The think that if you are a patient in hospital, that it is the height of rudeness and intrusiveness to attampt to chit chat with your roommates

I’ve been in hospital many times and usually make some ward friends. My favourite the mum of a celeb (she herself has featured alongside him too on TV) and it really did make the last week of my 3wk stay bearable. Many like to chat, I guess they have got the message that you don’t.

I've been in hospital a fair bit.

I like to chat to the other patients - quite apart from anything else hospital is boring as fuck so it gives you something to do other than music/read/doze.

They'll also help you out and you can help them. I had trouble getting to the toilet (can't walk well) and they helped me from my bed to get there. I got others cups of tea/coffee if they were off getting scans or whatever when the tea trolley came round.

I don't think you have to chat to them - many people in hospital are too ill to chat anyway - but it really isn't rude to do so.

Yabu as you’ve made up those rules and are now thinking people are rude for not following them?
If your curtains are shut, fair enough. But if they’re open I would not think someone was rude to make small talk.
Some people take comfort from company and sharing concerns or even just small talk.

I don’t think it’s that unusual to make small talk with bed neighbours especially if visitors are only in the evening.

Equally wouldn’t think it was rude if someone didn’t want to talk. I’d hope I could read the room.

Curtains closed = no chatting
headphones in = no chatting
open curtains looking around = chatting an option.

My mum was in hospital for near 3 months, of course she chatted to the people around her.

You seem strangely lacking in empathy. Just because being incommunicado is your choice aren’t you able to conceive of the idea that other people are not of the same opinion? As a nurse I have seen many people greatly cheered and uplifted by a bit of ward bonding and chat and friendships are forged between some very unlikely people. Just crack on with giving out leave me alone vibes and eventually people will. But you are being unreasonable to think it’s appalling of them to try to chat, they may be scared and need a handheld or just friendly people, just politely shut them down.

I have never been an in-patient but coming from a nurses perspective a lot of people get very lonely in hospital or are scared and nervous which leads them to talk more than they usually would. Even if they get visitors in the evening some of the people perhaps get regular visitors during the day at home and aren’t used to people not talking to them. In my experience anyone who didn’t want to be communicated with just kept their curtains closed but if they have to be open they’ve just explained to their roommates that they’re not in the mood for a chat and keep earphones in/eye mask on.

Honestly I'm not a particularly extroverted person but I'd probably chat to the people in the same room ase tbh.
But I've only had 2 hospital stays in the past 10 years so maybe if it was a regular thing I'd feel differently?
I'm a Londoner as well so I totally get the "headphones in, avoid eye contact" thing because I do it daily on the tube!

Perhaps from their point of view they find it comforting to make small talk. Maybe it takes their mind off being ill?