[TinaOR]

Ok, so some people can't live without their phones, indeed they are often lifesavers and can make you feel safe and secure knowing that help is just a call or text away. Phones can be the best way to keep in touch with loved ones you do not meet regularly, to tell someone you are running late for a meeting or similar. However, I have to have a little moan just to get it out of my system .... bear with me .... why oh why do so many people when travelling on public transport use that time to have inane chats with their friends on their phones, or continue mindless business conversations that possibly could wait? Yesterday I had to people behind me on a train, sitting side by side, both chatting independently on their phones. It was obvious they were both struggling to have complete conversations, that much I could grasp from the one sidedness I could hear. It was all I could do not to stand up, lean over the seat and tell them to switch off and ring their friends/colleagues when they got off the train and weren't disturbing fellow passengers. They were disturbing my peaceful journey, when I was sitting quietly watching the world go by, whilst crocheting a granny square! Don't even get me started on telling you about the Asian family who were letting their kids yell and scream and play so loudly ..... My journey was a bit of a nightmare. Can you tell? I was only on the train for 20 minutes!

 

[JTM]

Obviously those folks do not knit. Most folks do get "antsy" while being idle...i.e. waiting, riding on bus, train or plane, etc.
I know before I returned to knitting, I always had a book in my car for if I got caught in traffic. If I was reading I did not get so "antsy" ... now I carry my knitting with me always so I can just pick up the needles and get at least a few stitches done.
Otherwise that reading and or knitting or phone calls means that we are not wasting time.
Jane

 

[Knora]

Yes, some people are thoughtless. I appreciate that you can't always stop a small child crying, but if your child is playing an electronic game the sound can be turned off, the constant bing noises are so irritating. And why are so many conversations on a mobile phone carried on in such a loud voice? I keep my mobile conversations, if necessary, as brief as possible, and as quiet as possible and if I think it's going to take a while I get up and go into the bit between carriages. I am also amazed sometimes what people choose to share on public transport, I overheard a conversation once by a woman discussing whether to terminate her pregnancy. If nothing else, you have no idea who is a few seats away from you, out of sight but within hearing range. Having said that I've had some lovely rail journeys, but also some ghsatly ones.

 

[nissa]

Ok, so some people can't live without their phones, indeed they are often lifesavers and can make you feel safe and secure knowing that help is just a call or text away. Phones can be the best way to keep in touch with loved ones you do not meet regularly, to tell someone you are running late for a meeting or similar. However, I have to have a little moan just to get it out of my system .... bear with me .... why oh why do so many people when travelling on public transport use that time to have inane chats with their friends on their phones, or continue mindless business conversations that possibly could wait? Yesterday I had to people behind me on a train, sitting side by side, both chatting independently on their phones. It was obvious they were both struggling to have complete conversations, that much I could grasp from the one sidedness I could hear. It was all I could do not to stand up, lean over the seat and tell them to switch off and ring their friends/colleagues when they got off the train and weren't disturbing fellow passengers. They were disturbing my peaceful journey, when I was sitting quietly watching the world go by, whilst crocheting a granny square! Don't even get me started on telling you about the Asian family who were letting their kids yell and scream and play so loudly ..... My journey was a bit of a nightmare. Can you tell? I was only on the train for 20 minutes!

Okay. I'm Asian and have four young kids, so when we do go out we try our best to control kids, I understand how 'horrible' it can be but from experience I try hard to have my kids behave not always possible though specially with my 2 year old some.

 

[knitandnat]

On our trains when travelling to and from. Sydney they have a quiet. Carriage it usually the first one.

 

[Barn-dweller]

Some Virgin trains have quiet carriages where no phones are allowed I think.

 

[stirfry]

I know that people think cell phones are necessary but many of us survived without them. Sure people worried that the folks at home would worry if they were late and schools used various ways to contact parents etc but never the less we made it. I use mine but I don't live on it.

 

[judyh47]

If taking a train journey .... very rare these days .... I always book the quiet carriage.

 

[rujam]

Ok, so some people can't live without their phones, indeed they are often lifesavers and can make you feel safe and secure knowing that help is just a call or text away. Phones can be the best way to keep in touch with loved ones you do not meet regularly, to tell someone you are running late for a meeting or similar. However, I have to have a little moan just to get it out of my system .... bear with me .... why oh why do so many people when travelling on public transport use that time to have inane chats with their friends on their phones, or continue mindless business conversations that possibly could wait? Yesterday I had to people behind me on a train, sitting side by side, both chatting independently on their phones. It was obvious they were both struggling to have complete conversations, that much I could grasp from the one sidedness I could hear. It was all I could do not to stand up, lean over the seat and tell them to switch off and ring their friends/colleagues when they got off the train and weren't disturbing fellow passengers. They were disturbing my peaceful journey, when I was sitting quietly watching the world go by, whilst crocheting a granny square! Don't even get me started on telling you about the Asian family who were letting their kids yell and scream and play so loudly ..... My journey was a bit of a nightmare. Can you tell? I was only on the train for 20 minutes!

I hate them, I think it might be that I was a telephonist. My son gave me one and it sits in its case and I never use it. We managed before without them.

 

[bettyirene]

What was life like before mobile phones?

Much more peaceful, and no expense.....

 

[Sheila Payne]

I am in agreement with you. I have a cell phone and often forget to take it with me. I use it only for emergencies, I really hate it when you are in a restaurant and phones keep going off. I just say to whomever I'm with in a loud voice...I wish they would turn those phones off while people are eating! Most don't care enough about society to oblige! Great for emergencies but I hate when you are going down a stree and some teenager , with ear phones , is not looking where they are going and bump into me even though I am trying to avoid them. I always say 'if you were paying attention to your surrounding instead of your phone, this would not have happened. I personally liked the good old days

 

[mossstitch]

Manners have almost disappeared and cell phones have helped that to happen .
In the US I have seen signs at the counter asking people to PUT AWAY THEIR PHONE . That way they can consider saying thanks to the person behind the counter who waited on them .
I don't think the person meant just Asian children .Any child who is not supervised can become unruly ,it's what children do ,they can have fun anywhere
They are the perfect example of how to live in the moment ,I love to watch them, in the right setting of course .Nowadays some children are actually medicated to STOP them from being children .THAT is a tragedy .

 

[mossstitch]

Manners have almost disappeared and cell phones have helped that to happen .
In the US I have seen signs at the counter asking people to PUT AWAY THEIR PHONE . That way they can consider saying thanks to the person behind the counter who waited on them .
I don't think the person meant just Asian children .Any child who is not supervised can become unruly ,it's what children do ,they can have fun anywhere
They are the perfect example of how to live in the moment ,I love to watch them, in the right setting of course .Nowadays some children are actually medicated to STOP them from being children .THAT is a tragedy .

 

[mossstitch]

Manners have almost disappeared and cell phones have helped that to happen .
In the US I have seen signs at the counter asking people to PUT AWAY THEIR PHONE . That way they can consider saying thanks to the person behind the counter who waited on them .
I don't think the person meant just Asian children .Any child who is not supervised can become unruly ,it's what children do ,they can have fun anywhere
They are the perfect example of how to live in the moment ,I love to watch them, in the right setting of course .Nowadays some children are actually medicated to STOP them from being children .THAT is a tragedy .

 

[Cdambro]

Before mobile phones......

People actually talked to each other face to face.
Life was actually calmer and less hurried.
People talked to each other in full sentences and not abbreviations thru text.
People enjoyed their food better since they could savor the moment.
People were more polite and less rude.
Oh....while riding in a car, parents actually talked to their children.
Life had one less monthly bill to pay.

There are many things people did before mobile phones and perhaps the biggest was they didn't annoy the rest of us. Yes, I have a mobile phone but would never sit in an eatery or public place and talk on it. I don't care about someone else's conversations and don't want to hear them and yet I am subjected to it every day.

Sorry your very brief commute was so bad. Maybe an investment in ear plugs is something to think about.

 

[Rhonda-may]

On our trains they have two quiet carriages on each train they are the second and fifth car, when used correctly no mobile phones, no loud music and no loud conversation. I always use the quiet carriage but some days it's like a riot.

I've commuted daily for over 20 years travel time between 45 to 60 minutes each way and some days you just want to scream shut.

I call the 3:04 & the 3:22 the school kids from hell train. Some of the school kids are feral.

 

[nissa]

I'm not offended by the OP. I have had to travel on the bus with kids school timings and it is hard. I don't usually use the train unless I have to, last I travelled was last month only because I had to accompany my husband to Moorfield eye hospital for a check up. My kids usually behave well, but even they have their days sometimes

 

[YoK2tog]

Wow you have a train to ride---how wonderful. But yes I agree with everything about the rudeness of people today and the mobile phone. Our rule of no phones at dinner table got tested yesterday. Fooled my grandson when I picked up his plate, took it to the kitchen and told him to go ahead with which ever was the most important. He is 17 6'4" and had just come from track practice and was hungry. He apologized to me.

 

[ParkerEliz]

A quiet car sounds like a great idea!

There is one restaurant here called The Palate, that has one dining room that is adults only. I love it.

 

[Rita Ann]

Morning...years ago my mom was travel from Long Island, N.Y. on the bus...this women got on her cell phone and was yelling about the work someone had done in her house...the whole bus heard this...the bus driver ask her to please keep her voice down..she did not...so in the middle of the High Way he pulled the bus over and stopped...He told her the bus would not move until she hangs up...everyone on the bus cheered..She never made a sound the rest of the way to Manhattan.. its a shame some people are like this...