What's the point of this?

[Seanette]

Maybe either some of our younger members or our car stereo installer can explain to me the appeal of "boom cars".

You know, the ones you can hear a block away, with bass that shakes the ground for a similar distance, playing "music" that seems to be all bass booms, except for the rattle of car body panels (usually, the booms and the rattling are all that's clearly hearable. Everything else is drowned out or seriously distorted).

Being inside one of these has to be an exercise in severe ear pain, judging by how much it can hurt to have one nearby.

Why have a stereo that's so loud the "music" you're supposedly wanting to hear is distorting badly and you're infuriating everyone for a block around?

[COMINATCHA]

My friend has a car like that. She's spent heaps of money doing it up, and when she drives me anywhere, she has to crank the music up really loud. If I wanted to tell her something, like maybe give her directions, she can't hear me.

But I think she does it to get people to look at her. She loves attention, and if we pull up next to a car of people, they can't help but look. It's like how goths and emos dress the way they do - they just want people to look at them, and to be the center of attention.

(When we get hot guys looking, I give em a - :wave:)

[irateguy]

I agree w ya wholeheartedly. Most of the time its hip hop rap garabage that I cant stand coming out of those cars. I saw on TV once Shaquille O'Neal has his truck stereo so loud that It routinely breaks his windows

[ArenaBoy]

I HATE those stereos so much. It really pisses me off when I'm trying to sleep and I can hear one of them TWO blocks away when I'm inside my house. I don't care how cool you think are, I care about sleeping. I've found it ridiculous because I actually like hearing the song.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Clearly, I am way too old and way too uncool to understand why someone needs a radio so loud the speakers destroy themselves within months. I'm also so unhip I think it's funny when some idiot leaves his car running and the windows down when he goes inside a building, only to return in time to see a car theif driving away with his vehicle.

I'm also so amazingly clueless I can't understand what's sexy about a grown man shuffling around with his ass out and the crotch of his pants down around his knees like he's hauling around a loaded diaper, either, but hey. What do I know?

[Ryu]

im 20 and i dont think they are cool or whatnot
i definitely wouldnt get one

[Confuzed-Monkey]

Well, I guess I'll be the one to take the hit.

I have one of those "Booming" stereo systems in my car.
Although no one will care, I have 2 12" subwoofers and about 1000 watts pumping thru it. Yeah, It's loud. I can be heard from a couple blocks away. It's not distorted as you say. That is when they try to make it louder than the speakers can handle. Mine stays quite loud and crystal clear the whole time.
(BTW it's not "painful" to be inside while it's on. The best description I can give is like loud music with a massage. The vibrations from the speakers feel like those massage pads you put in a chair.)

But that's not really the point, I like my music, and I like to listen to it loudly sometimes. How many people say they went to a concert and loved it because it was quiet. Thats what I thought. Everyone I have talked to young and old say that it was loud. I have a concert hall on wheels. To each his/her own. I also don't listen to it loudly all of the time. I would say maybe less than 10% of the total listening time does it go over average volume.

Here is where I differ from the crowd. I do NOT blast my stereo in a residential area, day or night. I like my peace and quiet too. I would be disrespecful to irritate people trying to relax at home. I typically play it loud on the highway or non-residential areas. I even turn it all the way down at traffic lights, as to not bother those around me. Perhaps I am listening to something that might offend them. Thats not what I'm there to do. Just listen to my favorite music.

I like my music loud but I do not intend to hassle other people with my preferences. I listen to rap, as it tend to make a system perform the best, but I have a very wide verity of music I listen too. As a matter of fact, the cd I have in my player now is a mix stuff like:fleetwood mac, steve winwood, bruce hornsby,sting etc.


I guess I saying please don't lump all of us into the same disrespectful lot that happen to be ignorant of those around them. Honestly every generation has something that irritated the hell out of the one before it.

I am open to answering any questions about this.

I'm just interjecting a different view into this one-sided thread.

CM

[Jaden]

I'm 16, probably the youngest member here. While my preferences in music are very narrow, I do indeed enjoy listening to it loud. Do I enjoy the "boom" car thing? Heck no. I turn the volume up plenty, and if somebody tried to say something to me in the car at this time, I'd never be able to hear them (I turn it down when people are in the car though). But the difference between it and the boom car is that my car isn't disturbing other people. Sure, the music' s loud, but I'm the only one who can hear it, and maybe a car next to me at a stoplight or something if we both have our windows down.

I'm not putting down people who use boom cars, but I really can't see the point. I'm ALWAYS enjoying the finer points of the music I listen to, the way it's sung, the way the instruments interplay, the way the timing of the vocals go along with the music and the feel of the lyrics. All of this is impossible to be able to tell with a boom car, it just sounds like one big "wall of sound". I can't enjoy that no matter how hard I tried. I'm not putting down people who do enjoy boom cars, I'm just saying, I don't understand it. But then, not many people understand my Bob Dylan fixation, so it's all good :D

[Greenday]

You can count me in for loving to blast music. I don't have anything special in my car though so it's not a horrible loud bass sound. But I play music meant to be blasted, like ACDC and Black Sabbath.

[Rapscallion]

It's a bit like that in the fridge at work at times with some of the younger workers. We have a rule that there should be no 'dial war', but I'm getting to the end of my tether sometimes.

I was in there on Tuesday and the volume suddenly cranked up as someone came to help us. I marched straight outside and turned it down, much to their surprise. "It's shit music." I explained. "Shit and audible is ignorable, but shit and vibrating my bones is very, very bad."

Some days, I swear that they think it's a nightclub. I may start to turn the lights on and off rapidly so they get in the mood.

Rapscallion

[One-Fang]

I am open to answering any questions about this.

How do you hear emergency vehicles?

Seriously. One time, I had my stereo up pretty loud (not a boomy thing, just a regular car stereo, but up pretty loud for it). As I neared an intersection, I wondered why the vehicle beside me was slowing, even though we had a green light. He stopped, I went through. Just in time to see the ambulance on my right, previously obscured by a building, lights and siren going.

Fortunately, I was not close enough that it was an issue, although I was close enough that by rights, I should have stopped.

I no longer have the radio up quite that loud when driving.

But when you are recreationally choosing to have music as loud as the boom type system, how do you keep an ear out for sirens? You can claim that you can see the flashing lights, but not if they are obscured, or you have that momentary lapse of observational powers that we all sometimes get when driving.

[Seanette]

I'm also so amazingly clueless I can't understand what's sexy about a grown man shuffling around with his ass out and the crotch of his pants down around his knees like he's hauling around a loaded diaper, either, but hey. What do I know?
I don't know how old you are (I'm 37), but I don't get this one either. Slouching around in clothes eight sizes too big, with pants so loose you have to hold them up through your shirt (ever hear of a belt?), is NOT an appealing look, IMO.

[hecubus]

I absolutely hate those big boomers too. One that stick out in my mind was from one of the video stores I worked at. The office of the store was in the back, the back wall of the store (front wall of the office) being about 20 feet back from the front door and parking lot. One day, I was in the office, and someone pulled into a parking place in front and, I kid you not, I could feel the bass thump in my chest! This was through two walls and 20 feet of store.

I can't begin to imagine what that was doing to the ears of the people in the car.

[Mr. Rager!]

I have one of those booming cars. I love it. I have two 12" Infinity Dual Voice Coil subs, with two amps... It's perfect.

No, I don't blast it all the time. Mainly when I hear a song I really like. My normal listening volume is anywhere between 18-22, in order to get the boom you can really hear outside of the car, you need to get up to 26+.

Unless people are actually disturbing other people's lives, I don't see the probem. I mean, it's a minor annoyance if someone drives by in the middle of the day and you hear a thump. It lasts 20 seconds. A train can do the same.

[Crosshair]

I don't know how old you are (I'm 37), but I don't get this one either. Slouching around in clothes eight sizes too big, with pants so loose you have to hold them up through your shirt (ever hear of a belt?), is NOT an appealing look, IMO.
It's so the cops have an easier time catching you. Serious, try and run with your pants like that. There have been many times that punks have been tripped up by their clothes.

[Seanette]

Unless people are actually disturbing other people's lives, I don't see the probem. I mean, it's a minor annoyance if someone drives by in the middle of the day and you hear a thump. It lasts 20 seconds. A train can do the same.
What set off my original rant was the jerk who parked in the alley behind the next building over (I'm about halfway between alley and street), with the bass thumping so loud I couldn't hear my own music, stuff on my end tables was shaking, and my cat was freaking out. All these effects continued after I closed up as much as possible (and it was warm enough today I wanted my windows open!). I've also had the "delight" of enduring boom cars in the parking lot outside my bedroom window (prior apartment) at 0-dark-30. I define such behavior as disturbing my life (such as sleeping, my cat's peace of mind, being able to hear my own music, etc.). Just driving past with a loud stereo doesn't fit that definition for me. Just keep moving and I can easily tolerate you. ;)

[protege]

Here is where I differ from the crowd. I do NOT blast my stereo in a residential area, day or night. I like my peace and quiet too. I would be disrespecful to irritate people trying to relax at home. I typically play it loud on the highway or non-residential areas. I even turn it all the way down at traffic lights, as to not bother those around me. Perhaps I am listening to something that might offend them. Thats not what I'm there to do. Just listen to my favorite music.

I don't think anyone here is trying to slam people like you, CM. You're being considerate of those trying to sleep/relax/whatever by turning down your tunes.

However, the *vast majority* of people (locally) who blast their tunes don't do that. They seem to think that we all enjoy hearing NWA (or Lynyrd Skynyrd if you're in rural SW PA :p ) blasting away while they cruise around the 'burbs at midnight. Nothing torques people off more than having it be perfectly quiet...and then some idiot roars by in a car you can hear for 500 miles before you see it. *That's* what upsets people.

[Banrion]

Unless people are actually disturbing other people's lives, I don't see the probem. I mean, it's a minor annoyance if someone drives by in the middle of the day and you hear a thump. It lasts 20 seconds. A train can do the same.

Actually, I live less than 100 yards from a train station. And Boom cars are far more disturbing than any train that has ever gone by. Being that the station is in a residential zone, it's a no horn zone. The only noise you hear is the wheels on the tracks. Trains also do not decide to sit outside my house and make noise for no reason other than to make noise. Trains are going somewhere with a purpose, but for some reason these cars think that the parking lot across the street is a good place to sit and make noise for no reason other than making noise.

Thankfully, I also live 3 houses away from the police department, and they have no problem issuing citations for noise ordinance violations, and impounding repeat offenders.

[NightWolf]

I love cranking the tunes in my car. I have it nice n loud when I find a song I really like. I do however tend to stay away from too much bass. I find in a lot of songs, thats all you can hear sometimes. So I find a nice comfy level to listen to all songs at. (bass/treble wise)

But I am considerate of others and turn it down if I'm in town or late at night. I tend to do a lot of highway driving with the windows down, so of course, I have to turn up the volume to hear it decently.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I guess I just don't get WHY it's the big thing to have music audible OUTSIDE one's car unless it's the person's intent to be annoying and shove it into people's faces.

I'm not talking about playing the radio loud. I'm talking about systems designed and used for no other reason than to blast outside the car. :confused:

[lordlundar]

Ugh, don't get me started on boomer cars. Sadly, our audio guys promote this crap. Usually it's just a headache when they crank up the subs for demo purposes.

A couple of times really pissed me off though. Because they have the radio stuff there, they like to listen to it wherever they are in the area, Install bay included. This means they crank it for no other reason than their own sakes.

Both times, they cost me a sale because the customer couldn't hear me, which we needed because our department was at it's slow phase. At first, I simply turned it down to hopefully salvage the sale, and they'd be over there in 5 seconds to turn it back up.

After the sale was lost, I went over, turned it off, pulled out the amp plug, and when one of them showed up, I told them that there is no excuse for having that garbage so loud. They complained to the manager and when he told me there's no rule that says they can't have music playing, I told him there is when it causes a loss of profit, which is what happened.

An agreement was made where they could listen to their stuff, but I control the volume.:devil:

[protege]

Thankfully, I also live 3 houses away from the police department, and they have no problem issuing citations for noise ordinance violations, and impounding repeat offenders.

It's like that here now. Many townships, and even some Pittsburgh city neighborhoods have started clamping down on loud stereos--too many residents were upset about the noise.

I admit though, I do have the car stereo up a bit. However, that's usually because I turn it up so I can hear it over the wind and engine noise :)

[AFpheonix]

I only get annoyed when someone's in behind me and their bass is so loud that I can't hear my own radio, despite my windows being rolled up. Excuse me, but I'm trying to listen to Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me, and I just totally missed a joke! :mad:

[XCashier]

If the bass-boomers could completely soundproof their cars so their stereos could not be heard from the outside, they can listen to their music until they bleed to death through their ears, AFAIC. But when they park by someone's house, roll down the windows and blast their radio for a half hour, they are infringing on the other person's rights (yes, that did happen to me. Had a raging sinus headache at the time, too. :mad: )

[Mr. Rager!]

Actually, I live less than 100 yards from a train station. And Boom cars are far more disturbing than any train that has ever gone by. Being that the station is in a residential zone, it's a no horn zone. The only noise you hear is the wheels on the tracks.

I live about a mile from train tracks, and they go through blowing their horns and I can hear it clear as day. I have woken up from it too.

When I lived in a different town, I lived 2 blocks from train tracks and I was even worse yet.

I understand that some people are going to be rude with their sound systems, just like people are going to be rude with their cell phones, or their incredibly loud exhausts. But why ask the purpose of a loud sound system? It makes that person happy.

[ArenaBoy]

One of those idiots passed by my street again today. I was inside my house, the car was maybe 50 feet away from my house and I'm feeling it in my chest. Two nights ago, at 12:30. I had just gone to bed and while I'm trying to sleep; I hear the goddamn bass cranked up!!!

I am getting sick of it to the point that I might just call the cops because one guy had the nerve to have his bass going off for 5 minutes straight at 11:00 PM a few weeks ago. Either that, or get the tire clamp that they use in Britain.

[symposes]

i live 1 block from train tracks. i dont even notice it anymore. but they are on the ground, not in the air, or anything

[ditchdj]

I'll admit that, ten years ago, I thought it was really neat since only a few people had it. Today, now that everyone has them and they're as common as cellphones and flip-flops, they've lost their novelty and they're NOT impressive, just irritating.

[newfie]

I live about a mile from train tracks, and they go through blowing their horns and I can hear it clear as day. I have woken up from it too.

When I lived in a different town, I lived 2 blocks from train tracks and I was even worse yet.
.

When I lived in Ontario I shared a house with a girl and the train tracks ran directly behind the house. The first couple of days it took a bit of getting used to, but after that I never noticed the trains. The boom cars however, are another story altogether.

I don't mind it on the highway but sitting in traffic, I don't need to feel my car vibrating because someone 10 cars away has their bass turned up. That is affecting my ability to concentrate on what is going on around me.
I also dislike it when they drive up and down the street in the middle of the night with it blaring as well.

I have actually refused rides from friends who have these systems in their cars and insist on using them. I don't want my ears to be assaulted and I would also be embarrassed to be in a car with the music pumping so loudly.

[BunnyJas]

I hate these people with a passion. When I was in college, I lived in a dorm that was across from a parking lot. The boomers thought it was cute to turn their bass and music all the way up as they passed the parking lot so that they could set off the car alarms. They loved to do this late at night so after waking up to booming sounds we got at least 5 minutes of screeching car alarms! The campus police would occasionally catch the asshole responsible, but he always seemed to have friends and they'd show up a few months later.

At least I know by reading some of the posts that there are considerate boomers out there, but unfortunately the inconsiderate jerks are the most well known.

[thegiraffe]

They do that here, try to set the car alarms off. We have what we call "ganster row" where they all park their cars along the side of the street, blare their stereos, and sit on the wall by the sidewalk. I HATE going through there.

On a side note, my brother had a bit of a 'system' in his car til my mom and dad made him take it out because the neighbors were complaining. I suffer from vertigo (unusual for my age - I was diagnosed at 19). Essentially, in my vestibule in my inner ear (the balance center), the little crystals that give internal cues of movement/posture/balance and adjust to keep me upright have become dislodged somehow. Moving the wrong way or sounds at specific frequencies (i.e. low frequencies) makes me dizzy. Bass vibrates the crystals just so where my body swears i'm moving, but my eyes say I'm not. Therefore, I get dizzy. It's quite irritating as it can take days to totally recover from, and I work with children here at school.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

There's a great bumper sticker about people with booming, blasting stereo systems. It says "If I wanted to listen to the crap coming out of your stereo, I'd be in your car!"

Seriously, those ghetto blasters cheese me off. All you hear out of them is BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Another thing I find annoying is those neon tube lights some people have under their cars (usually along with those booming, blasting stereo systems). What do you need to have those on your car for?

And don't get me started on Asian muscle cars, aka Tuners, aka Fart cans. The kids who have those things don't know how to drive them. I just about got sideswiped by one of them coming up a freeway entrance ramp and then darting in front of me.

[ditchdj]

Yeah one of them woke me up at 4 in the morning. Makes me wanna use one of the kicker boxes as target practice. Their subwoofers have big bullseyes.

[digilight]

Mark me down as a former offender. I used to run a competion stereo in my truck (mind you this is about 10 years ago so its not as bumping as some of todays systems). Running a little over 1600 watts on a bridged amp, alpine deck and Polk DB Casket Basket series 12's in a sealed box. Now I wouldn't bump it in residential neighborhoods and expecially at night. I could blow the doors off most cars at the time in bass wars. But I always knew where the line was. I loved that truck, listening to everything from old school rap, to pinkfloyd, to country. My dad (hates rap and boom boom cars) loved taking my truck and putting on a little pink floyd or grand funk railroad.

Point being though, there are some good folks with bumping systems, but the few assholes with to much $$$ to burn has ruined it for everyone else. And yes I do agree, it sucks to have to feel someone elses music. Now I just have the stock amp and sub the was part of the factory stereo in the town car.

[Dreamstalker]

Another thing I find annoying is those neon tube lights some people have under their cars (usually along with those booming, blasting stereo systems). What do you need to have those on your car for?
Aren't those illegal in some areas? I've also seen LED inserts for washer nozzles. Now those are distracting, even moreso on a remote road at night.

And don't get me started on Asian muscle cars, aka Tuners, aka Fart cans.
Once downtown, I saw one of those things with ricer stickers all over, detailing, bolt-on whale tail wider than the car, stupid rotating hubcaps, fartcan muffler (or lack thereof), foundation-rattling sound system, the whole deal...

It was a dinky little Neon :roll:

I've also seen a couple cars with iridescent paint (changes color depending on the angle and light). Those are kinda cool, but not at 90MPH on the freeway (oooh, shiny--CRASH)

[Confuzed-Monkey]

I see a LOT of "stereo" typing going on here. I agree that the Boom cars aren't for everyone and that they can be pretty annoying. That is why I try to be considerate of those around. Unfortunately that's not the case with others.

Answer to question, I don't have any difficulty at all hearing emergency vehicles. Even when I have it loud, I am very aware of traffic around me.


I can't help but laugh at some of the comments though. I mean honestly, didn't you, any of you, do something at that age that made heads turn. Hairstyle, clothing, etc. This is just a different kind of expression.

I get annoyed by people riding their Harleys thru my neighborhood at all hours. One persons form of outward expression.

Yet again, I am a part of the issue. I drive a "Ricer" Fart Can whatever. Just like my first post, we are NOT all alike. I can actually drive. I have had not tickets or even a warning in my 9 years of driving. I would say I'm doing alright. As for making fun of a certain model of car thats "riced" out, we get what we can afford. You work with what you got. I have an Accord, not what you would consider a race type car, but I enjoy building on it. I have a spoiler(whale tail), body kit, rims etc. I found it a good hobby. I'm not out terrorizing the streets as a hoodlum. You never know, that cheap paint job may have just saved your house from being broken into.

Back to the Boom Boom
If this is an issue in your community, act on it. Call the police, don't even hesitate. Alot of counties and cities are adopting tougher laws on disturbing the peace. If someone is booming late at night, call the cops, the bass is practically a homing beacon. I've even called. The guy a couple of houses down was throwing an all night party, so guy cranked his system at about 3 in the morning, so I called. Got shut down pretty quick.

I'm happy with what I have, because others aren't as fortunate. Those are the Breaks.

BTW, I.P. a "ghetto blaster" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghetto_blaster) is a portable boom box, not car stereos. little joke:wave:

I will admit that I have used my stereo to irritate some people who have either, cut me off or something similar, in traffic. It's kinda funny to watch someone who just a second ago was mister/miss twitchy foot/badass driver, and now they are squirming around cause it's loud. And they can't get away.
"Hey, you wanted in front of me, there's a price to pay." HAHA Its lasts so much longer than the middle finger, and you can't get away.

I would like to read more comments. This has been a fun debate.
Just remember, It's not stupid, because YOU don't like it.

CM

[Dreamstalker]

I mean honestly, didn't you, any of you, do something at that age that made heads turn. Hairstyle, clothing, etc. This is just a different kind of expression.
Yes, but with all due respect stupid things I did didn't possess a potential to damage others (note: IME most of the drivers around here with boom-boom cars do it specifically to be as annoying as they possibly can). If you can feel the bass in your body six blocks away, that's excessive and quite possibly dangerous.

Around here ricers are popular with the inner-city gangbanger set, and it does seem like they do it to be as obnoxious as they can. I've seen some that are truly absurd-looking (like a spoiler wider than the car and taller than the roof; I do have to wonder how that affects the aerodynamics/fuel efficiency). I've also seen some that are really nice. It depends on the amount of real effort that goes into it and the condition of the car to begin with.

So I'm working with probably a regional/city-specific stereotype.

Outside Albuquerque, I've seen cars with the hydraulic axle kits....and the drivers were bouncing them while driving in medium-density traffic :eek:

[Confuzed-Monkey]

I do agree completely with you that such actions and hardware can be very dangerous. But, more than likely they will do more damage to themselves than anyone around them. Hearing damage is possible with prolonged use, but as a person outside the vehicle, it would have to be seriously loud, up close, for a long time to do any real noticable damage. I don't really worry about them hurting me. In the event of an accident, stereo equipment not properly secured, acts like a projectile in the vehicle. Thats why I made doubly sure mine is bolted down, hard.

As for the whole spoiler/wing body kit, there are really no benefits or drawbacks to them. If the are properly built and installed they can help performance but not too much on the streets. They say that spoilers aren't really functional till about 70mph and above. When I put my spoiler on, I never noticed a decrease in fuel efficiency. I did notice, however, that in highway traffic at higher speeds my car seemed (not measured) to be more stable. I didn't have that floating feeling some get. I guess no loss, no gain.

Lastly, building cars like these can be very regional. Around my area, we have a melting pot of races. So you tend to see all kinds of people with these cars. All ages and races. Plus we have such a diverse financial area, I have seen custom Porsche's down to diahatsu's slammed to the ground(haha) so I know what you mean. I do like to see more car fixed up really well.

Thats all I got.

CM

[technical.angel]

My brother HAD a boomy car... until he had to take it into the shop for something, and while there, someone broke into his car and stole all the loud making things.

I also live in an area of boomy cars. Boomy cars that you hear from the far flung reaches, and come flying down a residential street where many children play. Hades, I've almost been hit pulling out of my driveway!

But, the way I look at it is, just point and laugh at the boomy car people while you can. They won't be able to hear you in a year or two!!

;)

Jenni :angel:

[Dreamstalker]

I have seen custom Porsche's down to diahatsu's slammed to the ground(haha) so I know what you mean. I do like to see more car fixed up really well.

Espanola, NM (or maybe a neighboring town) is something like the low-rider capital of the world. What makes that amusing is there are quite a few local roads you need something with good ground clearance (or it's generally a good idea due to tumbleweeds, roadkill, debris, etc).

One thing I would see regularly in Santa Fe was the low-rider pickup. Never did understand that one.

[dispatch]

CM, my brother was, and still is, into the same kind of stuff, and IMO i'm cool with it as long as they're considerate of others, and as far as I can tell you are, so kudos, and rock on with ya bad self. I can't say I understand it and I put chrome-lookalike deer whistles on the roof of my honda to poke fun at the kids that do this, and they make fun of me for performing at renn faires, so it's an even trade.
however, it's the ones knock over mailboxes, drive like idiots, pants buckled under their ass (actually saw a drunken frat kid with this at a dennys last week, and yes, he was trying to get his food comped) talking shit/challenging me to a fight from a moving car, cursing at the top of your lungs in a resteraunt with several small children present, THEN I have a big problem with them. Stereotypical? maybe, but as bad as this may sound there is a little truth to most stereotypes, for example cops eating donuts: donut shops are typically open at night and it's a portable snack they can buy in bulk and keep in their cruiser

[DGoddessChardonnay]

It's so the cops have an easier time catching you. Serious, try and run with your pants like that. There have been many times that punks have been tripped up by their clothes.

I've always said that about the baggy pants and the shirt tails down below the knees.:lol:

As far as the "boomers" go, I don't find that appealing either. I'm having hearing trouble now and I'm only 37. But to have music so loud (even if it's a song I love) that the windows are rattling is just too much heaven.

Besides, these folks that are driving around in the mobile jukeboxes now may just be in for double hearing aids by the time they reach 50.

[Rapscallion]

As far as the "boomers" go, I don't find that appealing either. I'm having hearing trouble now and I'm only 37. But to have music so loud (even if it's a song I love) that the windows are rattling is just too much heaven.


I've come to the conclusion that young people have worse hearing than older people (well, middle-aged, that is). After all, which generation generally plays its music louder?

That's right, folks, young people are fairly hearing impaired but grow out of it. Nightclubs are proof of this.

More theorising when I can be bothered coming up with it.

Rapscallion

[counterjockey]

I was born in the wrong generation. A teacher of mine used to say I was "17 going on 44" and now, at 23, that means I'm pushing 50...

My Oldsmobile has three out of four speakers working, and the only preset on my radio is the local public radio station. No, people within a half mile of my car can't hear "Prairie Home Companion" before they see me. The CD player's not worth attempting to repair, so that takes care of terrorizing neighborhoods with Jayhawks/Warren Zevon/Old Crow Medicine Show/Steve Earle et al. The only bodywork I'm doing with that car is deer-damage repair, and I'm not about to do fart cans, ground effects, or any of that shit. Some people try to do knockoff Tokyo drag racers or whatever--my car aspires to be one of those '50s Cuban jobs, patched up, spit-shined and somehow kept running since la revolucion.

As far as the ricers, I have seen three--by casual observation, no less-- where the ball joints have separated, meaning one front wheel's straight, the other's trying to do a hard left. It's fun, what happens when you combine 20" douche-style rims with a lack of basic mechanical skills (or money for repairs...)

[technical.angel]

No, people within a half mile of my car can't hear "Prairie Home Companion" before they see me.

Weee!!!

The radio stations out here lean to rap and preachers. So, I too, only listen to the public radio station, which also plays classical music.

And when I'm not listening to that, I have my iPod going. my iPod rocks!

Jenni :angel:

[officegirl]

My best friend has a kick @ss stereo in his car that sounds like that and I LOVE it! My excuse is that growing up my parents owned a DJ company and eventually I ended up being a DJ trainer and practically did shows by myself and I loved nothing more than cranking that music up so loud you could feel it and then watching all the people dancing and having fun. I love music because when you are feeling something so incredibly tense that even your best friend would not understand, there is ALWAYS a song that makes you fee like you are understood... The stereo in my car is a baby version of those loud ones you are talking about but I still love to crank my music when I drive around. I try to be respectful and turn it down in the neighborhoods especially at night but there's just something about being engulfed by music and it is usually only possible at a concert or in your car!

BTW, Rapscallion, the younger generations only act as if they are hearing impared... it's called "selective hearing" :p

[Confuzed-Monkey]

While it may not be to everyones liking, some of us do enjoy responsibly.

I see alot of incorrect assumptions going on. People, when the lose their hearing, tend to lose the higher frequencies first. Bass after all is very low frequency. As in hard of hearing people cannot hear high pitched squeeks and such. Low frequency is the last to go. My grandmother can't hear my mom(high voice), but she can hear me just fine(lower voice).
**No I didn't cause my grandmother to go deaf;) **

It's basically a fad. It will go away eventually. Those who actually enjoy a quality sound system, make fun of boomy type cars to. Plus take into account some technical info, the boomy distorted sounds are death to speakers. Given enough time they will blow them out. Bye Bye Boomys:wave:

It has only really picked up because average equipment can be had for much lower cost than ever before. Whereas years ago a decent setup could be several thousand, now it can be less than $500.

CM

[counterjockey]

I've come to the conclusion that young people have worse hearing than older people (well, middle-aged, that is). After all, which generation generally plays its music louder?


I figure most of us "Millennials/Gen-Ys/li'l bastards" will be deaf or near deaf by 35 or so.

I also figure that in ten years or so the latest fad will be Bluetooth-enabled Beltones and Miracle Ears with tiny blue flashing LEDs and MP3 capability.

[Banrion]

I see alot of incorrect assumptions going on. People, when the lose their hearing, tend to lose the higher frequencies first. Bass after all is very low frequency. As in hard of hearing people cannot hear high pitched squeeks and such. Low frequency is the last to go. My grandmother can't hear my mom(high voice), but she can hear me just fine(lower voice).


This is not entirely true. Most progressive hearing loss is caused by repetetive stress. So if you are most frequently stressing the nerves of your ear with low tones you will lose those before the high and vice versa. My mom was hearing conservation for a large factory, and they had the most trouble with the low end due to the noises of the machines. But now she is at a call center and see the high end hearing loss because the human voice is high end, and people can't figure out to turn their phones down when people start screaming.

[Sunsetsky]

I hate that. Just because someone likes their own crappy music, it doesn't mean the rest of us do. If my car is vibrating from the music...it's too loud. If I can hear it 2 miles away...it's too loud.

[LostMyMind]

I also figure that in ten years or so the latest fad will be Bluetooth-enabled Beltones and Miracle Ears with tiny blue flashing LEDs and MP3 capability.
They already have remote control hearing-aids. It's not that far off.

[Ree]

I guess I saying please don't lump all of us into the same disrespectful lot that happen to be ignorant of those around them. Honestly every generation has something that irritated the hell out of the one before it.

I am open to answering any questions about this.

I'm just interjecting a different view into this one-sided thread.I think, if you read the comments, they weren't lumping everyone into the same category.
You may use your stereo with respect to those around you, but as I read it, the compaints have been directed towards those who don't.