Why do people use their mobile phones on speaker?

[KnackeredBack]

My Dparents (late 80s) have to have all phonecalls on speakerphone, but that's so that my DM (dementia) can hear what's going on, or my DDad gets the 3rd degree as to what's being said. This I understand.

Why though, do loads of people have phone calls (not videocalls) on speakerphone instead of at the handset? In the last 2 weeks, I've been close to people almost shouting at their phone, all the way round the supermarket, sitting at a cafe, and on a train, with their entire conversations broadcasted?

Am I missing something?

In public? Because they’re moronic arseholes.

I have to at the moment as something's wrong with my phone and that's the only way I can hear anything. I try to avoid answering the phone in public though!

My speaker is rubbish when not on loudspeaker and I can't hear. I try to use headphones but if I don't have any to hand I have no other choice

The loudspeakers in a car can be heard so loud and clear outside - I heard a delightful conversation the other morning between a man in a van and his friend on the phone who is having an affair. Can only hope phone man's wife walks past next time they're discussing the state of his marriage and loudly broadcasting the conversation to the street!

My in-laws do this, and put me on loudspeaker to whoever is there, without warning me that whoever else can hear me. I hate it! I hate the way people hold the phones like walk-in talkies too 😭

I had this on the train the other day. Young, teen girl sat behind me all the way home, on speaker to her friend.. it wasn't so much the speaker phone that bothered me, more so her use of "fam" "bro" "innit" and "you get me doh" "allow it" and more annoying teen terminology she was using.. that made me cringe more than anything - why do kids talk like this?!

Because the Kardashians did it

I can’t hear them otherwise

@UngratefulOldCabbage
Sorry I don't mean through the speakers
I'm talking in a car engine off, using hand free phone
Usually waiting for a cold to come out of an after school club
So definitely not heard from outside my car

Mainly because they are inconsiderate fuckwits

I wish it was socially acceptable to say excuse me can you turn that off. If restaurants and cafes put signs up it would help, I know some people wouldn't care but most would and it would make it ok to point at the sign and they would stop.

Missing the point but I can't understand why people need to have conversations in public in the first place.

I do do this! On the bus, tube etc.

"Excuse me, can you please turn that off?"

• snarky response -

"Well, I've paid to travel, not hear your phonecalls, videos, nonsense etc. If you can afford a fancy pants phone you can afford a pair of earphones"

I often do it as find it easier to hear but would avoid it if I was in a busy public place

I do it if I am unable to connect Bluetooth to my hearing aids, but if is only occasionally. I’m lucky to have been given these aids on the NHS but many people do not have Bluetooth on their aids. Deafness is often called an invisible disability so please spare a thought that the person who is using their speakerphone may be hard of hearing.

I think it's because Apple removed the phonejack for wired headphones and people can't be bothered to carry around charged Bluetooth headphones and synch them up etc when they get a call.

Same

I always use speakerphone at home so I don’t have to have the phone by my ear, I feel like I can hear better and I can get on with other things whilst I chat as I can use speakerphone handsfree. I wouldn’t use speakerphone in public though.

I didn't actually think people were using it on speaker, the normal volume is really loud.

But I've also realised that lots of phones don't have headphone sockets anymore so you can't use headphones unless you have bluetooth headphones set up. Which you often have to redo again and again so people won't bother.

It is very very annoying.

Ah I should have read your post first!

Yup. They all think they are on The Apprentice.

If you are unable for any reason to have a phone call not on speaker then I’m afraid you need to wait until you are at home or in your car (with windows closed)

This

I wouldn't put speaker on unless it's me alone in my car or in the house.

My dad's a huge fan of speaker, in his car, when he's not alone. You'll be part way into a conversation and you hear someone else cough. Then he'll say "just so you know you're on speaker, everyone say hi" followed by hi from various family members in the car.

Another poster mentioned someone listening to voicemails on speaker in public, wow, that's brave.

So you can be hands free!

I'm hearing impaired so need to put it on speaker.
But out in public I will do the best I can without and ask the caller to ring back at another time if I can't hear.
Tbh taking a phone call with traffic noise is a bit of a non-starter for me, with or without hearing aid/ speaker.
Too much other noise going on that I can't get way from.

Because they are attention seeking, inconsiderate, self entitled wankers.

I have no idea why people think I want to listen to their conversation and sadly it seems to be the norm now.