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 or head phones. Just what is it that they fail to understand?
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Why do some passengers not get how annoying it is to play music and videos out loud?
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Scotrail314209
Established Member
Because right now everyone lives in a world where it’s all “Me Me Me”, even though it’s always been the case it’s gotten worse since the pandemic. Nobody knows how to behave in public anymore.
Simply, they know it’s an annoyance, but they don’t care.
Simply, they know it’s an annoyance, but they don’t care.
AverageJoe
Member
I was travelling pass on my companies train a few days ago and a guard from another toc was also pass, they were in first class and playing a video so loud I could hear it through my noise cancelling headphones.
It was really winding me up since I would expect them to know better.
As he was an employee from a different toc he isn’t even entitled to be in first.
It was just me and him in first so I just left it but if it was disturbing other passengers I would have felt obligated to say something.
Unfortunately with things like that the selfishness of it wind me up so much I don’t have much of a filter so I’m better off saying nothing at all.
It was really winding me up since I would expect them to know better.
As he was an employee from a different toc he isn’t even entitled to be in first.
It was just me and him in first so I just left it but if it was disturbing other passengers I would have felt obligated to say something.
Unfortunately with things like that the selfishness of it wind me up so much I don’t have much of a filter so I’m better off saying nothing at all.
I wear headphones pretty much permanently on trains unless they're empty or I'm travelling with someone.
Last week they ran out of charge so I was subjected to a half day of trains 'au naturale'
My god, the number of people (of all ages) just playing things out loud is insane - but far more were older adults than one would expect.
Last week they ran out of charge so I was subjected to a half day of trains 'au naturale'
My god, the number of people (of all ages) just playing things out loud is insane - but far more were older adults than one would expect.
Flying Snail
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The lack of any intervention when people behave like this is a big part of it becoming accepted behaviour. The more people do this without anyone else objecting the more that think it is fine to behave like this.
Even on here; look at threads about quiet zones, etc and many believe that only these special designated places are to be kept free of phone use, the inference being it is fine anywhere else.
Even on here; look at threads about quiet zones, etc and many believe that only these special designated places are to be kept free of phone use, the inference being it is fine anywhere else.
Phone use in terms of calls in non-quiet zones is fine, and just part of life. Playing music and videos are a different matter.
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Yes, its a big problem now. I find it a bigger problem on long distance coach services like the overnight Megabus services. I guess people think it accepted now as people are too scared to say anything.
Secondly, it can be a cultural issue, some people use voice notes and video calls to connect with family back home.
Secondly, it can be a cultural issue, some people use voice notes and video calls to connect with family back home.
The Quincunx
Member
I will sometimes retaliate by playing the best worst tune I know - "Love Story" by The Lurkers - at full volume. It has been known to shame the culprit into turning their nonsense off.
But how does a video call stop you using headphones?
KevL
Member
My wife has vangelis movement 9 in her phone for retaliatory purposes…
Yes this is a big problem. Whilst most new phones are no longer supporting headphone jacks, they all support bluetooth, so there is no excuse.
I don't see what is so difficult with using earphones anyway, is it like as if they want people to listen to their business?
I don't see what is so difficult with using earphones anyway, is it like as if they want people to listen to their business?
1D54
Member
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Useful to know what exactly that is and how it works.
185143
Established Member
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I retaliated with some nice 37 thrash at full volume whilst the other occupant of the first class compartment on a 350 a few years back sat playing loud music and I wanted to get some sleep.
It had the desired effect.
Sometimes, I don't take a seat until everyone else has sat down, then take a look at who is in the carriage and decide if they are likely to be doing anything I might find annoying. If I decide they might, then I move to another carriage.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I'd without a doubt have reported that. Staff flagrantly breaching Byelaws while in uniform is a very serious matter and is utterly unacceptable. What other rules does such a member of staff feel they can also wilfully ignore? Perhaps some safety ones too?
Classical music.
Agree. Even Merseyrail's rentathugs seem to ignore it - they really should be policing it.
I would like to see the Byelaw changed to remove the "to annoyance" bit as that can be hard to prove, it should simply be a strict liability offence to play any sound producing device such that it is audible to others while on railway property unless express written permission is given.
1D54
Member
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Thanks, the penny just dropped!!
Surely all these retaliatory measures make the people doing them just as bad as the original thoughtless idiot.
I could sit listening to 37 thrash all day long but i would be in a minority of one.
Surely all these retaliatory measures make the people doing them just as bad as the original thoughtless idiot.
I could sit listening to 37 thrash all day long but i would be in a minority of one.
CharlieSpotted
Member
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Classical music on public transport, you say?
x.com
x.com
Link is to X (sorry, only place I could find a video) showing the Musical Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performing on a West Midlands Metro tram.
185143
Established Member
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I'd agree if it was sustained. As soon as the point was made and the music went off, so did the 37 thrash.
And there was just the two of us in the compartment. I'd not have done it in a busier carriage.
Deepgreen
Established Member
Simply because standards of behaviour and awareness continue to fall. No-one expects to be challenged about their behaviour. It manifests in all areas of society.
It depends on the circumstances. I was alone in a coach opposite a woman who carried on a very loud phone call with her phone on speaker. After the first ten minutes of this, I turned on the loudest music I could find on my phone and waited. After a while she asked if I could turn it down - I said "I will if you will", very pointedly. She bristled but complied. I would not have done it that way if there had been anyone around to be annoyed by my retaliation.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I got a gobful of abuse the last time I asked for someone to turn a device down.
Tazi Hupefi
Established Member
It's already an offence. I agree, it needs to be enforced. The legislation is there to do it.
Flying Snail
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Enforced by whom though? The same people that aren't enforcing other bylaws presumably.
A minor thing the rail companies could do is put up posters and scrolling messages on internal screens stating the illegality of playing sounds on board.
They might be fine to you, or you may want them to be fine because you are one of those regularly making them. I don't find people loudly talking into a phone for an extended time to be fine, it is annoying and intrusive to those near and that's not even considering people using speakerphone or video calls.
Short calls at low volume are one thing but long loud calls which is all too common are not and I see no reason why they should be, it is inevitably just gossipy drivel that is of next to no importance at all and can be done somewhere else when it is not going to disturb others.
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I don’t mind ‘natural’ noise on a train - lots of people chatting and having a laugh, kids playing, people talking on the phone. However there is something deeply irritating with people having loudspeaker phone calls or listening to music out loud. Even if they played my favourite music, it still sounds absolutely terrible through the tinny mobile phone speakers. It’s almost as if earphones/headphones have not been invented yet.
The worst is when they watch TikTok videos - often high pitched noises changing every few seconds with their short attention spans.
I find it so irritating it does put me off using public transport, as it’s almost guaranteed to be an issue now for most buses and trains I travel on.
Some may say I should ask people to turn it down if it annoys me - however, this is a very bad idea considering how increasingly aggressive people are. I’d rather put up with the noise rather than be assaulted.
The worst is when they watch TikTok videos - often high pitched noises changing every few seconds with their short attention spans.
I find it so irritating it does put me off using public transport, as it’s almost guaranteed to be an issue now for most buses and trains I travel on.
Some may say I should ask people to turn it down if it annoys me - however, this is a very bad idea considering how increasingly aggressive people are. I’d rather put up with the noise rather than be assaulted.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It's an offence if it is to someone's annoyance. This could be difficult as it would require that person to testify that it was to their annoyance. It would be easier were it strict liability.
I very much suspect were I smaller than I am I would have been assaulted in the case I note above.
The question is how? If staff are reluctant to tackle fare dodgers for fear of an unscheduled trip to hospital, why would they be any more willing to confront someone playing music out loud? The risk of aggressive retaliation is still there.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I do think there should be greater emphasis on "house rules". The Abellio TOCs seemed to at least publicise such things, probably because displaying "Huisregel" at the entrance to basically all businesses is totally normal in the Netherlands.
Things like what if there is a dispute about whether the blind is open or
closed, what if reservations aren't displayed etc should also feature.
If train crew genuinely fear this and aren't just taking the easy path, suitable security backup needs to be provided for them so they feel safe doing their job.
I do find it odd that Merseyrail don't enforce it, though. To me it is a LOT more annoying than feet on the seat frame which they seem obsessed about. Indeed I find it hugely more annoying than even vaping.
FWIW I recall Merseyrail want it to be possible to charge a base penalty fare (ie £50/100 with no fare on top) for minor ASB as it would make enforcement easier - I very much support this. The old "price list" (50 quid for the red handle, 200 quid for smoking) made some sense.
Tazi Hupefi
Established Member
Merseyrail have long dealt with this sort of wording.
For example, the feet on seats prosecutions are made under Byelaw 6(8), interfering or molesting with the comfort/convenience of a person on the railway.
That person in their witness statements is always the enforcement officer. You could probably even use this Byelaw for the music being played out loud.
In any event, for the specific music Byelaw, the member of staff could be the one who finds it annoying - and the prosecution would therefore succeed if that was put into the witness statement. It doesn't need a customer to find it annoying.