There was a time, so long ago that it seems almost unreal, when you could attend a quiet, public venue, where conversation with your neighbour was possible, and where you could hear what was going on around you without interference from blaring public address systems.
Amateur hockey games were one such venue. Between plays on the ice the arena was quiet enough to talk to your seat mates, and to sometimes hear conversations between players and linesmen.
That day is long gone, replaced by deafening music between plays.
The few Olds Grizzlys and Red Deer Rebels games I attended, I wore hearing protection. I still found the noise uncomfortably loud. I no longer attend. I save myself the ticket price and can watch better quality hockey on TV.
Fitness centres these days have a long list of rules about wearing appropriate clothing and avoiding the use of fragrances that might offend. But they pump out music over their public address systems with seeming disregard for clientele.
I have complained a time or two. And I have heard the response, “Wear earplugs if you don't like the noise." Indeed, perhaps those who don't like the fragrances others wear should wear nose clips.
And those who don't like the slogans on the attire of other gym users, or immodest gym wear, just shouldn't look. Or maybe wear sunglasses or blinders.
It's expensive to assemble a gym at home. So begrudgingly, I make use of public gym facilities, although more sparingly than I would like.
And I wear earplugs, or headphones to mask ambient public address system noise. I'm not alone in the latter regard.
Most folks I see at the gym are wearing personal listening devices. Maybe some of them dislike the noise from the public address system too.
Olds has some sort of annual cow festival in the summer. I live several blocks from the venue. And although the walls of my home are reasonably well insulated, the reverberations of the rodeo announcer's voice penetrate them annually.
I wonder how loud it is in the stadium seats and if cow festival fans are really so hard of hearing that they need announcements and commentary so seemingly loud.
But heaven forbid someone a few rows away should be wearing an offensive fragrance or an offensive tee shirt. Security! Security!
Terry Storey,
Olds
