Personal music devices on trails??

[adamrodkey]

Am I a crotchety old bastard that begrudgingly moved to bigger wheels, doesn't ride 4' wide bars and still wears lycra? Yes.
But what's with people using bluetooth speakers on the trials? Its crazy to me that people blast music on MTB trails. Late last season we were riding one evening and saw, I think, 13 or so people and counted 8 of them with bluetooth speakers broadcasting music. I've already started seeing (hearing...) them this year.
Is this the new normal? Am I the only one bothered by this?   

[Dan71]

I am with you.  I have cross paths a couple times this year with this type of noise pollution. 

[LazyBeerNutz]

As much as I disagree with this behavior, I prefer it to the folks that run/ride with earbuds in.  At least with the speaker, you can ask them to turn it down and they can hear you coming.

[djkouza]

Am I a crotchety old bastard that begrudgingly moved to bigger wheels, doesn't ride 4' wide bars and still wears lycra? Yes.
But what's with people using bluetooth speakers on the trials? Its crazy to me that people blast music on MTB trails. Late last season we were riding one evening and saw, I think, 13 or so people and counted 8 of them with bluetooth speakers broadcasting music. I've already started seeing (hearing...) them this year.
Is this the new normal? Am I the only one bothered by this?

If you have a bell, just start ringing it when near them... I don't get these people.  I sat in the airport beside a lady blasting her videos out loud.  So I whipped out my phone and tablet and cranked them all the way up and started streaming the same channel   I won because she quickly left, obviously I turned my music off right away.  I got a couple laughs and thank yous to boot!

[Willyjaybob]

Am I a crotchety old bastard that begrudgingly moved to bigger wheels, doesn't ride 4' wide bars and still wears lycra? Yes.
But what's with people using bluetooth speakers on the trials? Its crazy to me that people blast music on MTB trails. Late last season we were riding one evening and saw, I think, 13 or so people and counted 8 of them with bluetooth speakers broadcasting music. I've already started seeing (hearing...) them this year.
Is this the new normal? Am I the only one bothered by this?

You are NOT the only bothered by this for sure... The Bluetooth speaker thing is pretty ridiculous.


That said, I'm not in the camp that earbuds are the devil, either. As long as they are low enough (or the rider has just one ear in) to hear others coming up on you, etc. I have no problem with it. I ride about 50/50 with earbuds. Sometimes I want to hear the forest and my tires on the dirt, but there are also times that I need the external motivation that music provides to get my butt moving! To each their own as long as they aren't bothering other people. Bluetooth has to go, though!