4 ms·

I thought the same thing but someone told me that was autism so I just keep my mouth shut. lol

arp242 3y ago
Someone went around measuring volume levels, and found that all were louder than 100 dBA, with the loudest being 121 dBA! These are beyond "a tad annoying" and into "hearing damage". https://academic.oup.com/pch/article-abstract/25/4/216/5519522?redirectedFrom=fulltext https://academic.oup.com/pch/article-abstract/25/4/216/55195...
- atoav 3y ago
  Measured at what distance? I just measured 120 dBA blowing into the mic next to my sleeping girlfriend without her waking up. Not to question the results, but methodology is important.
  - Gigachad 3y ago
    The time period matters as well. Just clicking your fingers is loud enough to give you hearing damage if sustained for 30 minutes. I would not at all be worried about hand dryers unless you sat next to one all day.
    - pests 3y ago
      > clicking Snapping? Or is this a new fad I don't know about?
      - atoav 3y ago
        If I had to guess I'd say English is not their first language (like it isn't mine) and they just translated a term from their own language into English ; )
        Gigachad 3y ago
        I think it’s just regional. I’m quite sure clicking is the common term around me. Wikipedia has it as “snapping (or clicking)” in the first line.
- I_Am_Nous 3y ago
  I imagine the worst ones are in rooms with mostly tile so the sound has nothing to absorb it.
NateEag 3y ago
Can confirm that an autistic person I know is the only person I've ever seen treat bathroom hand dryers as intrusively / unbearably loud devices.
- EvanAnderson 3y ago
  My daughter hates them. I don't think she's autistic but she does have sensitive hearing. (Whispering between her parents doesn't often go unnoticed, frustratingly sometimes.)
  - TeMPOraL 3y ago
    My 4yo daughter is getting instant panic attacks when one of those hand dryers turns on next to her. I hope this isn't a spectrum thing, but the thought often crosses my mind.
    - ben_w 3y ago
      For what it's worth, loud noises always bothered me as a kid. Even the (1000-person audience) applauding after each performance of the end-of-year talent contest in my first two years of secondary school (aged 12 and 13) was so loud I managed to get taken out of the hall because I was crying from the pain. However, despite some people trying to call me "autistic" as a term of abuse (including a line manager!), my actual score on an (online) autism spectrum test was solidly in the "mundane and normal" category.

Someone went around measuring volume levels, and found that all were louder than 100 dBA, with the loudest being 121 dBA! These are beyond "a tad annoying" and into "hearing damage". https://academic.oup.com/pch/article-abstract/25/4/216/5519522?redirectedFrom=fulltext https://academic.oup.com/pch/article-abstract/25/4/216/55195...

atoav 3y ago
Measured at what distance? I just measured 120 dBA blowing into the mic next to my sleeping girlfriend without her waking up. Not to question the results, but methodology is important.
- Gigachad 3y ago
  The time period matters as well. Just clicking your fingers is loud enough to give you hearing damage if sustained for 30 minutes. I would not at all be worried about hand dryers unless you sat next to one all day.
  - pests 3y ago
    > clicking Snapping? Or is this a new fad I don't know about?
    - atoav 3y ago
      If I had to guess I'd say English is not their first language (like it isn't mine) and they just translated a term from their own language into English ; )
      - Gigachad 3y ago
        I think it’s just regional. I’m quite sure clicking is the common term around me. Wikipedia has it as “snapping (or clicking)” in the first line.
I_Am_Nous 3y ago
I imagine the worst ones are in rooms with mostly tile so the sound has nothing to absorb it.

NateEag 3y ago

Can confirm that an autistic person I know is the only person I've ever seen treat bathroom hand dryers as intrusively / unbearably loud devices.

EvanAnderson 3y ago
My daughter hates them. I don't think she's autistic but she does have sensitive hearing. (Whispering between her parents doesn't often go unnoticed, frustratingly sometimes.)
- TeMPOraL 3y ago
  My 4yo daughter is getting instant panic attacks when one of those hand dryers turns on next to her. I hope this isn't a spectrum thing, but the thought often crosses my mind.
  - ben_w 3y ago
    For what it's worth, loud noises always bothered me as a kid. Even the (1000-person audience) applauding after each performance of the end-of-year talent contest in my first two years of secondary school (aged 12 and 13) was so loud I managed to get taken out of the hall because I was crying from the pain. However, despite some people trying to call me "autistic" as a term of abuse (including a line manager!), my actual score on an (online) autism spectrum test was solidly in the "mundane and normal" category.