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 think there’s definitely a difference between people who only take urgent speakerphone calls, talk quietly & get them over as quickly as possible, & people who have a long speakerphone chat about nothing urgent.

My mum used to do this 👍🏼

People do it all the time on the bus, particularly on Facetime which is so pointless because they're on the bus with the phone not even pointed at their face. The most annoying experience I had was two people having a loud conversation over a screaming toddler, I look over and it's the toddler who's on screen holding the phone. So the whole bus got subjected to the tantrum of a child who wasn't even present

I do it at home as my ears are damaged by ear infections and it's easier for me to hear. I'd never do it outside or in front of otherd as I don't want to broadcast my conversations.

Yes, we have someone at work who regularly makes high-decibel speakerphone calls to her young child on her lunch break in the open lunch area.

I'm similarly irritated when people at work take calls on their laptop speakers instead of their headsets - that 'scratchy' voice sound does my head in. Luckily this is relatively rare in my office!

Playing TikTok videos endlessly and no headphones

HelpMeGetThrough · Today 08:56

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

Heh! 😀

I HATE it! It makes me so angry.

My mum does this and still shouts because she thinks she has to. Then she continues doing whatever she was doing when she called, so her shouting is accompanied by banging of pans, stirring cups of coffee, using the toilet. I don't even have to put my phone on speaker for anyone in the vicinity to be able to hear her. It's really irritating and painful to listen to.

I do it when no one’s around, although I made pass the odd remote soul for two seconds.

It is straight up twattery!

If it's a short conversation I wouldnt bother but it's so much more comfortable not having to hold a device to your ear...I mean a phones design is not ergonomic.
I think it's fine as long as the volume and subject matter is similar to what other people are doing in a cafe/train/office/street.
My bugbear is when you're unaware you're on SP and others are listening in. I also say to the caller I have you on SP and eg I'm at home with OH or in Tescos.

Let's assume the subject matter is neutral and the volume is not excessive, then why is it rude to be able to hear someone's telephone conversation? Presumably you wouldnt have a problem if the 2 callers were sitting opposite each other having an identical conversation at the same volume. What's the difference in terms of impact on the passive passerby?

My microphone doesn't pick up very well if I hold it to my ear, plus my ear sometimes triggers apps, so I've reluctantly started the holding it out thing, but not in public, obviously.

I swear my 12yo doesn’t know where to actually hold a phone!

The person present tends to talk louder into the phone than people having a real life conversation, even if you think you don't you likely do. And the sound of the person on the other end is 'tinny' when on loudspeaker, which is extremely grating to some listeners, so it's much more intrusive than an in person conversation between two people. That's how it is for me anyway - it's partly the volume and partly the type of sound.

Lots of people saying “young people” are the ones doing this

I’ve only seen it from those who 50+

I don’t like it either. It’s not the same as two people chatting next to you. The other end of the phone is not the same as a second person being there

I’d never do it in public (unless maybe in a park) but at home yes.

I think it’s incredibly inconsiderate, as most who do it also seem to talk at full volume!

I think this is at least partly the result of phone companies being tight and no longer including hands-free kits with phones, which have got people used to using phones without holding them to their ears. In general, I also think smartphones have made people (even) less considerate than before, because they’re so caught up in what’s going on on their phone that the rest of the world ceases to register for them.

I don’t think there’s any excuse for it, though, it’s incredibly rude and antisocial and I think should be banned in restaurants/cafes/on public transport. As should watching TV/listening to music without headphones, that drives me bananas when I’m on a train!

I’m not sure about young people, but I’ve seen plenty under 50 doing it! I do see a lot of young people watching TV/listening to music on smartphones without headphones, though, I think for that young people are the worst offenders.

I am hard of hearing and ‘lucky’ that my phone goes straight to my hearing aids. I also use voice to text so I can see what’s being said on the screen but no one else has to hear it. I can’t hear the phone without my hearing aids and putting it on speaker doesn’t make the slightest difference, it just distorts the sound! Other people doing it in public is very uncomfortable for me because hearing aids are designed to amplify voices and it tends to pick up, and amplify, those loudspeakers over everything else, even the person directly in front of me I am trying to talk to!

OMG, I hate it too. When I was temping I worked in this place and their staff room was tiny, my box room is about the same size. You could fit about 5 people in there, maximum.

On my first day, a woman had the loudest conversation ever in front of me and two other people which lasted the full 30 minutes. It was excruciating and to wanted to kill her. Luckily, a better temping opportunity came up the next week so I was outta there!

Barring any genuine medical reasons or broken phones, it’s absolutely infuriating. I definitely think it’s stemmed from the kardashians, I’ve seen them do it a lot on their show and I can’t remember anyone doing it before them tbh.

I can understand this when people have a problem with hearing or a problem with the phone etc but I think for me, the main issue is if I'm on the other end of the phone, people don't always have the courtesy to tell you you're on loud speaker when the call starts. When you call someone on a phone, surely it's reasonable to assume it's a private conversation between you and the other person on the line.
I'd often say very different things if I knew others could hear me (often at full volume) .
Sometimes it could be a private medical issue or you could say something about another person who could overhear etc, but I once found out what present someone was thinking of buying me for Christmas as they hadn't been told by the person I was with, that they were on loud speaker. I just think it's really rude that when people do it, I never hear them warn the other person they are on loud speaker.
Also I do think it's somehow much more more annoying to hear on a bus or whatever than if 2 people sat there were having the same conversation. As PP have said, it's generally much louder and really not a nice sound.