Pierre: that is really sad that this is the case, but I don't consider it being your fault! (You would not have made me pissed off if you played in front of me; I love when others practice.)

What I do think, is that many musicians in that play in orchestra were not dreaming of it initially, and simply end up there, so I would guess that many orchestras are filled with hurt egos of soloists. Some probably hate it, some like it for the group feeling, and a few do really love it. For somebody for who this is obligatory, they will do as little as they can (without getting kicked out), and practice their own parts as little as possible and use any tiny free minute to do what they love– their solos. Imagine, I myself hate orchestral playing, but in order to perform on the chamber music concerts of the university, i am forced into playing form time to time with the university orchestra.

I once or twice experienced two girls jumping on me for rehearsing my stuff during the break (in quite empty halls, because most people went to more cosy rooms), and they came with the argument about resting ears. (In neither way, the rehearsal had lasted more than some 45 minutes. And that was the only rehearsal for two weeks…) At that moment, I searched the whole building for a practice space. But actually, for them it would have been much, much easier to find a space to talk in, than for me to find a space to play in. If it is really the ears, and not a principle, they would by self-protection move away. What I do think, is that people find many excuses in order to criticize somebody who goes against the flow. It is in our human nature. One can always find a corner where to relax from irritating sounds, otherwise…