How can loud speakerphone use on public transport be discouraged?

[OnlyTheBravest]

This summer I have noticed a rise in people speaking extremely loudly with their speakerphones on. I am a big believer in each to his own but I experienced an awful episode on a bus where there were at least 6-7 people all speaking on their phones and one with a disgustingly booming voice was sat next to an elderly woman who had no headphones to drown him out. I felt so bad for her that I asked him to tone it down. He did but not by much.

What can be done to make inconsiderate individuals keep it down on public transport, aside from buy a car and stay clear. My only issue with this, is as you get older you may need to give up driving.

A law requiring all devices that can play or be heard aloud to have a headphone jack.

Or a disincentive to manufacturers such as double VAT for those that don't.

A public information campaign about noise pollution.

Purge. Don't deserve any better

Start joining in their conversations loudly ?

This. Or once they have finally hung up their call, immediately open your phone and have a very loud conversation "you'll never guess this guy on the train opposite, I've just learnt all about his whole work week and he went on and on to his wife about it but she sounded so pissed off with him..."

Personally I would love to chuck the phones out the window and hope a passing truck drives over it.
Or if no open window smash the phones with a hammer.
Unfortunately neither of those are legal 🙁
The only option is for public transport companies to make it a rule of no speakerphone calls.
But people can't even manage the no hot food/alcohol/feet on seats rules so who knows.

I manage to never do it and I don’t own corded headphones. That isn’t the problem. Unthinking dicks are going to be unthinking dicks no matter what.

I could well see myself taking that line . I am totally shameless.

🤣

This is how I feel. Open window or throw phone through door at next stop but I know this is unreasonable.

Maybe there could be quiet buses like on trains but with inspectors onboard to deal with it as there is little a bus driver can do.

Limit the speakers to only be loud enough to be heard when the phone is to your ear.

I was on a bus and a man in front of me was having a loud speakerphone conversation. I gritted my teeth and fumed inwardly then an older woman a few seats in front stood up, turned round and said, “ Excuse me, do you know everyone can hear the other person? Could you turn it off?” And he gave her a thumbs up and ended his call 😮

Signal jammers.

Or the Kalashnikov seemed reasonable especially if it's a speaker/Tiktok combo.

I hate it and glare at people who do it but I am too scared to say anything. I have had runs ins with people dropping litter, riding bikes, ebikes and escooters on the pavement and jumping the red lights at an especially dangerous junction near me and in the latter case was threatened for doing so. For me there is something scary about being on the bus and asking someone to tone it down

I work from home and hate wearing headphones however I’m not disturbing anyone

Yes, it’s all the same principle - people who either aren’t capable of understanding why this stuff is bad, or people who simply don’t give a fuck.

I don’t wear headphones at home either & I think that just having a jack on all devices wouldn’t make enough difference.

🤣🤣
A systematic reset of the human race is what’s needed!

A law banning amplified speakers in public. People need to use headphones.

I usually say something like “I don’t want to hear that” or “haven’t you got headphones?”, it usually works. I had a woman sitting in the bus in front of me brushing her hair all over me. I poked her in the shoulder and said “can you stop doing that?” She then put it up in a big clip, why she needed to brush it to buggery is beyond me. I also said to a lad on the train as I got off “you’re very loud you know”, he looked shocked but I’d let him get away with his shitty behaviour until I got off. I’m an old bag though and fearless

I just say to people calmly that their phone is playing out loud, or that they have the speaker phone on, as if they haven't realised to help them save face. About 80% of the time this is all that is needed.

No one has stabbed me to death (yet).

Make it one of the rules of carriage so you can be chucked off at the next stop for being a persistent nuisance.

Well here’s the thing……..

”"End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path. One that we all must take.”

I wish someone would make a device that would disable the speakers (while keeping the ability to play with headphones/synch to hearing aids/do phone calls when its next to your ear) on all mobile devices within a certain range. Then every bus, train and plane could have them installed and no one would have a choice anymore