to think that tube travel is hellish enough without having to endure mobile phone users

[David51]

...and to be glad that the plan has now fallen thru?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12928102

I remember in the dim and distant past ie the late 80s, when mobile phones were a real novelty.

A colleague described the excitement in her train carriage when her mobile rang and she picked it up to answer it. The entire carriage fell silent to listen in to what was surely going to be a Very Important Call. World Peace or somesuch.

So, my colleague pinned the phone to her ear, listened hard to what the caller had to say, ready to respond appropriately.

It was hubby, asking what he should do about supper.

To the awe and amazement of the entire carriage she announced, "I think baked beans would be best."

I would put 90% of mobile phone conversations in that category still.

Lulie110: I don't think it is - they probably don't even realise they can do it.

no, i remember having to get used to people's ridiculously annoying conversations when I started taking an overland train.

Thing is, though, I'm a bit of a nervous tube traveller. I would be quite happy if I knew I could contact someone if I was stuck and needed reassurance. Sorry!

I like listening to other peoples conversations on the bus

Errr....what's the difference between a person having a phone conversation and having a conversation with someone next to them? Is it that you are annoyed you can only hear 1/2 the convo? Really don't see what's the problem.

Well, people definitely talk louder when they're on the phone. My DCs are always telling me off for that.

i was on the tube today going into london

first i moved carriage because the carriage was full of a school trip and they were making a racket (but just kids so i wasn't p'd off)

then i moved becuase the guy opposite me was popping his chewing gum. gross.

then i moved because a lady sat beside me and she reeked

and as for the stereo headphones, the apple ones are truly dreadful, by far the worst... you don't often hear that much noise from black (non apple) ones.

i think i need a chauffeur

I like the comment "it's just the same as everyone talking" the point is no one talks on the tube so it wouldn't be

I wouldn't have minded it that much TBH, it's endemic everywhere else and it's not as if the tube is some kind of haven of tranquility not to be disturbed - it's a downright hellish way to travel, with or without annoying mobile phone conversations.

It's very annoying to be stuck in a tunnel with somewhere to be (eg. work) and can't let anyone know. It's not unheard of for trains to be stuck for hours on end, people tend to get quite concerned when you got missing for ages and they can't get hold of you!

And also it means a lot more people talking as now the people travelling alone are talking as well as the ones talking to a companion next to them, it's a cumulative effect.

It's so noisy on most Tube trains that I can't see how you could have much of a conversation on the phone, people would have to be shouting at the tops of their voices, which would not be very pleasant. I would guess it would be used more for people checking email, web etc.

As for the bodmin moor, would you be happy if there was no signal up there after tripping in a rabbit hole and breaking your leg?

In a city that's not the case and there's no need for it on the underground, but some places it's a useful thing to have.

You're missing the point MackerelOfFact - the tube is hellish enough without people talking on their mobiles!

One of the best bits of going on public transport is earwigging into other people's conversations!

Oh Bumble the girl I mentioned earlier did exactly that. She happened to be interning in my chosen field and was showing off about how they had finished the day by drinking champagne to celebrate the intern who was leaving that day leaving.

She was then talking about how she had been told she would actually be doing the job as a person about four notches up the career ladder from her that week. It would all have been quite sweet had she not been such a show off. I wanted to turn round and tell her to get a grip and that they were just telling her to flatter her ego! I'm not usually that mean!

I would not willingly get on public transport without my mobile phone jammer, kills the signal and inane wittering in 2 minutes flat.

scarth - i gotta get me one of those!

There is another good aspect to not having phone signals on the tube, me and my flat mate would text each other when meeting up in central London and would get a read reciept back as soon as the other got out of the tube. Very handy.

I have recently started a commute after almost 20 years of driving to work, so could be classed as grumpy old women!!! I just dont get why people think we want to hear how frigging important they are by taking calls and making them at 7.45am in the morning!!! We all managed before mobiles so is the world/company really going to end/collapse if they cant tell their colleague/whoever they are "on the train" etc. Had a horrid journey on a normally quiet train today, bloke got on with lots of banging around, throwing Metro everywhere, his phone then rang and to be honest I did do the raised eyebrows bit....then he had a go at me for 10 minutes telling me it wasnt a "quiet" carriage. I go with other posters, I just want to read my book in peace for the short time before I hit the office, appreciate if you have young children etc there are emergency calls. A sign of the times I guess that there is just no place you can go and escape except the tube and a boeing 747! A bit jumbled, apologies....it really narked me today.

revenge

I am always oddly reassured by other people's phone conversations. They always seem really dull and make my life seem not quite so mundane after all, in comparison. Often they are not even one sided due to that mobile 'echo' thing which sometimes happens. It's even funnier sometimes if you can listen to both sides.

Example in supermarket yesterday. (Odd place to have a chat, but I didn't hang around for full story)...
Lady in supermarket: "Hi Mum"
Mum: "Cough, cough, splutter"
Lady: Mum - are you OK?
Mum: Urggh yes...
Lady: what's the matter?
Mum: I'm out of breath
Lady: Well, you shouldn't have rushed to pick up the phone then (I had to laugh into a pile of baked bean cans at this point - why did she call her then? )
Mum: oh well....

I never did discover the point of the call.

Mobile phones on trains don't bother me any more than two people having a nearby conversation bothers me - ie, sometimes hugely, other times moderately, other times, not at all, depending on what they're talking about and what mood I'm in.

I'd also like the following banned on the tube:
Eating
Drinking
Music
Swearing
BO
Feet on seats
litter

I'd like the following reintroduced:
Please
Thank you
Allowing people off before getting on
People to stop pushing on ahead of those who were waiting first - anyone remember the old Waterloo and City line and the coiling queues.
General good manners and courtesy.

I hate the tube and usually avoid it as I get really nervous when it stops in a tunnel. Northern line is terrible as there's not much space between train and walls of the tunnel.

I think that mobile phone coverage would be a good thing, especially in emergency situations and/or when trains are stuck in tunnels for any length of time.