Bad Manners and Brimstone

Walkman cassette players and vintage clothing do not disturb others with noise.

I'm sensitive to the monotonous noise that typing causes. A typewriter is worse than a laptop. And no, I don't carry my earbuds with me, and earbuds don't drown out noise anyway unless you set it high enough to cause hearing damage.

To me the pretentious part is lugging it with you to some other place, especially at a time when there are so many other easy-to-port options, and even owning a vintage typewriter means you've had to go to some effort (which is fine, at home), and now you're going to even more effort to take it out into public.

Loud typing in a public place such as a coffee shop is obviously disruptive and rude, I think we can all agree on that.

However, I'm genuinely baffled by all the comments about typewriters being inherently pretentious and attention-seeking. Granted, I love old items, but if I saw someone using a vintage typewriter, my first thought would be "Wow, how cool is that old typewriter! I wonder where they got it?" not "Urg, that person is clearly using a typewriter for the sole purpose of showing off." I'm also a writer, and I say if a typewriter is your tool of choice, then more power to you! (Noting off course, you shouldn't disturb others with it - see first sentence!).

Further, I'm uncomfortable with the notion that using old-fashioned or unusual things in public is somehow "distracting" and therefore rude. What about a person who listens to a 1981 Sony Walkman in a coffee shop? What about a person who enjoys wearing an old-fashioned 3-piece suit and hat in public? What about a person who drives a vintage car on public roads?

In the example given, I agree the girl is rude for wanting to bring a vintage typewriter to a coffee-shop - but only because it would be too noisy. If she wanted to bring say, her 1980 Golf Ball electric typewriter (which is much quieter), I think she'd be fine! And I think it would be unkind and unfair to accuse the girl of being pretentious and showing off simply because she chooses to use an old-fashioned and unusual item in public.

I think the typewriter is different from clothing or cars. As long as the car is street-legal, I see no reason you shouldn't drive a 1953 Chrysler or a Model X Dusenberg. And if you want to sport your three-piece suit and a trilby, go for it. If you want to wear Dior's 1947 New Look all the time, then you do you. Nobody is being disturbed by any of those things. Whereas someone banging away at a manual typewriter in a coffee shop is both noisy and appears to be doing it for attention. A vintage typewriter in your home would be fine in my eyes. It's hauling it out in public and not caring how noisy and irritating you're being that is the problem.

The clothing or car may be eyecatching, but the suit isn't going to bing every time you hit the end of a line.

I learned to type in 6th grade at the age of 12.  Granted, it was on an electric typewriter but even those made loud clacking noises and had a dinging bell when you got to the end of the margin.  My mother had given me her old portable manual typewriter to practice on when I was at home.  It was portable but still cumbersome and that thing was LOUD.

When I left high school I was typing 80 words per minute (I probably do 100 wpm on a computer).  Typing at that speed on an old typewriter is loud (imagine the sound of 30 girls in a classroom all typing at once).

I also fail to see how using a vintage typewriter in a place people go to have a meal, a coffee, or conversation over a snack/drink adds ambiance to a café.  My vote is for rude, pretentious, and attention seeking.

Quote from: Nikko-chan on October 04, 2020, 09:07:22 pm

Quote from: TootsNYC on October 04, 2020, 08:09:21 pm

whoever is typing on that typewriter sound effects thing is SLOW!
Even on a big old "upright" manual (like this one:https://1stopretroshop.com/item-pages/vintage-typewriters/vintage-typewriters.htm) , I could leave far smaller breaks between letters!
That's the one I used in college, and I got really fast on it.

I think it's ultra rude to type on a vintage typewriter in a public place. I actually think it's kind of rude to settle in at a coffee shop and write.

Its no different then say, a businessperson pulling out a laptop, or a student rushing in to find a relatively quiet place to study. As long as they buy something, and the cafe isnt ultra busy, its usually fine. I've written in coffeeshops with small groups before, usually staying about 2 or 3 hours or so. I make sure to let my group know that you know, everyone should buy something from the establishment, and I make sure to tip well.

I agree with this. I also reckon if you're going to by there for 2-3 hours, you should be buying food as well, especially if the shop is reasonably busy. One $3 cup of coffee shouldn't enable a person to tie up a table for hours.

We do. We get coffee and lunch, and then we write for a bit. And then get dessert.