Noise noise everywhere

I don’t enjoy the sound of children and am mightily grateful that there are none round here, nor visiting grandchildren. Bah humbug. Helmet and flak jacket on.

I am a member of Pipedown, an organisation who campaign against background music in public places. I was in Marks and Spencer and couldn't hear what the assistant was saying to me because of background music. I have a hearing problem so background noise makes it very difficult.

Don't mind the sound of children playing, but on our estate they seem unable to play without screaming. It's high-pitched and piercing and drives me mad. And that's before I've opened any windows. Spring/summer school holidays are the worst times. Yep, I'm a grumpy old woman.

Love to hear the sound of children playing, and certainly don’t expect silence - the world is not a silent place! I just object to the shouting into phones in public. My next door neighbour also has a voice like a piercing foghorn. On a summer’s day, it’s hard to enjoy my garden because all I can hear is her shouting at the top of her voice - usually on the phone for hours! I’d love her to shut up so I could enjoy the sounds of the children laughing and playing in other gardens!

As much as the noise irritates me I am also mindful that I should be grateful I can hear it.

Oh Vintagejazz I’m with you. Most people don’t need mobile phones - they shout so loud when using them. Also, it seems to be ‘the thing’ now to have the mobile on speaker so everyone can hear both sides of the conversation! I don’t want to listen to others’ conversations!!! Whatever happened to privacy, peace and quiet. Another grumpy old woman here

Lockdown in 2020 was bliss for us:

joiner at end of road was closed, therefore no grating machinery;
holiday cottage next door couldn't be let;
no road noise;
no RAF jets zooming overhead.

Just the birdies tweeting.

M0ira

The whole world just seems to be getting noisier and noisier!
Children playing appear to have to scream and shout at each other. While in a pub, yesterday, two small boys ran around the tables while others were trying to eat their lunch peacefully and the parents said said nothing when their ear piercing screams could be heard from the next village.
I wear noise cancelling head phones now when out in the garden. I may well start wearing them everywhere ?

Really irritating, shame that children can't learn to sit down and stop shouting whilst they're in a restaurant. I have two adopted GC. When they first came they found it hard to sit still in restaurants but now they're happy to sit, eat and talk rather than rush around like banshees.
Most of the restaurants we visit would ask parents to get the children to sit down at least.

MiniMoon

I feel your pain. I too dislike all the music played seemingly everywhere these days. Even at home, sitting quietly enjoying the peace, DH comes in a switches the tv on. He likes background noise!
That being said, we went for lunch to a local pub recently and there was no music. It was very refreshing, just the conversation of the other diners.

You're lucky to have only quiet conversation from other diners, here they seem to get louder and louder in attempts to out-do each other.

One thing that annoys me is those that while having a conversation on a mobile phone do not put the phone up to or even close to their ear, but hold the phone away from them and shout into it !
You therefore have the joy of hearing both sides of the conversation whether you want to or not - especially while you are sitting near the front of the bus and they are at the back!

Where have you all been for the last 50 years?

All right we didn't have mobile phones then, but most of the other noises have been going strong since the 1970s.

Surely it bothered you all then? It did me.

Our local Tesco has quiet hours twice a week where they turn off the music and dim the lights.

Oh Thank you Nandad!! I will try to remember.

I live with a TV addict, who puts our TV on before 8am, and it doesn't go off until at least 11pm, then a radio by the bed for the night. I hate noise and spend as much time as possible in our sometimes quiet garden...means housework comes 2nd but hey ho.

Complain loudly to the person! I asked someone who was paying his music on the bus loudly 'to turn his crap down !' because my husband who has tinnitus was suffering, and I got angry. Next time, I might use nicer language!He did it straight away.

Complain to shops. Unless we do something about noise and anti-social behaviour, we will all have to live our lives in the way these people choose. Take a risk!

The worst pollution ever …noise. You can shut your eyes and your mouth but NOT your ears!! I have tinnitus… a specialist at hospital said it’s probably caused by noise pollution. My husband has tv 3x as loud as I need it. I can hear properly with sound set at 12/13…..my husband needs 34/35. He refuses thought he’s deaf! And wouldn’t wear aid if he knew he was …which he does!
Music the same! My house is 16 hours of misery. I hate winters. Can’t get into garden.
Selfish …selfish noisy people!!

M0ira

The whole world just seems to be getting noisier and noisier!
Children playing appear to have to scream and shout at each other. While in a pub, yesterday, two small boys ran around the tables while others were trying to eat their lunch peacefully and the parents said said nothing when their ear piercing screams could be heard from the next village.
I wear noise cancelling head phones now when out in the garden. I may well start wearing them everywhere ?

What a sad post - I am happy to hear children squealing while they are playing - it’s what children do.
But if some people prefer them to be seen and not heard, that is their choice.

We sometimes go for a meal to our local pub. They have 'music' on but often all I can hear is the drum machine and have no idea what the song is. If I have gone with friends for a natter at lunchtime, I have tried to get the music turned down but the staff say they are not allowed.

Another advantage of hearing aids - you can switch them off.

In my area, every hairdressers has dance music on very loud. So any visit involves perhaps 60 to 90 minutes of music so loud it rattles my brain.

Since lockdown I have avoided them. ??‍♀️

The whole world just seems to be getting noisier and noisier!
Children playing appear to have to scream and shout at each other. While in a pub, yesterday, two small boys ran around the tables while others were trying to eat their lunch peacefully and the parents said said nothing when their ear piercing screams could be heard from the next village.
I wear noise cancelling head phones now when out in the garden. I may well start wearing them everywhere ?

A friend of ours was distressed when he got hearing aids because his mac was so loud! I

Vintagejazz

Everytime I get on a bus the person beside me or behind me is yak yakking into a phone.

Every shop is playing loud thumpy thump music.

Every teenager seems to shout not talk.

Every cafe is full of shrieking kids, loud hissing coffee machines and aforesaid awful music.

Even libraries aren't the peaceful sanctuaries they used to be.

Is nowhere quiet anymore or am I just a grumpy old lady?

Vintage jazz -you probably are because I definitely am and I feel exactly the same. It seems there’s nothing some people won’t discuss on their phone in public

Oh I dislike noise too …when my sister picks me up in her car she always has the radio on and when she’s talking to me I can’t hear or concentrate on a word she says and always have to ask her to turn the sound down. I love music and have it on often in my car when I am myself and am singing along but not when someone beside me is trying to talk to me!

I hope I am not turning into a grumpy old woman….yet.

You should try being deaf!! you don't have an option!!