Category: Noise

Yesterday my partner said he need some things from the supermarket and asked if I could go. The sky didn’t look grey enough to rain so I went.

I was in Woolies a few minutes when the over head speakers started blasting the supermarket theme song over and over. It was so loud it was distorted. I began to panic a bit. My tinnitus started and I couldn’t think. I forgot where items were I wanted and I thought of leaving.

It was noisier in some isles, so I moved to find a quieter area. I stood near the freezers and used a pen I found on a shelf to cross off the things on my list I already had in my trolley. Then after a few minutes, the volume was turned down and was replaced by the radio.

I was grateful, but now tired and over it. I rushed through, forgot things on my list, accidentally grabbed rocket instead of spinach then went through the checkout. I drove home and was tired for the rest of the day.

This hasn’t happened before and I really hope it was a one time mistake. This is the only supermarket I like and has the food I can eat. We normally buy our groceries online and have them delivered, but there’s a fee and it takes till the next day and we needed food then so we wouldn’t waste money on take away.

So I really need to ask the question, why do shops play music or radio? Who is this for? Obviously its not for me or other ASD sufferers, so who is it for?

Is it for the staff? Is it to encourage people into the store? To trick customers into spending more money? All it does is make me angry, tired, waste my time and make me hate the shop and want to leave.

I’ve had problems in the past with delivery drivers carrying too much at once and breaking things. My partner called Woolies and they apologised, but this makes me not want to trust them. I need food to live, so I can’t just not buy food. So why do shops make it so EXTREMELY difficult to buy from them?

Also, isn’t this a work health and safety risk? Tradesmen who work with power tools have to follow WHS rules and wear protective head gear to protect them from loud noises and hearing damage, so why don’t these shops need to follow the same rules? Their extremely loud music can be as loud, or even louder than a jack hammer trying to cut through concrete.

The noise also affects shops around it. There’s a Kikki K shop I love, but its 2 doors down from an awful constructions site/nightclub/trendy shoe “experience” that I can actually still hear in the Kikki K shop. I thought many times about making a complaint, but I’m tired, mentally exhausted, so the thought of talking to a person who will ask many questions an may make me fill out a form before they get up off their bum to do something, just makes me more anxious and tired. I could buy online, but why should I? Why can’t I go to a shop without being deafened?

I read comments online and I know I’m not the only one. Hopefully shops will wake up and realise they are scaring away money (I mean customers).

(c) ASD and me 2019

Its 10 to 4 am here in Sydney Australia. I was woken at about quarter to 3 am by my drunk neighbour. Again. Like it has been for the past 3 and a half years. Yes its 2019 and losers who are lower than cave man shit still exist.

I haven’t called the Police on them since 2017 when they were drunk and tried to break into my house. I live in fear of these drunks everyday.

I now believe in the “Toxic Male”. I didn’t want to believe it, but these men next door are just feral garbage. They are loud, noisy, abusive, rude, delusional, fight, caused fights in the street and are just drunk low inbred nothing.

I really do not understand people like this. How is this even a thing someone would do? What thought process (or lack of) is happening in their tiny primitive brain cell that would tell them that bashing a drum kit at 3 am is acceptable behaviour?

And they’re not even any good. I guess they think they sound like Metallica or something, but its just extremely loud noise like construction work. I know that alcohol gives people delusions of talent, but why am I forced to listen to it? I would never do that to anyone.

I called the council to make a noise complaint, who were okay, not rude.

Then I called the Police assistance line.

I was apprehensive about it since my last encounter with them was not helpful. In fact, I lost hope and faith in the Police so now I’m anxious about calling them, but I did because I wanted Police assistance. But its the same disappointment I had last time. I keep thinking they will be like a knight in shining amour to swoop in and save the day; or at least tell the troglodytes next door to lower the volume of their music.

But they’re not knights, they’re just men in blue uniforms who drive past and listen with the window open. I’m sorry, thanks for coming out and wasting petrol, but I need more than a drive by listening. Why even bother coming out if they are not even going to stop the engine? Do they think I’m lying? I’m not doing this for fun; this isn’t fun for me. Sitting at my window, waiting for them to perform a drive by listening. (ooh look here they come).

I’m not some silly child making prank videos on You tube. I’m an actual adult, needing assistance.

I guess I still have a little bit of hope left, since I voted for an ex Police Officer in the recent election.

I don’t know if I should even bother trying to go back to sleep. Its 5.30 and I’m tired. I really hate next doors random noise.

I was told this was a quiet area when we moved here.

#DriveByListening

(c) ASD and me 2019.