TVs everywhere - gas stations, restaurants, car repair shops

[ghostrunner]

I really really hate this.

Getting my car fixed now and they have a waiting area with the Today show or something on. As always with these shows, they have 4-5 people talking over each other and it drives me nuts. And it's ALWAYS the news on in these common areas. I HATE tv news. Six other people are watching it, so I can't turn it off. I have my computer on and headphones in and I still hear it. And I can't get away from it, other than some tables in the sales area.

Meant to start a rant on gas pumps with TVs a while back, but this reminded me. Doesn't seem like too much to ask not to have this crap at the gas station of all places. At least give me a button to kill it if I want. Anyway, I get back in my car every time.

[Arthur Dent]

Agreed. It's obnoxious and becoming more so as more people are carrying their own devices. If you must have a public TV, it should sports on mute.

I have not seen gas station TVs. Is this common?

[Radbird]

I wouldn't call it common, but I have seen a few. There are few public places these days where you can find any semblance of peace and quiet.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

OMG yes - I approve this rant. Every restaurant now seems to have one. There are TV's in our office building lobby and break room on Fox News - even on the freaking weekends they keep them on.

Also, going to someone's house and they don't turn off or turn down the TV. WTF? I ALWAYS turn off the TV or shut my laptop when people are over. Who the hell wouldn't? A lot of people apparently.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I try to avoid mainstream media at all costs. There are a lot of tvs everywhere now, including restaurants, but as long as it is on mute it's no big deal. Waiting rooms they rarely are on mute, but it doesn't much bug me that they have Tvs there. Waiting rooms by definition are a waste of time, who cares if there is a TV there.

[ghostrunner]

You put out magazines or newspapers, you can read or not. TV is on in the waiting room and if one person is watching everyone has to hear it. I'm sure there's some godawful study that's probably accurate showing people with a tv are less prone to complain and be happier after waiting. Personally, I get annoyed.

I think it makes sense for long queues, but that's about it.

[JL21]

Totally approve this rant.

The lobby of my current place of business (at least until I start my new job in a few weeks) has a TV on throughout the day, and it's always CNN or one of the news networks. And that means that while I'm standing in the lobby waiting for the elevator, I have to hear all of this stupid [expletive] that gets everyone riled up. I don't need this stress, and the building doesn't have anywhere near enough foot traffic to justify having the TV. Near as I can tell, it's just there for the security guards to watch during the day and I'm sure they would choose to watch something else given the choice.

[tlombard]

We have one TV and it is in the cafeteria. Normally on CNN but if there is a Cards or Blues game (or US Soccer, Olympics, etc.) then they will have that on. Thankfully the closed captioning is on and the sound is always muted.

[Freed Roger]

Rant of the year. The worst is like after last years playoffs, and trying to do a total media blockout. And the politcal stuff of course.

[MrCrowesGarden]

I don't mind it so much, but I watch more TV than I should anyway. I could see how at least the sound would be annoying.

I know back in Omaha my barber shop had a sign posted saying by law, they could only show news, weather and sports on TV. Usually it was weather. I don't know if it was actually the law but it seemed like a good idea to me.