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

[jtshark71]

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?

When that happens and if they are too close to me? I crank out my ACDC and they get the hint. I know it is nasty but they get the hint. Not everyone does

 

[Skie]

Hear it? Squelch it. Sorted! Text PRAT to 61016

If only….

 

[yorksrob]

One can perhaps excuse teenagers for their youthful lack of consideration, but grown-ups have no excuse.

 

[satisnek]

This does cover a wide spectrum these days. At one end is the totally self-entitled, badly brought-up muck who will respond with abuse regardless of how polite you are to them, then come those who will stop when asked - these are essentially nice people who received no discipline in their upbringing so have no concept of causing an annoyance. At the other end are those flicking through the moronic guano which comes up on their 'feed' (or whatever they have)* and anything with audio content gets hastily turned down (this can actually be quite amusing when you realise that they're embarrassed but too stupid to prevent it). And then there's the group conversing normally until one of them shows the others a 'video' (having dabbled in videography in the 1990s, I use the term in its loosest possible sense). This afflicts pubs as well.

I do agree that the only way to travel by train nowadays is with noise-cancelling headphones or bungphones (I swear by Sennheiser CX300) and immerse yourself in your own music, in high quality.

* This is all alien to me, not because I'm too old (looking at some of those around me) but because I'm too stuck in the 20th century.

 

[Meerkat]

Did you use her card details to purchase your new headphones?

If you had the address you could get them sent them a plaque saying “I shouldn’t talk so loud on the train”.

Always tempted to sit down next to the person playing the videos and say “well I may as well watch too”. Obviously I never do and just chunter away whilst giving them glares they can’t see!

If the guard is too afraid to confront people then at least do an impromptu announcement - this can lead to enough “he means you!” mutterings and stares to get through to most (like when one person says something and everyone around makes noises of clear agreement).

The chance of getting noisy co-passengers is inversely proportional to the chances of whether I have some spare earbuds in my pocket (at one point I had various sets got from work in every coat, in a cash bag to keep tidy)

 

[azOOOOOma]

I always say speaker mode is not permitted onboard regardless of whether you’re seated in the ‘quieter’ coach or not and find that it helps.

There’s always the odd one but I’ll quite loudly get them to turn it off as it seems to help shame them somewhat. I’ve interrupted a few video calls halfway through them too.

I only travel as a passenger with noise cancelling earphones. If it’s not other people’s phones, it’s someone loudly munching a family size bag of crisps or a kid screaming like a banshee.

Laura x

 

[Halwynd]

I always say speaker mode is not permitted onboard regardless of whether you’re seated in the ‘quieter’ coach or not and find that it helps.

There’s always the odd one but I’ll quite loudly get them to turn it off as it seems to help shame them somewhat. I’ve interrupted a few video calls halfway through them too.

Great stuff - well done!

 

[Merseysider]

This is probably the main reason I look for upgrades to 1st on Seatfrog or with cheap advances - better chance of peace and quiet - not bothered about the food or drinks but having to listen to antisocial a-holes watching TikTok or Insta reels on max volume does my head in, especially after a long day at work.

That said, you do get the occasional business type determined to let the rest of the carriage know how important they are on a loud phone call

I swear it wasn't this bad before Covid - there definitely seems to have been an attitude shift where people are now less considerate of others around them.

 

[trainophile]

A bloke got on the Avanti I was on, with a small child on Saturday, and sat in the pair of seats across the aisle from me. The little girl was behaving well, quietly sitting in the window seat. However dad seemed determined to get her wound up and over-excited, saying inane things to her loudly and at one point playing something out loud on his phone for her amusement. I then spotted he had a tablet of some sort on his lap, at which point I dug out my air pods and listened to some songs off my iTunes account, wasn't really bothered which but it was better than the bloke's drivel.

I could have moved, there were plenty of spare seats, but thought why should I have to when I'm settled here and I was here first. Was glad when they got off at Preston. Hadn't heard a peep out of the little girl the whole way, just dad trying to attract attention to himself.

 

[bishdunster]

I remember once a woman on an LNER train I was on was taking a phonecall and had no problem loudly announcing her credit card details (including security number) to the relatively full carriage!

It is astonishing to see just how little social/situational awareness some people have.

I've just recently purchased some noise cancelling headphones and it's not until I started to use these I've realised just how noisy people can be o

 

[DJ_K666]

I had someone on my bus doing it earlier. 2 stops after he got on I stopped the bus and said basically plug 'em in or the bus goes nowhere.

 

[Harpo]

I remember once a woman on an LNER train I was on was taking a phonecall and had no problem loudly announcing her credit card details (including security number) to the relatively full carriage!

A friend enjoys telling his story of calling an annoying passenger to ‘re-arrange’ his meeting to an hour later after his phone number and all relevant meeting details had been broadcast to the coach.

 

[bleeder4]

One of my personal favourites is a woman on a packed rush hour IET from Reading to Paddington who was conducting a speakerphone conversation with a private investigator. She suspected her husband was having an affair and she was telling this PI all of her husbands movements, what time he finished work, where he usually stopped off, what time he should be home etc, so that the PI could follow him and see if he was seeing anyone else.

 

[AJG3]

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.

YouTube videos of class 40s in BR days work a treat. Other diesel locos or even a Leyland engined Bristol RE bus don't seem to have the desired effect.

 

[Fiyero]

This really does seem to be getting worse. I haven't had many journeys (above a few minutes) where this hasn't impacted me!
I usually try and get on the train as early as possible (if it is starting its journey where I am) so have to hope not to have noisy people around!
On one a family plonked a loud iPad in front of their toddler. I asked them to turn it down and was berated by another passenger that 'its just a child' and 'I should go to the quiet carriage'. Another time, when in the quiet carriage, I had had enough and did shout out 'I think someone's forgotten this is the quiet zone'.

I do wonder if I should just not bother with my headphones. Could even bring a nice little bluetooth speaker so my music isn't too tinny.

 

[Peter0124]

On one a family plonked a loud iPad in front of their toddler. I asked them to turn it down and was berated by another passenger that 'its just a child' and 'I should go to the quiet carriage'.

Why can't they just buy their child a small pair of headphones or earphones? Just because they're a family doesn't excuse them from playing stuff out loud, my two cents.

 

[bengley]

I had an issue a few months ago, I was travelling pass, in uniform on a Northern 331 (so open gangways) and I could hear someone playing tiktoks in the next carriage. I asked the guy if he could use headphones and he immediately took the aggressive line and asked me 'what's it to you' and continued playing it. I told him myself and other passengers didn't want to hear it. He then stood up and started to get physically threatening and abusive. The guard and a cleaner who were on board witnessed this and made no attempt to even ask the guy to turn it off, although the guard did step in when the guy threatened to 'knock me out'.

Despite this the guard really sided with the passenger and basically told me the sound wasn't bothering anyone else.

At this point I had enough, so I phoned 999 and stopped the train from leaving. The guy was still threatening violence and was vocally shouting down the coach at other passengers telling them that I was the reason their train was being held up and that I was a train driver and should be sacked because I was out of order etc...

Long story short Merseyside police turned up and removed him from the train.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Despite this the guard really sided with the passenger and basically told me the sound wasn't bothering anyone else.

That's disgraceful. Hopefully you made a complaint about the guard's conduct as well.

I would have understood had the guard simply withdrawn to the rear cab for their safety, but stating that it was OK to breach a Byelaw is unacceptable.

At this point I had enough, so I phoned 999 and stopped the train from leaving. The guy was still threatening violence and was vocally shouting down the coach at other passengers telling them that I was the reason their train was being held up and that I was a train driver and should be sacked because I was out of order etc...

Long story short Merseyside police turned up and removed him from the train.

Good on you.

 

[bengley]

That's disgraceful. Hopefully you made a complaint about the guard's conduct as well.

I would have understood had the guard simply withdrawn to the rear cab for their safety, but stating that it was OK to breach a Byelaw is unacceptable.



Good on you.

Indeed, the passenger and guards behaviour was turning other passengers against me because I was delaying their train. To the point almost the whole carriage was starting to get narky with me.

It made me feel very small and stupid really and wish I hadn't even bothered, but I'm glad I did really - the guy will have had to wait an hour for the next train.

And no, I didn't make a complaint but perhaps I should have. Staff really should be sticking up for each other no matter what, even when they work for different companies as in this case. I certainly would if I witnessed such a situation

 

[physics34]

Give people an inch and they will take a mile. One of the reasons why socialism will never work.

The railways need a campaign to sort out this 'loudspeaker ' virus.

 

[al78]

I had an issue a few months ago, I was travelling pass, in uniform on a Northern 331 (so open gangways) and I could hear someone playing tiktoks in the next carriage. I asked the guy if he could use headphones and he immediately took the aggressive line and asked me 'what's it to you' and continued playing it. I told him myself and other passengers didn't want to hear it. He then stood up and started to get physically threatening and abusive. The guard and a cleaner who were on board witnessed this and made no attempt to even ask the guy to turn it off, although the guard did step in when the guy threatened to 'knock me out'.

To be honest if someone did that to me, I would probably not be able to stop myself from pre-emptively smashing his face in, even if it would involve taking a hit in court. This is what happens when there are no consequences to actions and bullies are allowed to bully without comeback.

Give people an inch and they will take a mile. One of the reasons why socialism will never work.

Must be why America is the global utopia of civilised and well mannered behaviour, and why Scandinavian countries are such awful places to live.

Why can't they just buy their child a small pair of headphones or earphones? Just because they're a family doesn't excuse them from playing stuff out loud, my two cents.

Probably because that requires thinking, or they view all public shared spaces as an extension of their living room.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Having noticed the title of this thread, but also the (now) length of same, I will only comment in an (old school personal general sense), not having read all the comments above...

When I joined the job, and had to 'commute' to get to work (1970s), there was an unwritten rule (amongst regular commuters) that everyone respected everyone else (in the carriage concerned), and this largely revolved around people sitting quietly reading their papers, or catching up on lost zzz time, but in essence most carriages were quiet on the way in to work (even if all seats were occupied), there may have been odd conversions going on between a few people, but this was at a very hushed/low key level. That was how it was in my experience. And if in any doubt when reading this, this was on the SWML of the Southern, Basingstoke inwards towards Waterloo. It was a basic instinct amongst most, to have respect for others around us.
As a newbie to the job at the time, but perhaps more so, a newbie to the etiquette of 'commuting' this was something that has stayed with me ever since. A basic RESPECT for those around me, something that in more recent times seems to have been lost by many people, both in railway commuting terms and more generally in society.

I wonder if this latter day (perceived lack of respect) is a generational thing, or is a result of techy (ie social media) mediums?

Having had conversations with some from a younger generation than I, in a wider (than railway) sense, I do find that many/most are very respectful in their outlook in general, which leads me (personally) to think that the problem in general lies with the modern social media world, something I have for one have suspected ever since the invention of the internet... but I'm sure others may have their views?

 

[bengley]

To be honest if someone did that to me, I would probably not be able to stop myself from pre-emptively smashing his face in, even if it would involve taking a hit in court. This is what happens when there are no consequences to actions and bullies are allowed to bully without comeback.


Must be why America is the global utopia of civilised and well mannered behaviour, and why Scandinavian countries are such awful places to live.


Probably because that requires thinking, or they view all public shared spaces as an extension of their living room.

I was very ready to not stand there and accept such an offer, should we say...

 

[Thornaby 37]

Give people an inch and they will take a mile. One of the reasons why socialism will never work.

I don't see what socialism has to do with it

 

[jthjth]

This sort of thing is why I fly EasyJet Birmingham to Glasgow.

 

[Oldgaloot]

it's profoundly depressing. I am (as they say) getting on. I've no idea how to deal with the absurd sense of entitlement and general couldn't give a monkey's attitude displayed by some young (mainly) men, though females aren't above behaving very badly when they've had an ample sufficiency of the falling-down water. The worrying thing is that some of these blokes spend their worthless days at the gym or the boxing club and are perfectly capable of knocking my block off, so I'm not too keen on getting involved. What's brought us to this pass? We're on the second or third generation of people who've no notion of right and wrong, of morality, of how to behave. I can't see a solution. It is, as I said, profoundly depressing.

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

it's profoundly depressing. I am (as they say) getting on. I've no idea how to deal with the absurd sense of entitlement and general couldn't give a monkey's attitude displayed by some young (mainly) men, though females aren't above behaving very badly when they've had an ample sufficiency of the falling-down water. The worrying thing is that some of these blokes spend their worthless days at the gym or the boxing club and are perfectly capable of knocking my block off, so I'm not too keen on getting involved. What's brought us to this pass? We're on the second or third generation of people who've no notion of right and wrong, of morality, of how to behave. I can't see a solution. It is, as I said, profoundly depressing.

I think it's a combination of legacy effects of COVID - people's attitudes and approaches to social situations was transformed, and in some ways became very self oriented (don't come near me, why aren't you wearing a mask to protect me etc). A generation of young people also lost extremely valuable and essential periods of growing up, affecting their social development.

The other issue appears to be the demographics of the United Kingdom are changing quite rapidly - some cultures or immigrant populations lack the uniquely British sense of shame/embarrassment in these kinds of social situations and think it is perfectly acceptable and don't perceive the sharp looks from others to mean "stop". For most people, it's bad manners for a ringtone to sound for more than a few seconds, let alone have a full conversation on speaker phone for the duration of your commute or watch YouTube, TikTok etc.

When I go "home" (abroad) - I realise that most of this behaviour is generally pretty typical and chaotic, noisy and uncomfortable journeys on public transport is just how it is!

I also think the loss of the 3.5mm headphone jack on smartphones is partly to blame. Having to buy (what originally) could be quite expensive brand specific headphones, particularly Apple or other specific connectors meant you couldn't just get a cheap pair as easily - which possibly led to people playing things out loud more, and whilst headphones are now pretty reasonably priced again regardless of connector, the culture persists.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I also think the loss of the 3.5mm headphone jack on smartphones is partly to blame. Having to buy (what originally) could be quite expensive brand specific headphones, particularly Apple or other specific connectors meant you couldn't just get a cheap pair as easily - which possibly led to people playing things out loud more, and whilst headphones are now pretty reasonably priced again regardless of connector, the culture persists.

Bluetooth earphones cost next to nothing now. £5.99 for a pair I found on Amazon, which is as cheap as wired ones were a few years back.

They won't exactly be Bang and Olufsen, but they will almost certainly offer a better sound quality than a tinny speaker, and at least it keeps it from everyone else.

 

[Krokodil]

some cultures or immigrant populations lack the uniquely British sense of shame/embarrassment in these kinds of social situations and think it is perfectly acceptable and don't perceive the sharp looks from others to mean "stop"

It's generally the white British passengers I end up telling to use headphones.

 

[Tester]

My 'favourite' - on a Sunday Melbourne, Australia, suburban train a few years ago.

Carriage perhaps 1/4 full, a woman in the bay behind me, on the phone to a friend telling her how she had got on on a date the previous night.

Rough synopsis.....

They did stuff in bed but didn't go all the way, but she was going to go on the pill, but couldn't start yet as she had her period.....

Amazing how people get so engrossed, they lose all track of what's around them.