Page - 61 - in Mobile Culture Studies - The Journal, Volume 3/2017

Mobile Culture Studies. The Journal 3 2o17 Agata Stanisz | Tractor unit acoustemology 61 external spaces, cargos, machines, objects, nature, actions, interactions and so on. In most cases they were manifested, generated and perceptible with the sense of hearing. Dwelling ambience on the road is only seemingly marked by monotony and homogeneity. Although it is mainly characterized by what people usually call noise, this noise is nuanced. In order to make the specific nature of the auditory dimension of the drivers’ daily life clear er it is worth mentioning once more that a tractor unit cab is always a space of co-presence. Consequently, it is characterized by: constant mess (too many objects, doubled in number, objects out of place, overproduction of rubbish); no physical distance, no personal space, being literally at an arm’s length – nothing can be hidden, neither work nor physical or psychological indispositions; embarrassing situations connected with physiological needs, but also all types of bodily rituals, for example, grooming (brushing teeth, cutting nails, brushing hair, squeezing pimples, shaving, cleaning ears etc.) which are neutralized; doing everything together (walking, working, cooking, watching movies, socializing with other drivers, going to toilet). Bodily sounds are mostly those sounds which are audible inside the cab, connected with physiology and metabolism and also with the specific feeling of sensory deprivation caused by routine, boredom and constant waiting. These sounds become most pronounced when there is a standstill, or when drivers work in pairs and the sounds gain importance due to the presence of a second person. These are moaning, puffing, farting, hiccups, stomach gurgling, eructation, burping, loud swallowing of saliva, saliva squirting, scratching, snoring, throat clearing, click- ing, slight coughing, hissing, sighing and nose blowing. Then, especially if minutes and hours go by while waiting for instructions, loading or un- loading, there is tapping fingers on the cockpit, finger snapping, button pushing, feet shuffling, teeth grinding, clicking phalanges, whistling and murmuring. Audio file 4: Whirr of battery recharging. Somewhere in Denmark, 2011-08-06. https://app.box.com/embed/preview/7cz2bjbv7gjiuq7kzpeb?theme=dark Audio file 5: Heating the truck. Oure, Denmark, 2011-08-10. https://app.box.com/embed/preview/321zdxo3hs8kmysm9un7?theme=dark