To think that playing your music out loud in public shouldn't be tolerated?

[Hopspinach]

Since I moved to London, I've noticed it's really common for people to play their music out loud in public. I've experienced this in hospital waiting rooms, when having a picnic by a river, in parks, on the bus, on residential streets... It just strikes me as hugely presumptuous to assume everyone wants to hear your music. Why can't people use headphones? What if I were to play my music loudly over the top of theirs? Why do people even do this? Music is highly subjective - you can't assume others will enjoy what you're listening to.

I've noticed it's normally tolerated by others, however, so am I the one who's being unreasonable here? Or is everyone just cursing in their head but we're too passive aggressive as a nation to actually say anything?

Or is this just a thing that's acceptable in London and I need to adapt?

People who do this are selfish. Sadly the vast majority of folk are reasonable and polite, so the selfish sods don't get challenged and just get away with it. If I could be invisible for a day, one of the things I'd do is go around snatching devices being used to play loud music in public devices and chucking them into the nearest pond/canal/toilet.

They need a bucket of cold tea over their heads as far as I'm concerned.

Hate it.

I visit a lovely caravan every year. The new neighbours had their hideous music playing outside on the patio. I put R3 on very loud in my car with the windows down. That learned ‘em.

I tell offenders to put on headphones or turn it off.
The more people tolerate noise pollution, the more it becomes acceptable by default.

I tell them to put headphones in. Sometimes I get a shitty response but they usually turn it off.

People who do this are utter UTTER twats.
I walked past someone playing their shit music out loud up a mountain the other day! I've had days at the beach ruined, camping holidays ruined, lunches out ruined, long train journeys ruined - you name it.

@JayAlfredPrufrock

Hate it.

I visit a lovely caravan every year. The new neighbours had their hideous music playing outside on the patio. I put R3 on very loud in my car with the windows down. That learned ‘em.

Singing along is another good tactic. With the wrong words, obviously. Bonus points if you are out of tune.

Yanbu. See also Bluetooth speakers in gardens. Yes, it’s your garden but everyone for 50metres either side and hear you and why the hell should they have to??

I think it's quite nice to see groups of people enjoying music in a sunny day on the park if they have decent speaker. I hate hearing music play directly out of mobile phone in indoor spaces though.

Agree - has happened lots when I've been on a bus. By yougish males.

I do wonder if the player of loudspeaker music is just really hoping for a confrontation and is disappointed when no one asks them or tells them to turn it off.

People on here must have teenage or young 20s sons - perhaps they could sound them out and report back as to why it's a thing nowadays..

@ItMustBeBedtimeSurely

Yanbu. See also Bluetooth speakers in gardens. Yes, it’s your garden but everyone for 50metres either side and hear you and why the hell should they have to??

Whenever I see an ad for these things it brings me out in a cold sweat. Browsing for headphones in John Lewis a few years ago. I saw a promo display for a portable speaker that apparently was suitable for pools and the beach. Nightmare.

I asked some people sitting at the table next to mea restaurant to turn off the film they were watching extremely lousy the other day. I just don't get it, who goes to a red and subjects others to that shit. I couldn't hear myself think let alone speak to my friend. They got very pissy about it

I dunno, can't get worked up about it.
If you're passing by someone who has music playing, or they're passing you, in reality you can probably hear it for about 20seconds, less probably!
It's totally out of order to play it in confined spaces like waiting rooms or trains though.
Having had kids, and three under three at that. I have found I'm expert at filtering unwanted noise out now, very little annoys me and I can happily zone out.

I don’t think it’s limited to men/boys.

I encountered a mother smiling indulgently as her girls jumped all over a flower bed. She went ballistic when I told them to stop destroying the plants.

If you don’t teach your kids to be considerate and a good citizen, then you can’t wonder why they grow up to be rude arses.

I hate it, I find it really disorienting too. So selfish. Also hate people who have conversations on loudspeaker in public places.

I hate loud music and due to past experience it sets my anxiety off. I do not understand why others think we want to hear it.

Likewise I do not understand why people have to shout conversations. I can only assume it's an attention seeking and selfish thing.

Drives me mad OP. I just thought it must be going on everywhere. Interesting to hear that’s not necessarily the case.

@katicomps

I dunno, can't get worked up about it. If you're passing by someone who has music playing, or they're passing you, in reality you can probably hear it for about 20seconds, less probably! It's totally out of order to play it in confined spaces like waiting rooms or trains though. Having had kids, and three under three at that. I have found I'm expert at filtering unwanted noise out now, very little annoys me and I can happily zone out.

I’m thinking of tube, bus, Highgate Woods when I’ve traveled there to hear birdsong and peace. Also the loudspeaker conversations follow you round everywhere. I interrupted someone FaceTimeimg on the bus. They were sitting next to me. So I joined in.

Garden cinemas should be on your list too, annoying as fuck

I absolutely hate it too.

What a relief to find I'm not the only one. It distresses me to an abnormal (I thought) degree, but now I see I'm 'normal'. My son (autistic) used to scream for hours with most auditory input, and I thought I'd passed on my intolerance to him. Or maybe I'm autistic?

YANBU and all the above.

Does anyone remember the massive stereo/radio things that youngsters would carry around on their shoulders during the 80s? Down the street and in the parks ect. I was a teen and it still annoyed me!

I have always assumed that people who do this are a bit thick so tend to ignore it for that reason.

Yes, I hate it too. Especially on the beach!