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Comment by mrexroad

1 month ago

You touched a nerve for me — folks hiking with Bluetooth speakers. My god that grinds my gears. I can see an argument for playing music (at reasonable volume) while relaxing at a camp site, but on the trail it’s as aggravating as a dirt bike or snowmobile ripping along near by.

70 comments

mrexroad

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mlfreeman  1 month ago

In potentially-dangerous-animal country (e.g. grizzly bears, mountain lions, etc), it could be a safety mechanism...I was told repeatedly you need to make some kind of distinctive noise regularly so they won't get startled by you rounding a bend.

  • chasd00  1 month ago

    those people, i've encountered them too, don't give a shit about anything let alone being safe around wildlife. If prey distress calls could be confused with music they'd be blaring that just as well.

  • calmbonsai  1 month ago

    That's what "bear bells" are for...in bear country.

    Mountain lions are avoidant at all times unless it's a mother with cubs and even then they'll let you know well in advance.

    Otherwise, just normal conversation, your smell with even a light breeze, and the vibrations on-trail will alert all animals to your presence.

    In other words, the "trail music" theory is bullshit. They just want to listen to their music.

  • m463  1 month ago

    lol.

    that's like harley riders with unmuffled motors "for safety".

    On the other hand, I remember being in japan and watching some construction vehicles in tokyo. They were surprisingly quiet. After a while I realized what it was - in the united states all construction vehicles have these annoying "beep-beep-beep" sounds while they're working (for safety).

    I wonder if one day they can play those only when someone walks nearby or play in some technologically quieter way.

    • fc417fc802  1 month ago

      > while they're working (for safety).

      Should only be while they're backing up. It signals to anyone around that the vehicle is in reverse. At least the ones I'm familiar with.

    • toast0  1 month ago

      > some technologically quieter way.

      I'm not going to watch the video linked in sibling comments right now, but "pulsing loud static" is a pretty common alternative to beeping around me; especially in the big citie. Kind of a big shush shush noise: sometimes it sounds a little like hydraulics working which is fine because if you hear those, something big is happening and you should pay attention.

      Anyway, the real nice thing is it's loud and attention catching near the source, but it seems to disipate faster than beeps, so you don't really hear it when it's not relevant.

  • mrexroad  1 month ago

    Huh? I’ve never met anyone in the backcountry that played music to keep predators away. Even when forced to hike at dusk, the primary risk is quietly stumbling on a predator out stalking, or worse, a predator’s offspring. At most you clap every so often, maybe talk/sing to yourself, or dangle some stuff from your pack at higher risk times. Animals will do the hard work of avoiding you When you’re nearby, but its quite unnecessary to notify everything with in a 1km radius of your presence.

  • yujzgzc  1 month ago

    This is my reason for blasting music from my bicycle. Feels less rude than clicking a bell at the pedestrians and somewhat more effective at attracting attention.

    • VorpalWay  1 month ago

      That is definitely the wrong thing to do. It isn't rude to use the bell, and as a pedestrian I appreciate a single ring (obviously, don't ring like a madman either). Playing music loudly in a public space is way more rude than using your bicycle bell.

      3 replies →

    • lostlogin  1 month ago

      Better still, a nice free hub. If you don’t pedal, it’s noisy, if you back pedal it sounds urgent.

      As an upside, your better get good at hill climbing as freewheeling or backpedaling up hill takes some practice.

dylan604  1 month ago

I've heard many people say the cannot stand they way earbuds feel. Just like many people said they could not breath wearing a mask.

  • mythical_39  1 month ago

    I can sympathize with this, but

    1) earbuds are not the only headphone style

    2) listening to speakers is not a necessity.

    So fine if you don't want to use earbuds, but not necessarily fine to annoy those around you with music/talk shows or whatever sounds you want to introduce to the enviroment.

  • Tanoc  1 month ago

    I can confirm the earbuds thing. Not the mask thing. Modern jelly ended "earbuds" just feel awful. They irritate my sense of momentum, never stay in, and it constantly feels like I have altitude pressure buildup in my ear canal when I wear them. The old hard plastic first generation iPod style in-ear earphones however I have had no problem with. Gravity keeps those in place and so there isn't that constant pressure of expansion in your ears. Those or over-ear headphones are what should be recommended to people, and if neither of those options work then they're just using it as an excuse.

  • anigbrowl  1 month ago

    Maybe go without headphones and pay attention to your surroundings instead. I have zero patience for such excuses from people who choose to impose their preferences on other people.

    • mrexroad  1 month ago

      > Maybe go without headphones and pay attention to your surroundings instead.

      This. Even when you are seemingly quiet on a trail, 90% of wildlife are hiding from you. It’s amazing what happens when you stop and sit in complete silence for 5-10 minutes — a whole hidden world comes alive around you. 10/10, highly recommend.

      > I have zero patience for such excuses from people who choose to impose their preferences on other people.

      This as well. Somewhere along the way, civics teachings in America’s school left folks w/ the impression that the spirit of our liberty is, “It’s a free country, I can do what I want!”, rather of, “I have the liberty to pursue happiness, up until it infringes on the liberty for others to do so.”

      4 replies →

  • fwipsy  1 month ago

    I can't stand the way earbuds feel. That's why I wear over-the-ear headphones or bone-conducting headphones. There are so many options for personal audio. Even if you're truly allergic to all of them, that doesn't give you the right to inflict your noise on others.

    Imagine if everyone decided they were entitled to play their music on speakers. The result would be a cacophony where nobody can hear their own music and life is worse for everyone. People who play music in public spaces are claiming a common resource for their own exclusive use.

    Sincerely - someone who's lived with 7 other people in a 3-bedroom house.

    • prmoustache  1 month ago

      Nobody is forced to listen/watch stuff anyway. If you don't have the mean to do it quietly, you can just abstain yourself from doing it.

  • horsawlarway  1 month ago

    I'm one of those people - I find any "in-ear" headphone/earbud to be outrageously uncomfortable.

    Great news - there are a TON of alternatives! You're still an asshat if you play loud music without regard for your surroundings.

    My personal pick? Get a bone conduction headset (ex: Shokz or cheaper alternative). Comfortable, lightweight, waterproof, you can still hear your surroundings.

    • rpdillon  1 month ago

      Same problem with anything in-ear. I have two pairs of Shokz that I use for work (OpenComm) and play (OpenRun). I thought they would be a gimmick, but 3 years later, I love them and use them daily.

      Fun hack: when I travel I prefer my over-ear noise cancelling Ankers, but they're bulky. So, for traveling light, I use Shockz and then silicone ear plugs to block out external sound on e.g. the airplane. Creates a little bit of a "swimming pool" effect acoustically, but works well and is tiny to carry.

    • Twisol  1 month ago

      I have a Shokz brand two-piece headset (the OpenFit 2+ i think?) that just wraps around the outside of the ear, with the actual speaker part held just outside the ear canal. I can't do in-ear buds either, but these just work for me. Doesn't even feel like anything's there.

      I did try their bone-conduction headphones, but the quality was slightly worse and they didn't feel as nonexistent to wear.

    • aquariusDue  1 month ago

      I've been using a Shokz pair of headphones off and on for around 5 years and while they're great indoors I wouldn't really recommend them outside. Due to the city noise you'll probably tend to crank the volume pretty high (without realizing) and give yourself hearing damage over time.

  • kelnos  1 month ago

    Tough shit. "I don't like how earbuds feel" does not mean you should feel free to add noise pollution to everyone else's day.

    Regardless, earbuds are only one type of headphone. I'm sure someone with an earbud sensitivity can find another type that works well. And if not, again: tough shit; no music for you.