# Most annoying sound in the world **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 10, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468 "2003-07-10T14:31:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/41 "2003-07-11T18:46:32Z")
Oh yes, like yBeafy, I also find the sound of other people breathing annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/42 "2003-07-11T18:51:54Z")
Oh yes, like yBeafy, I also find the sound of other people breathing annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Quack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e99b99/32.png) [@Quack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quack)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/43 "2003-07-11T18:53:30Z")
Ditto on the nail files, I don’t even file my own nails because it just sounds wrong. I HATE THE DIVAS! I don’t like music from other cars if I can only hear the bass. This happens if they are considerate enough to have their windows up, but not considerate enough to turn the bass down. I know what you guys are talking about exactly with the people who laugh like hyenas on nitrous after every damn sentence. Between my mother and the neighbor girl in the carpool, I barely made it through sophomore year. My own car next year…but it makes a rattling noise. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/44 "2003-07-11T19:42:58Z")
“AAaaaaaaarrrreeeeeeeeggggghhhhhhhhhaaaaaapppppppaaaaawwwwhhhhhhhuuuuuuuttttttttttttttttiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii”. Just like that… especially in E flat. ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/45 "2003-07-11T19:55:20Z")
Chainsaws. Loudest, most unrelenting, soul-scarring sound on earth. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/46 "2003-07-11T20:31:32Z")
One word: **BAGPIPES.** They sound like cats being tortured to death, and anyone else within earshot. I don’t know why they’re played at funerals, where the people feel bad enough already. And also, so-called “ancient” classical music played on “original” instruments like viols and sackbuts. I mean, there are good reasons why those instruments became obsolete. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/47 "2003-07-11T20:38:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by look!ninjas \* > \*\*Anyone ever had a loose belt on their alternator? That horrible squealing still makes me shudder to think about. \*\* Yeah I once had a neighbor who worked on a car with an alternator problem several times a week…at around 5:30 am!!! The sound can be described as a mix of a car’s tires squealing and a metal hand-rake being drawn across chalk. Lasting 10 seconds. I literally felt it in my spine and it even loosened the phleghm in my throat, causing me to feel like I had to spit. And when it happened as I was coming out of a near-sleep and in a semi-hymnopompic state, it didn’t do any wonders for my psychological state, either :mad: (If I heard it while semi-awake, the sound would indescribably fill me with dread and despair.) ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/48 "2003-07-11T21:49:51Z")
The Fire Alarm in my building. I don’t know who green lit that noise, but it is SO loud, So high-pitched, SO piercing, that you damn near lose your equilibrium just trying to walk out of the building. A large insect buzzing my ear and scaring the shite out of me. ---
**Author:** ![raisinbread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8491ac/32.png) [@raisinbread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raisinbread)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/49 "2003-07-11T22:40:28Z")
Children and their accompanying parents. ---
**Author:** ![hebesphenomegacorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@hebesphenomegacorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hebesphenomegacorona)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/50 "2003-07-11T22:55:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by panache45 \* > **One word: BAGPIPES. They sound like cats being tortured to death, and anyone else within earshot. I don’t know why they’re played at funerals, where the people feel bad enough already.** Actually, I like bagpipes. They’re just too damn loud. You may shoot me now. ---
**Author:** ![Jorel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jorel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorel)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/51 "2003-07-11T23:23:15Z")
At my old job I used to have to refill plastic foks. There was one type that made a sound that was a cross between a squeek and a wheezy gasp. Worse than fingernails on a chalkboard (to me) ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/52 "2003-07-11T23:25:08Z")
My building principal on the intercom. It goes on and on and on. and on. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/53 "2003-07-11T23:40:04Z")
_other people’s_ 🙂 handphone custom-adjusted-to-the-loudest awbit ringing tones which they take forever to pick up… ---
**Author:** ![raisinbread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8491ac/32.png) [@raisinbread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raisinbread)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/54 "2003-07-11T23:47:50Z")
Also that nasal, livestock sound people make when they aren’t fully listening and are trying to convey to the speaker that the speaker should repeat themselves. **HANH?** How about “Excuse me” or “I beg your pardon” instead of bleating unintelligbly. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/55 "2003-07-11T23:47:52Z")
Ever root around in a box of styrofoam peanuts? I also vote for the modem dialup noise. ::shudder:: ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/56 "2003-07-12T00:15:51Z")
I’m listening to it right now: the sound of my house roof being replaced. BAM! BAM! THUD! BANG! SLAM! MMNNNNNN… (air compressor) It is 100 degrees here, likely hotter on the roof. Those poor guys, think I’ll go give them a beer. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/57 "2003-07-12T00:23:11Z")
Nail files. They literally make my skin crawl. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/58 "2003-07-12T00:27:58Z")
“Is it safe?” ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/59 "2003-07-12T00:53:42Z")
Referring to the dentist drill in the movie Marathon Man no doubt. Is it safe? WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468/60 "2003-07-12T01:15:57Z")
Yup. I figure that’s so well known I didn’t need [Marathon Man] tags around it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-sound-in-the-world/187468.md?page=4)