The trouble with these face masks......

[anotherwoody69]

....is that I keep following a sexy young thing, to discover when they take the mask off they are probably a young teen, or worse some haggard old crow that's smoked her body down to a size 6.

[pewpewpew]

Why are you following women?

[king tarzan]

i hate hate hate hate wearing them!!!!!

[bhudda]

Why are you following women?

I was wondering that

[RogerBoner]

I'm surprised that more aren't wearing visors. They are more safe and I forget that I'm wearing one.

[scutty brown]

i hate hate hate hate wearing them!!!!!

I'm finding them to be quite psychologically bad.
Yesterday I had to squeeze into a really tight badly wired comms cabinet and the combination of tight space / contortion / physical exertion and restricted breathing sent me into a full-blown panic attack / hyperventilation event. Never happened to me before, its the extra effort required to breathe that caused the problem

[anotherwoody69]

I was wondering that

Its better than following men 

[cunningman]

I'm surprised that more aren't wearing visors. They are more safe and I forget that I'm wearing one.

And they trap the aerosol droplets how, where?  or filter incoming?

[RogerBoner]

And they trap the aerosol droplets how, where?  or filter incoming?

The barrier method. No incoming or outgoing droplets unless entry from below or around the sides. If you're referring to a hovering cloud of virus mist then I suppose you got me 

[cunningman]

The barrier method. No incoming or outgoing droplets unless entry from below or around the sides. If you're referring to a hovering cloud of virus mist then I suppose you got me 

I guess they prevent projection, but I've seen supermarket staff put them up so they can shout to colleagues, or see without misting.

We don't like people to wear a mask with their nose out, and they are breathing droplets downwards.

[catweazle]

Queueing up at the tills in a shop yesterday, idly looking at whether my fellow shoppers were wearing masks. Two were; two had the mouth covered but not the nose; two had no masks at all; one had a mask hooked over the ears, but the mask under the chin.  One of the mask-wearers kept pulling it down to talk on the phone.

[standardpostage]

Went to a cafe yesterday. Woman serving was wearing a face shield. There was also a plastic screen over the counter area. I could not hear what she was saying 
She had to pop round to the customer area so we could communicate properly 
Nice cafe though, sat outside in the fresh air 
Face masks do make it more difficult to communicate   
Maybe we should all learn sign language ?   

[daviemac]

Face masks do make it more difficult to communicate   
Maybe we should all learn sign language ?   

How do doctors and nurses manage?? I've had surgery under local anaesthetic, they all wore masks but managed to communicate with each other and be understood very easily, even I could hear what they were saying.   

[Bustydusty]

Went to a cafe yesterday. Woman serving was wearing a face shield. There was also a plastic screen over the counter area. I could not hear what she was saying 
She had to pop round to the customer area so we could communicate properly 
Nice cafe though, sat outside in the fresh air 
Face masks do make it more difficult to communicate   
Maybe we should all learn sign language ?   

Definitely harder to communicate esp if your hearing isn’t the best

[GingerNuts]

I'm surprised that more aren't wearing visors. They are more safe and I forget that I'm wearing one.

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[scutty brown]

How do doctors and nurses manage?? I've had surgery under local anaesthetic, they all wore masks but managed to communicate with each other and be understood very easily, even I could hear what they were saying.   

thats called practice and experience
but believe me they struggle - the nurses I work with hate them

[daviemac]

thats called practice and experience
but believe me they struggle - the nurses I work with hate them

All I can say is when they were operating on me, the surgeon and nurses had no difficulty at all with communications with each other or me. That was during two separate operations carried out by two different teams.

The only problem I have with the medical type I wear is my glasses steam up now and then, I haven't had any communication problems. In fact if could be exempt if I wanted but they are so easy to wear it saves any potential hassle just to put one on.

[RogerBoner]

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[Bonker]

Is it just me or...
Do women talking through a mask sound like they've got a mouthful of cum?

[winkywanky]

All I can say is when they were operating on me, the surgeon and nurses had no difficulty at all with communications with each other or me. That was during two separate operations carried out by two different teams.

The only problem I have with the medical type I wear is my glasses steam up now and then, I haven't had any communication problems. In fact if could be exempt if I wanted but they are so easy to wear it saves any potential hassle just to put one on.

It depends...if it's an enclosed space with no extraneous noise and people are close together and concentrating on each other, with good hearing, then it's not so bad.

But if it's a noisy environment (interior/exterior café, piped music/traffic etc), distances between speakers are larger and if hearing isn't the best, then masks inevitably will make it harder to hear and be heard.

Not only does a mask muffle the sound coming out of your mouth, it also takes away any visual cues which we often all use without realising, and especially if the old hearing has gone a bit.

[winkywanky]

Is it just me or...
Do women talking through a mask sound like they've got a mouthful of cum?

That would depend on what type of clubs you go to  .

[NIK]

You walk past a cafe or a pub where you see people are sitting static and no one wears them, yet you go in a supermarket which is maybe 25 times larger and people are moving around and you have to wear one. Substitutes sitting on the bench at football matches have to wear one, yet the coaching staff sitting nearby don't. As for players not being allowed to celebrate and hug each other, well they really took notice of that, didn't they?
Just two examples.
Where is the logic or consistency?

The whole thing is absolute nonsense.
When the history of this period comes to be written the approach to this Covid business will be seen as the most hysterical and nonsensical event to have happened in modern times.
Why was there no such hysterical reaction to all the previous pandemics which occurred during many of our lifetimes?

BTW I haven't been to a pub since February.
And, like prossying, haven't missed it one iota.

[daviemac]

It depends...if it's an enclosed space with no extraneous noise and people are close together and concentrating on each other, with good hearing, then it's not so bad.

But if it's a noisy environment (interior/exterior café, piped music/traffic etc), distances between speakers are larger and if hearing isn't the best, then masks inevitably will make it harder to hear and be heard.

Not only does a mask muffle the sound coming out of your mouth, it also takes away any visual cues which we often all use without realising, and especially if the old hearing has gone a bit.

Must just be me that doesn't have a problem then. I've watched loads of people being interviewed on TV and understood every word, I haven't had any problems understanding or being understood when I've been out while wearing a mask.

Without a mask in the situations you describe it is, for me at least, quite difficult to understand what others saying, but that is just normal for those circumstances.

[winkywanky]

Must just be me that doesn't have a problem then. I've watched loads of people being interviewed on TV and understood every word, I haven't had any problems understanding or being understood when I've been out while wearing a mask.

Without a mask in the situations you describe it is, for me at least, quite difficult to understand what others saying, but that is just normal for those circumstances.

I think the UKP demographic contains quite a few people who struggle to hear everything clearly on TV these days.

That'll be partly down to falling technical standards, but mainly because they're a bit older and have varying degrees of hearing loss, which affects hearing higher frequencies, the ones which convey intelligibility.

I suspect you're a bit younger than many, and with good hearing  .

[MilleMiglia]

I think the UKP demographic contains quite a few people who struggle to hear everything clearly on TV these days.

That'll be partly down to falling technical standards, but mainly because they're a bit older and have varying degrees of hearing loss, which affects hearing higher frequencies, the ones which convey intelligibility.

I suspect you're a bit younger than many, and with good hearing  .

I have trouble with a lot of TV programs from the US (most recent being Lovecraft Country) and have to use the Sky subtitles.

[oap69]

Some older people like face masks - they can put one on and go out without putting their teeth in.   

[daviemac]

I think the UKP demographic contains quite a few people who struggle to hear everything clearly on TV these days.

That'll be partly down to falling technical standards, but mainly because they're a bit older and have varying degrees of hearing loss, which affects hearing higher frequencies, the ones which convey intelligibility.

I suspect you're a bit younger than many, and with good hearing  .

I think you're way off the mark on both the age and good hearing. Saying that if I discount the hearing loss and tinnitus in one ear I can hear quite well.

 

[winkywanky]

I think you're way off the mark on both the age and good hearing. Saying that if I discount the hearing loss and tinnitus in one ear I can hear quite well.

 

Well from my POV that would depend on whether you're as old as me and whether your ears are as fucked as mine  .

But like you said in Reply #22, maybe it's just you that doesn't have a problem.

Certainly someone wearing a mask will reduce the clarity with which you hear them, to some degree.

[Happylad]

I think the UKP demographic contains quite a few people who struggle to hear everything clearly on TV these days.

That'll be partly down to falling technical standards, but mainly because they're a bit older and have varying degrees of hearing loss, which affects hearing higher frequencies, the ones which convey intelligibility.

I suspect you're a bit younger than many, and with good hearing  .

My own hearing started to deteriorate 25 years ago. I first tried an expensive specially made hearing aid, and when that fell apart a couple of years later tried everything the NHS could provide, but nothing could solve my problem.  Oddly, I was perfectly able to hear and enjoy music, but it was impossible for me to distinguish any form of speech it was just a jumbled noise - and I gradually began to rely on lip reading. Now I can hear and understand any normal speech provided I can see the speaker`s mouth.

The advent of masks has now rendered me virtually stone deaf again; whether in shops, offices, hospital Outpatients, or even when I`m fishing, if anyone speaks to me I have to ask them to remove their mask before I can understand them.

As to wearing one myself - they are a bind; I have to cough heavily at very frequent intervals, and after each cough I have to get rid of a mouthful of mucus and to do either I have to remove the mask,

At the risk of appearing unsociable I have simply found it less trouble to avoid close proximity to other people for this reason.

[RogerBoner]

I think you're way off the mark on both the age and good hearing. Saying that if I discount the hearing loss and tinnitus in one ear I can hear quite well.

I had tinnitus in one ear for about one year caused by a reaction to some antibiotics given by the local VD Clinic a long time ago. Eventually cured using just Otravine nasal drops with my head reclining to clear the blocked sinus. I sympathise with you because I couldn't get used to it and I thought it would drive me insane.

[daviemac]

I had tinnitus in one ear for about one year caused by a reaction to some antibiotics given by the local VD Clinic a long time ago. Eventually cured using just Otravine nasal drops with my head reclining to clear the blocked sinus. I sympathise with you because I couldn't get used to it and I thought it would drive me insane.

I've had the tinnitus for quite a few years now I've had to get used to it really. I've had a lot of problems with the one ear and had quite a few hospital appointments trying to sort it out. I've tried various different hearing aids, the latest one is clear and moulded to my ear shape so it blocks all my ear off. I just can't get used to any of them. The slight delay from the hearing aid coupled with the tinnitus drives me crazy. They say in time the brain makes adjustments but I manage ok without using it.

[j_181]

Substitutes sitting on the bench at football matches have to wear one, yet the coaching staff sitting nearby don't. As for players not being allowed to celebrate and hug each other, well they really took notice of that, didn't they?

And no spitting on the pitch lasted for all of one match. Not surprised they needed the extra drink breaks with all the fluid they gob out all over the pitch!

[Gordon Bennett]

I'm completely deaf in one ear. I didn't realise how much I relied on augmenting my hearing with lipreading until these masks came out. I've found I'm really struggling to hear at many shop counters what with perspex shielding, standing further back and them often wearing a mask too.
I've been thinking about getting a free badge off this lot below but I'm worried they'll then have me on their mailing list trying to flog me a hearing aid - waste of time, my hearing is neurologically fucked up, there's nothing actually wrong with my lughole.

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Fuck knows how folks who are totally deaf and 100% reliant on lipreading are coping - it must be very isolating and frustrating for them.

[Doc Holliday]

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[Ahalfa Carling]

Am I the only person who looks at a mask but really sees a posing pouch??

[Gordon Bennett]

Am I the only person who looks at a mask but really sees a posing pouch??

I see them more as a bra cup but I do have quite small genitalia and I'd struggle to "fill" a face-mask deployed on my groin!

[winkywanky]

Am I the only person who looks at a mask but really sees a posing pouch??

Good point, and my nose is so big I can barely get a mask on  .

[WASA38]

Definitely harder to communicate esp if your hearing isn’t the best

-and if your hearing is so bad that you wear hearing aids then there is a serious risk of flipping these off when removing the mask(assuming that both the aids and the mask are of the loop over the ears type}. I wonder if the NHs are seeing a spike in lost hearing aid reports.

[thehoodman1]

-and if your hearing is so bad that you wear hearing aids then there is a serious risk of flipping these off when removing the mask(assuming that both the aids and the mask are of the loop over the ears type}. I wonder if the NHs are seeing a spike in lost hearing aid reports.

I know two people personally both of whom have lost an hearing aid in the last 3 weeks, 'flipped off when taking of mask! NHS admin charge of £80 to replace each one. As a coincidence both people lost them on the pedestrian area of the same town after visiting the same shop.  :unknown:spooky!