AIBU unnecessary noise from phones etc on transport and in restaurants

On Sunday I travelled back from a short break away and sat in what is supposed to be the Quiet coach. A young man sat with earphones in talking loudly to whoever was on the other end of his phone about his sexual exploits the previous night. A middle-aged man opposite him stood this for as long as he could then quietly reached forward and tugged the earphones out of his ears. I was waiting for fireworks but the 'sex machine' got up and moved.

This was a few years ago now, probably at the start of people talking loudly on phones on public transport.

My son was on a train, and a well dressed young man sat down opposite him, talking on his phone as he got himself comfortable. He spoke loudly, about how well that last deal had gone down, and how pleased his boss was. He proceeded to instruct the person at the other end, as to what he should be doing to formalise the next deal etc. There were many references to how high one should bid....

Then his phone rang!! He went very red, and said, “ yes mum, I am on the train”. My son said everyone around them dissolved into fits of laughter ?

cc

GoldenAge

Modompodom - I too hate the noise of somebody's video game when I can't get away from it and believe that certainly on public transport there should be a ban on any noise coming from mobile phones. Many years ago there were signs on London tubes asking people to keep the sound down even when people were using earphones as the sound could leak through and reach others. But I disagree with your suggestion that children should wear earphones. They shouldn't because it's dangerous and unless the earphones have the sound level permanently adjusted to be within acceptable levels, children may endanger their hearing. The posters on London transport asking earphone users to adjust their sound so that it doesn't seep through is a good example of how people themselves can't judge whether what they're feeding into their ears is above or below the recommended levels for safety. Maybe you should check the decibel level on your grandchild's earphones. I also wonder what's the problem with asking a child to look out of the window when on public transport instead of having to have wall-to-wall entertainment.

I think there are earphones which are noise-limited to avoid hearing loss

Replying to cc. My grandson has the type of headphones that limit volume.

One of my previous bosses was on a train, sitting next to a young lad who was wearing earphones. Even with the earphones, he could hear every word and note of the music that was playing. At the end of one particularly loud heavy metal number, he tapped the young boy on the shoulder and said, "Oh, do play that one again, it's one of my favourites"!!! The lad blushed profusely and turned down the volume

Oopsadaisy1

I read recently about a chap on the train, holding a loud conversation with his partner, telling her all about his day extremely loudly. One lady got up, walked over to the chap, leaned in closely and said ‘darling do come back to bed’.
I wonder what happened next?

???

It’s even going to get worse because Christmas is coming and we will get blasted with all the Christmas songs in every shop we go into. Oh dear!!!!

I think the worst misuse of cell phones has to be those who have conversations while using a public loo. Just disgusting. Makes me want to flush repeatedly. ?

Last week we sat outside a pub during the afternoon where at the next table a woman (on her own) was conducting in a high pitched nasal voice a very loud work call on speaker phone. I literally had to restrain my very irate husband.

I am deaf and to have any chance of hearing a phone at all it has to go on speaker..but I ask any one calling to text me or email

I totally love the anecdote about the lady who walked over to the chap talking loudly on his phone and leaned in closely and said ‘darling do come back to bed’. I think I might even try that one myself if it's in an area where I'd feel safe. It's gold!

My problem is that though I used to be able to challenge people about the noise they were making, over the years I've become a bit fearful of doing so as there's so much in the news about people being attacked for doing so.

I think the extra loud phone talkers are actually attention seekers - because who else would want their private business overheard? The ones who use phones/toys/gadgets in restaurants etc., are just selfish, ill-bred (whatever social class they are!) twats.

They've just started playing music in the swimming pool area of my local gym. I used to swim to get away from technology (I work with IT a great deal) and I enjoyed the freedom swimming gives me... no screens, no noise other than the splashes of other swimmers and an occasional quiet conversation in the shallow-end between friends.

But now... it's full blast and it's nearly always heavy rock. I don't want to know that "angels prepare to die" when I'm trying to count how many lengths I'm doing. Neither do I need to know that "with birds I'll share this lonely view" over and over and over again.

Go away, stupid music!! (Don't even start me on the doctor's waiting room, btw...)

I thought there used to be a 'quiet' carriage on trains where you can't use a mobile phone. It would probably be very busy if there still was one. I agree it is very annoying when people speak loudly into their phone. The people at the end of our garden conduct all their calls 'over our hedge' and I usually start the lawnmower up at that point ?

The music playing while on hold on the phone is usually dire. These days, the waits are ever longer. They should at least ‘change ‘ the record occasionally. If they’re as busy as they say, they need more staff, not longer noise filled waits.

Modompodom

Does anyone else find people listening to music clips or holding video/speaker calls in public places too much, and there is very little respect to others regarding this. I have been in restaurants where I have heard two way calls being held on the opposite side of the restaurant, or people watching videoclips on public transport or in restaurants. I might add that these are not young people - they usually use air pods. I have gone over to people and asked them to turn down the volume a bit. Yesterday I was sitting next to a lady on a bus who had a child of about 4 years old watching cartoons on an iPad with volume at full blast. After about 15 minutes I asked her if the mother could reduce the volume, but she said no, because the child would cry. My grandson has always worn headphones since he was a toddler, even in the house, why can’t other children? Am I being OTT about this?

I think I must be very odd as the noise games make on phones drive me mad, forever wondering where noises are coming from then find it's my daughters.
I never have sound on my phone, I rarely get a call because of having bad speech so always WhatsApp messages, daughters can't understand why.

It’s just rude. Headphones are the way to go if you need to use a screen like this.

I sometimes yawn effusively to get attention of offenders, then laugh and say ,,"blimey, where did that come from!" Or "how loud was that!?"

I live with a person who developed hearing difficulties in his 20s and has over the years become totally deaf. Having experienced this gradual loss and how he has reacted ie speaking louder and louder and needing sound on equipment increasingly loud I am convinced half the nation is on the road to deafness. The level of speech when on a mobile phone, shouting at kids instead if going near them and speaking, children yelling at one another both indoors and outside, music played for the whole street to hear, music thumping inside of cars with children in the back. There should be a law on if anyone else can hear you or your noise its an offence. Some European countries are really hot on this with hefty fines dished out. We are just too tolerant of selgish idiots imposing their will on others in the UK.

Roflmao

Oopsadaisy1 I'd love to do that but I'd probably be punched for it! ?

I hate talking on the phone, anyway, but if I'm travelling and I have to I generally have earphones in and speak at a normal or lowered level and ask the caller if they can hear me alright?
I hate loud noises and the constant 'music' from phones and gadgets. I actually look forward to him indoors going away so I can have quiet days! He has the TV on low, often I have to ask for him to turn it up if we're watching programmes together.
But oh boy, his normal speaking tone is like a sergeant major booming out orders which greatly annoys me so that I'm ALWAYS telling him to lower his voice/stop shouting!
I hate cars going by that are booming out music, and I hate the noise of motorbikes speeding past!
Where did our peace and quiet go, and please bring it back?!!

JdotJ

I've was sitting on a train where a young lady opposite me was talking very loudly on her mobile and reading out her full credit card details to whoever was on the other end, inc the security no on the back of the card !

This is amazing isn't it? Anybody at could be writing it down.

Growing0ldDisgracefully

I find more of an annoyance, the people who hold long conversations on mobile phones in the supermarket, and in doing so park themselves in front of shelves, stopping other people accessing them.
I also very much dislike the piped music in supermarkets. Why do they do that?

I've been behind people in the checkout queue who don't pay or finish packing their shopping because they're too busy chatting to a friend. So rude!

GoldenAge

Modompodom - I too hate the noise of somebody's video game when I can't get away from it and believe that certainly on public transport there should be a ban on any noise coming from mobile phones. Many years ago there were signs on London tubes asking people to keep the sound down even when people were using earphones as the sound could leak through and reach others. But I disagree with your suggestion that children should wear earphones. They shouldn't because it's dangerous and unless the earphones have the sound level permanently adjusted to be within acceptable levels, children may endanger their hearing. The posters on London transport asking earphone users to adjust their sound so that it doesn't seep through is a good example of how people themselves can't judge whether what they're feeding into their ears is above or below the recommended levels for safety. Maybe you should check the decibel level on your grandchild's earphones. I also wonder what's the problem with asking a child to look out of the window when on public transport instead of having to have wall-to-wall entertainment.

I think there are earphones which are noise-limited to avoid hearing loss

No, not being unreasonable in my opinion.
We have a neighbour who parks outside our house sometimes. He sits in his car when he wants a 'private' conversation away from his house, but then puts the phone on loudspeaker so the whole street can hear and occasionally our other neighbours have joined in!

I've was sitting on a train where a young lady opposite me was talking very loudly on her mobile and reading out her full credit card details to whoever was on the other end, inc the security no on the back of the card !

if my phone rings when i am on the bus or train i answer and tell the person i am okay and will call when i get off the bus or i will text them but i do wear earphones, the kind that go right into my ear, i do this as i have borderline agoraphobia meaning i can get out but sometimes get into a panic which can bring on an epileptic seizure, i was wearing them on a long train journey when an elderly lady got on and sat oppisite me, there was no music playing at the time (i use an mp3 player) she huffed and sighed for a while then said can you turn that thing off it is disturbing me, i said it was off and it must be the sound of my breathing. i wear them because it keeps me from getting into a panic, maybe some people could be a bit more reasonable if it just a short journey or ask others if they could put headphones on. i will probaby get some comments from this as it is mostly older people on this site but think back to your younger days and mum and dad saying turn that bloody music down.