To ask for opinions

[noidea02]

Just interested in views really. Would it annoy you if you were out for a walk in the woods and another walker was listening to music/podcasts on loudspeaker on their phone?

No, through life I’ve learnt to be tolerant of noise in public places. And in a woods you can just walk a different direction to the person playing the music Some people will be annoyed by anything though.

Not at all. Did it bother you?

I would be a little annoyed. There’s no reason not to have headphones. What they were listening to would influence whether I said something (thinking about the teenager I asked to turn his off as he was listening to a sweaty sports podcast whilst sat on a bench in a children’s park)

Maybe if I was out with my kids and it was very sweary music/adult themed podcast. But not really otherwise.

Yes. It's just more noise pollution. I want to listen to the birds.
Are you the offender or the offended, OP?

Not loads, but it’s a bit inconsiderate, isn’t it?

I’m not sure I’d be annoyed, because I assume I wouldn’t be able to hear it for that long. But I would think they were a bit of a twat.

Same.

And for the same reasons as Wordsmithery

I wouldn't say anything though. I find that people who are inconsiderate don't generally become more considerate because it's been pointed out to them.

No. Because I am walking so presumably would walk away from this.

Yes, if I was walking the same route as them so would hear it for a while.

noise from a phone is so tinny, it goes right through me.

headphones exist for a reason.

On holiday one year my partner once asked a woman if she had any headphones on her when she was watching a tv show on her phone when we were poolside. It’s so antisocial.

If it was fleeting (ie someone walking past) or the volume was reasonable I wouldn't really mind. I would find it irritating if someone parked themselves next to me and played music really loudly.

Basically my bellwether for noise pollution is "can you get away from it?" If it's something you can escape easily I don't mind. When people do it on a bus or a train I feel like assaulting them because there's no choice involved.

Yes a little bit.
Why not wear headphones?

Yes it is rude to have speakers playing that others can hear. Same on a train, waiting room and even your own house if other family members are home.

Yes, its my pet peeve.

Its a public space and in a civilized society we have to consider how our actions affect others in public spaces.

Wouldn’t annoy me any more than people having a conversation or dogs barking or children laughing or crying. I would prefer silence… but unless it’s my own woods I wouldn’t expect silence.

I'd probably think 'That's mildly odd', but as I'm a fast walker I'd have moved out of earshot pretty quickly.

Yes

Yes it would. I was in a large park at the weekend and someone walked past listening to a podcast. I thought it was very selfish.

When I go out I want to hear the sounds of nature: birdsong, the wind in the trees, a babbling brook, crashing waves or whatever happens to be there. I have no objection to normal human sounds, such as people talking or children playing, but I don’t want to hear someone else’s choice of podcast or music. There is no excuse these days, given that headphones are so easy to come by.

Yes.

Yes, there's no excuse for not wearing headphones in a public place.

I'd rather listen to nature - lots of people go walking for peace of mind, not to listen to other people's unnecessary noise.

Yes it would annoy me, less so than on a train or bus, but it's still inconsiderate.

Are you the walker listening on the phone OP?

Yes it would. One of the reasons people go for woodland walks is to get some peace and quiet, or listen to natural sounds.

Yes. Please use headphones.