Horrible incident on train

[TheAverageJoanne]

On a train to Leeds. Woman chatting on the phone, quite loud to be fair in what sounded like Spanish and a man across the aisle kept saying loudly "shut up jabbering." Not to her, just in general. He then got up waved his hands around in front of this woman's face and started saying several times "Me no speaky language" thank god he got off at the next stop which was coming up. Fair play to her she carried on with her phone call. I doubt he'd have said this if it had been a man on the phone.

Yep and for some reason @RosePetalsRose keeps ignoring how she’d if feel is someone made fun of her for being foreign.

Could she have been trying to pickpocket you? This happened to exDP in Rome and I saw the woman’s hand go into his pocket, which luckily was empty.

Yes intimidating language.

I was subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse by a random bloke who decided to park the wheel of his child’s push chair on my foot to stop me getting on a train on the tube last week. He wanted to shove me out of his way. I pulled my foot out and got on, and he started screaming (I’m not exaggerating here!) that I had kicked his child! I firmly put him straight on that one and continued to defend myself as he subjected me to a stream of increasingly hysterical abuse. Not one person intervened.

This now happens regularly on my journey to work. I only go in to the office twice a week but there is some incident about twice a month on average. It’s getting worse as I get older ( in my 50s) and just seems to be accepted behaviour now. Makes me want to lock my front door and never come out again. But of course that is what they want.

If it’s not racism, tell us your nationality so we can be like this man to you?

If you think it’s fine what this man did to this woman, surely it’s fine to do to you too?

I’m half italian. I look very English. When im in Italy i have stuff said to me all the time.

What are Italians saying about you?

Go ahead and wave your hands in front of my face as much as you like. 😂😂

This thread is maddening- the amount of people who think loud phone conversation is worse than men behaving in an intimidating manner on public transport is actually so surprising to me. I would rather hear foreign language in my earshot than witness aggressive behaviour toward anyone- no brainer. Anyone trying to say they wouldn’t be rattled by a man looming over them, making gestures and mean comments is either lying or used to witnessing (and excusing) bursts of uncontrollable anger.

He was a twat for the rudeness. She was a twat for the shouting on her phone. No excuse for the behaviour of either.

So if a non-British person made fun of you for being English you’d be fine with that?

Why?

Really? Words on a screen are more aggressive than physical acts on a train.

I regularly host international students and our Spanish and Italian students are very loud. They have no understanding of how loud they actually are. They always sound angry when clearly they're not.

I do have some sympathy for this man, although he's obviously very rude and was wrong to have spoken to the woman that way.

why would you make fun of me being English ? The man hasnt made fun of her for being foreign. He is annoyed at her for talking excessively on the phone.

You think this woman should be fine with being made fun of for being foreign because you’ve had the same done to you? So what has been said to you?

There was no physical act. 🤦‍♀️

It is annoying though when English "airspace" is polluted with loud spoken foreign language. I long to hear English spoken when I walk down my high street in England. Its a rarity these days. Loud telephone call woman was in the wrong. I did get told off in a restaurant in China once as our group of English speakers were being loud. I get it now.

He did make fun of her for being foreign.

But funnily enough you don’t like the idea of being made fun of for being English.

Hypocrisy much?

But intimidating behaviour ok?

I don't think anyone believes you would be fine with someone standing over you mocking you in Italian, despite your protests, when you can't read the word 'sh*t' written down without it offending your sensibilities.

(See, I censored it for you! Hope you're OK!)

Never said that. She hasnt been made fun of. She has irritated others with her behaviour and has been called out for it.

Go and wave your hands in a policeman or woman’s face and see how quickly they arrest you.

Thankyou for censoring it. I think i will cope now.

You did say people have said things to you in Italy for being English.

But funnily enough you can’t give a single example … 🤔

You're being deliberately obtuse, so I'm going to ignore you from now on.