So story time tonight:
I took my wife and 3 daughters to our neighborhood community pool this evening after dinner, around 8 PM. When we got there we have two life guards on duty and there was: 1 adult reading in a chair, a small group of HS teenage girls just swimming around, and 2 life guards. Eventually another couple shows up.
So basically my kids were the only small kids at this pool this evening.
There was a dude, by himself, sitting by himself, smoking on a vape pen, and had a portable speaker on his iPhone playing hip hop music very loud. I mean, EVERYONE could hear every word of the music, I could hear it was loud when I got out of my car outside of the pool.
So naturally this music has a lot of MA-18 language in it: "bitch" "cunt" "niggas" "motherfuckers" ya know, about what you would expect. Granted, I don't know anything hip hop music. The messages of the songs could have had a very important social justice anthem to them, I don't know. Let's just assume they did. That's fine. Hip hop isn't for me, but I get it resonates with its audience, that's great. There were TWO lifeguards (granted they were just teenagers) and other adults at the pool. Nobody seemed to mind the loud music.
Anyway, I go over to the guide sitting by himself and politely ask while smiling, "Hey buddy, do you mind turning the music down a little bit?"
He says: "Why? You got a problem?"
Me: "Well, it's not exactly family friendly, and this is a community area."
He says: "You gonna do something about it? We got a problem? *he says this very aggressively*"
Me: "Nope, I was just asking for you to consider turning it down."
He says: "Well you better back up and step off me."
Me: "Okay, thanks!"
Smile and walk away.
... We continued to stay at the pool and enjoyed our family time. My kids are young. My oldest said she "heard the bad words", but my two younger ones didn't notice. My wife was personally offended by all the references of women being called bitches and slapping bitches (she came from a abusive marriage and household) and didn't want our young daughters hearing that. She laughed at my story of the dude wanting to pick a fight for me telling him to turn down the music.
He actually DID turn the music down a few minutes later. But later turned it back up loud with a very loud BITCH in the song, I'm sure to make a point haha!
TLDR;
Is it not basic consideration for other humans NOT to play music loud in public areas? Why would you think other people would want to hear whatever music you enjoy? Why not wear head phones? I have NEVER understood playing music in the earshot of another human person when out in public (that's what headphones are for!). I didn't understand it when I was young, and I don't understand it now. It seems like a simple way to be considerate.
Am I totally crazy on this? I know playing loud music in public is something like, EVERYONE DOES. I just don't get it. It doesn't seem consider to other people who may not enjoy the same music you enjoy, no matter what genre it is.
TLDR2;
Would I have asked someone who was playing something like... country music, gospel music, pop music, or classic music, to turn it down if they were playing it loud in public? You know what, probably not. But I would've been HIGHLY ANNOYED. I still think its inconsiderate. But yeah, the fact that this music was very explicit lyrics in it, prompted me to ask.
I took my wife and 3 daughters to our neighborhood community pool this evening after dinner, around 8 PM. When we got there we have two life guards on duty and there was: 1 adult reading in a chair, a small group of HS teenage girls just swimming around, and 2 life guards. Eventually another couple shows up.
So basically my kids were the only small kids at this pool this evening.
There was a dude, by himself, sitting by himself, smoking on a vape pen, and had a portable speaker on his iPhone playing hip hop music very loud. I mean, EVERYONE could hear every word of the music, I could hear it was loud when I got out of my car outside of the pool.
So naturally this music has a lot of MA-18 language in it: "bitch" "cunt" "niggas" "motherfuckers" ya know, about what you would expect. Granted, I don't know anything hip hop music. The messages of the songs could have had a very important social justice anthem to them, I don't know. Let's just assume they did. That's fine. Hip hop isn't for me, but I get it resonates with its audience, that's great. There were TWO lifeguards (granted they were just teenagers) and other adults at the pool. Nobody seemed to mind the loud music.
Anyway, I go over to the guide sitting by himself and politely ask while smiling, "Hey buddy, do you mind turning the music down a little bit?"
He says: "Why? You got a problem?"
Me: "Well, it's not exactly family friendly, and this is a community area."
He says: "You gonna do something about it? We got a problem? *he says this very aggressively*"
Me: "Nope, I was just asking for you to consider turning it down."
He says: "Well you better back up and step off me."
Me: "Okay, thanks!"
Smile and walk away.
... We continued to stay at the pool and enjoyed our family time. My kids are young. My oldest said she "heard the bad words", but my two younger ones didn't notice. My wife was personally offended by all the references of women being called bitches and slapping bitches (she came from a abusive marriage and household) and didn't want our young daughters hearing that. She laughed at my story of the dude wanting to pick a fight for me telling him to turn down the music.
He actually DID turn the music down a few minutes later. But later turned it back up loud with a very loud BITCH in the song, I'm sure to make a point haha!
TLDR;
Is it not basic consideration for other humans NOT to play music loud in public areas? Why would you think other people would want to hear whatever music you enjoy? Why not wear head phones? I have NEVER understood playing music in the earshot of another human person when out in public (that's what headphones are for!). I didn't understand it when I was young, and I don't understand it now. It seems like a simple way to be considerate.
Am I totally crazy on this? I know playing loud music in public is something like, EVERYONE DOES. I just don't get it. It doesn't seem consider to other people who may not enjoy the same music you enjoy, no matter what genre it is.
TLDR2;
Would I have asked someone who was playing something like... country music, gospel music, pop music, or classic music, to turn it down if they were playing it loud in public? You know what, probably not. But I would've been HIGHLY ANNOYED. I still think its inconsiderate. But yeah, the fact that this music was very explicit lyrics in it, prompted me to ask.
