Rude to wear headphones/airbuds while grocery shopping?

[Anonymous]

She’s ridiculous. Ignore her.

[Anonymous]

I definitely don't think it's rude but I don't do it myself. I don't enjoy the feeling of being cut off from my surroundings in public. I do understand that some people keep the volume lower.

If I am outside on a walk or run that feels different to me. Maybe it's because I tend to be a little anxious in public. If there was an emergency situation I would want to be able to act quickly.

[Anonymous]

I don't even notice if other people are wearing Airpods when I'm shopping.

I'd enjoy being able to do that actually, but I have some hearing loss and things like that block my residual hearing ( I would not be able to hear other people, sirens, ect) I don't go through the aisles of the store looking at other people's ears or conversing with them, so I could care less if they have them in or not.

[Anonymous]

It is rude and she was rude two.

[Anonymous]

1 earbud in is the way. That way you can hear someone come up behind you. My guess is someone had been trying to get around OP and couldn’t get their attention hence the tapping.

I see this a lot on the trails near my house. Two earbuds in and people are completely oblivious to someone approaching behind them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1 earbud in is the way. That way you can hear someone come up behind you. My guess is someone had been trying to get around OP and couldn’t get their attention hence the tapping.

I see this a lot on the trails near my house. Two earbuds in and people are completely oblivious to someone approaching behind them.

Yup you were in the way and didn't hear her. That part is a bit rude. But people who keep them in all the time and CAN hear-- nobody cares or will notice you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no problem. It was just some Karen with a weird obsession. You're fine, OP.

Wearing earbuds in the grocery store isn’t rude. Calling someone “Karen” to complain about their behavior is. OP gave no indication that the busybody was named Karen, and odds are, she isn’t. In fact, the odds aren’t any greater that her name was Karen, than that the OP is named Karen. While this is admittedly a remote chance, if OP’s name should, in fact, be Karen, you will have compounded the rudeness inflicted upon her.

I’m guessing your name is, in fact, Karen.

Pp here - Nope, my name isn’t Karen. In fact, my name is unusual enough it’s unlikely to be used to label a stereotype. I simply find the practice insensitive and offensive. I also object to the use of other names as labels like: Becky, Chad, Heather, Mary Sue, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rude by itself? No. Rude if you are blocking an aisle or section of the groceries for a lengthy time and cannot hear people trying to say excuse me to get around you. My guess is the AirPods make you oblivious to others, and you are unintentionally doing something to get in their way.

As a fellow grocery store-airpod wearer this is just a stupid "guess" on your part. OP indicated that they keep them at a low volume so that they're aware of their surroundings. I do the same. I have mine on "transparency" so that I can hear others around me, and wearing them does not make me oblivious at all! if anything I'm hyper aware of my surroundings because I'm wearing them. I don't want to get in anyone's way so my head is on a swivel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never thought about wearing earbuds in the store and don’t see the appeal (but also I kind of like grocery shopping so that might be why) and I also think the busybody was rude! You heard/saw her and politely turned off your book to converse with her; that much seems above and beyond to my NY-raised soul tbh.

I am always listening to podcasts, including in the car. So when I get out of my car I want to continue listening hence wearing my airpods.

[Anonymous]

My favorite part about grocery shopping is being by myself and listening to my favorite music. I’m not at the grocery store to socialize. That said, if I see someone I know, I take out my pods to converse and take them out for counter service or check outs etc.

What is rude is bothering someone when they don’t want to be bothered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is rude and she was rude two.

She was twice as rude? She was rude times two?

Sorry, I’m confused.

[Anonymous]

You should have said, I have AirPods so I don’t have to listen to rude busybodies like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always wear my AirPods while grocery shopping. I usually listen to an audiobook or a podcast with the volume low enough where I can hear what’s going on around me.

It makes grocery shopping so much more bearable. I tend to go early weekday mornings anyways when stores aren’t too crowded.

I had an older woman (60s? 70s?) come up behind me with a “Ma’am”, “Ma’am” and then tape me on my shoulders. It startled me. I could hear her near me but didn’t expect her to get so close and then touch me.

I turned around and tapped my ear so the sound would pause and all she did was tell me it was rude of me to wear headphones in public because “someone could be trying to talk to you.”

I’ve never had an issue hearing anyone trying to get my attention. I also don’t know why it’s so important for someone to talk to me?

I just kind of smiled and said, “oh, I can hear you”. And she repeated that it was rude to wear headphones around other people.

I assume she was just a busy body. Possibly a tad unstable?

Do you consider that rude? I don’t. I think it’s rude to listen to music loudly or have loud conversations but I don’t get upset when people have headphones out in public. I don’t really feel entitled to have anyone speak to me.

boomers at it again, they need to myob no one wants to hear about their advice or input

[Anonymous]

It would never occur to me to wear AirPods at the grocery store, or to care if someone else was wearing AirPods at the grocery store.

[Anonymous]

I'm older. I don't think it's rude to use them when shopping or if you are using self-checkout.

If you are in a staffed checkout lane, I think it is rude to be listening to something when the cashier may need to speak to you. Just turn off the music or audiobook for the few minutes it takes to get yourself checked out. I also think it is rude to be on a cell phone call when you are checking out at a cashier. If you go to the self-checkout, neither of these is a problem.