Quieter Coach Conundrum

[Blaine]

I really don’t understand why quiet coaches have lasted this long. In my experience they do little but cause situations.

And imply that it's allowed to play music / videos on speakers in the rest of the train - how much effort would it take for each ToC to append a reminder that headphones must be worn if you want to listen to music or videos to the welcome on board spiel, and might it make some difference?

 

[styles]

And imply that it's allowed to play music / videos on speakers in the rest of the train - how much effort would it take for each ToC to append a reminder that headphones must be worn if you want to listen to music or videos to the welcome on board spiel, and might it make some difference?

Please let's not add more announcements for what is basically common courtesy. It's bad enough we tell people to put suitcases in luggage racks, abuse to staff won't be tolerated, and what sandwich fillings we have on offer today.

 

[dk1]

And imply that it's allowed to play music / videos on speakers in the rest of the train - how much effort would it take for each ToC to append a reminder that headphones must be worn if you want to listen to music or videos to the welcome on board spiel, and might it make some difference?

The thing I never get is why these people that spend hundreds if not thousands on their phones can’t just spend a few quid more and get some earbuds at the same time.

 

[mad_rich]

I don't think a silent coach would work in reality.

What I can't see mentioned in this thread is some self policing. I've often had a quiet(!) word with people making a noise in the quiet coach and only once has it not achieved a positive result. More often than not people are simply just not aware.

I wish I could find an approach/ form of words that guarantees success.

90% of the time, I just suffer in silence, and let the annoying noises wash over me.

When I do speak up (politely and reasonably, I think! "Excuse me. Excuse me. Do you mind using headphones or putting that on silent?") I get a hostile reaction more often than not. "No", "*** off", "I haven't got any headphones", "What? It's no different to talking to someone next to me". Even if they do comply, they often spend the rest of the journey shooting daggers at me.

 

[styles]

The thing I never get is why these people that spend hundreds if not thousands on their phones can’t just spend a few quid more and get some earbuds at the same time.

Well, most do. AirPods and the like are ubiquitous. But it only takes one person to have left their earphones at home, or not have them charged, or not own them, to be playing TikTok videos to irritate a whole carriage. The remaining 99% of passengers in the carriage either have earphones or aren't listening to music. It's a minority-caused problem.

 

[Hadders]

I wish I could find an approach/ form of words that guarantees success.

90% of the time, I just suffer in silence, and let the annoying noises wash over me.

When I do speak up (politely and reasonably, I think! "Excuse me. Excuse me. Do you mind using headphones or putting that on silent?") I get a hostile reaction more often than not. "No", "*** off", "I haven't got any headphones", "What? It's no different to talking to someone next to me". Even if they do comply, they often spend the rest of the journey shooting daggers at me.

I normally just calmly say something like 'excuse me, but do you realise this is the quiet coach?' Sometimes it might be appropriate to add 'would you mind moving to the vestibule', 'using headphones', 'turning the sound off' etc.

Most people are absolutely fine but I'm really not worried about people shooting daggers at me etc.

 

[TUC]

I am weary of finding my reserved seat is in a quiet coach, even though I did not request it.

 

[saismee]

The thing I never get is why these people that spend hundreds if not thousands on their phones can’t just spend a few quid more and get some earbuds at the same time.

Maybe phones should come with a pair of bare minimum earbuds again...

 

[JamesT]

Maybe phones should come with a pair of bare minimum earbuds again...

More useful would be if they had ye olde headphone jack. I’ve bought a pair of basic earbuds in a station newsagent for £5 when I’ve realised I’d forgotten to pack mine. But that’s only any use if you have somewhere to plug it in.

 

[saismee]

More useful would be if they had ye olde headphone jack. I’ve bought a pair of basic earbuds in a station newsagent for £5 when I’ve realised I’d forgotten to pack mine. But that’s only any use if you have somewhere to plug it in.

Most cheap ones are USB C now. Not helpful if you've got an older iPhone or want to charge... though I imagine the people blaring music are the same ones who pull the "my phones dead!!" excuse for not having a ticket.

 

[TheManBehind]

The Belgians seem to manage : https://www.belganewsagency.eu/sncb-tests-silent-compartments-on-trains

and the Swiss say:

Worth noting that crew on the continent often have different powers to the UK. I recall NS conductors having warrant cards and being able to issue fines for things like feet on seats. Plus, the Swiss are a...unique sort, and the culture there rather lends itself to "thou shalt not" travel rules. The UK does a lot more with personal freedoms (including, unfortunately, the personal freedom to be an arse on public transport).

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Worth noting that crew on the continent often have different powers to the UK. I recall NS conductors having warrant cards and being able to issue fines for things like feet on seats. Plus, the Swiss are a...unique sort, and the culture there rather lends itself to "thou shalt not" travel rules. The UK does a lot more with personal freedoms (including, unfortunately, the personal freedom to be an arse on public transport).

I was so confused, it took me a while to realise you meant the train company in the Netherlands rather than Norfolk Southern

 

[imagination]

I really don’t understand why quiet coaches have lasted this long. In my experience they do little but cause situations. Many people wrongly believe they should be like a library when in fact it’s just about mobile phone conversations and devices being on silent. All they do is create potential conflict and cause unnecessary grief for traincrew.

On a long journey, there's about a 90% chance that the noise level in the quiet coach will be low enough for me to be able to relax (when not getting deluged by announcements that is). On a non-quiet coach, there's about a 90% chance it won't.

And most people who start making loud phone calls etc. in a quiet coach will either bring them to a stop or go off elsewhere if you point out to them that they are in a quiet coach. Without them I wouldn't feel able to speak up.

 

[Vexed]

Yesterday when was in an SWR quiet carriage, an older man (so not the stereotype above!) moved someone else's bag taking up a double seat (understandable) without asking whos bag it was first (not understandable) and then spent a few minutes lecturing the bag's owner, who just politely asked him to not move bags without asking first, about etiquette on trains. Oh, he also took a short phone call a few minutes later. The irony! When someone else told him it was the quiet carriage he finished up the monologue sharpish by loudly letting everyone know that he was in the right.

 

[saismee]

Yesterday when was in an SWR quiet carriage, an older man (so not the stereotype above!) moved someone else's bag taking up a double seat

In the hellscape that was Colchester North today, there was a suspiciously backpack-looking person in a seat under the shelter. Dozens of stuck passengers standing around on the slightly rainy, slightly cold platform with very limited seating, and apparently somebody's backpack was more important for that seat!

 

[vuzzeho]

In the hellscape that was Colchester North today, there was a suspiciously backpack-looking person in a seat under the shelter. Dozens of stuck passengers standing around on the slightly rainy, slightly cold platform with very limited seating, and apparently somebody's backpack was more important for that seat!

Without turning this into a general railway etiquette conversation, I feel like the person should've taken the backpack off the seat, but failing that, someone should've just asked them to take it off.