[Uncle Erik]

Lately, I've noticed people playing music on their cellphones while at restaurants and bars.

They'll place their cellphone on the table and play their music.

This has happened at decent restaurants, with table service.

I find this remarkably rude. I've been severely tempted to dump a glass of water on the offending cellphones.

Is this happening in other parts of the world? Has anyone else noticed this? Am I off base in finding this rude? What would be the best way to respond to someone playing crappy music on their cellphone?

I'm tempted to load some Captain Beefheart and crank it on my cellphone as a response.

 

[deadlylover]

Over here in Sydney, you always get them high school kiddies playing music with their phones on the train.
 
So they're either yapping away very loudly with their friends, or you hear some loud terrible tinny sounding music.

 

[Parall3l]

Quote:

Over here in Sydney, you always get them high school kiddies playing music with their phones on the train.
 
So they're either yapping away very loudly with their friends, or you hear some loud terrible tinny sounding music.

Same here in Perth. All you can hear is the fail treble and no bass. Often horrible music as well, once heard some teenagers about as old as I am playing a song about women's genitals 

 

 

[PleasantNoise]

I get it all the time here in New Zealand.
its rude, and sounds like sh!t.
I just tell people who do it at school, that they should learn what music is, before playing rap music off their phones, and failing to rap along. If both good audio, and talent allude, why would you show your lack of these things off in public?
People either skulk off, and stop, or look blankly and ask if I 'want a fight ****'
People are annoyingly stupid. And I don't have much power to stop them being stupid, lifes not fair.

 

[Parall3l]

Quote:

I get it all the time here in New Zealand.
its rude, and sounds like sh!t.
I just tell people who do it at school, that they should learn what music is, before playing rap music off their phones, and failing to rap along. If both good audio, and talent allude, why would you show your lack of these things off in public?
People either skulk off, and stop, or look blankly and ask if I 'want a fight ****'
People are annoyingly stupid. And I don't have much power to stop them being stupid, lifes not fair.

 
X2, not only is mainstream rap completely bull$***, these people have go around bragging about "How their music is for real men", I'm a big underground Hip-Hop fan though
 

 

[TheGomdoRi]

Downtown Toronto - Saw it once or twice by some kids who don't know any better pretty excusable.
Riding the subway - Saw it couple times, I was impressed at the fact the guy had the balls to do so, pretty much forcing everybody to listen to his music (while people were giving him dirty looks) lol lucky for me I had my portable gear on me so I didn't care much. Blasé blasé

.

 

[PleasantNoise]

I do now also keep a few really nasty songs
(slayer, Suicide silence, job for a cowboy [stuff I hate too, just dissonance, off rhythms, gutterals etc])
so I too can play music obnoxiously on my phone and annoy others who do so....
only as a last resort though,
 

 

[nikp]

Not that many here in Melbourne. They tend to listen to them privately using their ibuds and beats.

 

[sphinxvc]

Quote:

Is this happening in other parts of the world? Has anyone else noticed this? Am I off base in finding this rude? What would be the best way to respond to someone playing crappy music on their cellphone?

Happens here.  You aren't off-base and there's probably no way to respond to it without wishing you hadn't a minute after you do.
 

 

[rroseperry]

Happens on the BART, but not all that frequently. Now ibuds with the music audible from 10 feet? That happens all the time.

 

[Rossinator]

A couple guys at work do it every once in a while during breaks (often times not more then once a day). There usually isn't anyone around to annoy other than me and I don't care. I don't understand how anyone can stand listening to music on a cellphone though.

 

[nikp]

Quote:

Happens on the BART, but not all that frequently. Now ibuds with the music audible from 10 feet? That happens all the time.

People are not aware that turning up the volume to block outside noise will kill the ears resulting in permanent hearing damage.
 

 

[Spareribs]

Wow, I have never seen this and I live on the east coast. But I don't know if it is rude but I imagine it is annoying since most people these days play really bad pop music that sucks. If it is at a nice restaurant, then it sounds pretty lame. 
 
I would send an e mail to the restaurant addressing this issue. At a nice place to eat, it is uncalled for. However, with the bad economy, I can see how these joints want all the business and keep customers happy.
 
Perhaps it's better than the 80s and 90s when dudes used bring their boom box radios and blast that horrible MTV pop music. At least with cell phones, the volume is not as loud. 
 
I'm sure these idiots mean no harm and they are probably good people. I know this sweet girl who is very nice and cute but wow, her taste in music is beyond bad!

 

[Hellbishop]

Quote:

I'm tempted to load some Captain Beefheart and crank it on my cellphone as a response.

 
Heh Captain Beefheart or maybe some Diamanda Galas to shatter a glass or two.
 
I have yet to see this happen in New York City thank goodness and hope it doesnt spread. Keeping my fingers crossed they pass some laws to prevent this since common courtesy isnt so common in some parts. I definitely dont need to be listening to twenty different songs all at the same time off some portable device not designed to play music while enjoying a tasty meal i paid good money for.
 
Thanks for the warning Uncle Erik. More and more earplugs are becoming the norm as i step out into the world from my private idaho.

 

[wind016]

Happens on the BART, but not all that frequently. Now ibuds with the music audible from 10 feet? That happens all the time.

I talked about that same BART experience awhile ago. I was wearing Monster TPGs which block out a good amount of noise yet I heard some girl's Ibuds loud and clear. Unfortunately, she didn't look like a teenager. She should have known better.