Mobile phone conversations - booorrring

[bAzTNM]

Whenever I get a call, which is rarely, I just say "I'm on the train..Get to you later!". Can't be having these people that shout conversations down the phone into your ear.

 

[stut]

I have sat (not on a train, but in an airline lounge) and listened to a long, loud conversation about an approach for negotiating a fairly sizeable deal with a company... Only to realise that I knew the company's CTO. Needless to say, they did quite well out of the deal. Just because you don't know the people around you doesn't mean there won't be somebody interested!

If there are any Curb Your Enthusiasm fans here, there's an excellent scene where Larry David 'deals with' a loud mobile phone user in a restaurant (it's on YouTube - a bit sweary, though, so I won't link from here...) I like this approach

 

[Bittern]

Just because you have the "right" to do something doesn't mean that it's considerate to do so. Disturbing your fellow passengers (by whatever means, in whatever situation) is simply bad manners.

Please spare me the "disturbance" crap. The only people I ever hear of being annoyed by these people are rail enthusiasts on internet forums. The general public, who make up far more of the passenger numbers than the train spotter/basher/whatever, speak on mobiles on trains themselves or are already speaking to someone else and don't appear bothered about the person behind them talking on the phone "for hours and hours". It's no different than if they were speaking to someone who was actually there.

 

[lancastrian]

Not sure what is worse, the self-important 'business' calls full of jargon and going on interminably, or the young girls giggling about nothing.

I remember when people used to whisper "I'm on the train, I'll ring you later". Why do people not care anymore?

Perhaps the phones could be removed from their ears (by surgery if needed) and placed in another oriface.

 

[EltonRoad]

Don't appear bothered, but that doesn't mean they aren't. I imagine most people don't want to create a scene in public.

Clearly it is an issue which affects people otherwise there wouldn't be such things as Quiet Coaches. Nor would guards make announcements like "Please use mobile phones considerately". If you're not one of those affected then lucky you!

 

[trainophile]

It's no different than if they were speaking to someone who was actually there.

It's very different actually. For one thing you can hear (without, btw, "listening to other people's conversations" - it's unavoidable) both sides of the exchange. Also people travelling together tend not to keep up a continual stream of blather.

I am on a rail enthusiasts forum but I am just a humble passenger, and it did irritate me today that some clod with a laptop and briefcase, who was definitely NOT a social worker, noise polluted half the carriage for over half an hour. He got into such minute detail that I wondered why he bothers to even go into the office, if indeed he does - maybe he spends his life travelling around while bull*****ting his poor colleagues about how on top of things he is.

It's the travel equivalent of "get a room".

 

[LE Greys]

There's still some fun to be had from it. After one particularly tedious phonecall from the person next to me, I pulled my own phone out and pretended to arrange a drug deal in a very loud voice. Nobody reacted, apart from the odd strange look, but I think a few turned the volume down a little.

 

[trainophile]

Oh and to add insult to injury the geezer today had his shoes on the edge of the opposite seat. Very classy :roll:.

 

[Bittern]

It's very different actually. For one thing you can hear (without, btw, "listening to other people's conversations" - it's unavoidable) both sides of the exchange. Also people travelling together tend not to keep up a continual stream of blather.

It's not different. Granted, you only hear one side of the conversation, but considering it's not your conversation you have no need to hear the other side anyway. And what is a "continual stream of blather" to you is an actual conversation to someone else which they wish -and are well within their rights- to have.

On the note of the guard announcement, this only backs up my point about people being well within their rights to use their phones, unlike the numpty on the last page who downright said he thinks they don't have that right.

I am on a rail enthusiasts forum but I am just a humble passenger, and it did irritate me today that some clod with a laptop and briefcase, who was definitely NOT a social worker, noise polluted half the carriage for over half an hour. He got into such minute detail that I wondered why he bothers to even go into the office, if indeed he does - maybe he spends his life travelling around while bull*****ting his poor colleagues about how on top of things he is.

It's the travel equivalent of "get a room".

While this person maybe should have toned it down a bit, that's hardly a case for saying he shouldn't be on his phone at all no matter what conversation he was having, and that is exactly what this entire thread is implying.

How do you know for sure he wasn't a social worker? do you know this person? Did he state his job? And once again, you're judging him which is something you really don't have the right to do. It's none of your business whether he actually goes to his office or not.
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Don't appear bothered, but that doesn't mean they aren't. I imagine most people don't want to create a scene in public.

So, if they don't appear bothered, how do you know they are? Do they tell you?

 

[David Dunning]

I am always surprised how much information you can get when travelling on trains by listening to other conversations (phone or 121) People seem to think that they are in a private room sometimes.
While we all get a bit fed up of the Dom Jolly brigade.... i guess the one thing to remember is being able to conduct business on the phone is one reason to choose the train over the car

(dom jolly , channel 4 comedian who did candid camera style films shouting into a huge mobile phone in public places)

 

[OxtedL]

So, if they don't appear bothered, how do you know they are? Do they tell you?

We're British.

Many Brits still fit the stereotype that if it's none of your business, you leave it well alone.

I was recently on the South Bank (in London ) and some tourists decided that the best place to let their toddler relieve his bladder was right in the middle of the street (into a drain). The South Bank is of course a big destination for school visits, but as I passed this, I saw a group of 14-ish year old boys make it a good 15m beyond the incident before reacting...

When I am on a train, I will not say anything to anyone until it gets to a point where it starts to affect my judgement. I could listen to someone else's phone call for hours, getting gradually more and more frustrated and feeling everyone else around me do so, before doing anything about it.

It's a safe assumption.

 

[cyclebytrain]

One occasion is forever stuck in my memory; 1st class on an XC voyager a woman yelling into her phone "am I going to get sex then?" (I've always been somewhat intrigued as to exactly what the context was). But it's always served as a reminder to me that it's polite to go to the vestibule to make a call (if you can).

 

[stut]

...

Well, did she?

 

[Welshman]

One occasion is forever stuck in my memory; 1st class on an XC voyager a woman yelling into her phone "am I going to get sex then?" (I've always been somewhat intrigued as to exactly what the context was). But it's always served as a reminder to me that it's polite to go to the vestibule to make a call (if you can).

Not a train story, but a supposed happening on a plane.
The captain was telling his deck crew how he was looking forward to landing, having a nice cup of coffee and then bedding that attractive blonde air hostess. Unfortunately, he'd left the intercom on, and the whole plane heard his conversation.
The embarrassed hostess rushed up to the cockpit to switch off the intercom, only to be stopped by an elderly lady who said, "Don't rush dear - he's got to have his coffee first"

 

[cyclebytrain]

I was worried that posting that story might lower the tone of the thread

 

[Captain Chaos]

It very rarely bothers me if someone talks into a mobile phone. It is the same to me as talking to another passenger (except without hearing the response).

I think the problem comes down to etiquette. Have a phone conversation by all means about whatever you want. As bittern has said everyone has the right to do so. But those same users should do so in a responsible manner given there current surroundings. Talking about business and insist on using absurd words to make yourself sound more interesting/important? Whatever. Carry on. Don't care. Talking about last nights escapades in town with your mates? Cool. Hell they might even be some funny bits to it.

What does annoy me with people using their phones is this:

• People swearing down the phone infront of children (although this applies to normal conversation too). Stop it. There's no bloody need for it and if I was the parent of said child I would be bloody angry.
• Quiet carriages. Doesn't bother me people having a quiet chat on the mobile in the quiet coach. Not more irritating than any other conversation with fellow passengers. (Some people seem to believe that ALL conversation is banned. Just the thing going off annoys me.
• Shouting. Not raising the voice a bit because of background noise or whatever but I mean real purposeful yelling. If your going to give someone a bollocking on the phone I would think there may be more appropriate settings in which to do this.
• Putting the call on loudspeaker. Why? Seriously. Why do (a small minority) of people do this? Yes it means you can now hear the other person but the sound quality is soo bad sometimes that it starts to become painful to listen to. Bearing in mind that all mobile phones have earpieces in which to listen to the conversation I see no reason to use this feature on public transport. If you really need to use a handsfree facility then would it not be sensible to use a hands-free kit rather than speaker-phone?

I could probably think of some more things but I think this is the main points. Thing is though it is very rare I tend to find the above happening. If none of the above are occuring then carry on.

I think what we should perhaps be discussing more is the growing insistence of using loudspeakers on phones to play music as loudly as possible to the rest of the carriage. This is what REALLY annoys me. Often the quailty of the sound is shockingly bad (to the point where it no longer sometimes sounds like music). The amount of times I have asked people (when working) to eithier turn it off or use earphones is growing by the day. Sadly nine times out of ten I am often told to [insert profanity of your choice here].

 

[PaulLothian]

I think I was one of the first people to hear about the huge catastrophe facing the Edinburgh tram project by being an unwilling party to a mobile phone discussion... in an Edinburgh music shop.

 

[Minilad]

One occasion is forever stuck in my memory; 1st class on an XC voyager a woman yelling into her phone "am I going to get sex then?" (I've always been somewhat intrigued as to exactly what the context was). But it's always served as a reminder to me that it's polite to go to the vestibule to make a call (if you can).

Well always happy to provide a service if she so requires !!

1015 Leeds - Kings Cross today. In my usual seat on a mk4 set right at the back in the quiet zone. No loud calls or music but a family with two little kids who just wouldn't stop screaming and shouting and running around.
Give me a loud phone conversation over that any day of the week

 

[strange6]

Well always happy to provide a service if she so requires !!

1015 Leeds - Kings Cross today. In my usual seat on a mk4 set right at the back in the quiet zone. No loud calls or music but a family with two little kids who just wouldn't stop screaming and shouting and running around.
Give me a loud phone conversation over that any day of the week

You don't actually spend your free time on the trains as well as your working time driving them do you? Jezz, that's commitment for you!

 

[cyclebytrain]

My preferred way of making calls on the train is that the noise cancelling headphones get plugged into phone, I go out to the vestibule. Means I can hear the other person perfectly, and speak correspondingly quietly, so no one hears what I'm talking about. Win, win.
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Well always happy to provide a service if she so requires !!

Trust me mate, not with that one!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It makes you wonder how we all managed in my younger days, when you had to go to a red painted telephone box, with your four pennies and know exactly what to do with buttons (A) and (B).

I do not recall seeing long queues of intending telephone call makers anxiously waiting their turn to make their urgent telephone call.

However did we manage to carry out our personal and private business in those days? :roll:

 

[Minilad]

You don't actually spend your free time on the trains as well as your working time driving them do you? Jezz, that's commitment for you!

Afraid so, currently on day 2 of an ALR !!

 

[Bittern]

We're British.

I could write an entire essay on those two words, but I can't be arsed.

 

[Minilad]

I could write an entire essay on those two words, but I can't be arsed.

Looking at your sig you would have to clarify which bit of Britain you was referring to in your essay

 

[Hydro]

I can't be arsed.

I could write an essay on those four words, but it'd just turn out to be an autobiography.

 

[Bittern]

Looking at your sig you would have to clarify which bit of Britain you was referring to in your essay

I suppose it would more be on the topic of "Britishness" (whatever that actually is) rather than Britain itself.

 

[12CSVT]

You can actually get a mobile phone jammer which scrambles all signals within a 30 yard or so radius. I think they're illegal but.....

Not such a great idea considering the UK is moving towards GSM-R for railway communications.
What if you needed to phone 999 and someone near you had one of these stupid things?
There is a reason why they are illegal.

I'd be fully in favour of having phone jammers fitted to quiet coaches - and as for emergencies that's what the passcom is for

 

[David Dunning]

It makes you wonder how we all managed in my younger days, when you had to go to a red painted telephone box, with your four pennies and know exactly what to do with buttons (A) and (B).

I do not recall seeing long queues of intending telephone call makers anxiously waiting their turn to make their urgent telephone call.

However did we manage to carry out our personal and private business in those days? :roll:

It's a good point BUT after 20 years of owning a mobile I would never want to return to those days . Yes we managed but I seem to recall many times when I was left waiting around for people who had missed trains , been delayed by traffic or got lost. At least now you know that they havent been run over by a bus (and of course you also know much sooner if they have)

 

[RichmondCommu]

I have to say that some of the comments on this thread are nothing short of pathetic. For what its worth I’m the proud father of three teenagers and my 16 year old twins often head into town on the train with their mates. They are well behaved kids with good manners but I know for a fact that on the journey into town they will be rabbiting away and giggling and laughing as they do on their return. To some of the posters on here their conversations may amount to absolute drivel but they are teenagers for flips sake, that’s what teenagers do! They never try to skip the fare and nor do they look to intimidate others so what's the problem?

It’s important to remember that everyone has the right to use public transport providing they behave themselves. Having a laugh with your mates does not constitute misbehavior. God help some of you if you ever come across a stag / hen party on route to a night out. It’s called having fun! The railway is not just for snobs, it’s for everyone! If you can talk about photting at Nuneaton, why can't my son and his mates talk about funny stuff they've seen on YouTube? Or my daugher and her mates talking about a fit boy at school? There really is no difference.

As others have said, if people are coming back from a meeting on the train and people wish to contact them they are obliged to answer the phone. When I travel for business purposes the company I work for pays for a first class ticket. As others have already stated this allows other fares to be discounted. If someone rings me on my work phone I’m expected to answer the phone!

End of rant! Good on yer Bittern, someone who has access to the real world
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I like to keep on pretending to keep up my conversation whilst going thru the Standedge (or other long tunnel) and watch other pax check their signals

So basically you talk to yourself? If I were you I wouldn't boast about such things on an internet forum.

 

[CarterUSM]

A thread about mobile phone conversations? Booorrring........Sorry, I had to say it!