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.

Ghrrrrrrr, Spanish! I was in Auschwitz last year and went back to Krakow by bus, full of people of all nationalities, Jewish, French, Polish, some Brits, and a handful of Spanish.

Understandably, everyone was sad, subdued, and emotionally exhausted, leaving a place such as this. Except not for the fucking Spaniards, who occupied the end of the bus and proceeded to yammer on top of their voices about some bullshit or the other, interspersed with loud cackling and shrieking. FFS. Me and a couple of other people eventually told them to SHUT THE FUCK UP, and we weren't polite about it, although no hand waving was involved.

And that's far, far from the only time I encountered rude, obnoxious, and extremely LOUD Spaniards on my travels. It's their 'fiery temperament', apparently. So I don't blame the man on the train, xenophobic or not. That woman was a twat.

Being abusive to the English, especially if they're 'white' and/or male is totally acceptable on MN, part of the ingrained hypocrisy!

As I see it her bad behaviour was having a very loud call on a train, not the fact it was in Spanish. He could have called her out on that politely, but as soon as her descended to the “me no speaky” bullshit he was the asshole.

This thread reminds me of Dom Joly I, M IN THE LIBRARY!

The men I know aren't.

This did cross my mind, I’d always had my hand covering the zip on my crossbody bag as I knew how rife the pickpocketing was there.

But I’m certain this woman did it just because she knew I was foreign. It was around the time of all the protests with water guns and “Tourists Go Home” marches.

Did you even read her posts? She thinks it's fine to make fun of non-British people for being foreign but goes quiet when asked if she'd like to be made fun for being English.

Have a medal?

Why thank you, how kind!

I hate people that yabber on and loudly on a train. Rude and inconsiderate. No one wants to listen to that. I would’ve just moved carriages.

Honestly, the idea that the only obnoxious men who harrass women are all British is gob smacking. Some posters either need to get out more or they're selective male apologists.

His behaviour was disgusting. I do wish people would be more considerate on the train. Recently I had to listen to some woman talking in detail about her failed relationship very loudly on the phone. Just shut up!

Yep

The racism is unacceptable - no two ways about it. The loud phone calls are beyond irritating. I commute to London on a long distance train weekly and I am sick to death of people having loud conversations on the phone, both men & women. They are almost always pompous and self important. No issues with phone calls it’s just the loud ones where everyone’s ability to think is impaired by the loud dialogue- sometimes even on speaker

"He is literally getting away with silencing women in our country so that they comply with his wishes."

Oh get a grip.

Far too many people treat public transport like it’s their living room, and those antisocial behaviours make it more unpleasant for everyone in a variety of ways. Obviously the man was in the wrong but she carried on knowing she was being annoying in a public space so I have limited sympathy. The general public can be very volatile/potentially aggressive over fairly minor things, that is always something to be aware of, if being a considerate person isn’t up your street

Oh please, If I was in Spain and this happened to me, I wouldn't expect a Spanish woman to go rushing onto the internet to wring her hands over it. And I doubt any would.

You’re a fragile thing and easily triggered by noises on public transport. Do you:

a) carry headphones/ear buds or other noise cancelling tools;

b) politely ask others to keep the noise down;

c) move carriages; or

d) loudly complain to the public at large, flail your arms around, get in the face of a lone woman and proudly assert your xenophobia. (This tactic is especially effective if you do it right before your last stop, so you don’t have to sit in the embarrassment of your own behaviour).

Why would you say that? Have you not seen the outpouring of support in Spain for Jenni Hermoso was kissed against her will by Luis Rubiales at the football World Cup ceremony?

Very weird of you to think Spanish women don't care about misogyny and racism.

In that situation I would be tempted to join in the conversation and give her the benefit of my relationship advice, seeing as she is happy to make it public

I always knew I loved multiple choice questions.

That is quite the reach!

Yes he was bang out of order - xenophobic and rude. You have to accept there’s going to be noise on public transport .That’s why they have quiet coaches.

I also think we need to appreciate manners and what is considered rude is different in different countries and cultures and be tolerant of this.

I would have enjoyed listening to the Spanish chat. They are very direct. At first I found the lack of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ quite rude. But we are over polite in this country.

I think we need to appreciate that what can be seen as rude here isn’t rude elsewhere. And be open minded. If it was bothering him he should have moved carriages.

Yeah, this. They were both rude for different reasons. I wouldn't have given it much more thought though once he'd got off the train.

I think yours was the reach, assuming that Spanish women don't care about misogyny. Why would you even think that? That in itself is quite revealing.