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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Playing the recorder on a train

179 replies

Lifeisontheup · 19/10/2012 11:50

My DH has just texted me. He is on a non-stop 4 hour train journey, a reserved seat in first class and is seated with a family with two young children and is not happy. He could cope with ordinary noise from small children but one has now started playing the recorder.
Is he being unreasonable to want to murder someone? I have advised him to hit the bar whereupon he will fall asleep and his snores will drown out everything. Grin

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 19/10/2012 11:53

HINBU Anyone playing the recorder, ever, has forfeited the right to life.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 19/10/2012 11:55

HINBU - the recorder was invented purely to give children a way to torture adults

Fact.

HorraceTheOtter · 19/10/2012 11:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Lifeisontheup · 19/10/2012 11:57

It has made me laugh, I have vivid and painful memories of mine wanting to practice it in the car on the way to school. They were soon told that this was not acceptable!

OP posts:
Beanbagz · 19/10/2012 11:57

HINBU at all.

Having had my DS practice for 3 hours after his very first lesson i can totally sympathise with your DH. If i were him i'd ask the child to stop, if i was the mum of the child there's no way on earth i'd have let a recorder leave the house!

Tailtwister · 19/10/2012 11:57

Eek! I can imagine his pain. I hope for his sake the child can play it. Nothing worse than a squeaky recorder.

Not sure murder is the way to go though. I would go with your suggestion of the bar I think! Surely someone will complain if it continues? Musical instruments are one step too far imo.

FireOverBabylon · 19/10/2012 11:58

Why can't he go over to the parents and ask them to put the recorder away until they arrive at their station? surely they can see it's a bloody stupid item to take in hand luggage on a train with a young child?

Be terribly polite and non-agressive but, that's a very loud instrument for a confirmed space like this, would you mind putting it away until you arrive at your station please?

Pastabee · 19/10/2012 11:59

4 hours... Non stop.... With recorder .

What is wrong with the parents that they aren't going out of their minds with the noise??

Cahoots · 19/10/2012 11:59

Agghhhh! That is awful. I would ask them to stop.

If the DC is playing Three Blind Mice he has my permission to cry.

wildfig · 19/10/2012 12:00

HINBU (and I say that as a Grade 8 recorder player. Get me, etc)

It is a train carriage, not a medieval banquet. I would get the guard to impound it on human rights grounds.

CookingFunt · 19/10/2012 12:00

Get your dh to start scratching and complaining about headlice.

OnTheBottomWithAWomansWeekly · 19/10/2012 12:00

Tailtwister you haven't heard a squeaky tin whistle. Grin

When DD was playing that in school I dreamt of the day she'd progress to a recorder...

tethersend · 19/10/2012 12:01

He has no choice but to pull the emergency cord.

The passengers will understand.

whois · 19/10/2012 12:02

Oh. My. God. He is totally not being unreasonable!!! Although I don't know why he hast politely asked the parents to put it away..?

Original poster
Lifeisontheup · 19/10/2012 12:02

He says child is pre school so can't imagine it's very tuneful. I think he may have to be direct, have to say I would never have taken any musical instrument or indeed noisy toy on a train journey as it would have driven me insane let alone other people.
I may tell him to say that MN thinks they are BVU. Grin

OP posts:
pictish · 19/10/2012 12:04

HIM+NBU and in fact, I think it's bloody rude of the parent(s) to allow their child to blow the ruddy thing on a train around other passengers. How fucking intrusive!

GladbagsGold · 19/10/2012 12:05

Why does he not just say - Excuse me, that noise is giving me a headache, could you stop please?

Mind you I have been known to wake people on trains that are snoring too loud...

HorraceTheOtter · 19/10/2012 12:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Frontpaw · 19/10/2012 12:06

If he starts singing along - very loudly and out of tune - then maybe they'll assume he is mad and move?

drjohnsonscat · 19/10/2012 12:06

Gordon Bennett how rude! Poor DH. He was probably really looking forward to 4 hours of peace and quiet, just staring out of the window (that's what I do on trains and I love it).

LiegeAndLief · 19/10/2012 12:07

I have a massive collection of tin whistles (definitely squeakier than a recorder, esepcially the little ones!). I actually wait untilk the neighbours go out before I let the dc get their hands on them. No way on earth would I take them on a train. No way. What in god's name was the mother thinking?

tethersend · 19/10/2012 12:07

Maybe he could sit next to them and loudly sing along? I'm quite sure they'd move then.

maebyfunke · 19/10/2012 12:07

I am really suprised the parents think it's acceptable.

Tell him to ask them to put it away.

Billwoody · 19/10/2012 12:09

How busy is the train? You don't have to sit in the seat you have reserved if there are other (unreserved) ones free. Perhaps move to the quiet carriage - they are always virtually empty as no one wants to give up beeping phones etc.
Also, tell him to check seats that look reserved. Often the people who have reserved them have not got on the train.

LadyMaryCreepyCrawley · 19/10/2012 12:09

He needs to speak to the guard, it's just not on.

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