To find it SO annoying when people have phone conversations on speakerphone?

[squaahedalmondcroissant]

You know, where someone is holding their phone in front of their face with the speaker on and talking as if the person is sitting next to them rather than putting the phone to their ear like a normal person

Is this a new (ish) thing? I'm noticing it everywhere at the moment and it's doing my bloody head in!

It's been a thing on TV for ages but I assumed that was because the programme makers needed the audience to hear the other side of the conversation but WHY the ever loving fuck do people do this in real life?!?!

It's not like when 2 people are having a real life conversation in public because in those cases people normally moderate their volume so they aren't speaking super loud but people doing this always turn the phone volume up to 11! Plus it's that tinny, weird sound that a person's voice makes through a phone not a 'normal' sounding voice.

Dp and I were on holiday recently and had a lovely meal out ruined by some selfish fucker at the next table blaring out their conversation for the whole restaurant to hear. We left early because of it!

Aibu? Or Is there genuinely a good reason I'm just too old and tech unsavvy to understand for people to do this?

I have to do it as my phone is crap and I can't hear it unless on speaker. I am suitably mortified though and avoid answering calls on public at all cost's because of this. It is however sometimes unavoidable.

It is just plain rude. It is rude even have a one way conversation aloud in public transports or at the restaurant but at least the person speaking can whisper and they should keep very short. A two way conversation aloud is another level of rudeness. They should put signs in public transport and definitely in a restaurant they should ask people to stop. Same as they would ask people not to put their feet on the table. Phone manners and etiquette should be taught at school same as table manner and being polite. Unfortunately we can not rely on the parents as the 30-40 yo generation is the rudest (I belong to it!) and their kids are just being brought up to have no phone manners.

In the toilets at a service station yesterday and a woman was attempting to have a phone conversation on her smart watch. She looked like Captain Kirk and conversation was mainly them yelling ‘What?!’ at each other. She gave me such a filthy look when I used the hand dryer after washing my hands!

This is my pet peeve. Fine if you're somewhere private but out in public.. so bloody obnoxious and unnecessary

Which is just as bad. I understand if you are out and about normal conversation between people is fine but video calls and speakerphone calls have this tinny sound in the background and I have sensory issues so its like someone ringing a bell in my ear continuously when this happens. I think it is so rude.

If someone’s doing that in public it’s probably only decent to interrupt & say ‘You do know you’re on speaker & the whole bus / whole cafe is listening to this?’

Yanbu it’s annoying! I do it but only when I’m at home as I then have my hands free but wouldn’t dream of doing it in a public place.

I hate this too! It’s horrible and would never ordinarily do this. However I have recently been forced to become one of these people as my top speaker on my phone has broken due to my 9 month old putting my phone in her mouth 😫I’m having to put my phone on loudspeaker whenever I am to answer the phone otherwise I can’t hear the person calling. I hate myself for being one of those people 😆

DD and DM do this when they speak to me. I can tell because if they move their head in the wrong way, I can't fucking hear them. I'm constantly saying "take your phone off speaker so I can actually hear you" but every phone call starts on speaker. That is in their own house at least.

Another thing about being on speaker/video call is that my privacy is reduced. I don't want to be in the back of someone's video and I feel really awkward about it.

There's a special circle of hell reserved for these people. Yanbu.

My DSis puts every single call on speaker regardless of location - she carries on texting/social media-ing. She moaned the other day that our DGM had asked if her partner had got a new job yet and if not why not and it was apparently reeeeally embarrassing for her because her partner was there and the conversation was on speaker...erm, take it off speaker then?! 🤣

About 35 years ago in my first ever office job, a woman worked in the same room who did this with every single phone call she ever made. And she made a lot of phone calls selling advertising. At first, I thought maybe that was normal office etiquette but I soon realised she was just a pompous twit.

I do it if I'm working from home (alone) as I can type/do other things with my hands at the same time.
I'd never do it in public and I can only assume people do it this way because if they use earbuds, it looks as though they're talking to themselves. I agree though, it's very inconsiderate to subject other people to two sides of your very loud conversation!

I would only put speakerphone on if I was on my own.

I do it if someone calls me and I'm alone and in the middle of making a coffee etc.

I would NEVER do it in company.

I also hate people playing videos loudly.

I find it really rude!

If you can’t hear your phone except on speaker you might have some hearing loss. Obviously not the case if your baby put it in their mouth like pp! It’s really common to lose the treble but because it often comes on gradually and because you might be able to hear bass notes at a normal level it’s often not that noticeable for a while. On an iPhone in settings/accesibility I think you can up the treble which would for many people make it clearer as you’d be missing fewer speech sounds, although I think this might be applied to ear buds rather than speaker, or maybe consider a hearing test.

Tested for hearing loss here, apparently no hearing loss but hearing sensitivity really struggle with any phone conversations. Mobiles just about doable if on speaker, outdoors I rarely pick up as I can't be bothered with the struggle!

guilty yer honour. I have some hearing loss so can't always hear without the phone being on loudspeaker. I try not to phone on public transport or keep it short if I do

Just shout wanker!! in to their phone as you walk past.

Guilty as charged (although I usually shamble off into a less public area).

I have hearing loss; I usually use video calling via WhatsApp so I can lip read (51 years of hearing loss & lip reading & counting).

If I’m in a quiet carriage or public space, I put my phone onto silent & don’t answer it, I’m not a complete savage.

Why don't you use a Bluetooth headset then?

Theres been a general blurring of public v private space over the last few years spurred on by mobiles. Cinemas, theatres, concerts, public transport, cafes etc etc are just an extension of your own home it seems and so behaviour doesn't need to be modified.

Add on to that the fact that people very quickly copy others so it's now fine to shout into your phone wherever and whenever you like.

I hate it too, I can't understand WHY they do it!!!
I am so tempted to join in the conversation but haven't so far🤣

A woman was doing this in a cafe recently. There were a few other tables of people in there. She gave me absolute evils when my son and I started chatting to the person at the counter when we paid. Apparently we were interrupting her call!! So entitled!

I have to do it as my speaker is broken and I can only hear the other person if it’s on loudspeaker! I would avoid doing it in public unless I really had no choice but to take the call.

This and watching video's on loud volume in waiting rooms
Why do you think everyone wants to listen to your conversation or video!
Get some bloody earphones!