Work calls on trains

But it doesn't matter. It's not particularly inconsiderate. It's mildly annoying. Put some headphones in and focus on yourself. I am sure you don't focus overly on the comfort of the strangers around you when you're in public.

In contrast - 99.99% of my work is entirely non-confidential. It’s really not a problem if you can see my screen, or you overhear me chatting about a project (I actually don’t take work calls on a train, phone calls are rare in my job). And the work I have where there is some confidentiality it’s not at the level of don’t do this in public.

Employees should definitely not breach information security or privacy protocols. But a lot of people have far more boring roles.

I've had to make the odd call whilst on a train, but never anything sensitive, more moving a restaurant booking or travel arrangements. The sorts of things people might do I their personal lives.

It's really stupid to do anything in public that names clients or discusses anything confidential and must be on breech of their company policy.

Its a weird sort of presenteeism really. Look at how dedicated I am! I'm not sure you can be that productive anyway. I don't mind if people want to peacock in this way, but they're no more entitled to the space with their laptop than I am with my book and ipad. And keep you're voice down too.

I've seen printers and scanners open up in the past on a train journey with a whole office set up on the table. I absolutely hate any loud phone call conversations, music without headphones, kids iPads and people watching shows without a headphone. I just want to relax.

Now you mention it, I was on a long train journey recently where a woman a few seats away had a very long call to her friend. I can't remember exactly what it was about (probably whinging about her ex and contact or whatever), suffice it to say that it was incredibly dull.

I very much agree. It's a hug bug bearer of mine. Often the people that carry out these calls seem to flex their voice even more so on the train almost like they want to emphasise to everyone else around them how important and busy they are.

Other major irritants of mine:

• people face timing without headphones on the train
• people having full on conversations on speakerphone
• people listening to music / watching TikTok's, reels, etc without headphones in
• children watching shows / playing games with the volume up loud

The entire train DOES NOT NEED TO HEAR YOUR SH!T

Just f*<k off! 🙄

Imagine having the time and energy for this level of snitching.

I'm always concerned about client confidentiality. Blaring information to all and sundry on public transport really isn't advisable.

I'm afraid if you're going to exist in public you're going to experience other people. I'm not saying hearing everyone else's phone calls on the train is pleasant but it's far from the most annoying thing other people do and if it makes you this angry, consider that you may be the problem.

I do everything I can not to have to take phone calls in public but sometimes it's unavoidable, and I understand this is sometimes the case for other people.

I also do everything I can not to have to hear other people's phone calls and this is easy. Good headphones, loud music, job done. I recommend this.

If people are being crap about their confidential job information it is quite literally not your problem in any way.

He is very probably falling foul of his security and privacy policy at work, which is usually a big deal. Most companies have policies that require you to not have calls in earshot of others, especially non company people. Report him to the company.

No, driving isn't better. And not everyone can drive.

And I wonder if your calls were so non-confidential and uninteresting as you think. You'd be surprised at what titbits people can put together.

A few years ago there was a guy going on about how crap his colleague Claire was.

In the end I told him to shut up because it was a quiet carriage anyway and we didn't need to hear confidential information. Of course he said "oh I don't care about that" so I said "well you should and your colleague will care". He did terminate the call, or maybe the person he was talking to heard me and terminated the call!

Another time I was sitting next to someone who had "highly confidential" on the documents they were looking at. I took a photo and they didn't even notice! I did delete it and didn't take it any further, but seriously. People are really stupid.

I played Baby Shark loudly on a few occasions in response to loud wanky work calls on trains. The word offenders are the ones on loudspeaker, but those with headphones on tend to speak SO LOUDLY, so both are highly irritating.
One important man gesticulated furiously pointing at his EarPods that he was on a call. I just closed my eyes and kept vibing 🦈

I used to have a massive commute, I couldn't just sit there for 5 hours and not do work; I'd have never seen my kids or slept if I then had to do that 5 hours work when I got home. I tried not to have too many phone calls but occasionally this was unavoidable (and the conversations were never confidential or particularly interesting). If you don't want to want to put up with what other travellers are doing, maybe driving to work is better?

People commute because they aren’t wealthy enough to have an alternative. Because they can’t find good work near home for everyone in the family. Because they provide care for elderly relatives while still keeping their career afloat. Because they need the income from a second job. Because they don’t want to rip their kids from their school, or their husband/wife from their support network. Rarely, it’s for fun.

Loud conversations on trains are annoying - but frankly doesn’t matter if it’s for work or fun. Whether it’s on the phone or in person.

Purchase a good set of noise cancelling headphones. Campaign for quiet carriages.

If it’s not a quiet carriage then you just have to accept that noise will happen. You might not want to have your commute disturbed by them working. Maybe they want to cut 2 hours out of their day by multitasking? Frankly that seems more important.

When I get on public transport, I have low expectations. I brace myself to possibly endure people talking loudly, chewing gum, listening to something without headphones, talking on speaker, eating greasy foods or food with crackling packaging, people who have terrible body odour or strong perfumes, people who stare, people who put up feet on seats, just to name a few. I expect to come across all of that and more every trip. When it’s just one or two on my list I think I’ve had a fantastic journey and don’t feel so grim.

Friend of mine was commuting a few years ago in a train carriage that had several 'regulars' that she recognised who always worked on their laptops on their way to work. One day one of them was challenged by someone who apparently was a senior manager from their workplace. Sounded like they were prohibited from using their work laptop in a public place and they were told to log off and advised they'd be subject to an investigation on arrival at work.

personally i think my remarks were entirely relevant. I was pointing out that if you let them there can be lots of things that annoy people. I'm not saying any of these did because i took the view that if you were on public transport you had to be a bit more tolerant of people's habits

On the flip side, I adore a bit of goss so I love it when you hear a really juicy conversation! 😁

To be honest, any loud phone call on a train that goes on beyond a few minutes (say, beyond "sorry I can't talk I'm on a train!") is annoying.

Put headphones in?

I mean, I don't disagree that it's a pain in the arse, but so is commuting, and it's expensive. I shouldn't think people are working for fun, they're working because they're expected to.

I'd take people doing phone calls over eating tuna or filing their feet...