(more) antisocial behaviour on trains

[Skimpot flyer]

Maybe I’m overreacting, but in the declassified first class on a Thameslink service today, all was calm and quiet, around 20 of us sitting quietly, some using laptops or reading the news on phones or newspapers.
One person has frequent notifications pinging, with the volume up full blast.
After about the 30th one in under 5 minutes, my patience was shredded.

‘Can the person with their sound at full volume really not see their messages coming up, right in front of their eyes? Do you really need to inflict that irritating sound on everyone in this carriage?’ I called out.

No response.

Although whoever it was seemingly did lower the volume, as there wasn’t a peep for the rest of the hour’s journey.

Why are people so completely lacking in self-awareness these days?

 

[azt]

Maybe I’m overreacting, but in the declassified first class on a Thameslink service today, all was calm and quiet, around 20 of us sitting quietly, some using laptops or reading the news on phones or newspapers.
One person has frequent notifications pinging, with the volume up full blast.
After about the 30th one in under 5 minutes, my patience was shredded.

‘Can the person with their sound at full volume really not see their messages coming up, right in front of their eyes? Do you really need to inflict that irritating sound on everyone in this carriage?’ I called out.

No response.

Although whoever it was seemingly did lower the volume, as there wasn’t a peep for the rest of the hour’s journey.

Why are people so completely lacking in self-awareness these days?

It's because they don't care. It's all about them. They think the are entitled to do anything they want and don't care about other people!

 

[800001]

It's because they don't care. It's all about them. They think the are entitled to do anything they want and don't care about other people!

Exactly this^^ train from London yesterday and the amount of people listening to TikTok, YouTube etc at full volume, or having a phone conversation on speaker holding phone to mouth instead of putting phone to ear.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Exactly this^^ train from London yesterday and the amount of people listening to TikTok, YouTube etc at full volume, or having a phone conversation on speaker holding phone to mouth instead of putting phone to ear.

I find a speakerphone conversation less irritating than a normal phone conversation, because you can hear both sides of it. A normal phone conversation is a bit annoying because your brain hears it and tries to work out the other side.

Playing dross out loud, I agree.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Had someone a few weeks ago having a loud conversation on speakerphone during my commute on London Overground.

‘Bro’, where you at now?’
‘On the tube (!) near… let me look.. Kensal Green’
‘So yous gonna be Euston what time?’
‘Soon, bro’
PA: ‘the next station is Willesden Junction’

(in the opposite direction)

 

[Peter0124]

One cannot understand why some do not use earphones. Esp those who are playing tiktoks out loud. Its annoying.

 

[Topological]

Stick on the noise cancelling

The only people you then annoy are the ticket checkers you cannot hear coming. I think that is the lesser of the evils.

 

[Metrolink]

Stick on the noise cancelling

The only people you then annoy are the ticket checkers you cannot hear coming. I think that is the lesser of the evils.

Not to be argumentative, but that sounds very much like ‘If the cause can’t stop, go out of your way to find a solution’.

Unfortunately it’s true, a lack of basic decency and consideration for others is evident, and we (the majority) have to get the brunt of it. It’s almost like we need loud coaches as much as quiet ones!

 

[Stampy]

I was coming back from York to Peterborough on the train a few years ago - and YES, I WAS in the quiet carriage - and my phone "pinged" ONCE, which was my Dad texting me to ask what time I was due back into Peterborough as he was picking me up...

A rather snooty woman stood up and yelled down the carriage (which had about 6 people in it) - THIS IS A QUIET CARRIAGE YOU KNOW....

She then sat down with a rather smug look on her face...

A bit later, we'd just come past Grantham, when HER phone rang and she answered it and was talking on Speaker phone

She got a chorus of "THIS IS A QUIET CARRIAGE YOU KNOW...." from the people in the carriage, before she got up and stomped off out of the carriage!!!

 

[Krokodil]

I find a speakerphone conversation less irritating than a normal phone conversation, because you can hear both sides of it. A normal phone conversation is a bit annoying because your brain hears it and tries to work out the other side.

I know the argument about only hearing half of a conversation, but I think that there is another aspect to speakerphone conversations: Mobile phone speakers are not really designed for use at those volumes so the output is atrocious.

 

[jamiearmley]

I was coming back from York to Peterborough on the train a few years ago - and YES, I WAS in the quiet carriage - and my phone "pinged" ONCE, which was my Dad texting me to ask what time I was due back into Peterborough as he was picking me up...

A rather snooty woman stood up and yelled down the carriage (which had about 6 people in it) - THIS IS A QUIET CARRIAGE YOU KNOW....

She then sat down with a rather smug look on her face...

A bit later, we'd just come past Grantham, when HER phone rang and she answered it and was talking on Speaker phone

She got a chorus of "THIS IS A QUIET CARRIAGE YOU KNOW...." from the people in the carriage, before she got up and stomped off out of the carriage!!!

Classic.

As a guard, I see behaviour in this category constantly.

One cannot deal with everything - but there is a certain satisfaction in placing those who truly deserve it 'back in their box'.

Your tale brought a smile to my face this morning, and for that I thank you

 

[Topological]

Not to be argumentative, but that sounds very much like ‘If the cause can’t stop, go out of your way to find a solution’.

Unfortunately it’s true, a lack of basic decency and consideration for others is evident, and we (the majority) have to get the brunt of it. It’s almost like we need loud coaches as much as quiet ones!

Sadly yes, but little good comes from confrontation.

No idea if anyone wants to hear what I am listening to on my trips, but at least they do not have to listen and I do not need to listen to anything else.

Loud carriages would be good, but do not help much on 2-cars. I was going to say a 153, but they seldom hunt alone any more.

 

[Busman652004]

Last year my wife and I travelled on an early evening train from Liverpool to Ormskirk. Over 40 years of travel at all times of day throughout the Scottish Central belt, and it can be pretty lively, simply didn't prepare me for the level of hostility and unpleasantness on this train. The Merseyrail employee was simply powerless in the face of the level of abuse he received. Those responsible made sure that everyone was aware that they were NHS employees as if this excused their actions. This prompted other NHS employees to confront them and accuse them of bringing the NHS into disrepute. A full scale punch up was only averted by this latter group getting off. The original protagonists continued their abusive and disruptive behaviour until Ormskirk where we made sure the driver and station staff were aware as they had remained on the train after everyone else got off.

The impact of this experience was that it was several months before my wife used the train again. How many other people were also put off rail travel at least for a period by this experience. The staff view seemed to be that calling the Police was pointless as a response who take too long to be of any value. Possibly true although I have recently called Police Scotland in response to an incident I witnessed at a station and they attended within three minutes.

 

[Metrolink]

Loud carriages would be good, but do not help much on 2-cars. I was going to say a 153, but they seldom hunt alone any more.

153s are noisy enough!

 

[Haywain]

I find a speakerphone conversation less irritating than a normal phone conversation, because you can hear both sides of it.

A couple of months ago I was on a train where someone was having a conversation using a speakerphone. I only heard one half of the conversation, and it wasn't the half from the person sitting on the train!

 

[gazzaa2]

They either don't care or just have no self-awareness or social-awareness.

I always have my audio device ready on public transport (for my ears only) because peace and quiet/minimal noise is unlikely to last long unless it's a quick journey. And why is it always the first thing for people getting on a train to make a bloody phonecall?

Not to be argumentative, but that sounds very much like ‘If the cause can’t stop, go out of your way to find a solution’.

Unfortunately it’s true, a lack of basic decency and consideration for others is evident, and we (the majority) have to get the brunt of it. It’s almost like we need loud coaches as much as quiet ones!

It's up to the DFT/Toc to do more though.

It drives me mad the constant announcements over the PA system, but you never hear an announcement of "please use headphones to listen to audio devices". Why can't that be stated and also with paraphernalia on the train to state the same (i.e. the quiet zone notices in the quiet zone carriages).

it won't stop everyone but behaviour is learned and copied and becomes normalised.

 

[SLC001]

This does not surprise me. This morning I was walking our local towpath and nearly got run over by a cyclist and later an idiot on an ebike. Sadly, one of the greatest needs that any government has to address at present is antisocial behaviour as it undermines society, enforces prejudices, cultural differences etc. I This will not happen, partly due to cost but primarily there are no votes in it.
From a rail travel perspective, it discourages travel by train and I suspect discriminates against the elderly and women of all ages.

 

[ainsworth74]

Perhaps it's just me but this feels like something that's gotten worse since the Pandemic. There was always a level of people not being considerate of others but it feels like its much more common now that you'll come across someone listening to something on their phone without headphones. I wonder if people got used to being in their own little space and able to do what they wanted and that behaviour has translated into their public behaviour?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Perhaps it's just me but this feels like something that's gotten worse since the Pandemic. There was always a level of people not being considerate of others but it feels like its much more common now that you'll come across someone listening to something on their phone without headphones. I wonder if people got used to being in their own little space and able to do what they wanted and that behaviour has translated into their public behaviour?

In my observation it coincided with the move to not having a headphone socket, and thus headphones going from something you got free with a phone (or a couple of quid if you purchased some) to them being an expensive item many simply wouldn't bother with at all.

 

[ainsworth74]

In my observation it coincided with the move to not having a headphone socket, and thus headphones going from something you got free with a phone (or a couple of quid if you purchased some) to them being an expensive item many simply wouldn't bother with at all.

Oh that's a good shout actually, and that trend really kicked off over the course of the Pandemic as well which would tie into my observation. What a daft idea ditching the 3.5mm jack it has been.

 

[yorksrob]

Oh that's a good shout actually, and that trend really kicked off over the course of the Pandemic as well which would tie into my observation. What a daft idea ditching the 3.5mm jack it has been.

I suppose that that represents the march of "progress" to the tech giants. (Or another way to try and sell overpriced tat to people).

 

[Bletchleyite]

I suppose that that represents the march of "progress" to the tech giants. (Or another way to try and sell overpriced tat to people).

It was allegedly to ease waterproofing of the devices, as mass-produced 3.5mm jacks aren't waterproof, and secondarily so it could be a bit thinner. But as per the USB C connector, I'm sure a waterproof version could have been designed if Apple etc didn't simply want people to pay another 100 quid for a pair of earphones.

 

[rg177]

Not as extreme as the other examples given, but I had a nice stand-off on Saturday morning trying to get off a London Overground service at Barking.

Doors opened and I was greeted by a wall of people trying to shove forwards. I made a "parting the sea" gesture and asked people to move. It took the crowd a few seconds to realise they weren't going anywhere until they actually gave me space to get off.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not as extreme as the other examples given, but I had a nice stand-off on Saturday morning trying to get off a London Overground service at Barking.

Doors opened and I was greeted by a wall of people trying to shove forwards. I made a "parting the sea" gesture and asked people to move. It took the crowd a few seconds to realise they weren't going anywhere until they actually gave me space to get off.

I've given up being nice about that and started being blunt* because it's so utterly obvious that standing in the way is stupid. However if you try it on an overcrowded Northern or TPE service at Manchester they just start ducking under your arms!

Similarly I walk towards mobile phone zombies and only turn at the last second if it's obvious they won't see me (I want to make a point but I don't want to be done for assault).

* "Are you going to move and let me off or not?" generally.

 

[yorksrob]

It was allegedly to ease waterproofing of the devices, as mass-produced 3.5mm jacks aren't waterproof, and secondarily so it could be a bit thinner. But as per the USB C connector, I'm sure a waterproof version could have been designed if Apple etc didn't simply want people to pay another 100 quid for a pair of earphones.

Yes, needless to say, I think the 100 quid earphones are nearer the mark.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Last year my wife and I travelled on an early evening train from Liverpool to Ormskirk.

Quite surprised to hear of serious ASB on that line, it's normally just classic Liverpool "scally" behaviour, annoying but fairly harmless. Wasn't during the races, was it? Drunk middle class middle-agers can be the worst of people at times (and I say that being both middle class and middle aged).

 

[ainsworth74]

Not as extreme as the other examples given, but I had a nice stand-off on Saturday morning trying to get off a London Overground service at Barking.

Doors opened and I was greeted by a wall of people trying to shove forwards. I made a "parting the sea" gesture and asked people to move. It took the crowd a few seconds to realise they weren't going anywhere until they actually gave me space to get off.

Yes I take a zero tolerance approach to that. You can either move out of the way or I'm coming through anyway (advantages of being 6' 2" and large)!

 

[Haywain]

Apple etc didn't simply want people to pay another 100 quid for a pair of earphones.

Apple provide headphones with lightning connectors. They're not all wireless!

 

[Belperpete]

Had someone in the seat in front of me start playing music loudly on their phone. So I started tapping/thumping along to the music on the seat back. They got the message.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Apple provide headphones with lightning connectors. They're not all wireless!

They sell them, yes, but none have come in the box for a long time.

You can also get adapters which are super easy to lose!