Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To think people with really loud laughs need to show a bit of consideration

56 replies

user1485342611 · 15/02/2017 12:00

We were seated beside a group in a restaurant at the weekend and one woman had a really loud shrieky laugh that we were forced to listen to every couple of minutes. She could be heard across the restaurant and we weren't the only people shooting her the occasional annoyed glance, to which she was totally oblivious.

AIBU to think that loudly guffawing or shrieking with laughter constantly throughout your meal in a restaurant is fecking annoying and people should use a bit of cop on and control themselves.

Not objecting to people enjoying themselves and having a good laugh, but no need to ensure it can be heard at the other side of the restaurant.

OP posts:

IamSwitzerland · 15/02/2017 13:25

was it Janis from Friends? (oldie)

MumBod · 15/02/2017 13:27

Never mind, Maps. Maybe you and I should meet for dinner in a coal mine?

Titsywoo · 15/02/2017 13:31

Sometimes I laugh like Michael Jackson says/sings "Hee hee". Not too loud though. I still hate myself when I do it. Or when I laugh like mutley. Laughter can't be controlled (unless you have a stick up your arse or no sense of humour and are fake laughing).

MadHattersWineParty · 15/02/2017 13:36

It is annoying. Some people just get right in your ears.

Lottapianos · 15/02/2017 13:45

I hear you OP. I was having lunch with friends on Sunday and there was a guy at the table behind us who honked with laughter so loudly that we couldn't hear each other speak. Very annoying. I agree that people should pipe down a bit and behave like they're in public, but some people are just oblivious and live in their own bubble at all times. What can you do?

Nose blowing is also annoying but a thousand times less annoying than constant sniffing. Big loud 'manly' coughs are my personal pet peeve. I know people can't help coughing but some seem to embellish for dramatic effect. Grr

livefornaps · 15/02/2017 13:46

@MumBod - it's so awful being "that person". I feel like I'm back at school getting told off (all I ever did get in trouble for was laughing uncontrollably)...or the university library, don't even get me started, one year I hadn't even made it five minutes into the new semester without being told to shush. Added to that, I have a voice that carries to boot. I am truly s.o.r.r.y. on behalf of all the boomers, the snorters and honkers. We don't mean it. We go at life full pelt and we know that can be grating, but there's nothing we can do (at one point I considered searching for anti-elocution lessons, y'know, that instead of projecting would teach me to mumble. )

bulletjournal · 15/02/2017 13:57

YANBU

totally rude and entitled. Laughter absolutely can be controlled. I bet whoever said that who miraculously find a way to be quieter to keep their baby asleep for example. You can have an excellent time in a public place without making a fool of yourself.

TrueBlueYorkshire · 15/02/2017 14:14

YANBU for a restaurant or any sort of formal setting.

YABU pretty much anywhere else.

People might be annoying, and could at least show a little etiquette, but that's life.

Euripidesralph · 15/02/2017 14:48

Lol the responses from those who do this are cracking me up.....you are aware the passover aggressive poor me stuff feeds exactly into what people are saying...the attention seeking

"I'll just never laugh again"....complete with added implied comment that as exh was controlling we are being mean as well.....really?

" we just run at full pelt "

Seriously? That's outstandino

I do find the loud people unnecessarily attention seeking and in fairness I swear hey are often those who also say "I'm mad me "

Self control

Original poster

user1485342611 · 15/02/2017 15:07

Yes, I'm finding the 'poor us' posts a bit disingenuous.

OP posts:

Crispbutty · 15/02/2017 15:11

I agree, and I'm sure those who say they can't help it are more than able to control themselves in situations where needed such as court/church/funerals

MumBod · 15/02/2017 15:15

EuripedesRalph

Don't lol too loudly, please. Some of us are trying to type while you're cracking up

MumBod · 15/02/2017 15:15

Crispbutty I don't know about you, but I tend to relax more in a restaurant than in a church.

Original poster

user1485342611 · 15/02/2017 15:18

Yes, but the point is that if you can quieten your laughter in a Church, you can quieten it in a restaurant. You obviously realise it's unusually loud, so surely you realise that it's annoying for other people also trying to 'relax' in a restaurant.

OP posts:

Mari50 · 15/02/2017 15:23

My next door neighbour has a very loud and unattractive laugh. It's nice that she has so much to laugh at to be honest but, dear god, it's hard to listen to.

knackeredinyorkshire · 15/02/2017 15:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

anxious2017 · 15/02/2017 15:33

A teacher I work with has a loud, shrieking, really fucking annoying laugh. It's just rude, especially when we are in meetings, planning sessions etc. The staff room at lunchtime is unbearable because it cuts over everyone's conversations. I'm all for people enjoying life, but it really is rude and very easily controlled.

MumBod · 15/02/2017 15:37

To be fair, a loud guffaw would only occur the once. I don't cackle loudly throughout my dinners. My friends and family are not that funny, and I'm usually eating anyway.

But if I'm relaxed, and someone says something very funny...out it pops.

hmcAsWas · 15/02/2017 15:39

There was a woman like this in the audience at the cinema, it was a comedy so lots of laughter was involved and nothing wrong with all the other patrons laughing heartily, but she was so effin loud and shrill with her laugh it was completely distracting. I wanted to tell her to shut up (and would have done so had she been talking) but I didn't feel I could justify telling her to stop laughing! She spoiled the movie for me

Original poster

user1485342611 · 15/02/2017 15:42

I was in a shop once and a woman walking past me let out this really loud, shrill piercing laugh at something her friend had just said. I actually had a headache for the rest of the afternoon. It just went right through me. I would hate to work with that woman or have to sit near her in a restaurant.

OP posts:

KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 15/02/2017 15:44

The shrill ones are vile.

They hurt my ears.

walkingtheplank · 15/02/2017 15:46

It's just selfishness, "Oh look at me, I'm so funny, I get the joke, honest!' Totally boorish.

We were out last night across the room from a table of 6. One woman was shrieking all evening. Over the evening the other ladies joined in and by the end the men were high pitch shrieking too. It was a struggle to have a conversation at our table.

I used to travel to Amsterdam a lot. Often hen nights and stag nights onboard the flight who had to laugh at full volume.

I just don't understand the need for it. I always assume that the ones laughing loudest are having the least fun and are putting on a show of being part of the gang, getting the joke.

Original poster

user1485342611 · 15/02/2017 15:51

Yes, very often it sounds like someone desperately trying to be the life and soul of the party. The kind that probably bears down on people at weddings and Christmas parties and insists on dragging them all onto the dance floor when they were quite happily chatting and enjoying a drink.

OP posts:

Katy07 · 15/02/2017 15:53

If it's genuine laughter then I don't mind so much (within reason) but some is definitely put on. I know someone who does loud fake laughter and it's embarrassing - she'll laugh at vaguely humorous comments that I make as if they're totally hilarious, and sadly they're not. They're mildly amusing. Worth a brief smile and move on. Don't bray like a sodding donkey at the top of your voice while people around are looking. Drives me mad.

Nonibaloni · 15/02/2017 15:53

This was probably me. I have a booming guffaw, and yes I try and suppress it and then I'm shuddering and crying lunatic.

My whole family is like this though. We're not that funny but tend to get on a roll.

It's not attention seeking. It's a natural response. So much of my life is repressed I could probably do that to my laugh too but then where would we be.

I honestly don't know what to say to this. How about distracting wide toothed smiles? They ok?

Flip

1 2 3