women cackling at high volume on crowded bus

[Awrstickthekettleon]

Resisting the urge to tut/shoot evil glances at middle-aged women behind me on the bus, talking in shrill voice and cackling at deafening volume while the rest of us try to unwind from a stressful day (and recover from 20 min wait for bus in the rain).

Am I being mean-spirited?!

Yep. I get you but it's a public bus and they're only talking and laughing...it's just annoying you coz you are tired and ready to be home probably. Take your iPod on the bus and block people out ...

No, naturally she should know she's in your exalted presence and behave with the awareness and deference you have come - justly - to expect.

Why are their ages relevant?

The rest of us try to unwind why do you assume everyone feels the same way as you?

Hearing someone else laughing can be quite enjoyable.

I don't mind a cackler. I'll take that any day of the week over the tinny noise of someone's too loud ipod.

I would say I know her from the description of the laugh, but she'd never do something as demeaning as go on a common bus... Laugh that could shatter glass at 100 yards

Whatever happened to decorum?

Mary Whitehouse took it to heaven with her.

Maybe the rest of the bus is enjoying their zest for life and its just you giving the evil eye? You don't know.

That's it witchend, it's the combination of pitch and volume that's making my teeth itch-this is no normal laugh.

Thornrose-because everyone is exchanging exasperated glances/reaching for headphones!

Rudeelf- the age isn't important, I was just scene-setting I suppose...

Yanbu to think it, you have my sympathy

Perhaps the middle-aged women had been to work too?

But just weren't chewing wasps like you?

What does their age have to do with anything? How old are you?

I hate getting the bus and very rarely do in my city as the route doesn't go near my house. However last year I did get it one evening, and it reminded me of why I dislike it so much,!
This woman was relating the most intimate/embarrassing/private issues of everyone she knew.
"She's been carrying on with him"
"That one wouldn't know what a days work was"
"Supposed to be depressed, but I doubt it"
That sort of Jeremy Kyle 'isms.
She had a voice like a fog horn. Yes, everyone was tittering under their breath and her friend was lapping it all up, but Janey Mac- social awareness?!?
Not too sure too many people unwind on the bus,tbh OP.

Try reading the thread in Chat - " Dear God, I now have a small insight into how normally sane and rational people just lose it one day....."

Then you can cackle too.

I'd take cackling over what I heard the other week - a woman calling pretty much everyone she knew to relate, in horribly explicit anatomical detail, the deeply upsetting situation of a family member, complete with various explanations of the required medical intervention and the names of the people involved, as well as speculation about the likelihood of future problems.

It was a very busy bus and not a single person was speaking apart from the woman in question. Everyone was just sitting in stunned silence.

Are they doing it to annoy you?

I'm a cackler when the laughter strikes!

I'm a cackler, can't help myself!

I cackle when a friend or one of the kids make me proper belly laugh....but I don't get the bus.
Id never apologise for my cackle, more just feel sorry that my friends must be much funnier than yours if you dont cackle in their presence!!

The last time I got a bus at rush hour in my city a drunk fella told me he was going to jab a pen into my eyeball until it reached my brain, because I didn't apologise when he knocked into me.

I drive, when I can. I'd take your cackler anyday!

A middle ages woman on a bus?
Making an inappropriate noise?
Say it isn't true!

I do sometimes get grumpy about groups of noisy people (be they middle aged women or otherwise) on buses if I'm feeling a bit tired and emotional - but then I get annoyed with myself for being grumpy, which makes me feel even worse.

I hear you OP. Cacklers - of any age - on public transport drive me bananas. And I've never seen commuters react with the joy that some posters are describing!

tbh i hate when people talk loudly on public transport it just isnt needed. Nobody cares about your life story

I had this in the doctors surgery the other day - LOUD woman. It was like being seated next to a primary school play.