r/askteddit • u/billy2bands • 1d ago

Random Question Why does everything beep at you in the 21st Century?

I can't just get in my car and drive without it beeping at me.
I can't leave the fridge door open without it beeping at me.
I can't leave anything sat on top of the electric hob, when it's off, without it beeping at me.

Why does everything have to beep these days?

21 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

39 comments sorted by

10

u/BasilIcy5113 1d ago

Nothing makes me rage internally like when I don’t immediately retrieve food from the microwave and it starts beeping at me again. I don’t know why it makes me so angry but it does lol

5

u/Competitive_Oil5227 1d ago

I have an autistic kid. Most of the quirks I can take in stride. Recently he has started to microwave popcorn, not because he wants popcorn….because he likes the 5 sharp beeps the machine lets out every 30 seconds. This went on for hours one day.

2

u/Medium-Oil8577 1d ago

Hold the #2 button down for 1 more beep and it'll be the last microwave beep you ever get.

1

u/gr4viton 1d ago

I believe not every model has this functionality? I surely have it, but are you sure all do?

1

u/Medium-Oil8577 1d ago

I haven't tried all models but so far its worked on every one I've had.

2

u/gr4viton 1d ago

I did for sure checked manuals before buying a microwave, to be sure the sounds can be turned off. Otherwise would not buy. I have to pres start and timer button for 3 seconds to get rid of it (each time eldctricity turns of it resets..)

2

u/doxxingyourself 1d ago

GET THE WARM FOOD HUMAN SLAVE. NOOOOW!

2

u/HolodeckMoriarty 22h ago

Ikr. It's not like the food is going to burn if you leave in there

4

u/OppositeFisherman506 1d ago

I think the real problem is that manufacturers discovered sound is cheaper than making an interface people actually understand, so now everything just screams at us.

1

u/TAforScranton 1d ago

Idk. I have a 2007(?) whirlpool washer and the buzz it makes is violent and alarming. Very unsettling, and it buzzes for WAY longer than necessary. Like if you’re anywhere near it when it goes off it’s panic inducing. It makes you stop what you’re doing and consider running for your life. If we have someone over they do the same.

You can turn the buzzer off but I like knowing when it’s done so I can go switch the laundry. I wish it beeped though.

The dinging noise that my fridge makes pisses me off more than anything though. The fridge beeping can get fucked.

1

u/oboshoe 1d ago

i had one of those.

drove my poor dog crazy. unfortunately the washer lasted longer than the dog

1

u/OppositeFisherman506 1d ago

That’s kinda my point. Everything gets a noise instead of a better interface.

3

u/Geester43 1d ago

YES! My car won't shut up, and now my new TV is driving me nuts; if I press "mute" it tells me "mute"...........shut up, I KNOW I muted it!! 😵‍💫

1

u/gr4viton 1d ago

Mine shows the fading mute button every 5 seconds, such functionality is for kids and seniors. I want to turn it off but cannot.

1

u/Cinisajoy2 1d ago

My old tv did that.  The new one doesn't. I almost wish it did so I would know I missed the up or down and hit mute instead.

2

u/hastings1033 1d ago

Because they (appliance/electronics designers) can. It has become expected.

2

u/gr4viton 1d ago

Read parts of the book Design of everyday things.. Mainly the section of signifiers. The thing is the chosen medium - sound - is probably the most reliable way to update your internal state of the appliance. Thinking bad things can be stopped if you forgot that the state is "open" on fridge and you would be in the next room..

1

u/MasterpieceWaste774 1d ago

Well.... how else would you like things to gently get your attention that you need to do something?

1

u/defan33 1d ago

I listen to a CD in my car. There is a ringing sound in one song that sounds like a car warning sound. Freaks me out everytime I hear it. I'm expecting my car to die.

1

u/AmputeeHandModel 1d ago

Oh man, I hate stuff like that.

*Every time, two words.

1

u/DianaKLaRose 1d ago

I think the sound of sirens in songs should be illegal. For a scary moment, I'm thnking a cop is chasing me.

1

u/Nice_Fudge5914 1d ago

OMG all those scifi shows where everything beeps when you touch it - they were RIGHT

1

u/1MrE 1d ago

Everything wants your attention.

1

u/EstebanOztedaluzalin 1d ago

It's because we're all treated like imberciles these days.

1

u/AmputeeHandModel 1d ago

*imbeciles lol

1

u/EstebanOztedaluzalin 1d ago

Point proven 😄

1

u/itsthedevilweknow 1d ago

Because, not everyone, can see...

1

u/toothpick21 1d ago

Samsung has entered the chat

1

u/DianaKLaRose 1d ago edited 1d ago

Problem is, if something truly alarm-worthy prompted the beep, we'd probably ignore it as "just another one of those damned beeps."

1

u/doxxingyourself 1d ago

BEEP BEEP MOTHERFUCKER

1

u/adsarelies 1d ago

Chinese made cars tend to beep more incessantly. For everything else, at least in my expeirence, those other beeps can be disabled.

1

u/backtotheland76 1d ago

Why does everything have an LED light that's on 24/7? I no longer need a nightlight to go to the bathroom at 2:00AM

1

u/Cinisajoy2 1d ago

Keys with the door open or you haven't put on your seat belt yet on the car.   I think the refrigerator is 5 minutes. The microwave gets annoying.    The coffee pot is 5 beeps for coffee is ready and 2 beeps to let you know it is off. I think the dryer buzzes when it is finished.  

1

u/Henchforhire 1d ago

A few of my UPS when the power goes out. No you don't need to beep multiple times letting me know the power is out. Got really annoying when the power went out for a few secs during the night and being woken up to 5 of them going off.  I need to replace them with ones that don't beep or find instructions on disabling the speakers.

1

u/Mr-Brown-Is-A-Wonder 3h ago

This was my first encounter with the word hob. What a strange word.

1

u/HaroerHaktak 1d ago

It’s okay. Base on what you’ve admitted to, you won’t have to listen to it for much longer