Lightweight Backpacking News: Digest No. 15

There is a new form of inconsiderate behavior that is catching on very quickly: playing music through loudspeakers in public parks, open spaces, and wilderness areas. Until about two years ago I never encountered this. Now it seems as though most times I go for hike or ski I encounter some inconsiderate person (usually young) blasting music from a loudspeaker. I, and many others, go to such places to experience something of the natural world, which includes peace quiet, but this will not be possible if the current trend of blasting one's music at others, whether or not they want to hear it, is not stopped.

Shame on BackpackingLight for helping to promote this new barbarism by featuring Fugoo Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers.

The music in the outdoors/wilderness annoys me, certainly. I do like the peace and quiet.

However, I'm not going to sit here and act like my needs matter more than another person's needs. Everyone experiences the outdoors differently, and everyone goes into the outdoors seeking different things. For me, it's peace and quiet. For others, it may be to see beautiful scenery while blasting music they truly love. Why is my desire for peace and quiet more important than someone else's desire for music?

Yes, it annoys me, but instead of complaining about it, I problem solve instead. It's not that hard to wait a few minutes for a person to pass and move along. If they're the ones stationary, it's not that hard to move along a bit either. A few times, I have asked the person to turn their music down, but I've done it nicely. Some times the person has been kind and didn't know that I was being bothered, and obliged. A few have flat out told me no, but even then, it's never been that rude, and that's likely because I asked nicely (works wonders when you're nice rather than mean and angry).

I look at it like any other problem I encounter in the outdoors. I can complain/whine/get upset (which I rarely do), or I can just find a solution to my problem or annoyance. Sometimes the campsite I want is taken. That's annoying. So I find another. Sometimes it storms when I don't feel like dealing with rain and wind. That's annoying. So I put on my rain jacket and just keep going; nothing I can do about it.

"However, I'm not going to sit here and act like my needs matter more than another person's needs."

In any urban environment, I might agree with you. But out in the woods it is a different story, especially in our wilderness areas and our national parks. Those places are "protected" because of the aesthetic, cultural, heritage, etc. values of the landscapes, the wildlife, the soundscapes, and more. Quite is a valued resource. Just like a "dark sky". Just like a pristine meadow. Just like clean water.

We don't tolerate graffiti. We don't feed the wildlife. And we don't broadcast our music.

Many may feel the need to tag landmarks, feed the deer, and carry a ghetto blaster, because they 1) want to, 2) see others do it, and/or 3) see it encouraged by the media. But that "personal need" should not be allowed to impair the values of the land they are in, or impact those who are there to enjoy those values.

We can't do much about the weather, or the speedsters, but there is a lot we can do to preserve what little solitude we have left. The BPL Digest should not be part of the problem.

Loudspeakers on the trail, in backcountry campsites, in developed campgrounds, on beaches, on summits, or in ANY public place are an abomination and extremely inconsiderate. This fact should be self evident.

Other than that, I have no problem with them.

In reality, you guys are missing the point. Again, you focus too much on the "problem", and too little on a solution. I've already listed some solutions. I'm sure, if you have a modicum of ambition, you can come up with others.

"Many may feel the need to tag landmarks, feed the deer, and carry a ghetto blaster, because they 1) want to, 2) see others do it, and/or 3) see it encouraged by the media. But that "personal need" should not be allowed to impair the values of the land they are in, or impact those who are there to enjoy those values."

This is contradictory. To many, the values of the land are the ability to be in the great outdoors and listen to music. To me, to you guys, we don't use the land for that. But don't assume that your use, and values, of the land are consistent throughout the population.

Now, there are places where such activity is against the rules/ordinances/laws. In those cases, by all means, I agree, playing music outloud should not occur. If you want to get rid of this behavior, get off your ass, and do something about it, rather than whining online.

Yes, quiet is a valued resource. So is a dark sky. A pristine meadow. Clean water. Should I then not use my headlamp at night? Should my son not go run through a meadow, all in fear of offending someone? Consideration works both ways. I can not use my headlamp to appease someone who loves a dark sky and doesn't want their night vision ruined, but they could also be considerate and sacrifice a little time of watching the stars so I can use my headlamp. Someone playing music out loud could be considerate and turn it off to appease people like you, but you could also be considerate and let them enjoy their music by simply letting them pass by, or moving along yourself.

Lastly, where are you going exactly that this is as major of a problem as you guys are making it out to be? I'm 99% sure I've put in more time in the outdoors than a lot of people here, and this has never even been close to a major concern. This is an honest question. The only time I've encountered such behavior is on highly populated trails in or near the city. It's never happened in the backcountry, which typically draws people who are indeed looking for peace and quiet. Mainly, I'm curious as to where you guys are backpacking where this music is being played and you have no option of simply moving a little distance away so it's no longer audible.

Don't forget that there's more than humans. There are other beings and they live there. It's fine that we go through the place, it's also ours, but we're guests in someone else's home. Being loud is highly inconsiderate.

I can't hear their music anyway. I've got Bethoven's Fifth blasting in my head. I agree with Brian. It's not the time for conflict. The further you walk, the better it gets. To have common areas, we have to deal with the law of the commons. Robin Hood was a poacher, yet we worship him today. All we can do is get over it and walk a little further. That's why I'll never go to that cesspool named the Kern ever again. The respect needs to be learned in the cities.

"and none of us own the wilderness." That's the point. Duh. What's wrong with headphones?

Folks with headphones sing loudly and badly. Next you're going to ask what's wrong with clothes. Get away from southern Cal and it's much less a problem.

I'll give up my music when you give up your dog.

Brian,

There is this concept called called courtesey. When in the wilderness, courtesey dictates that, as much as possible, we allow others to enjoy the wilderness in its natural state. There is another concept, untrammeled by man, which many would include artificial noise as something that negatively impacts wilderness.

This speaker puts out 95db. Let me put this into perspective for you. A Honda eb10000 commercial generator, which weighs 400 lbs, generates a peak of 10,000 watts, puts out 76db at its rated load of 9,000 watts. How loud is 95db? Sustained exposure to 90-95db will result in hearing loss. Would we accept listening to a commercial generator that is quieter than this speaker? This is why we should criticize BPL for including this piece of "outdoor" gear in the News Digest.

I saw the comment about Hendrick, and I know there is a lot of animosity towards him by many BPL members due to his Kickstarter project. He also publishes something similar to the BPL News Digest, called The Week In Review. TWIR, is more aligned to what many here might want to read, than things like 95db speakers in the BPL News Digest.

Brian, since you are one of the 1%ers that can get outdoors more frequently than the rest of us mere mortals, and go where there are no other people, the rest of us still should be able to walk a trail or sit on a small hill watching the sun set without hearing a 95db speaker playing music we probably don't even like.

Today there is this "me" generation that seems only concerned with their own right to do as they please, without consideration of others' right to enjoy the wilderness in its natural state.

Someday, maybe I'll try to emulate you, by hiking in a remote place without other people, to get away from artificial noises like certain music I don't even enjoy listening to at home.

I have scientific evidence that the squirrels of the world love Elvis. No really, 95db is crazy loud and I'm not advocating rocking Cannibal Corpse at concert levels. Just saying some of us like music. A lot. And we don't like people defining our experience for us on websites.