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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Those who have phonecalls on public transport on loudspeaker.

62 replies

JJkate · 01/05/2026 10:08

A direct question to those who do this. Can you please explain to me why?

OP posts:
JMSA · 01/05/2026 18:28

Flog them publicly, along with litter louts. My dream job! 😄

OrdinaryGirl · 01/05/2026 18:26

I think it’s because COVID turned everyone into consumers first, rather than participants in a society who have a responsibility to others for their behaviour in a public space. So people pretty much do whatever they want and are very surprised and aggrieved if challenged about it.

The top Mumsnet tip I heard to tackle this, is to purr into their phone in a sleepy voice ‘Darling, come back to bed…’ 😊
Please, please try it and let us know how you get on.

I don’t travel by public transport very often but wonder if I’d have the guts to do that, or to play some stirring Sousa marches on speaker with my own phone 🎺 Probably start with The Liberty Bell 🤔

Elizabeta · 01/05/2026 18:17

I know someone who justifies this by saying it’s healthier not to hold the phone to your ear because 5G/ cancer / covid / something.

In short, she’s an idiot.

Original poster
JJkate · 01/05/2026 15:46

I'm dying to hear from someone to please explain why they do it? Even on face time you can wear headphones. Why do you listen to music or have phones calls on loudspeaker? Please tell me?

OP posts:
Bjorkdidit · 01/05/2026 11:26

Same for the people who play music. Trains have now become unbearable. I was on a train at the weekend and a woman asked someone to turn the music down and thankfully they did without any aggro. The rest of the carriage murmered thanks/well done but it shouldn't come to that and a lot of the time the perpetrators would just ignore or be aggressive in the face of a very reasonable request.

Why the fuck can't they use headphones/earbuds for their music and have their conversations in a less public place? There is just no excuse for it. <awaits the whataboutery>

PlumPuddingandGravy · 01/05/2026 11:12

To be fair, it’s quite a useful way of identifying who’s an arsehole and who isn’t.

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 01/05/2026 11:07

That must be a bit awkward. 😬

MidnightPatrol · 01/05/2026 11:05

My mum only talks to her partner on FaceTime, and will answer eg in the middle of lunch she do this, chatting away about their days while the ‘real life’ conversation has to cease.

It’s very odd.

Besidemyselfwithworry · 01/05/2026 10:59

Our manager had to put an email out about this as one person did it ALL the time and it was very annoying for everyone else!

JazzyJelly · 01/05/2026 10:18

I can only assume they intend it as a group activity. Be kind and join in the fun!

Loudly offer your opinion on the matter they're discussing. Demand additional details.
Ramble about when you've been in a similar situation.
Call your own friends on speakerphone and invite them to join the conversation too.

PrincessofWells · 01/05/2026 10:13

Tbh it's usually such drivel they are talking I'm surprised they're not acutely embarrassed by people hearing it . . .

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 01/05/2026 10:11

Because the world is made up of 2 people. Them and everyone else.

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