Disturb who? ...pssh

Am I the only one who takes issue with persons playing the radios/music files on their phones out loud in public places?  What makes it worse, the music is often rather distasteful and even often offensive.  When I complain I come off as being the miserable lady.

Very recently I sat in the waiting room of one of the local hospitals and there was a man playing his music quite loudly.  I was rather appalled that no one from hospital staff came and told him to shut the damned thing off (but then this is the same place that has signs asking people to put their phones on "silent" but after several trips there I'm convinced I may be the only one).  At first I thought the man's phone was merely ringing but when it continued then went to another song, I shockingly realised the man was playing his personal music... out loud!  This time however the music was religious and not offensive, but nevertheless disrupting my peace.  I told the gentleman very politely that his music was a little too loud and I'd like him to turn it down.  He complied, but not after giving me the how dare you stare.  What struck me further was this man had headphones around his neck!  I'm going to take it for granted that those headphones had stopped working.

More public buses are being fitted with sound systems and music is  blasted from them.  Isn't there a law against that?  I've often blushed with embarrassment at some of the lyrical content being spewed at me; but whether offensive or not the fact is on public transport I should have the right to quiet and if I decide to listen to music I should wear headphones and not force everyone to endure my music choices.  The operative word of course is should for in most cases it's to hell with what I want to think about or the fact that I just want to sleep.  This jolts another memory of me taking a four hour bus ride on one service and the driver ignoring my repeated request to turn the music down.  Lucky for me, one speaker was situated almost immediately above my head which made my intention to sleep !muy imposible!  I am elated when I get on a public bus in which the radio has mal-functioned and it is often amusing to hear some fellow passengers complain of how boring the bus ride is :-)

My exercise route  is a very popular one and though I once exercised while listening to music (plugged into my ears via my headphones)  I've grown to prefer the music of my own thoughts.  That has been disturbed as I've seen/heard many persons along the trek with their music being played out loud and they have no headphones!  Are we all going mad?  My once tranquil exercise/nature walk now sounds like someone is rapidly changing the stations of a radio as different sounds are coming from these different phones.  I now have to wear headphones to keep the noise out; but is that fair to me?  Why should they have more liberties to the use of public space than I do?

Royal Caribbean cruise line has come up with the idea of silent parties which is grossly ironic since you choose to go to a party and expect to hear loud music of various kinds.  Their rationale is that sometimes a patron may dislike what it is being played at a particular moment and to combat that patrons get headphones and have the liberty to change the music/DJ as they dance.  Talk about ingenuity!  Now if only their planning/marketing people can have a sit down with Joe Public.