[Ridire123]

I'll be moving to college in a few short weeks and with this will come the use of some public transportation (just little buses, basically). Personally, I'm wondering what, if any, 'rules' you guys follow in public with headphones, particularly open ones... Do you just say forget the people and listen at a normal volume, or do you concern yourself with the sound bleeding? Also, do you ever worry about people trying to talk to you when you have them on?

Just want to get your impressions on any 'etiquette' or standards (if any) you guys have when wearing the cans in public!

 

[MASantos]

You'll soon find that open headphones+public transportation is just like water+oil. You'll need some isolating IEMs!!! I tried using open cans on a bus and you can't listen properly to the music!

 

[RedLeader]

yea, I used closed, otherwise I would always be worried about disturbing people. Imagine you're sitting in the library trying to work, you dont want to hear someone elses music

 

[xxlMusikfreak]

Even though I have cans that I like a lot more soundwize I'm using only closed ones for public transport.
It's better for your ears cause you can listen at healthy volume and on the other hand nobody is looking strange at you (at least not because of music leakage, only because of the looks

).
I have my eyes open to see whats happeing around me and I can understand people speaking to me when I concentrate on them. But most people don't talk to you when you've got bigger phones on, they just point to show something.
When I meet people I know I don't listen to music - I think long term talk with phones on is kinda rude.

 

[tucker71]

When I'm walking around on the subway platform and stuff...I actually take out one earphone.
I've found that, at some point, SOMEBODY makes an attempt to talk to me at least once.

Directions....."excuse me"....."what time is it?"....whatever.

I take one out so I can interact and not seem rude.

 

[lostbobby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tucker71 Directions....."excuse me"....."what time is it?"....whatever. I take one out so I can interact and not seem rude.

Our neighbors to the north. In the States, they wear buds so they don't have to talkt o anybody.

and OP: I commend you on actually considering ethics.

 

[chelsea_hye]

I live in NYC where almost everyone wears buds/iems/cans on the street. But on the occasions when I don't have them in and I hear other people's music it is very annoying.

Get yourself some IEMs that isolate. Then you can take one out when you are in a situation when you may need to interact with people. It's pretty rude when people are at a counter (e.g., starbucks) ordering and they scream and can't hear what is being asked of them.

 

[PaulRivers]

Between the fact that open headphones have crappy sound when in a noise environment, and the fact that they often really annoy other people, I vastly prefer closed headphones for public use.

I was trying to work in a coffee shop a while back, and a guy sat next to me with open headphones and acted like it was no big deal that everyone else had to hear his music...I hate it when people wear open headphones in public in a place where no one else wants to hear your music.

 

[Ridire123]

I actually work in a library at the moment and we do get a fair amount of people that come in with their headphones absolutely blairing... One guy didn't even have them on, they were so loud he was just listening to them around his neck.

What if you are just walking from A to B? I'll never be more than 3 miles from where I need to go, so this was something I was considering, as well... There's a nice park between our North campus and South campus (I pretty much go back and forth all day). I'm not a huge IEM fan (though I may have to become one) and haven't yet found any closed cans I absolutely love.

 

[russdog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lostbobby Our neighbors to the north. In the States, they wear buds so they don't have to talkt o anybody. and OP: I commend you on actually considering ethics.

I don't think this issue has anything to do with ethics. I think the word we want is "etiquette" (or "convention" or "social protocol"). But whatever it is, "ethics" ain't it. If we were talking about *stealing* headphones from somebody else on the bus, that would be ethics. But this is mainly about being polite.

Good thread though...

 

[Audiofiler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ridire123 One guy didn't even have them on, they were so loud he was just listening to them around his neck.

what a tool...how lame.

 

[acs236]

When I lived in NYC I used my Etys on the subway almost exclusively. Still...

I would notice people shooting dirty looks to those who were listening to their open phones "too" loudly. I don't understand that. You're on a noisy subway/bus/whatever -- what's the problem?

 

[okay_player]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ridire123 Also, do you ever worry about people trying to talk to you when you have them on?

As long as I'm not with anybody I know, honestly, I couldn't care less. I live in a somewhat sketchy part of the city, and there are ALWAYS crazies on the streetcar/bus/subway trying to make friends. Big phones and a pair of sunglasses always seem to keep them away from me.

 

[Awk.Pine]

After only brief reflection (I was asking a similar question in another thread), I think the rule should be akin to cell phone use. If it's okay to use a cell phone, it should be okay to use an open can. Music will probably be quieter than a person talking. Still, I don't think headphones are as accepted, so if your goal is to not offend it is probably better to not use them in public. And maybe I'm not thinking of some reason why they are more distracting than one-ended telephone conversations. But, if cell phones aren't allowed, open cans are a bad idea.

Good rule of thumb?

 

[warpdriver]

You should be using closed headphones or IEM's not only just out of respect for others around you, but mainly to save your own eardrumss from excessive volume to overpower ambient noise.