# I'm such an old curmudgeon



## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I was sitting in my living room watching football, and I started to hear the thump-thump-thump of some kid's (I assumed) car stereo sub-woofer. After 15 minutes or so I get sick and tired of hearing it, so put the leash on Noggin and take him for a walk to see where it's coming from.

Turns out it's across the street and about 3 doors down, where the neighbor's (whom I don't really know) teenage daughter (I assume) was working on her car, cleaning it or something. She's got her head in the back doing whatever, and I call out to her a couple times from the end of the driveway (maybe 20 feet from her). No response, so I walk up to the front bumper (which was toward the street) and call out again, the second time about as loud as I could without outright screaming, but there's still no response. So I move up to the side of the car behind her by about 5 feet, and yell again. Then after I leaned forward and yelled even louder she finally heard me.

So then when I explain that I could hear her music thumping away in my living room and asked her to turn it down, she did so, saying she didn't realize it was loud enough to be bothering anyone. (I'm practically speechless: she can't hear me yelling at her until I'm practically touching her, and doesn't think it's bothering anyone?) Then she throws out, "Well, nobody else has complained." Me being the incredible wit I am, all I could respond with was, "I guess they're just more polite than I am."

So as Noggin and I walk off to continue our daily constitutional, she gives me a snide, "You're welcome." I just bit my tongue and kept going, trying not to say something really curmudgeonly like, "Kids these days!" or, "Bah, humbug!"



PS: And stay off my lawn, you kids!


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Loud stereo playing drives me out of my mind when I'm home.  Luckily none of my current neighbors have been doing this.  I'm on the back of my building, so I don't hear much of what's going on out in the street unless someone is screaming.  I hear the loud car stereos when I'm out walking and the cars are usually moving.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

NogDog said:


> Then she throws out, "Well, nobody else has complained." Me being the incredible wit I am, all I could respond with was, "I guess they're just more polite than I am."


My guess would be nobody else was willing to sustain the hearing damage it took to get that close to her....


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Welcome to the O C Club Nogdog


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Common decency and consideration has completely gone out the window.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

The world owes people, didn't you know that?  That's why it's perfectly fine to blare your stereo for hours in your neighborhood, to cut across 5 lanes of traffic after stopping in the middle of the road because you almost missed your turn instead of going around the block, to honk your horn at 2am instead of getting your lazy butt out of the car and ringing a doorbell, to take up the entire road when you're going straight or turning left at a light when there's plenty of room for people to make right turns otherwise, to continue walking as slowly as possible when crossing the street whether you have the right away or not while a line of cars is waiting for you, to talk loudly on your cell phone especially in restaurants where you politely excuse yourself from your table then come and stand by mine to take your call, to talk loudly in movie theaters and get angry when people actually take offense, to turn left the moment the light turns green to beat everyone else off the line who otherwise had the right of way... I could go on and on.  Notice most of my gripes involve driving?  My commute is not a happy one.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

In movie theaters, I have to add that some people think they have a right to put their feet or knees up against the back of the chair of the person in front of them.  I really hate that.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Scheherazade said:


> to talk loudly in movie theaters and get angry when people actually take offense


This happened at the last movie I went to.. 2 ladies (50+) behind me, having a **tchfest about god only knows what. All through the previews, and into the beginning of the movie. I finally turned around and said , Are you REALLY going to keep talking through the whole movie? They got mad at me, one snarled something very rude, and they moved out to the lobby to finish, And I got applause form people around us. I got into the movie, so I have no idea if they bothered to come back or not.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

BTackitt said:


> I finally turned around and said , Are you REALLY going to keep talking through the whole movie?


Good for you!


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## Marguerite (Jan 18, 2009)

The last movie I went to the person behind me had already seen the movie at least once.  She proceeded to beat the punch line of every joke in the movie.  Come on already.  I want to hear the funny people deliver the line, not you.


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## Britt (Feb 8, 2009)

I just graduated from college in May, and I was CONSTANTLY having to tell my roommates to keep it down. They always had the TV volume way up, or were talking way too loudly! I'm 22 and thinking, "Am I some kind of freak for wanting to go to bed before midnight?"


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Where were the child's parents?  
deb


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## bce (Nov 17, 2009)

Britt said:


> I just graduated from college in May, and I was CONSTANTLY having to tell my roommates to keep it down. They always had the TV volume way up, or were talking way too loudly! I'm 22 and thinking, "Am I some kind of freak for wanting to go to bed before midnight?"


My son is going through this now with his roommates. He's taking his departments chair advice and treating the weekdays as work periods and having fun on weekends. His roomates (5 others) are up until all night playing video games in the common area. When he asks them to keep it down at o-dark thirty, they just look at him like he is weird. Fortunately they do it, but he keeps have to ask night after night.

He's already found new roommates for next semester.


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## KimmyA (Dec 11, 2008)

Rasputina said:


> Common decency and consideration has completely gone out the window.


I completely agree. No one has manners anymore and everyone only looks out for themselves.


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## Jen (Oct 28, 2008)

I have the SAME problem with my next door neighbor.  He really, really thinks he's cool.  (He's the son of our local weatherman, he's REALLY proud of that...) He has a Oldsmobile from what looks like the 80's with one heck of a system.  I was in the same situation as you, I was out the front door to go yell at him - halfway across the lawn I hear his mom come outside and yell at him, asking if he was an idiot.....I slowly tiptoed back into the house so they couldn't see me!


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Jen, that's great that the mom stepped in.  So many times the parents turn a blind eye.  Which actually explains the behavior in the first place.
deb


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

You guys aren't old.  I'm 29 and I have the same problem in my neighborhood.  My problem was someone pulling up to the house across the street around 2am every morning and honking their horn for 1/2 hr or so.  It always woke me up (not always DH, but he heard me complain about it often enough).  I was tempted several times to cross the street and remind them that it was the middle of the night and they aren't in the country, but the house they were in front of was a house rumored to be a drug dealers, so I didn't feel like possibly getting a gun pulled on me.

BTW, the honking stopped after SWAT came and busted the guy.  Now if the police could bust people who have their bass up so loud in their cars that it rattles my windows as they drive past my house.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't think people are any worse than they have have always been.

There are simply more of them, and they have more instruments of irritation from which to choose.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Alle Meine Entchen said:


> You guys aren't old. I'm 29


Welcome to Kindleboards, Entchen... love the name, now you have me humming that.


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> I don't think people are any worse than they have have always been.
> 
> There are simply more of them, and they have more instruments of irritation torture from which to choose.


I do feel that there is less regard for other people.


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Many years ago I lived right next to train tracks.  Both commuter passenger and freight trains ran on the three sets of tracks.  After the first couple nights I got used to the freights.  One day as a loooong freight was going by, kid in a car was waiting.  The music from that car was LOUDER than the freight.  I finally went out and stuck my head in the open window and said, "I'm going to call the police."  (I didn't.)  Scared him.  "It's not my car.  I just borrowed it. . . . ."  He turned the knob.

Two apartments later, I was living in a garden (basement) apartment.  A kid in his late teens lived across the hall.  (I think most garden apartments for some reason don't have much in the way of sound-absorbing materials in them.  Not usually carpeted.)  He wanted to move in with a drum set.  The landlady who didn't live on the premises said NO.  So one Friday night about 2:00 in the morning when I am sound asleep, there is one CRASH on cymbals.  I woke up with my heart pounding.  Cudda caused a heart attack!!!  OMG!  He was generally trouble with fights and drugs goin' on.  Didn't last much longer and he was gone.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

LOL. In an almost the same vein story, I had a wrong phone number call at 3 am two mornings in a row. Guy sounded drunk and never understood why I wasn't coming to pick him up for work. So on day 3 when my phone rang at 3 am I answered with "Who died?" (because phone calls that early better be hospital, death or jail related). He quickly apoligized and never called me again.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

We recently had some 10 and 12 years olds move in next door, with their single mother, not Mexicans.  They have a big trampoline in the back yard, next to our bedroom windows and on Friday nights after the school week, a party with about 8 other pre-teens, jumping screaming, not yelling, screaming, until after midnight.  One night my DH went out and yelled at them, a mother (not of the house) came out and they quieted down.  The next week the same thing, so DH got out the bose and played some heavy metal, loud, (no one else in the area could hear it), the kids thought he was "playing" with them and enjoyed it.  Finally the same mother came out and the kids quieted down.  When we found out there is an ordinance in our little town that no loud noise after 11 pm, we threatened to call the police.  The mother (not of the house - we never had her come out) said well it's Mexico there are no rules - HA, when we threatened again to call the police she finally believed us.  It's too cold now, but we are not looking forward to Christmas holiday (the whole month of January).


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

The worst is the people that insist on talking during the movie. At home, ok I'll deal with it, at least I can pause the movie. Not so at the movie theater. I rarely go now. Last time I went was for a Met Opera performance and the 2 girls behind me kept talking because one of them was there for a school report and she kept asking her friend the plot of the opera /roll eyes smilie here. 


oh and the people that can't turn the ringer to their cell phone off while at church for mass. If you are expecting an emergency at least put it on vibrate.


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## kevindorsey (Mar 4, 2009)

Oh god, you guys are really getting old


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

mlewis78 said:


> In movie theaters, I have to add that some people think they have a right to put their feet or knees up against the back of the chair of the person in front of them. I really hate that.


People seem to think this -everywhere-. I have sat through entire semesters with the person behind me kicking my desk, resting their feet in the basket under the seat if it had one, pushing against it, kicking my feet... all without apology or any pretense at it being an accident. It's like they felt it was their right to put their feet on my chair and begin tapping it for an entire class. I just tense up and resist doing something waspish every time. I have one this semester too. He also clicks his pen like it's going out of style and drums his fingers to beat the band.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

Anju No. 469 said:


> It's too cold now, but we are not looking forward to Christmas holiday (the whole month of January).


It's gotten so I hate Christmas too. My bedroom gets really hot so sometimes I need to open the window even in December, but even if I don't I can still bloody hear it. The "it" in question is the horrible life size Santa that the neighbors put on their porch right outside my window. The damn thing is motion and light sensitive and we live on a cul-de-sac that people love to drive and turn around in at all hours of the night for some reason. Needless to say I am very close to it having some sort of malfunction. If I didn't think they'd retaliate I'd seriously consider doing it (One of our neighbors they're friends with has an in with the city. She called and had the police send me a letter with a picture of my license plates threatening to tow my car only 14 days after they expired one year when I wasn't even aware of it. She did me a favor by reminding me before I got a ticket, but it was still ridiculous and obvious that she's either in my yard snooping or spying on us with binoculars. So I have no doubt they'd pull strings and have the police at my door if they even half suspected.)


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

kevindorsey said:


> Oh god, you guys are really getting old


Yeah; happens to the best of us.


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## OliviaD (Jul 21, 2009)

I'm really glad to hear that others have the same complaints I do.  I'm afraid that I'm with NogDog on being rude.  I sometimes say things to those guys with their pants down around their knees in public and I have to admit some of it is not very nice.  My friends are always aghast when I take them to task.  So far, every one of them have made an effort, more or less effectively to pull up their sagging drawers.  My aging mother told me that one of the fellows who picks up the buggies at the Wal-Mart where she lives wears his pants down around his knees WITHOUT UNDERWEAR!!  I told her she should call Bentonville, Arkansas and complain about him.  Wow!  Will it ever get any better?


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

kevindorsey said:


> Oh god, you guys are really getting old


I resemble resent that remark!


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

intinst - you gotta female one of those   for me


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## Jane Bled (Sep 2, 2009)

LMAO!  This story cheered me up.  Sorry you have to deal with waywards youths!  And for what it's worth, I think most people who enjoy peace and quiet would have done the same thing.  I sure would've!  And I'm not even 30 yet.


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## kevindorsey (Mar 4, 2009)

Folks...just try to remember how good it feels to have warm sun, open windows and some good tunes blasting out of the car


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

After 11PM?


kevindorsey said:


> Folks...just try to remember how good it feels to have warm sun, open windows and some good tunes blasting out of the car


After 11PM?


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

kevindorsey said:


> Folks...just try to remember how good it feels to have warm sun, open windows and some good tunes blasting out of the car


Yes, I remember that; but I only did it on the highway, not in the middle of residential neighborhoods. And I was blasting out real music (Floyd, Yes, Genesis, etc.)

Secondly, there were no "tunes": just the repetitive "thump" of a subwoofer which is tuned to put out a lot of volume at one low frequency (and get the uneducated buyer's attention) rather than reproduce tuneful, musical bass. And as to "good"? Even after I got close enough to the car to hear anything besides that monotone bass, there wasn't anything tuneful about the rest of the music, either: just a mixture of the worst aspects of Rap with the worst aspects of Pop, for a mindless synthesis of all that is bad in popular music, missing the creativity and energy of the first pioneers of rap/hip-hop or the potential fun and singability of the better pop songs.

Oh, and as far as "warm sun" goes, it was just after sunset and in the high 30s (Farenheit).


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

kevindorsey said:


> Folks...just try to remember how good it feels to have warm sun, open windows and some good tunes blasting out of the car


Last time I tried that it was drowned out by some idiot blasting his really bad "tunes"!!! 

What you consider good I may consider trash and vice versa -- don't force yours on on me and I'll not force mine on you.

And remember, despite what you've been told, *Its NOT all about you!*


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Tip10 said:


> And remember, despite what you've been told, *Its NOT all about you!*


Exactly! (It's all about *me*.)


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

NogDog said:


> Exactly! (It's all about *me*.)


Unfortunately the sad truth of the matter is that's the view of most of the young folk around today. It'd be a much better world if we were to be a bit more concerned with our fellow human beings.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Tip10 said:


> Unfortunately the sad truth of the matter is that's the view of most of the young folk around today. It'd be a much better world if we were to be a bit more concerned with our fellow human beings.


I don't think it's limited to the "young folk", whatever definition one chooses for that. (In some other contexts, we'd all be claiming to be part of that group!) I think that in older generations there are just as many self-centered and selfish people. It may be that in previous generations more emphasis was placed on teaching those kids manners and social graces to cover up such failings. Or it may be that as people age, they learn that they will get further in life by being more polite and less selfish.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Susan, you're right. It's not just 'young people'. The other day after Mass we were coming out to go home. The parking lot is teeny and some vehicles were double parked. Well there was one old guy who was in an absolute tizzy because he couldn't leave just yet. . . .he hadn't come in to ask who's car it was and request they move it, he was apparently just standing there fuming and complaining to the air. As we were coming out, my friend said to another older lady, who was also blocked in, "I was going to take this car home but do you want me to move that one for you (she and her husband had driven separately) so you can get out?" Well, this old guy butted in and said, "no, you have to move this one because I'm stuck in here and have been waiting and I can't get out." I mean, we were coming out of MASS for heaven's sake, and the couple of us there were all from the choir. It's not like we were a bunch of hooligans bent on causing trouble. But all that mattered to him was that he couldn't get _his_ car. He wasn't even willing to wait for her to move the other car first!


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

kevindorsey said:


> Folks...just try to remember how good it feels to have warm sun, open windows and some good tunes blasting out of the car


What was that you said, you young whippersnapper? Speak up! I can't hear you. The doc says its from playing my Rolling Stones too loud in the Seventies, but did you say someone blasted out your car window? Just show me where they live and I'll take care of them.... *mumble* *mumble* Young whippersnappers, @##$#[email protected]%^&&^$#@@##@!!!


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

if it was music coming out I wouldnt care. but when the truck.car whatever is 4 vehicles behind me at a traffic light and my teeth are being jarred from the bass thumping so hard it gives me a headache.. there are times I mentally shoot their radiators with my imaginary james-bond-rear-shooting-tailpipes.


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

BTackitt said:


> if it was music coming out I wouldnt care. but when the truck.car whatever is 4 vehicles behind me at a traffic light and my teeth are being jarred from the bass thumping so hard it gives me a headache.. there are times I mentally shoot their radiators with my imaginary james-bond-rear-shooting-tailpipes.


I concur with your findings, Miss Tackitt. I would use a Klingon disrupter personally and make them just vaporize.  I simply don't understand the mindset. I still turn my radio down when I pull up to a stoplight or stopsign or into a parking lot. It's just a habit. Besides, you know they can't possibly hear sirens or horns blasting. Could be dangerous for all of us.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Sat down in a restaurant with a friend. At the next table, which was very close, one of the two men was on his cell phone, talking loudly.  My friend and I chatted about how it would be nice if people didn't talk on cell phones while eating dinner in a restaurant.  The cell phone man's friend defended him and couldn't understand why we would say that his friend was rude.  He wanted me to explain to him how this was rude.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

mlewis78 said:


> He wanted me to explain to him how this was rude.


He was probably just looking for someone to talk to.....


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

mlewis78 said:


> Sat down in a restaurant with a friend. At the next table, which was very close, one of the two men was on his cell phone, talking loudly. My friend and I chatted about how it would be nice if people didn't talk on cell phones while eating dinner in a restaurant. The cell phone man's friend defended him and couldn't understand why we would say that his friend was rude. He wanted me to explain to him how this was rude.


I don't mind people talking cell phones, per se, it's the volume at which they speak in public spaces. And when I can only hear half of the conversation, I feel cheated.  Normally, I ask them to please put it on speaker so we can all enjoy it in its entirety. Such a request usually garners a few 'curious stares' and/or haughty retorts. But along the same lines are the adolescents left sitting at their own table... far away from their zoo-keepers. These entertaining young people like to do all sorts of exciting things like sucking spaghetti up their noses and other gross out things to entertain the other diners in their vicinity. I have found that taking out the cell phone, getting up and taking a number of pictures of them while narrating the photos in a pleasant tone usually stops this behavior. Somehow they think you know their parents and are going to send the photos to them or maybe put them in the local newspaper? I don't know... I just don't know.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Brendan Carroll said:


> I have found that taking out the cell phone, getting up and taking a number of pictures of them while narrating the photos in a pleasant tone usually stops this behavior. Somehow they think you know their parents and are going to send the photos to them or maybe put them in the local newspaper? I don't know... I just don't know.


Hey, now that is funny! I'm going to have to remember that trick and try it.

I always wanted to have the nerve to find someone smoking in a "no smoking" restaurant and scream "FIRE!!!!" and spray them with a fire extinguisher. Never had the cojones to do so. But I suspect this wimpiness has saved me from a couple of thrashings.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

pidgeon92 said:


> He was probably just looking for someone to talk to.....


LOL.


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## shalom israel (Dec 8, 2009)

I had to laugh when I read this. I am 54 and hard of hearing to the point where I wear hearing aids. I don't always like to wear them, especially when at home watching TV. My niece, who was 24 at the time, was staying with me, and asked me to turn down the TV one evening. It was a laugh as its usually the other way around as illustrated by the stories above


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

kevindorsey said:


> Folks...just try to remember how good it feels to have warm sun, open windows and some good tunes blasting out of the car


I experience that quite regularly. But I also refuse to install bazooka's in my car ( bass being the primary offender at distance ) and I don't blast the music with the windows down while stopped at busy intersections or while driving through residential neighborhoods. One is capable of enjoying life and music while being considerate.


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

mlewis78 said:


> Sat down in a restaurant with a friend. At the next table, which was very close, one of the two men was on his cell phone, talking loudly. My friend and I chatted about how it would be nice if people didn't talk on cell phones while eating dinner in a restaurant. The cell phone man's friend defended him and couldn't understand why we would say that his friend was rude. He wanted me to explain to him how this was rude.


talking loudly is rude. What I never get is why talking on a cell phone is somehow more rude than talking to someone in person? At least I'm only hearing 1 person talking and not both of them.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

In our neighborhood we've had various and sundry loud neighbors move in and out (There are two rentals a few houses down and one catty-corner across the street).  We've had instances where stereos are set up outside for parties and blare until long after midnight and whatever ... but my neighbors and I just call the non-emergency line and have the cops stop by for a chat.  

We don't do it if it's just background noise mid-afternoon or we hear them with our windows open, but we've had instances when its drowned out the TV with the house closed up .... 

... It's just a lack of respect for others.  we live on 1/4 acre lots so there is a certain amount of bleed over that naturally occurs, but I try not to be disturbing just because I can - and I expect the same consideration in return.  

I do find that after I crossed over to the Dark Side a few years ago (40), I find myself less and less intimidated by rudeness and more willing to hush people in theaters or call them out when they're making a scene in a store or whatever ....


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

this past weekend was my one chance to do some sleeping in (finals were last week, new classes started this morning).
Our Neighbor runs a construction crew, and decided BOTH mornings, to have his morning meeting in his driveway @6:30am with his crew.. LOUDLY because they were talking OVER the noise of their running pickups.. and his driveway is 10 feet from our bedroom window. I was almost in tears.


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> but my neighbors and I just call the non-emergency line and have the cops stop by for a chat.


Thanks for specifying that you call the non-emergency line... I doubt you guys would believe how many 911 calls I receive on a nightly basis from people complaining about their noisy, inconsiderate neighbors. Of course, it'd probably go right over their head if I asked them how considerate they were being to the heart attack victim who's waiting to get through to an emergency operator while I'm talking to them about some loud music...


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Rasputina said:


> talking loudly is rude. What I never get is why talking on a cell phone is somehow more rude than talking to someone in person? At least I'm only hearing 1 person talking and not both of them.


 The "victim" of rudeness isn't the same. Talking loudly (say, in a restaurant) is rude to the people around you. Talking on a cell phone (assuming it's not an emergency) is rude to the people at your own table.

I guess it depends on whether it's worse to be rude to your own companions or to strangers, or whether those are equal offenses.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

It is my opinion that when people talk on cell phones they tend to speak louder than if carrying on a normal conversation.  It is difficult to believe that you can talk normally and the speaker/mic is so far away from your mouth that it can pick up your voice.  I am guilty of that, but really try very hard, but then I rarely talk on my cell phone.


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