Driving w/Windows Open = Everybody Wants to Hear My Music

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, man. You must really hate me. I have a speaker on my bike, and I have been really into Ethiopian jazz lately. I do hope that others enjoy it, but even if they don't, I can't say I particularly like the noise of cars, so I guess it all balances out.

I do really enjoy, though, when I pull up next to a car and the person has the windows down and is rocking out to something completely different than whatever I am listening to. We often exchange a look and a laugh, and it makes for a pleasant interlude in my day.

So, maybe consider whether you can find a way to appreciate that someone else is having a good time, even if it's not exactly your cup of tea?

Wear earphones. You are a sad, pathetic jerk.

Not to be rude, but you sound old and like you desperately need to get laid.

[Anonymous]

Did Tipper Gore start this thread or Homer Simpson's Dad?

This is classic clutched pearls, lame DC prude BS. Lighten up, please. You're pathetic.

"OMG THESE CRAZY KIDS WITH THEIR MUSIC BLASTING OUT OF THEIR CARS MARGE! I JUST WANT SOME PEACE WHEN I'M DRIVING HOME TO SOUTH RIDING FROM A 4PM MEETING AT THE AG DEPARTMENT!!!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s just another example of “Me, me, look at me!! Please look at me!”

I feel sorry for the “jerks”. It’s the only way they can me noticed.

You are ridiculous. I’m sure none of these people give a crap if you notice them, it has nothing to do with you at all.

When a car pulls into a gas station with lots of pumps and the windows are down and the music is blaring and the bass is vibrating and all the other folks pumping gas at multiple islands look up, the driver absolutely knows what he's doing, doesn't care if it's bothering others, and does want to be noticed.

And I notice them and think that they are causing themselves major hearing damage and I hope that Medicare/Medicaid does not pay for discrete hearing aids - I want them to wear the BIG ones when they are old.

[Anonymous]

Irony is that the Prius is a very quiet car--so quiet that pedestrians are at risk because they can't hear the car coming up on them at a crossing.

Also running the A/C or heat in an electric vehicle drastically shortens it range.

[Anonymous]

Oh but was it Arabic techno?

[Anonymous]

Maybe they don't have a/c? Would you rather they leave their windows up while listening to their radios in 95-degree heat?

GTFO!

When I do have my windows down (rare occurrence) and I am stopped next to someone making a face, I crank that baby louder.

[Anonymous]

Today I heard a car blasting smooth jazz. I thought, Who in the heck enjoys this crap music, and who would voluntarily listen to it loudly in his/her car? Why, why? It hurts my ears!

I peeked. The person enjoying smooth jazz was a 50-60ish woman in a Mercedes convertible. Ah, I thought, she is the one who likes this. This reminds her of her heyday in the 80s. She’d go to clubs, flirt with handsome men, listen to Kenny G, and get it on to the smooth sounds of the alto sax.

What a different life than mine. This is what I listened to in my heyday, and I’d totally blast it from my Toyota: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7YAdPUTveiI

[Anonymous]

Such a stupid thing to whine about.

First of all unless it is humid all of us limousine liberals around here should at least try to lessen our carbon footprint while driving by keeping the air off and saving some gas - on most models running the AC lowers gas mileage by 3-4MPG so why not be less of a wimp and just roll down the damn windows? (I can't wait to hear the excuses for why this is too difficult)

But since OP was complaining about someone else driving with the windows down she was implying that she exclusively drives with the windows up - why in the world would you notice or be bothered by someone elses music if you are in your own hermetically sealed space?

And I love all the posts from people on here suggesting that their drive is some magic peaceful zone in their life - are you posting from another part of the country? Or when you bought your car did the dealer give you some brand of Kool-Aid that has caused you to believe the non-sense from the car commercial that sucked you into buying the car - something like this silliness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrWyLIlNrGE

[Anonymous]

Bumping Nipsey (RIP) tomorrow while creeping down Huntington Parkway and Kirby Lane to piss off the blue haired wet blankets in this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAcGg_4KKYs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, man. You must really hate me. I have a speaker on my bike, and I have been really into Ethiopian jazz lately. I do hope that others enjoy it, but even if they don't, I can't say I particularly like the noise of cars, so I guess it all balances out.

I do really enjoy, though, when I pull up next to a car and the person has the windows down and is rocking out to something completely different than whatever I am listening to. We often exchange a look and a laugh, and it makes for a pleasant interlude in my day.

So, maybe consider whether you can find a way to appreciate that someone else is having a good time, even if it's not exactly your cup of tea?

Why don't you just invest in some decent headphones?

It's not that other people don't like your music. But sometimes I just want white noise in my car. Maybe I've had a long day, maybe I have a bit of a migraine. My drive home may be my only "alone time" for the rest of the day and I kind of treasure it. Maybe I want to hear the birds instead of your noise pollution. I'm not as aggravated by car music as OP, but try putting yourself in other people's shoes.

PP here (the "sad pathetic jerk"): As of January 1, it is actually illegal to wear earphones while riding a bike. I don't have the DC Code cite handy, but this was one of many new laws that went into effect this year. There is a good reason for this--biking or driving with headphones on is not safe, because it limits your ability to hear what is going on around you. But, also, as mentioned above, I enjoy the many positive interactions I have every day because of my music and the music of those around me. For every person like OP, there is another person who tells me how much they like some song I am playing, how it reminds them of some fond memory, and or just nods their head along to the beat. If we all go around with headphones on and our windows rolled up it is really, really easy to stop having the kind of basic interactions with those around us that remind us we are all human beings, not "us" and "them." For those who just want some silence and peace, those of you in cars can just roll up your windows and put some white noise on your stereo. Respectfully, I do not think it is reasonable to expect city streets to provide you with the kind of calm you are seeking (which I totally get). That said, my little bike speaker is much less powerful than some car stereos, which no amount of window rolling will protect you from, so that may be a different case.

Why don't you wear headphones in your house, then, and "blast out" then?

I actually reject the idea that we have to accept noise pollution everywhere, at all times, outside of the home. It's unhealthy. As electric cars become more prevalent, quiet is indeed going to become possible. You dono't have to play your music so loud that people outside your car can hear it. And using a speaker on a bike is just dumb. I actually frequently walk around without any headphones to work and everywhere I look, people are either wearing headphones or blasting music. I don't think this encourages "basic interactions" with the people around you.

PP here. I don't know why you think it's dumb to use a speaker on a bike. As for positive interactions, I can only speak from my experience.

I agree.

I run and frequently use the speaker of my phone to play music instead of earphones. (It's safer to run without earphones.) If people are around, it will probably only be audible to them for about three seconds, because chances are I am running much faster than you. It also alerts people to get out of my way so I don't have to waste my breath asking them to.
Once or twice I've played the song that goes "Move, b*tch, get out the way, get out the way" just for lols.

Yeah, you are annoying too. Nobody wants to hear your dumb music.

[Anonymous]

When I was young and stupid had a 1988 Wrangler my roll bar I could attach speakers that looked like fog lights. I also had speakers in the doors. I had a 500 Watt aftermarket stereo system.

I could direct speakers away from inside vehicle when top off. At beach or party could use Jeep for dance music.

A car at light with your stereo on and windows up I would drown you out.

For fun crank up NWA or 2 Live Crew - playin F@CK the Police and We Want Some P@SSY

[Anonymous]

The only way to listen to classic 90's rap is with windows down and bass on full blast. If you commute to DC you have definitely nodded your head along to my Dre playlist at some point.

[Anonymous]

It is part of noise pollution, which is a real thing and over time can cause hearing loss, tinnitus and even changes in critical thinking and neurological processing.

However Arabic techno is a welcome change to the ubiquitous pop and rap I hear from other cars! You don’t hear my classical music. I suspect classical music lovers aren’t the type to blare it out

[Anonymous]

It bothers me at gas stations.

And drive-thrus.

[Anonymous]

Who cares? It's summer and people drive with windows down...deal with it. It's not all the time and is really not inconveniencing you.