Vocal Voices

I try to get out for a walk on the pier as much as I can during the week, given how my day goes, the weather, my inherent laziness . I always wonder though why so many people walk/jog listening to their ipod or whatever and just looking down. I would hate to be going along completely inside my own little world, I'd much rather look around me.

For example today, I could hear the gentle lapping of the sea on the sea side of the pier, the quiet conversations between older couples out walking, seagulls with their raucous squawks and the baby ones (as big as the grownups) who are still squeaking away trying to reach the noisy sound of the adults. There's a man, Eastern European I suppose, who plays the saxophone most days to a backing track, he stands about half way along the lower level and quite often I am tempted to have a little dance. Today there were some children with their mum and all three were dancing along as they came near to him. It's interesting hearing the different languages of tourists as they pose for each other and take selfies. There were small boats going out, Optimists I think they are called, with people obviously starting to learn how to sail as they were all tied together as they moved out of the flat calm of the inside harbour accompanied by a motor boat and you could hear their talking floating across the water. Back at the car park end of the pier, people were arriving or getting back in their cars after their walk, dogs were running around, walking back up the street there were cyclists puffing their way up the hill, while others' wheels were making a swishing sound as they freewheeled down. I walk at a reasonable pace, but would not miss the chance to take in all that is going on around me and I love the views and the air, and regularly think how lucky I am to live here.

So back to my question - why do so many people block all this out when out walking or jogging? Such a waste, I think!

Osc, I am like you I think. I like to know what is going on around me. I love to be out with Jasper and when I am I prefer to be alone in the countryside with him. I find the sounds restful and I can tune in to the birds and the sound of the wind which masks the tinnitus.
I just love to 'feel' nature around me with all my senses. In town though it is different and while I still enjoy seeing what people are doing I find the sounds too uncomfortable now.

I like to take in everything around me as well - Becky though walks along plugged into her gadgets

When I'm doing a coastal walk with Don or I've gone for a run along the beach then I never take my ipod.

Same when I'm out on my bike - it's all mountains and trees and nature and the sounds are lovely.

On my day to day morning pound the pavement run then I'll have my ipod as I like to run to a beat and the music is a bit of company.

I never listen to anything 'extra' either, I love hearing snippets of conversations when in the town/down by the quay, and love the sound of the birds, or the sea, or just the nothingness

I'm always amazed to see people plugged into music whilst just walking about town but still able to hold a conversation.
I always think they're missing so much day to day noises that make up life.

As I only use my ipod when running it's just me and my heavy breathing.

I must be turning into a Victor Meldrew clone!

It worries me when I see people with earphones in, head bowed, thumbing the screens of their smartphones and totally oblivious to the world around them - most times when crossing the road!

There is so much to see and hear out there, even walking the local streets. I do little walks and often see folk I do not know from Adam trimming a hedge, sweeping drives, pruning plants or washing a car, and a simple smile and a few words changes the day.

I like to listen to nature too, I do disappear into my own world though.

The other day there was a girl walking towards me, with her iPod plugged in and her thumb on her iPod or her phone, she walked towards me, I stopped, I actually held her on the tops of her arms and steered her from walking into me and she just carried on without looking up. That I found worrying

It all depends where I'm walking to. If I'm walking down to town the I use my iPod because it's a busy 'A' road and there's the constant noise of traffic. If I'm out walking Billy then I leave it at home. I like to hear the birdies and I want to be fully aware of what's going on around me too for safety reasons. Quite often Billy runs on ahead if we're over the common, leaving me walking along on my own.

miasmum wrote:I like to listen to nature too, I do disappear into my own world though.

The other day there was a girl walking towards me, with her iPod plugged in and her thumb on her iPod or her phone, she walked towards me, I stopped, I actually held her on the tops of her arms and steered her from walking into me and she just carried on without looking up. That I found worrying

That is scary