Loud music on public transport

Pippy1976

It's probably been asked before but: is it ok to ask the inconsiderate idiot sitting beside you on the Luas / bus / DART / train (or other public transport) to turn down their iPod / walkman / personal stereo?

There was a guy on Luas today listening to the radio and I've never hear anything so loud in my life... I had to do a double take because it sounded like he had a little portable stereo and was using it without headphones! Unbelievable!

It's really irritating to hear someone else's music / radio over their ear-phones. I've been so close so many times to asking can they please turn it down. I have stopped listening to my music for this very reason: I don't want to subject (unbeknownst to me) anyone else to something that I AM listening to.

These people's ears must be fried. That guy this morning on the Luas red line city bound was ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.

Emeraldy Pebbles

Pippy1976 wrote: »

It's probably been asked before but: is it ok to ask the inconsiderate idiot sitting beside you on the Luas / bus / DART / train (or other public transport) to turn down their iPod / walkman / personal stereo?

There was a guy on Luas today listening to the radio and I've never hear anything so loud in my life... I had to do a double take because it sounded like he had a little portable stereo and was using it without headphones! Unbelievable!

It's really irritating to hear someone else's music / radio over their ear-phones. I've been so close so many times to asking can they please turn it down. I have stopped listening to my music for this very reason: I don't want to subject (unbeknownst to me) anyone else to something that I AM listening to.

These people's ears must be fried. That guy this morning on the Luas red line city bound was ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.

Worse is people watching films somewhere on the train/bus, so you hear the audio but not see the visual. :mad: Very irritating.

steve9859

Yes. I've done it on the train in London a few times, as it is so annoying! Having first checked the person out to assess whether or not I think he (or she) is a nutter! People are normally nice enough about it

phasers

You should start singing along to whatever he's listening to and ask him to dance with you.

Dravokivich

Emeraldy Pebbles wrote: »

Worse is people watching films somewhere on the train/bus, so you hear the audio but not see the visual. :mad: Very irritating.

What's worse is when it's a movie you haven't even seen yet!

The inconsiderate bastards!

TwoShedsJackson

Yes it is ok to ask, and most people will turn it down somewhat, but make sure you're happy to deal with any negative consequences if they refuse and look like the sort of scumbag you don't want to be dealing with.

Pippy1976

phasers wrote: »

You should start singing along to whatever he's listening to and ask him to dance with you.

That's a good one... sometimes I tap along to the really cheesy ones! A girl had her pop-crap music blarring last week and she was bopping along thinking she was really cool...

... she just looked like an idiot with rubbish music playing too loud in her ears.

Emeraldy Pebbles

Dravokivich wrote: »

What's worse is when it's a movie you haven't even seen yet!

The inconsiderate bastards!

It's usually to placate the little darlings too. Just hand them a handheld video gaming contraption like a normal parent. :pac:

Lollipops23

My OH asked a guy to turn down his insanely loud iPod on the train in London a few months back. I was mortified, but the bloke was very nice about it and obliged straight away.

wilkie2006

In two minds about this.

On the one hand, it's exceptionally bad-mannered to subject other people to your bull$hit music or the smell of your donar kebab. On the other hand though, it's one of the disadvantages of public transport and - more broadly - sharing a world with other people; not everyone subscribes to your sensibilities. You can't control that.

In the long-term, listening to someone's $hite tinny music for 20 minutes isn't really a big deal though, is it?

davetherave

Why wouldn't you ask them to turn it down?

Lapin

I'd only ask them to turn it down if I was sitting in my seat before they got on.

No way would I ask if they were on the tube first and I chose to sit near them.

Pippy1976

wilkie2006 wrote: »

In the long-term, listening to someone's $hite tinny music for 20 minutes isn't really a big deal though, is it?

In the longterm, no it's not a big deal but as you pointed out it is PUBLIC transport so consideration for your fellow commuters wouldn't go astray.

I don't mind hearing it a little bit but when you're able to hear every little thing a morning radio presenter does with their mouth it's extremely annoying.

@davetherave I don't mind asking them to turn it down but I wanted to know what everyone else's perspective on the matter was... like, would I be rude to ask them or are they rude for having it up so loud?

iDave

How come every time someone plays music loudly its always awful dance or hip hop 'music'. Why cant just for once, someone playing music loudly listen to something good.

Pippy1976

Agreed... I've heard Chris Brown, Rhianna, Beyonce, the most insane death metal EVER and euro pop dragged kicking and screaming from the '80's!

p.s. I'm really surprised I recognised Chris Brown!!

iDave wrote: »

How come every time someone plays music loudly its always awful dance or hip hop 'music'. Why cant just for once, someone playing music loudly listen to something good.

iDave

Pippy1976 wrote: »

Agreed... I've heard Chris Brown, Rhianna, Beyonce, the most insane death metal EVER and euro pop dragged kicking and screaming from the '80's!

p.s. I'm really surprised I recognised Chris Brown!!

Wouldnt it be nice if something soothing like Moon River was played loudly. Imagine 50 odd people on the upper deck of a bus relaxing to Andy Williams

Rhianna :mad:

gobnaitolunacy

FYI the law is your friend.

S.I. No. 109/1984 — Coras Iompair Éireann Bye-Laws (Confirmation) Order, 1984.

23. (1) No person while upon the railway or in any vehicle shall to the annoyance of any other person or if requested not to do so by an authorised person, sing, perform on any musical or other instrument or use any gramophone, record player, tape recorder or portable wireless or television apparatus.


It might be an iPod rather than a 'gramophone' but the law is still there, at least on DART/IE/BE/Dub Bus.

loalae

To be honest, loud music doesn't bother me too much. I have more of a problem with people talking at the top of their voices in the morning on public transport.

There should be a 'no talking or making noise on the bus until after 9am' rule!

Totally practical and enforceable!

Captain Danger

I never understand how this annoys people so much. A few minutes of someones crappy music isn't going to ruin my day.

anncoates

It's really annoying but I generally just move to another seat because if I end up saying something, it won't be nice.

Loud and imbecilic conversations on the phone are worse though.

Caveman1

I have to say this doesn't really bother me, what makes my blood boil though is when theres a group of kids at the back of the bus playing songs out loud on their phones & sometimes even singing along :mad:

Lollipops23

wilkie2006 wrote: »

In the long-term, listening to someone's $hite tinny music for 20 minutes isn't really a big deal though, is it?

If I can discern every lyric of a song, it's obnoxiously loud. It's very distracting for people, especially at half 7 in the morning on the way to work.

Pippy1976

Ah hear, that's a bit excessive... I think we've lost the art of conversation here - everyone's plugged in or amped up. It's dreadful. The Luas resembles a graveyard most days it's so dull - everyone afraid to open their mouths and driving other passengers insane with their loud music.

Have a chat with someone, it's far more entertaining! I think you need to take a chill pill there... 'no talking or making noise on the bus until after 9am'. Sheesh!

loalae wrote: »

To be honest, loud music doesn't bother me too much. I have more of a problem with people talking at the top of their voices in the morning on public transport.

There should be a 'no talking or making noise on the bus until after 9am' rule!

Totally practical and enforceable!

Pippy1976

+1 my friend. By all means listen to your tunes... but don't subject everyone else to your taste of music. Unfair and Uncalled for.

Lollipops23 wrote: »

If I can discern every lyric of a song, it's obnoxiously loud. It's very distracting for people, especially at half 7 in the morning on the way to work.

Pippy1976

Caveman1 wrote: »

I have to say this doesn't really bother me, what makes my blood boil though is when theres a group of kids at the back of the bus playing songs out loud on their phones & sometimes even singing along :mad:

Oh yes, the 'playing pop dance tunes on your mobile' brigade! They're VERY annoying. It's always that hyper-dance stuff too... 500 beats a second!

hehe, funny....

Pippy1976

Captain Danger wrote: »

I never understand how this annoys people so much. A few minutes of someones crappy music isn't going to ruin my day.

I wouldn't go so far as to say it 'ruins my day' but it's not very courteous in my opinion.

ClashCityRocker

A guy on the tube asked me to turn down my music not so long ago, i was happy to oblige and to be honest i was mortified that it was as loud to others as that. The apple headphones you get with ipods/iphones etc are terrible quality.

loalae

Pippy1976 wrote: »

Ah hear, that's a bit excessive... I think we've lost the art of conversation here - everyone's plugged in or amped up. It's dreadful. The Luas resembles a graveyard most days it's so dull - everyone afraid to open their mouths and driving other passengers insane with their loud music.

Have a chat with someone, it's far more entertaining! I think you need to take a chill pill there... 'no talking or making noise on the bus until after 9am'. Sheesh!

Having a chat is fine as long as not everyone on the bus has to listen to it! I find hearing that "OMG Tiarnan like totally scored Saoirse in Coppers" and "There's this guy on my course and he's like soo annoying, he like asks questions in class and it's like shut up I'm so much smarter than you' is a lot more dull than a nice quiet start to the day.

NegativeCreep

Sorry but you're allowed listen to your earphones as loud as you want! I wouldnt turn down my music for anyone. I need it to drown out the other horrible noises on public transport!

Niles

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

FYI the law is your friend.

S.I. No. 109/1984 — Coras Iompair Éireann Bye-Laws (Confirmation) Order, 1984.

23. (1) No person while upon the railway or in any vehicle shall to the annoyance of any other person or if requested not to do so by an authorised person, sing, perform on any musical or other instrument or use any gramophone, record player, tape recorder or portable wireless or television apparatus.


It might be an iPod rather than a 'gramophone' but the law is still there, at least on DART/IE/BE/Dub Bus.

I'd love to know if there's a reason why gramophone is specifically mentioned. Or record player for that matter.

But yeah it's pretty annoying. Especially when it's the same offender every morning. But I being of the cowardly type say nothing!

On one occasion I endured a bus journey where a parent let their child watch Barney on a laptop, sans headphones! Some people just don't care, or maybe are just oblivious. :mad:

Captain Danger

Pippy1976 wrote: »

I wouldn't go so far as to say it 'ruins my day' but it's not very courteous in my opinion.

Perhaps not, but it is public transport. Besides, someone else may have a problem with you loudly talking on your phone, or eating chewing gum etc. We probably all have our little habits that can wreck other passengers heads!

gobnaitolunacy

Niles wrote: »

I'd love to know if there's a reason why gramophone is specifically mentioned. Or record player for that matter.

But yeah it's pretty annoying. Especially when it's the same offender every morning. But I being of the cowardly type say nothing!

On one occasion I endured a bus journey where a parent let their child watch Barney on a laptop, sans headphones! Some people just don't care, or maybe are just oblivious. :mad:

It's from 1984, but they were probably 'cutting and pasting' from an earlier legal doc.

Pippy1976

NegativeCreep wrote: »

Sorry but you're allowed listen to your earphones as loud as you want! I wouldnt turn down my music for anyone. I need it to drown out the other horrible noises on public transport!

Of course you're allowed 'listen to your 'earphones' (that's some feat!) as loud as you want... however, you can have it up to a certain volume to hear the music without everyone else (60+ people) having to listen to it aswell.

Can you understand that? Why don't you care, if you don't mind me asking?

And yes, those iPod bud earphones are possibly the worst quality ones EVER.

Oink

wilkie2006 wrote: »

In the long-term, listening to someone's $hite tinny music for 20 minutes isn't really a big deal though, is it?

"Because some stressful effects depend on qualities of the sound other than its absolute decibel value, the annoyance associated with sound may need to be considered in regard to health effects".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_from_noise


There you go. Being forced to listen annoying "music" is bad for your health.
If you add up all the feckin eejits you have to listen to every morning and every evening over a month, you have a right to find 20 minutes annoying.

alphabeat

its only going to get worse , those sit in the outer ear buds like apple / sony destroy your hearing
so they will end up having to turn them up in the future.

those yokes should come with free future lip reading classes.

in ears or large over ears are the only way to keep a check on volume and protect your hearing .

but also people atre so used to hearing crap mp3 quality or you tube that they dont realise the amount of distortion and low quality coming from cheap ear buds ..

if other people can hear it - you are are on the road to going deaf early .

so NegativeCreep - enjoy your future deafness - i know you dont think it will happen , but its 100% inevitable.

griffdaddy

I love getting into a packed bus on a rainy day and standing right in the middle of everyone with Jungle Mania blasting out through my open back headphones. I can tell everyone loves the high pitched drums without the bass.

NegativeCreep

Pippy1976 wrote: »

Of course you're allowed 'listen to your 'earphones' (that's some feat!) as loud as you want... however, you can have it up to a certain volume to hear the music without everyone else (60+ people) having to listen to it aswell.

Can you understand that? Why don't you care, if you don't mind me asking?

And yes, those iPod bud earphones are possibly the worst quality ones EVER.

I wear headphones, can't be doing with those iPod earphone things. Used to have those ones that go inside your ear but they broke so now im used to music being really loud I dunno, I just dont really care. I've never come across someone that had a problem with it before :P I find that I have to have it loud to cancel out the noise of the school kids on the bus. Can't listen to them!!

I do, however, get funny looks when I'm blasting some Björk on my headphones :P

Pippy1976

NegativeCreep wrote: »

I've never come across someone that had a problem with it before

Well, you have now.. so do us all a favour and turn it down - although, if you're using good quality headphones then maybe the public can't hear it. It's the buds are the problem I think....

previous user

Foam earplugs always work well for me.

patneve2

Don't worry OP, prolonged listening to loud music from earphones eventually leads to tinnitus...they will learn their lesson. I have definitely..