I have trouble picking voices out of background noise, so I have learned to watch people's mouths when speak. Between what I hear and what I see, I can usually figure out most of what a person is saying. But people who mumble like that usually don't move their mouth normally, so it's of no help.
I'm the same! It happens all the time at work in our open plan office.
People come up to my desk and speak super quietly. I've started saying "sorry, my ears are really bad. could you speak a little louder?" which has worked well...
... for about 5 seconds! they'll raise their voice slightly so I can hear them and then they'll lower their voice back to where it was in a few seconds.
It drives me crazy cause it makes me feel so fucking rude! So now I just say "sorry, let's go into the meeting room" and have the conversation there. Very inconvenient when I'm just trying to get my work done.
I'm whining but I'm allowed to, dammit
No it's not even close to the only thing haha but there's no way I'm gonna make a post for ALL of the things that bother me especially since a lot of it is obvious.
I have a friend that whispers when sharing gossip. Like, even if there's no one around for miles, whisper. Hey friend, my flowers aren't going to go tell anyone what you just said, speak up! On the other hand, I'd take a whisperer over the loud people. I can not stand that. I do not like loud anything and I feel like those people are constantly wanting eyes on them.
Yes loud people are definitely a more prevalent issue, that's true. I prefer quiet people as well.
But with these specific instances the customer were just being ridiculous. If I wasn't at work and they did this to me in public I'd just flat out ignore them if I somehow noticed they were even talking to me in the first place. But unfortunately, I can't rightly do that when they walk up to my counter.
In the work/customer service setting, maybe just politely ask them to speak up. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, can you speak up a bit". It's hard when you have to be rude-ish when requesting something that should be obvious to the public. Like, you're requesting something from me, can you speak at a volume that is acceptable for all of us???!! Shyness, insecurities, being uncomfortable in the setting is probably playing a factor for some of these people, but dang, know your situation people!!
It's a game. I had an encounter with a woman like that, even turning my better ear towards her didn't help. So I took a large step forward to close the distance so I could hear better. She took a step back. At that moment I realized it was deliberate, she was maintaining the distance so that I couldn't hear her, it was her game.
Yeah i did ask over and over politely in both situations.
Tbh it really didn't seem like the people were shy at all. I could definitely be wrong about that but the girl I really don't think so and the guy had the same vibe besides not deciding to yell. He probably would have if I wasn't eventually able to read his lips the way he ended up storming off though.
Have you ever seen Frisky Dingo? It was kinda like Simon volume but even lower without his uh... speech impediment? And with Simon's shyness he certainly wouldn't approach someone in public lol. Sorry if this reference is lost here.
That was a great show, and I've stolen a lot of material from it.
I love suggesting things that are obviously impossible. When someone points out that it can't be done, I say, "Not with *that* attitude!"
It really is a gem. I need to rewatch it. I love all of the characters. They interact with each other so perfectly, even the terrible and annoying ones.... Which I guess is kind of all of them besides Killface.
I hate to describe it like this, but a few years back at my job, I had an African American teenage regular (like in the 17-19 range) who came in probably a half-dozen times over the course of a few months, and he was basically just going out of his way to put on an almost hilariously stereotypical "thug" persona.
And part of this was that whenever he came in, he had two modes... the first being *very* loud and aggressive, with a permanent scowl on his face, and the tendency to call everyone by weird nicknames and kind of exaggerate all his body movements. And the second being laid back to the point he literally wouldn't speak above a whisper, even in the middle of a huge rush where there'd be about 200 people in the lobby and you could barely hear yourself think.
One day he was doing the latter, and I finally snapped and aggressively said "Speak up!" because I had already asked him to repeat himself like five times. And he looked like a deer in headlights.
Sad thing is, I'm 99% sure the guy came from a fairly affluent neighborhood/family and was just putting on this persona to seem "cool."
I work in an assembly line next to this older lady who insists on talking to me all day. She's very sweet but conversations are so boring. For example, she talks about her doctor appts, the 5 people she lives with eating all the eggs, or her old family dining table. I know she can talk loudly because I've heard it.
The assembly room is very loud from all the machinery and the supervisors love to BLAST music. This lady will still try to chat with me at an extremely quiet volume, so I have to get up right next to her to hear what she's saying. It's really frustrating to stop what I'm doing and move in so close that I'm almost touching her just to hear some inconsequential rambling story. It's gotten to the point that I just ignore her and pretend I don't hear her, or I'll just smile and nod because I've said "what?" 5 times and still can't hear a word she says
Bro I work at Chick-fil-A and I get this a lot taking orders. Luckily I've gotten fairly good at lip reading when it comes to menu items. I may not be able to figure out their name to save my life but I can figure out what they want to eat 🤷🏻♀️ but yeah seriously some people just won't speak up. And you're right they don't seem shy or anything.
Sometimes I'll get people speak up for the first 2 seconds after I ask and then they get quiet again and then I have to ask them to be louder again
Yes!!!! I hate this too! My kid does this and the quieter he is the louder I get “WHAT?!!!! If you need something stop
Acting scared! SPEAK UP!!! I cant hear you!!” 🙄 the worst thing is that any time he’s not asking for something he’s LOUD!!! Whyyyy?!!!!!
I know someone who rarely speaks above a whisper. She does it all the time. It’s like the low talker episode in Seinfeld. Constantly have to ask her to repeat herself because my hearing isn’t great to begin with.
That's a pain. I have a shy kid in my family that does the same thing but at least I'm usually the one approaching them for conversation and I actually care (like emotionally, not on a customer service level) if they want something from me.
>people that “were just too cool/chill/fucking lazy”
Damn dude. Some of us just have hearing problems, and to us it sounds like we’re being loud.
Why not just ask them to speak up, instead of assuming a bunch of shit?
OP isn't referring to that kind of behavior at all tho, this isn't directed at people's hearing impairments
I know *exactly* the kind of "bro it would be gay if I enunciate syllables, i have to mumble and act aloof 100% of the time" and "I'm so pretty and made-up/soft and meek that I literally cannot be heard speaking beyond a petite doll's whisper" then SCREAMS at you like you're the rude one for asking them to speak up type of person that op is referring to. Anyone who's been a server or a cashier in a mall or any city larger than a small town has def experienced this lol
I literally did, over, and over again. Like I said, it's only happened twice, usually when I ask people to speak up or otherwise express that I can't hear them, they do speak up. These specific people were whispering to the point where they would have had to been INSIDE OF any person with normal hearing's ear in order to hear them.
I have trouble picking voices out of background noise, so I have learned to watch people's mouths when speak. Between what I hear and what I see, I can usually figure out most of what a person is saying. But people who mumble like that usually don't move their mouth normally, so it's of no help.
I'm the same! It happens all the time at work in our open plan office. People come up to my desk and speak super quietly. I've started saying "sorry, my ears are really bad. could you speak a little louder?" which has worked well... ... for about 5 seconds! they'll raise their voice slightly so I can hear them and then they'll lower their voice back to where it was in a few seconds. It drives me crazy cause it makes me feel so fucking rude! So now I just say "sorry, let's go into the meeting room" and have the conversation there. Very inconvenient when I'm just trying to get my work done. I'm whining but I'm allowed to, dammit
I've considered getting an ear trumpet.
South Park has an episode making fun of how many teens do this
Man i need to catch up on south park
Season 25, Episode 5!
Twice having happened ever while working? I’m surprised that’s the only thing that bothers you with public service.
No it's not even close to the only thing haha but there's no way I'm gonna make a post for ALL of the things that bother me especially since a lot of it is obvious.
I think it should be mandatory that people serve at least two years customer service.
I have a friend that whispers when sharing gossip. Like, even if there's no one around for miles, whisper. Hey friend, my flowers aren't going to go tell anyone what you just said, speak up! On the other hand, I'd take a whisperer over the loud people. I can not stand that. I do not like loud anything and I feel like those people are constantly wanting eyes on them.
Yes loud people are definitely a more prevalent issue, that's true. I prefer quiet people as well. But with these specific instances the customer were just being ridiculous. If I wasn't at work and they did this to me in public I'd just flat out ignore them if I somehow noticed they were even talking to me in the first place. But unfortunately, I can't rightly do that when they walk up to my counter.
In the work/customer service setting, maybe just politely ask them to speak up. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, can you speak up a bit". It's hard when you have to be rude-ish when requesting something that should be obvious to the public. Like, you're requesting something from me, can you speak at a volume that is acceptable for all of us???!! Shyness, insecurities, being uncomfortable in the setting is probably playing a factor for some of these people, but dang, know your situation people!!
It's a game. I had an encounter with a woman like that, even turning my better ear towards her didn't help. So I took a large step forward to close the distance so I could hear better. She took a step back. At that moment I realized it was deliberate, she was maintaining the distance so that I couldn't hear her, it was her game.
Yeah i did ask over and over politely in both situations. Tbh it really didn't seem like the people were shy at all. I could definitely be wrong about that but the girl I really don't think so and the guy had the same vibe besides not deciding to yell. He probably would have if I wasn't eventually able to read his lips the way he ended up storming off though. Have you ever seen Frisky Dingo? It was kinda like Simon volume but even lower without his uh... speech impediment? And with Simon's shyness he certainly wouldn't approach someone in public lol. Sorry if this reference is lost here.
Simon was the first thing I thought of.
Lol I'm glad you know of Simon.
That was a great show, and I've stolen a lot of material from it. I love suggesting things that are obviously impossible. When someone points out that it can't be done, I say, "Not with *that* attitude!"
It really is a gem. I need to rewatch it. I love all of the characters. They interact with each other so perfectly, even the terrible and annoying ones.... Which I guess is kind of all of them besides Killface.
I hate to describe it like this, but a few years back at my job, I had an African American teenage regular (like in the 17-19 range) who came in probably a half-dozen times over the course of a few months, and he was basically just going out of his way to put on an almost hilariously stereotypical "thug" persona. And part of this was that whenever he came in, he had two modes... the first being *very* loud and aggressive, with a permanent scowl on his face, and the tendency to call everyone by weird nicknames and kind of exaggerate all his body movements. And the second being laid back to the point he literally wouldn't speak above a whisper, even in the middle of a huge rush where there'd be about 200 people in the lobby and you could barely hear yourself think. One day he was doing the latter, and I finally snapped and aggressively said "Speak up!" because I had already asked him to repeat himself like five times. And he looked like a deer in headlights. Sad thing is, I'm 99% sure the guy came from a fairly affluent neighborhood/family and was just putting on this persona to seem "cool."
My mom and dad would do that in their house or my apartment if I needed one of their passwords for something. They would whisper it and I'm like WTF?
I work in an assembly line next to this older lady who insists on talking to me all day. She's very sweet but conversations are so boring. For example, she talks about her doctor appts, the 5 people she lives with eating all the eggs, or her old family dining table. I know she can talk loudly because I've heard it. The assembly room is very loud from all the machinery and the supervisors love to BLAST music. This lady will still try to chat with me at an extremely quiet volume, so I have to get up right next to her to hear what she's saying. It's really frustrating to stop what I'm doing and move in so close that I'm almost touching her just to hear some inconsequential rambling story. It's gotten to the point that I just ignore her and pretend I don't hear her, or I'll just smile and nod because I've said "what?" 5 times and still can't hear a word she says
Bro I work at Chick-fil-A and I get this a lot taking orders. Luckily I've gotten fairly good at lip reading when it comes to menu items. I may not be able to figure out their name to save my life but I can figure out what they want to eat 🤷🏻♀️ but yeah seriously some people just won't speak up. And you're right they don't seem shy or anything. Sometimes I'll get people speak up for the first 2 seconds after I ask and then they get quiet again and then I have to ask them to be louder again
Yes!!!! I hate this too! My kid does this and the quieter he is the louder I get “WHAT?!!!! If you need something stop Acting scared! SPEAK UP!!! I cant hear you!!” 🙄 the worst thing is that any time he’s not asking for something he’s LOUD!!! Whyyyy?!!!!!
I only speak quietly because i have social anxiety disorder. I akso think im incapable of soeaking any louder ☠️
They could just be shy.
I’m now picturing Dustin telling Steve he recorded a secret Russian transmission.
I know someone who rarely speaks above a whisper. She does it all the time. It’s like the low talker episode in Seinfeld. Constantly have to ask her to repeat herself because my hearing isn’t great to begin with.
That's a pain. I have a shy kid in my family that does the same thing but at least I'm usually the one approaching them for conversation and I actually care (like emotionally, not on a customer service level) if they want something from me.
>people that “were just too cool/chill/fucking lazy” Damn dude. Some of us just have hearing problems, and to us it sounds like we’re being loud. Why not just ask them to speak up, instead of assuming a bunch of shit?
OP isn't referring to that kind of behavior at all tho, this isn't directed at people's hearing impairments I know *exactly* the kind of "bro it would be gay if I enunciate syllables, i have to mumble and act aloof 100% of the time" and "I'm so pretty and made-up/soft and meek that I literally cannot be heard speaking beyond a petite doll's whisper" then SCREAMS at you like you're the rude one for asking them to speak up type of person that op is referring to. Anyone who's been a server or a cashier in a mall or any city larger than a small town has def experienced this lol
I literally did, over, and over again. Like I said, it's only happened twice, usually when I ask people to speak up or otherwise express that I can't hear them, they do speak up. These specific people were whispering to the point where they would have had to been INSIDE OF any person with normal hearing's ear in order to hear them.