Do you play music in public? WHY?

[Grau]

Today me and DCs have gone to a local beauty spot by the river. It's really peaceful, usually a few people having picnics and kids paddling and that's it. Today a family has set up near us and is playing music very loudly. For me it really spoils the vibe of being outside with just the sound of the breeze and the water. I've noticed this on the beach too. The worst was someone setting up a big speaker on some rocks in a spot of absolute staggering beauty abroad where everyone else was talking quietly and snorkeling. I just don't get it. I'd genuinely like to hear from those who do this, some of you must be here. Do you think because you like the music, others will too? Do you think it sets a nice energy and that everyone else will be thankful/enjoy it? Do you just not care as long as you have what you want?

YABU - it's not a problem
YANBU - it's antisocial and/or selfish
(Edited by MNHQ at request of OP)

Ermmm, what?

It depends, sometimes it's nice on a beach, I personally don't even own speakers but I've been on beaches and it's had kids dancing about etc. sitting on a quiet bench in the countryside, no that's plain wrong

I've sometimes asked people to turn it off. Invariably the response is 'why', 'f off', or 'old bitch'.

Hm, it depends where we are.
We avoid beaches and parks when it's really busy so often we'll find a quiet spot where others aren't around and play some quiet music. If people come along we switch it off. We always send DS out to do a sound check (he basically walks away until he can't hear the music anymore and marks a secret code in the sand so we know to turn it off or down if people go there).

I'd rather someone played music than bellowed or screeched at each other. Often those who bring alcohol with them and a disposable BBQ and set up right in the middle of everyone and let their kids play with balls in-between where others are sitting. All the above is why we don't go to busy beaches

I fucking hate it. I never thought I could be friends with the type of demon that would play music in public but here we are..

1. An entirely reasonable, well brought up, educated, kind man was baffled when I told him that playing music through speakers at a small UK campsite was totally unreasonable. He genuinely hadnt considered anyone else around him and that it might be annoying and said 'yeah but I can hear them talking..'. Yes dear it's very different.
2. We live in another part of the world now. Went to beautiful beach (popular but peaceful, lots of wildlife) with very good, lovely friend who brought along a stupid tinny speaker. So incongruous. She was also baffled. Couldn't see the problem...

They walk among us

The other one that cheeses me off is sitting at traffic lights listening to the radio when along comes "the look at me car" blasting their often tinny music which is usually not to my taste. Their's is so loud you can't hear your own radio.

I have a music related degree, I like music but I hate others inflicting their music on me and no I never inflict mine in anyone.

Some PP mentioned that nowadays there are not enough park rangers and others to enforce some sort of conduct.

That's part of the problem, that these rules are not necessarily ingrained in people (about what you don't do in public, for various reasons (health, safety, ASBO, noise pollution....)), they are not forwarded in some families and I wouldn't neccessarily say to add it to the school curriculum like the 10000 other things schools are supposed to teach instead of parents or caregivers.

On buses and trains there are n't any or not many conductors anymore who would notice that and deal with it, as the driver obviously can't do it themselves while driving.

All the extra staff has been reduced for cost-saving measures but without some external checks apparently people do not inherently care for that.

But comparable to the schemes about litter picking, councils could perhaps start campaigns on other topics like noise, too. Something where they reach a large percentage of the population, so that it's more about prevention than individually contacting every source of noise. That could help with the social awareness.

The noise raises stress levels (more costs to the health system and of course to the individual) and annoys wildlife. One important aspect of it (as provided by the examples here) is that the others cannot choose what to listen to and that it carries through the surrounding and through walls and windows.

What people did in the decades earlier is probably a different kettle of fish as the speakers weren't as loud and powerful as they are now, even the small portable ones and not everyone had one.

I would say it can also lower productivity when others can't focus as much or intrudes on the downtime of others that they need to relax, too and to work productively the next day. This then has an economic cost, which is probably the only argument to get gears in motion in this political environment.

As for the builders, there is a "Considerate Constructors" scheme, and one of the points is to not play music as loudly, but I can't find it on the page right now, but I remember to have seen it.
www.considerateconstructors.com/about-us/the-code-of-considerate-practice/

I love listening to music in my car. I don't have it on very loud but even still, if I pull up at traffic lights I turn it down. It probably helps that I go through life hoping nobody will look at me

Pretty much anywhere you can't drive right up to IME

I’m embarrassed for people who do this. They look like chavs and it’s always really shit music as well.

I did when I was young. I like my music loud. I still have it loud if I’m the car alone or with my daughter. I do have more thought for other people now but as a teenager it didn’t even occur to me that it would be annoying!

Is now the time for me to whinge about my neighbour putting up a trampoline? It’s so high that the kids can peer into my garden and I’m so bloody annoyed about it. They were on it at 10.15pm last night when we went to bed!! We’ve bought some trellis to go on top of the fence and will be adding some climbing plants but it’s so inconsiderate.

Sorry to hijack OP, been dying to get that off my chest 😂

It's okay to annoy people sometimes

I tell you what I do which is cheeky.

I recognise which houses at the back of me played their shit music til 2am in their gardens. At 6:45am when I go to work, I play my car music loud by their fence. Justice.

Is this a serious post? Why is it? Are you 14?

🎯

Yes it's a serious post. No one has a right to a life free of minor annoyances and people should, within reason, enjoy themselves as they see fit.

The town where I live seems to be terrible for this.

There is a chap here who parks his bicycle up in the centre in the evening, and blasts out shite music and does his own awful karaoke.

Several regulars in the centre on mobility scooters who blast out music... people on pushbikes too.

There is also a guy who has speakers in his backpack and just walks circuits of the centre during the day.