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

[Sad Sprinter]

I have no idea what era your generation is, but don't people listen to music because they enjoy it?

Well yes, but it was also a topic of social media conversation not too long ago that people listen to music while commuting because they either a. don't have an "inner voice" in their mind and become extremely bored whilst commuting or b. don't want to observe their thoughts. I have seen people my age get really quite upset after leaving the house to commute and realising they've forgotten their earphones

 

[trainophile]

Well yes, but it was also a topic of social media conversation not too long ago that people listen to music while commuting because they either a. don't have an "inner voice" in their mind and become extremely bored whilst commuting or b. don't want to observe their thoughts. I have seen people my age get really quite upset after leaving the house to commute and realising they've forgotten their earphones

Which is probably why there's usually a tech display stand at most on concourse station shops, particularly WH Smith and the like. I've sometimes wondered what type of person decides on impulse to fork out £35 for a pair of ear buds!

 

[azOOOOOma]

Just had a bit of a debate with a friend. Are there any examples of playing music/sound on trains resulting in arguments, fighting or worse? I’m of the opinion of it being highly annoying and can cause fights. He asked me to tell me about specific examples, but I don’t know of any. Can anyone else think of any documented incidents of things getting out of hand?

Laura,

X

 

[trainophile]

I think on balance the "reasonable" people would just walk away rather than get into a fight, I know I would if things started getting too overheated.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just had a bit of a debate with a friend. Are there any examples of playing music/sound on trains resulting in arguments, fighting or worse? I’m of the opinion of it being highly annoying and can cause fights. He asked me to tell me about specific examples, but I don’t know of any. Can anyone else think of any documented incidents of things getting out of hand?

Laura,

X

I have been given a tirade of Glaswegian abuse by a Scottish woman who I asked to turn hers down a little (not even off), just so I couldn't hear it through my headphones.

 

[Turtle]

I have been given a tirade of Glaswegian abuse by a Scottish woman who I asked to turn hers down a little (not even off), just so I couldn't hear it through my headphones.

On the Brighton main line (evening rush hour) I witnessed a male commuter seize a woman's portable radio and threaten to throw it out of the window - before handing it back. She then switched it off.
I think this occurred in the mid 80s.

 

[blue87]

It really pisses me off, I'm so tempted to play sylvester cat saying aah shut up on my phone.

 

[yorksrob]

Which is probably why there's usually a tech display stand at most on concourse station shops, particularly WH Smith and the like. I've sometimes wondered what type of person decides on impulse to fork out £35 for a pair of ear buds!

Ear buds are so flimsily manufactured these days that you knever know when they're going to break, hence why you need them on sale in stations.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ear buds are so flimsily manufactured these days that you knever know when they're going to break, hence why you need them on sale in stations.

Depends which you buy. For all Apple Airpods are expensive, they are extremely high quality. I'm sure that's true of Sennheiser, Bose etc too.

If you buy cheap tat you can expect it to break - this isn't new. When I used to buy £10 wired earbuds I replaced them about every 6 months, whereas I'm still on my original pair of Airpods.

With regard to your point they are on sale at some stations, though, I'm almost certain for one that WH Smuggs at Euston sells that sort of thing. What does actually surprise me is that you don't see those "phone tat" shops at stations that are ubiquitous near the toilets at motorway services - I guess there aren't any cheap enough units for them to make money.

 

[43066]

Which is probably why there's usually a tech display stand at most on concourse station shops, particularly WH Smith and the like. I've sometimes wondered what type of person decides on impulse to fork out £35 for a pair of ear buds!

People who’ve left their decent pair at home and need a temporary replacement, for a weekend away/work trip etc. most likely.

 

[yorksrob]

Depends which you buy. For all Apple Airpods are expensive, they are extremely high quality. I'm sure that's true of Sennheiser, Bose etc too.

If you buy cheap tat you can expect it to break - this isn't new. When I used to buy £10 wired earbuds I replaced them about every 6 months, whereas I'm still on my original pair of Airpods.

With regard to your point they are on sale at some stations, though, I'm almost certain for one that WH Smuggs at Euston sells that sort of thing. What does actually surprise me is that you don't see those "phone tat" shops at stations that are ubiquitous near the toilets at motorway services - I guess there aren't any cheap enough units for them to make money.

I guess that depends on whether one views the actual things working as a "luxury extra".

 

[Bletchleyite]

I guess that depends on whether one views the actual things working as a "luxury extra".

I certainly view cheap earbuds (just like cheap mice and the likes) as a consumable, not an asset.

 

[43066]

When I used to buy £10 wired earbuds I replaced them about every 6 months, whereas I'm still on my original pair of Airpods.

I’m onto my third pair because I keep losing them. Excellent product, but it gets rather expensive if you need to keep replacing them due to carelessness…

 

[Bletchleyite]

I’m onto my third pair because I keep losing them. Excellent product, but it gets rather expensive if you need to keep replacing them due to carelessness…

I found that of iPod Nanos, they were too small to notice in a shirt or trouser pocket. Washed 2 of them...

 

[yorksrob]

I found that of iPod Nanos, they were too small to notice in a shirt or trouser pocket. Washed 2 of them...

Did they come out with a cleaner sound ?

 

[Horizon22]

I’m onto my third pair because I keep losing them. Excellent product, but it gets rather expensive if you need to keep replacing them due to carelessness…

I’ve had a pair of wireless, noise-cancelling headphones for 3 years now. The sound quality is better and the price is as reasonable. Okay so they may not look as “cool” or as discreet as ear buds, but to be fair that doesn’t really concern me. I used to lose small wired headphones all the time, get them trapped / frayed etc. I’d definitely be losing earbuds!

If I forget them (or forget to charge them) it is pretty frustrating, although I do have a backup standard wired pair for my phone. It’s okay for a short-trip but anything longer and it will just be frustrating as a keen music listener.

 

[J-2739]

Just had a bit of a debate with a friend. Are there any examples of playing music/sound on trains resulting in arguments, fighting or worse? I’m of the opinion of it being highly annoying and can cause fights. He asked me to tell me about specific examples, but I don’t know of any. Can anyone else think of any documented incidents of things getting out of hand?

Laura,

X

This one is pretty old by now (from 2012, despite the upload date shown here), but still a classic.

 

[TUC]

I found that of iPod Nanos, they were too small to notice in a shirt or trouser pocket. Washed 2 of them...

Putting them back in their charging case after each use helps avoid that as it's more noticeable in pockets

 

[MrJeeves]

Putting them back in their charging case after each use helps avoid that as it's more noticeable in pockets

iPod Nanos won't have a charging case!

 

[FD99]

It’s not just passengers. Had a driver sat behind me in the messroom last night watching the Liverpool game on his phone quite loud. As annoying as that was there was only 10 minutes to go so I left it. Then he proceeded to watch the full analysis and all the adverts too. I genuinely wanted to punch him but decided that tutting loudly and leaving was a better option.

 

[Fiyero]

This one is pretty old by now (from 2012, despite the upload date shown here), but still a classic.

This much agro when she was using earphones? no wonder people don't bother!!

 

[LittleRedTrain]

Had two on a 4.5 hr train trip earlier, both old enough to know better but both stopped after a polite request.
Didn't even bother trying with the horde of (otherwise well behaved) schoolchildren that boarded later as I knew they'd only be on for about 20 min).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Avanti just now - "in the quiet coach don't use your mobile speakers"..

No, don't use them anywhere bar your house!

Messaging really needs to be better on this.

 

[aftv]

On my way into Victoria this morning. Quiet until we get to East Croydon, possibly the only person in the whole coach. Several people get on and start having the loudest phone conversations on speakerphone so the whole coach can hear. It was at this point my ear buds came out. I'm beginning to think I'm slightly antisocial

 

[yorksrob]

Avanti just now - "in the quiet coach don't use your mobile speakers"..

No, don't use them anywhere bar your house!

Messaging really needs to be better on this.

Yes, that really is poor messaging.

Perhaps a letter to their comms team is in order.

 

[43066]

Avanti just now - "in the quiet coach don't use your mobile speakers"..

No, don't use them anywhere bar your house!

Messaging really needs to be better on this.

Which of course is worse than saying nothing, as it’s tacitly giving permission to use them everywhere else on the train. Very poor.

 

[DJ_K666]

I told someone a couple of days ago to put headphones in or I'd terminate the bus (I wouldn't really but they don't need to know that) and said I'm half deaf from my time as a DJ so if I can hear it then it's too loud. They went 'what? And I just said (loudly) HEADPHONES! PUT THEM IN!

To be fair they did.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

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.

There is a video from YouTuber "Truthseeker666" who speaks about the annoyance of dubstep (whatever that is), the video itself could also apply to this - it is filled with expletives but its probably what we're all thinking of when passengers are using their devices at stadium level volume. One thing I cannot understand is why have manufacturers binned the concept of a headphone jack installed to the sound emitting device.

This is the video, it is however filled with expletives but I'm using it as an example:

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.

I'd rather avoid any retaliation, you may never know if the person has a weapon.

 

[roadie]

I've been doing Reading to Wokingham on regular a basis recently as my car was out of commission. The amount of automated and manual PA announcements (much of it threating passengers with impending doom) before we even leave Reading, overwhelms anyone on their phone or playing music. If I have to start commuting again by rail my first investment before a season ticket will be some decent noise cancelling headphones.

 

[Phil R]

I've been doing Reading to Wokingham on regular a basis recently as my car was out of commission. The amount of automated and manual PA announcements (much of it threating passengers with impending doom) before we even leave Reading, overwhelms anyone on their phone or playing music. If I have to start commuting again by rail my first investment before a season ticket will be some decent noise cancelling headphones.

"much of it threating passengers with impending doom"
Indeed. Not the only operator either, and certain messages seem to be triggered at specific locations. I don't know what the general perception of the people of Woking is, but if I was one of the vast majority of law abiding ones, I might rightly feel aggrieved to get the welcome I would on my morning commute. In the words of the slightly familiar saying, being told to calm down rarely actually calms anyone down.