Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Re woman on bus and mobile phone

129 replies

user1485342611 · 11/07/2017 16:32

I was on a bus earlier. A young woman in her 20s was on her phone yacking away at top volume from the minute she got onto the bus; finishing one call and immediately calling someone else. This went on for about 20 minutes and eventually a middle aged woman sitting directly in front of her turned around and said 'Can you please just stop shouting into your phone and show some consideration. You're doing my head in'.

Younger woman looked a bit shocked but ended her call and we all got a bit of peace.

AIBU to wish I had the courage to do something similar. I am fed up of people around me gabbing away loudly into their phones on public transport, barely pausing to draw breath for the entire journey.

OP posts:
movpov · 12/07/2017 00:32

A quick quiet call on the bus is fine, it's the ones who yak yak bloody yak non stop at full volume especially at 8 in the morning when all I want to do is doze on the hour long journey that give me a sore head and a desperate urge to yell at them to SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! I'm worried that one day i will actually do it. It does seem to be mainly younger females who are guilty of this and the conversations are generally the most inane drivel you've ever heard, although they can be quite entertaining when they're obviously having a row with the boyfriend, or relating a row to their pal. I've taken to always having earphones with me and sometimes i put them in without any music just to drown someone out. But yes, it is indicative of a severe lack of consideration for others and it pisses me right off

Want2bSupermum · 12/07/2017 00:35

I have to make calls on the bus in the morning to U.K. I start making calls at 5:15am in between getting ready, getting the kids ready and getting to work. Normally on the bus I'm talking with my father and he is hard of hearing. I let him talk!

Coastalcommand · 12/07/2017 00:50

Talking at a reasonable volume into a phone is no more antisocial than talking to the person next to you. Not good I a quiet carriage, but on a normal bus no problem.

purpletowels · 12/07/2017 01:13

They're the same thing Hurtle. If you want to argue with me at least do so properly and stop trying to twist my words. Sign of someone losing the argument.

Hurtle has a point. I was just about to pull you up on the same thing, no 'twisting' necessary. So 'gabbing loudly' and 'yakking at top volume' becomes shouting does it?

winglesspegasus · 12/07/2017 02:21

makes you wish for telephone boxes!!??

have a very obnoxious housefull across the street.when gs1 was having fight with girlfriend.they would stand 3 houses apart and scream into their phones at each other.after one marathon that woke up my sick husband.the gf came knocking on my door to borrrow my phone because she had run her battery out??
not on your life.
as for being loud in public anywhere.
i dont care what color your kids poo is.and no i dont want to see the pic of it either,
i dont care that you are taking antibiotics for your clap
.so many of these convos are inane bull.
take their phones away and see if they can function in the real real world..

mathanxiety · 12/07/2017 03:04

I live in a big city and use public transport a lot.

I absolutely love hearing half of other people's conversations. Gory details fascinate me. I love to see people functioning at full blast. It offers an astonishing peek at other people's lives.

mathanxiety · 12/07/2017 03:32

I used public transport from age 6 and nobody used to talk to anyone else on either buses or trains unless at least one of the participants in the conversation was drunk or lost.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 12/07/2017 08:14

I totally agree with those of you who find this annoying. I'll add to that those who are so busy staring at their screens that they fail to notice people wanting them to shift a little so they can get a seat or get past them. I recently had a train journey where I had a heavy suitcase but had to move forward and press the button to open the doors from the outside and then move aside because the person wanting to get off was too busy staring at their phone to do so (and also too busy to say thanks) and then when I wanted to get off the train I had to ask a screen starer who was standing in front of the doors to move aside and then struggle past another who was standing outside bang in front of the doors again I may have trundled my suitcase over their foot.

Original poster
user1485342611 · 12/07/2017 10:40

Yes your Honour Purple, when I used the expression 'talking at top volume' I meant shouting. Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
user1485342611 · 12/07/2017 10:43

I agree Spartacus I have seen older people left standing on public transport because younger people are glued to their phones and don't even notice them.

OP posts:
BishopBrennansArse · 12/07/2017 11:00

I don't do that. I'm in the wheelchair space.
I still maintain I need to have a distraction from the multiple causes of sensory overload. Nowadays it's my phone, used to be a book.

purpletowels · 12/07/2017 11:18

Yes your Honour Purple, when I used the expression 'talking at top volume' I meant shouting

Exaggerating much I think with 'shouting', user1583.

I hope you manage to find some courage for next time, though Wink

People often read using their phones, to the previous poster who mentioned.

ButFirstTea · 12/07/2017 11:37

You know that you can always ask if you need a seat? I'm usually reading and don't spend my whole time looking around but happy to move if someone needs a seat and asks me.

Original poster
user1485342611 · 12/07/2017 11:42

No Purple I'm not exaggerating. But obviously you can disbelieve me if you like. What can I do about it?

I agree Butfirsttea but a lot of elderly people just don't like to ask. I think people should glance up from their phone (or book or newspaper) every now and again to see if someone is standing who might need their seat.

OP posts:
YetAnotherSpartacus · 12/07/2017 11:46

I agree Butfirsttea but a lot of elderly people just don't like to ask

Especially if the seated person is zoned out and likely also playing music through headphones...

Yokohamajojo · 12/07/2017 11:47

I had this the other day too! bloody loud woman screeching into her phone to a friend. It was one of those small buses so absolutely everyone could here every single word and her ott loud laughter! Why? no it's not the same thing as having a normal conversation and if the bus is loud or traffic is loud, wait til you get of the bus

Oldraver · 12/07/2017 11:52

Yesterday I was in Oxford, walking towards a square when I heard quite loud music..thought there some busker or whatever though the music moved as walked towards it.

There was a guy just strolling along with what I think was a blutooth speaker swinging from his hip.. People just stared (which is odd for Oxford)..

I dont know why people can keep their shit to themselves

JacquesHammer · 12/07/2017 11:53

I'll add to that those who are so busy staring at their screens that they fail to notice people wanting them to shift a little so they can get a seat or get past them

Surely some sort of "excuse me" is in order? I don't spend my travelling constantly on some sort of high alert state whether its because I am using my phone, a laptop or reading a book. I am of course perfectly happy to move but you have to let me know you want me to!

YetAnotherSpartacus · 12/07/2017 11:54

There was a guy just strolling along with what I think was a blutooth speaker swinging from his hip.. People just stared (which is odd for Oxford)

Hell, I remember the days of boom-boxes! Personal stereos were a goddess-send for those who are stressed by loud noises. I've noticed lately that there has been a regression on this front.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 12/07/2017 12:00

Surely some sort of "excuse me" is in order? I don't spend my travelling constantly on some sort of high alert state whether its because I am using my phone, a laptop or reading a book. I am of course perfectly happy to move but you have to let me know you want me to

You are on a crowded train. There are no seats. You are standing in the aisle or in the area in front of the doors. The train stops at a popular station. People get up and make to get off. Are you one of Those Passengers who are so in their own worlds that someone has to say 'er excuse me please!', [louder] 'Excuse Me Please - People Want to Get Past', and finally 'LOOK OUT .... COMING THROUGH!!!!!' as people scurry to get to the doors before they close again? Because I see this a lot. Ditto the 'bag on seater' and the person who KNOWS there is a spare seat next to them because they deliberately sat in an aisle seat but who then does not bother to see if anyone wants to get past to the window seat?

lucydogz · 12/07/2017 12:05

we loved Japan echt because of everybody's respect for other's personal space. As you say, no talking on Mobile phones on trains, and no walking down the road talking on the phone (people stand on one side of the pavement and talk with their hand cupped over the phone). Also no eating in the street, no litter, no graffitti. Bliss.
I think, because they are so overcrowded, they have to respect each other more. But we are getting more overcrowded with no respect for each other at all.

Original poster
user1485342611 · 12/07/2017 12:06

Exactly. Nothing wrong with reading a book, or looking up something on your phone when you're on the bus or train. But you still need to be aware of what's going on around you, and when you're in someone's way or taking up a seat that another passenger needs more. It just means glancing around you now and then, or realising that you're coming up to a station and you're standing right in front of the door.

OP posts:
HannahGlasgowGal · 12/07/2017 12:10

Some of the responses on this are ridiculous. Yeah we should all be considerate when sharing a space with someone but people demanding absolute silence, really? It's a public space. If you don't want to listen to people having conversations or see them updating their facebooks then get a car and drive.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 12/07/2017 12:13

Exactly. Nothing wrong with reading a book, or looking up something on your phone when you're on the bus or train

I have to say that the only time that I saw more people reading than glued to their phones was when 50 Shades was popular. I swear I got into a carriage liberally peppered with women of a certain age engrossed in the text and licking their lips.

Onhold · 12/07/2017 12:57

My D'S has been to Tokyo and he said everyone was on their phones all the time.