I have replaced hundreds of clear 200w bulbs in the stage strip lights because the bulbs failed from overheating. Either its seal failure or the lead in the stem burnt through.
8. Throwing out vintage well made fluorescent fixtures with cheap fluorescent fixtures with sheet metal so thin you can create a dent by simply pressing it with your thumb!
9. Magnetic rapid start and slimline ballasts that catch fire when they short out, despite the Class P rating
10. Electronic ballasts without end of life shutdown. Almost every failed T-8 I have removed had a hole or a crack on the black end. In rare cases the crack becomes big enough for the end to actually break off from the rest of the tube. Pretty dangerous as there's a small chance a tuube could snap at that end and fall out of the fixture.
11. Junk cobrahad fixtures. Today's fixtures do not have pleasant looks compared to fixtures of yesteryear. Not only that, they're made of weak cast aluminum, lousy optics, and lousy ballasts. Why am I not surprised?
12. Not enough "white light" used for street lighting in the USA. Sure I love mercury vapor, but I don't mind seeing low wattage 3K metal halide, fluorescent, and induction lighting used for street lighting. They are pretty efficient and provide eye-pleasing color.

Clean and simple! I prolly have more, I'll post when I think of them!

I do and have done lighting maintenance work so I can tell you what drives me nuts:

1. Chinese junk, especially Chinese GE and Philips incandescents that fall quality-wise by the wayside.
2. Low mercury fluorescent junk
3. GE and Sylvania PLs and Quads which never make it close to the 10,000 life rating
4. HPS lamps without external amalgam reserviors which shorten lamp life and creates undesirable color
5. People who don't install fluorescent properly. I have replaced many fluorescent tubes that failed prematurely becausse they weren't seated properly in the sockets
6. People who throw out working fluorescent lamps even if it was just the ballast
7. Poorly designed fixtures that overheat and shorten lamp life. I have replaced hundreds of clear 200w bulbs in the stage strip lights because the bulbs failed from overheating. Either its seal failure or the lead in the stem burnt through.
8. Throwing out vintage well made fluorescent fixtures with cheap fluorescent fixtures with sheet metal so thin you can create a dent by simply pressing it with your thumb!
9. Magnetic rapid start and slimline ballasts that catch fire when they short out, despite the Class P rating
10. Electronic ballasts without end of life shutdown. Almost every failed T-8 I have removed had a hole or a crack on the black end. In rare cases the crack becomes big enough for the end to actually break off from the rest of the tube. Pretty dangerous as there's a small chance a tuube could snap at that end and fall out of the fixture.
11. Junk cobrahad fixtures. Today's fixtures do not have pleasant looks compared to fixtures of yesteryear. Not only that, they're made of weak cast aluminum, lousy optics, and lousy ballasts. Why am I not surprised?
12. Not enough "white light" used for street lighting in the USA. Sure I love mercury vapor, but I don't mind seeing low wattage 3K metal halide, fluorescent, and induction lighting used for street lighting. They are pretty efficient and provide eye-pleasing color.

Clean and simple! I prolly have more, I'll post when I think of them!

2.  The ALTO T8's and T5's are pretty good in my eyes, or at least the best when compared to GE and Sylvania!
3.  Luckily we have the Philips PL's in our bathroom, 13w quad two pin, Holland.
5.  See that at many stores including Home Depot...
6.  Also see this often.  I got four working and pretty new Philips ALTO T8's out of the trash the other day.
8.  Saw this yesterday, a F40T12 preheat somehow folded in half and in a garbage can!
9.  I've had HOT running ballasts like these, and one even blew it's cap!
10.  For a business or store, I agree.  For one of my lights at home, no shutdown is desired so I can finish off lamps!
11.  The GE M400R3/A3's are pretty good...
12.  I want to see HPS get the wayside, no more orange glowing clouds!

The worst is having one of my lamp breaking. Especially if it is the only light of the type (150w HPS)

1. Nema "yard lights" with diffusers hanging by latches or bulb, or no diffuser.
2. Nema "yard lights" with lousy mounting...drooping ridiculously forward.
3. 400w MV bulb in 175w Nema fixture.
4. Flourescent lamp installed with only one pin in socket.
5. Wires exposed and pinched between reflector and fixture.
6. Ballast fails because lamp burns out.
7. Lousy wiring...bad or no ground, soldered and/or taped instead of wire nuts or crimps.
8. Flourescent sockets that don't lock wires when pushed in.

I have seen an LOA fixture with wires that were taped with scotch tape right out of the box I immediatly took that one back and spent my money on something that was better made

you mean those clear scotch tape that are used for papers and office stuff?

Yep

WHOA!!!! they probably ran out of electric tape 

Where about are Lights of America fixtures made?

CHINA!!!! They suck that fixture included the following a cheap and inefficient way to power tubes a bunch of scotch tape cheaply made tubes with a phosphor coat so thin you could see the electrodes when it was off

(1) Letting lamps burn past their rated life risking arc tube rupture and or even ballast failure.

(2) I bet you remember this in Pittsburgh: Replacing perfectly good mercury vapor fixtures which were all in working order and were all intact with high pressure sodium ones that don't all work, missing their refractors, bottom housing etc.

(3) High Pressure Sodium lamps that cycle, Metal Halide lamps that only last 10,000 to 20,000 hours.