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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

What's the point of 'Quiet Coaches' on trains?

43 replies

Terfinator · 08/03/2017 21:15

Genuine question.

I used to think that it was one coach of the train reserved for a quiet atmosphere. However, this quite clearly isn't true as half the time there's someone having a loud banal phone conversation, or narrating their entire day out loud, or listening to the latest radio one shite.

Being British, most people (myself included ) usually just give the death stare and a few tuts, but not actually challenge the culprit directly...

OP posts:

Astoria7974 · 08/03/2017 21:17

It depends on the Class of the carriage and the train company. Virgin often don't send conductors into standard class during peak times on conmuter routes - so people will get away with using their mobiles in quiet carriages. But in 1st it's like a military operation.

Gingernaut · 08/03/2017 21:18

I think the thoughtless cunts who bray into their phones, play DVDs, watch films and listen to music all at unfeasibly loud volume, are under the impression the Quiet Coaches are slightly better soundproofed for them to hear their shit better.

Gingernaut · 08/03/2017 21:20

"I'm on the train! Hello.....Hello.....Can you hear me? Yes, I said I'm on the train! Yes!"

jay55 · 08/03/2017 21:24

I've seen people asked to shut it in quiet coaches, it's the only place I've seen people do it with success.

olderthanyouthink · 08/03/2017 21:30

OMFG most annoying thing in the world!

During commuting times the quiet coach was lovely and peaceful apart from the odd rude fucker. BUT the late/middle of the day/weekend travellers aka non commuters... Why the hell do they sit in a quiet coach and then talk like a fog horn?!

Sometimes Britishness goes out the window and I've told people to be quiet/go outside. Go to love the guy who shouts "oh for fucks sake shut up!"

Also, I love kids, but if they can't be quiet then just don't bring them in there. There have been some tiny babies that I've barely noticed or sleeping kids that's fine. But not shouting, arguing, banging, squealing kids with their bloody toys.

Sorry for the rant, I've stopped doing that commute but the residual annoyance is still there.

fiorentina · 08/03/2017 21:32

On our trains I think it depends on the time. Rush hour most people keep quiet, late night and weekends nobody pays any attention. People do get asked to keep quiet during rush hour, and there is tutting and head shaking!!

2rebecca · 08/03/2017 21:50

I'm the stroppy woman who goes over and asks people to be quiet, admittedly only on long journeys like Edinburgh to London. I don't get friends who decide to book seats on the quiet coach when they want to yak the whole journey. Elderly deaf women seem particularly bad for this.

redexpat · 08/03/2017 21:55

Quiet coach doesnt mean no talking - it means no devices. All the times Ive been in them it has said something about consideration for other passengers and keeping conversations at a low level.

Crumbs1 · 08/03/2017 21:58

The trouble with Southern commuter trains is that the crowding is such that you don't get to choose where you sit - you jump on where the train stops and sit or stand there. It would be impossible to move away from the carriage labelled quiet.

lalalalyra · 08/03/2017 21:59

The train companies don't help sometimes. We did a 3 hour journey on a pretty empty train last month. My online booking for 3 adults and 5 kids put us in the quiet coach, even though there were plenty of unreserved seats in other carriages! We didn't even realise til someone told one of the kids (who was chatting, but not being excessively loud) to shut the fuck up.

IonaNE · 08/03/2017 22:01

2rebecca , I've tried that when two elderly ladies behind me did not take a breath for about an hour, chatting loudly. In response one of them actually got up and left, only to return with the conductor, whom she sought out specifically so she could bring him back and have him explain to me that "quiet" coaches only meant you could not talk into your phone. As this makes completely no sense, I have since often regretted not asking whether I was allowed to talk to my imaginary friend - and spending the whole train journey talking rubbish loudly.

redexpat, I think the idea is no talking, or loud noise of any kind, so people can work, read, study or sleep if they want.

2rebecca · 08/03/2017 22:03

The official blurb says "conversations should be conducted quietly"and "the idea is to keep the noise down"and "ideal for if you want to catch up with work, read or doze". Not full volume constant talking. If you're travelling with a friend there are plenty of other carriages where no-one will care if you chat all the way.

SaladDressing · 08/03/2017 22:05

I've found that generally people,in quiet coaches are pretty considerate. Occasionally someone doesn't realise/doesn't care and I've heard a number of people point out that it's a quiet coach.

I do however get cross at the people who deem a quiet coach (and it seems to the the quiet coaches) to somehow be an extension of their office and therefore set up laptops, papers, phones, iPads and a briefcase across two seats or an entire table and expect people to stand up because they are Working on Very Important Things.

ilovesooty · 08/03/2017 22:13

I can never understand why you can choose the quiet carriage when booking but not choose not to sit there.

Polarbearflavour · 08/03/2017 22:19

The noise of the train rattling along, the door to the vestibule opening and closing and the announcements aren't exactly conductive to quiet time!

redexpat · 08/03/2017 22:27

From great western railways website: Mobile phones and personal stereos are not permitted to be used in quiet carriages, and noise is asked to be kept to a minimum.

Thats not the same as no talking.

bonfireheart · 08/03/2017 22:31

Oh the self-important people on their phones talking in their phones about their dull jobs.

BlueFolly · 08/03/2017 22:33

The only thing that differentiates the quiet carriage from all others is that I am immediately get hyper steressed about unnecessary noise and mentally relive my own internal arguments with nobody, actually. nobody complained other passengers about my own DCs crying when I used to travel myself in a quiet carriage with a young child.

PidgeyfinderGeneral · 08/03/2017 22:35

I don't understand why some other people find quiet carriages so difficult. It means shut the fuck up. No noisy games, phone convos, noisy kids, or loud conversations with your mate sitting next to you. It's not hard.

HilairHilair · 08/03/2017 22:43

I find it the other way around: the proper long distance travellers reach the Quiet Coach like an oasis. It's the commuters using the long-distance train for just a short trip who show rude & blatant disregard for the Quiet Coach (anything out of New Street, for example, but commuters between Brum & Nottingham are the worst).

I do the death stare and then I do remind people that this is the quiet Coach. But I find that the heathens who don't respect the quiet of the Quiet Coach are also just generally rude idiots. I've been threatened when reminding people it's the Quiet Coach, and been called a bitch, and told to shut up.

Some people are just arses.

Sorka · 08/03/2017 22:55

I wasn't in the quiet coach yesterday, but need to share this.

I heard an odd noise from the woman sat next to me, and thought that the source of the noise couldn't possibly be what I thought it was. Which was flossing.

Sadly I was mistaken and this gross woman spent 20 minutes vigorously flossing her teeth, over and over again, using the same piece of floss, with the floss making a pinging noise.

My disgust was clear, but she clearly thought this was a marvellous way to spend the train journey. < feeling ill, not envious

olderthanyouthink · 08/03/2017 22:59

hilair the train I used to get was longish distance intercity one , I got on and there was maybe one stop and then 1hr to the final stop. Non intercity trains didn't have quite coaches, I avoided those like the plague.

TheLambShankRedemption · 08/03/2017 23:00

I can't stand sitting next to laptop users, the tappy bastards are so irritating.

TasLondon · 08/03/2017 23:08

I'm the passively aggressively miserable git who reminds people politely that "this is the Quiet Carriage" after having seethed silently to myself while arguing in my own head about whether I would be the better person to stand up for what is right and British, or keep shtum and then regret my weak and feeble Britishness.

Most people are OK, one started to argue with me in a crowded carriage and no one did anything. Mostly it's the partner or friend, who was keeping their voice down, who is mortified.

Once I was the person who didn't realise I was in the Golden Carriage and was asked to stop using my phone. I was mortified but glad that I was asked, rather than continue to piss people off.

Sandsnake · 08/03/2017 23:17

I use the quiet zone on my commuter train from Surrey into London. It's so quiet. I love it.

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