Other people's noise

I am presently sitting in a hospital waiting room and am having to listen to a woman playing her phone out loud.

I have moved to the furthest away seat which is around a corner and I can still hear it!

As noise in the form of a TV or radio is often in waiting rooms anyway I am hesitant to ask her to turn it down or off.

It's talking rather than music.

I am super sensitive to noise so perhaps the problem lies with me.

What do you think?

What would you do in these circumstances? 

What is a reasonable response? 

Parents
  • Thanks everyone.

    I've found reading through this interesting and reassuring in that I didn't do anything to stop the noise and I'm not the only one who would have responded in that way.

    When I'm sure something is wrong I can be assertive but that situation left me confused.

    I thought that if someone is doing it, then perhaps it's socially acceptable now and it's me who is bothered so I should just try to get out of the situation.

    I asked someone who is NT and he said that it would have bothered him too. He was adamant that they were in the wrong and that he would have said something, so another time I might be more sure.

    I don't understand why people behave like this and impose themselves and their noise on others, but then I don't think I will ever understand people.

    People talk out loud to phones nowadays too ie on loud speaker and it makes me feel violent although I obviously don't actually pick up their phone and smash it as I'd like to.

  • I don't understand why people behave like this and impose themselves and their noise on others

    Exactly! Why should we be forced to listen to other people’s noise?

    I’ve also noticed more people cycling with their music playing out loud. That wouldn’t have happened ten years ago at the places I go to. 

    Is it because people think it is their right to do these things so that is all that matters? Or is it selfishness/being unaware/look after yourself first/inconsideration/culture? 

    I thought good manners meant making sure my actions don’t cause inconvenience to others and putting them first in many situations. E.g., If I do something, what impact will that have on someone else? 

  • When I am out and come in contact with people like this, I say to myself 'I hate people'.

    I don't hate all people, but by generalising the rude antisocial behaviour, it helps distance myself from that specific incident so i don't get too upset by it. Pattern recognition helps identify the type. They are often the first to complain about others infringing on them too.

    I mean, they say the definition of autism is 'in your own world', though I am convinced that people like that only ever think about themselves and very much live on their own planets.

  • I know that like me, you don’t really hate all people, but I don’t think I can bring myself to say I hate people,  even when it is being used as a technique to cope. It’s probably because I believe I should “love” all people, although that doesn’t mean I have to “like” them. It is just something that has stayed with me following a Christian upbringing, although I’m not a Christian any more. Also, at times my feelings for people have become hatred, generally when I see them inflicting harm, so I don’t need any encouragement in that department!

    I mean, they say the definition of autism is 'in your own world', though I am convinced that people like that only ever think about themselves and very much live on their own planets.

    That is what I think too. 

Reply
  • I know that like me, you don’t really hate all people, but I don’t think I can bring myself to say I hate people,  even when it is being used as a technique to cope. It’s probably because I believe I should “love” all people, although that doesn’t mean I have to “like” them. It is just something that has stayed with me following a Christian upbringing, although I’m not a Christian any more. Also, at times my feelings for people have become hatred, generally when I see them inflicting harm, so I don’t need any encouragement in that department!

    I mean, they say the definition of autism is 'in your own world', though I am convinced that people like that only ever think about themselves and very much live on their own planets.

    That is what I think too. 

Children
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