Noise Pollution

[Gregg]

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20070731/D8QNOTQ02.html

The device isn't the problem, it's mothers (and fathers, sometimes), or kids who don't heed either. Then they grow larger. (Kinda hard to grow smaller, but they should grow up.)

[krissel]

If anyone is unsure of what to do for a future vocation, I'd suggest being an audiologist.  

[Gregg]

I hear you!

I also heard a report about this "iPod rudeness" on the car radio this morning.

The various news media pick up stories from each other...

[Highmac]

It didn't start with the iPod of course..... Walkman users were annoying people on buses and trains a couple of decades ago!

Even more annoying (since buses and trains are relatively rare outside the cities) are the kids in little one-litre hatchback cars with huge boombox stereos fitted. I swear the car must slow down when they turn up the volume. Sometimes we can actually FEEL the vibration in our house - and it's brick built and 50 feet from the road.

TV programme a little while ago was talking to some of them and pointing out the danger to their hearing. What will you do when you start going deaf and your ears bleed, one was asked. Turn it up louder, came the response

[gunug]

I only ever use headphones as "noise-cancelling" devices; I already have a slight band of high frequency hearing loss in my left ear from when I worked the stage at a Flying Burritos Concert in the 1970's!

[Gregg]

People who wear headphones in the office often don't know someone is standing right behind them, politely waiting to engage them in conversation. But, that's work! I know you can't have multiple radios playing in a small office area, but the headphone users have to keep the volume down, and remove BOTH earphones when someone needs their attention.