AIBW (am I being weird) to wear earplugs on the bus?

[Cumberlover76]

Recently I've taken to wearing earplugs on the bus, particularly in the morning, so I can read in peace without hearing the tinny whisper of other people's headphones. I have my own headphones and listen to stuff (at a reasonable level!) on the way home. But sometimes just want silence and not radio or music. Would you think I was weird if you saw me putting my earplugs in? Not that I really give a shiny shit what anyone thinks! Just got a funny look from someone when I pulled out my earplugs. Works really well btw if you have similar public transport issues! Unless anyone has better suggestions, apart from not having to use the bus with other people shudders!

No I wouldn't think it weird. Sometimes I wear ear phones with no sound for same purpose!

I wouldn’t think anything. I pretty much wouldn’t care.

That’s a fab idea, I may copy you, like PP I tend to use earphones with nothing playing. I often wear sunglasses when they’re not really needed, just to feel like I have a bit of privacy in busy public places and ease social anxiety (not having to cope with random eye contact with strangers).

YANW

I use noise cancelling headphones and a white noise app (Relax Music) on bus and train journeys for similar reasons. YANBU

Not wierd at all. No problem at all.

I recently got noise cancelling headphones which I wear on planes/trains/wherever and it's FANTASTIC - I didn't realise quite how noisy being out and about was until I could turn it on and off.

So can you use noise cancelling headphones to just block sound without listening to anything? Are they hugely expensive? It's my birthday next week and DH is asking what I'd like so perhaps?

I wear them on trains and planes for exactly the same reason!

Cumberland - yes you can I bet though I don’t have a pair. My friend with auditory sensitivities wears them a lot. They vary hugely in price and quality from like £30 to mega expensive.

can I believe*

Not weird at all. I don’t have any sensory difficulties, but I did used to have an hour long commute home on a route frequented by gaggles of loud Spanish school students heading back to their lodgings.

If I’d seen you take earplugs out of your bag I probably would’ve offered to buy them off you!

I have been known to wear earplugs at the cinema to block out other people's eating noises and whispering! I enjoy the film soooo much more! Enjoy your peace!

So can you use noise cancelling headphones to just block sound without listening to anything? Are they hugely expensive?

Yes, you can. I have some Bose ones and you can flick the noise cancelling switch without listening to anything. They were very expensive but I've had mine for several years now.

The only thing I would say though is that they are very good at blocking out constant white noise from traffic, but less good at blocking out things like chatter, babies screaming etc. A much cheaper alternative that I used to use is to get a pair a cheap ear defenders (you can get black ones like this www.onedirect.co.uk/peltor/3m-peltor-optime-ii-foldable-version?fee=7&fep=99405&LGWCODE=PELOPTIME2F;156499;2389&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0bHm25Dd3QIVr73tCh1fHgqIEAQYCiABEgKn5PD_BwE which don't look too dissimilar from chunky headphones, but they do look a little bit more industrial so it depends on whether you are self-conscious).

I wear earplugs on my train commute as I use the time to study. Fed up with leaky headphones, snoring, conversations and the like (and I sit in the quiet carriage)