Antisocial behaviour on the railway network

[NeilCr]

When I was a regular train commuter instead of people looking at their phones on the train everybody (commuters anyway) buried their heads in newspapers

In some ways it was more antisocial as you could end up with elbows digging into you as pages were turned. And - especially from those with broadsheets - you saw quite a bit of their paper

 

[AlterEgo]

It's not just the youngsters who are obsessed with their gadgets. I had a similar experience to you late last year when I was travelling back home from Ribblehead after a walk. Sat opposite me was a well dressed middle aged woman who, while I enjoyed the wonderful views of Ribblesdale, spent the entire journey staring at her laptop, completely oblivious to the countryside we were passing through

I was so intrigued as to what she found so fascinating that I sneaked a look at her screen as I returned from the toilet and guess what she was looking at? A spreadsheet!

Antisocial behaviour? Maybe not. Ignorant? Definitely.

It’s now ignorant to work on a train, got it.

It obviously doesn't, my statement was more aimed at the fact that an increasing number of people would seemingly rather look at mind rotting idiocy on their phones rather than the beauty of their surroundings.

Sure. They could be reading this forum; your post for example.

 

[Dave W]

It's not just the youngsters who are obsessed with their gadgets. I had a similar experience to you late last year when I was travelling back home from Ribblehead after a walk. Sat opposite me was a well dressed middle aged woman who, while I enjoyed the wonderful views of Ribblesdale, spent the entire journey staring at her laptop, completely oblivious to the countryside we were passing through

I was so intrigued as to what she found so fascinating that I sneaked a look at her screen as I returned from the toilet and guess what she was looking at? A spreadsheet!

Antisocial behaviour? Maybe not. Ignorant? Definitely.

You've gone on about brain rot and mindless content and all that nonsense, but in this example of yours the woman was clearly working and so not ignorant at all.

If I was on a train and no one was looking out the window at the view, I'd do exactly the theory that you suggested earlier in the thread: let it go. It doesn't hurt you that she's missing out on the view; frankly it's none of your business.

 

[Minilad]

My goodness, it's almost like different people do different things on trains. How someone likes to pass the time while on a train journey is nobodies business but their own and certainly no business of the "Looking out of the window police"
There's only one person that absolutely has to look out of the window on a train, the driver

 

[saismee]

Sure. They could be reading this forum; your post for example.

Certainly something I've done on occasion!

I think complaining that people are not staring at nature is somewhat missing the point of this thread... it's  definitely your problem if you're taking issue to people quietly looking at a screen.

Most of the anti-social behaviour I've seen is shouty kids, loud music, and even one girl filming me. She must have been about 12 recording for social media (which she shouldn't even be on) by propping her phone up against the window, pointing right over the aisle to where I was sitting.

A few phone calls here and there, but I've never had anyone talk loudly on their phone. I myself have had a phone call on a train, but it was rather empty and I tried to keep my volume down. I don't really see it as any more anti-social as having a quiet conversation to another passenger. My biggest complaint would be the multiple occasions where I've seen people put their legs in the aisles. No, the seats are not beds, and no they do not face into the aisle. I shouldn't have to ask you to move in order to leave the train.

as a northerner (who sees wonderful sights almost daily, when either driving or on a train) I’m more interested in the stations on the underground than the countryside.

I find the infrastructure to be quite nice to look at. Most people would find it invasive or depressing, but I always find it impressive. I quite enjoy looking at the Elizabeth Line when travelling between Shenfield and London Liverpool Street as you can always spot the points before you hear the rumble in a 745. The bridge where the Elizabeth line crosses over the GEML is also very impressive, and is interesting to see on the inside of an Elizabeth Line train when standing and looking down the length of the train.

 

[Skiddaw]

I love looking out of the window when on a train (despite living in rural Cumbria with splendid views of the fells from our house). I don't care if it's countryside or passing through aN urban area- there's always something to look at/admire/puzzle over/spark your imagination. Of course it's up to the traveller how they spend their time whilst on the train (and obviously, some people are working during the journey) but personally I do think it's a bit of a wasted opportunity to spend the journey surgically attached to your phone/tablet.

 

[renegademaster]

I take it most of the people acting superior for spending the whole trip looking out the window don't do the same journey 200 times a year. However pretty the scenery is, it does get boring after the first few times.

 

[GatwickDepress]

This forum is an absolute hoot sometimes. Can't wait for Merseyrail RPIs to start fining people not looking out the window for 'antisocial behaviour'.

 

[Mwanesh]

Its every where these days people just dont care anymore.On the coaches i have left a few at services for bad behaviour.

 

[SussexSeagull]

The view from the Balcombe Viaduct on the Brighton Main Line has few rivals, but when you experience it ten times a week I think it is understandable if you are sorting out some life admin on your phone to give you a bit of down time when you get home.

As for trouble around football, broadly speaking there used to be organised hooligan firms who would travel to matches basically to have a fight. Eventually the Police infiltrated them and they aren't so common anymore so a lot of the problems now are (usually) men drinking too much and getting into trouble. That said I have been on the train back from northern away trips to the south coast and have seen quite bad trouble between groups - of men and women - who so far as I could see hadn't been near a football match.

It is a societal problem not restricted to football.

 

[TimSpencer]

Yes the TOCs are certainly engaging more and more in antisocial behaviour. If I followed you round all day repeating the same thing ad nauseum, you could do me for harassment so it should come as no surprise that when the train operators do just that, it results on an increase in antisocial behaviour.
Behaviour breeds behaviour and when you treat people with gross disrespect, they will inevitably reciprocate.

 

[Krokodil]

Yes the TOCs are certainly engaging more and more in antisocial behaviour. If I followed you round all day repeating the same thing ad nauseum, you could do me for harassment so it should come as no surprise that when the train operators do just that, it results on an increase in antisocial behaviour.
Behaviour breeds behaviour and when you treat people with gross disrespect, they will inevitably reciprocate.

So the reason that we have youths climbing on the overhead racks is that they've heard too many announcements in the five minutes they were fare dodging on my train for? Interesting theory...

 

[ainsworth74]

Please see the existing thread on playing music and similar out loud here for discussion on the LibDems policy.

Why do some passengers not get how annoying it is to play music and videos out loud?

Another early morning train, another passenger (an adult, not a teenager doing it for annoyance) playing multiple music tracks and streaming videos out loud instead of using ear buds. It really should be obvious how annoying it is to others, and just about everyone with a phone also has ear buds...

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