To think that being on the phone on speaker like this is rude?

[squashedalmondcroissant]

Disclaimer: I am taking an overnight coach to visit family for Christmas so I am tired and cranky!

Several passengers on the coach (including the person sat next to me) are having phone conversations but doing it where they have the phone loud and on speaker so you can hear both sides. Why do people do this?? Most people are clearly trying to sleep (like me) and there was even an announcement to say if you are listening to music/watching anything please use headphones and keep the noise down. Same goes for phone calls surely??

Aibu to think this is bloody rude? At least normal phone conversations aren't so loud and you don't hear both people talking 😡

Have the call another time or text then. Theres no excuse to do that on public transport.

My mu dies this when she's out. It makes me murderous!

I'm severely deaf and use aids. I need to use speaker phone so I get it, however, there is a time and a place. Unless I had no option then I never make calls in public, it's hugely irritating for everyone else and frankly for me as a hearing aid wearer, because I can't hear anything else other than someone else's conversation.

I actually made a similar post a few weeks ago on a hospital ward full of people constantly did the same and it's annoying.

People suggesting headphones is a good suggestion but does cause extra problems. For me, it would mean removing my aids and putting headphones on, making sure I don't lose my aids when I do that and more significantly being feeling vulnerable; because then I can't hear anything around me. Although I've discovered bone anchored headphones which I can wear with my aids so that might be an good option.

I think the point is, yes people should be aware that people like us might need speaker phone to make conversations but equally we must be aware of how difficult that is for others. We can't expect others to respect our needs and not respect others. So if you need to make a quick emergency call then do it but I don't think it's appropriate when people have long needless conversations which disrupt so many others.

Rude and inconsiderate

Perfect and then relay the other peoples conversations to the imagery person. So person in front has been shopping, they have gotten something exciting for John for Christmas; a M&S jumper. Two rows behind have drunk three bottles of wine with lunch and doesn't know where he bankcard is, over on the opposite side we have a woman who is considering leaving her husband for her boss because he smiled at her today.

Modern hearing aids use bluetooth so act AS earphones when connected to a mobile phone. Even NHS ones are now Bluetooth in some trusts. It's been a life changer for me.

It’s so rude. I’ve noticed a lot of young people doing it in our local shopping centre. I assumed it was an annoying trend picked up from reality tv (so that the cameras can pick up both sides of the conversation).

So fucking annoying and selfish.
The whole world revolves around these arseholes doesn’t it.

There was one on the train recently, the person she was speaking to was washing dishes so there were times of no talking but clanging of pots and plates.
Then conversation about putting bins out, what they had eaten, who they had seen that day… the call ended with… “ok, I’m 10 minutes away, see you in a minute “!
WTAF! 10 minutes away and an essential conversation about meaningless shit that could have fucking waited.
The whole fucking train carriage had to listen to this full blast utter utter shite.
Selfish, self centred me me me people get right on my chebs.

Join in the conversation.... 😈

Rude

I was on a hospital ward while another patient had a loud chat with her sweaty daughter.
The ducking dog won't ducking well come in from the garden. I've told Jim, he's got another ducking things coming if he thinks I'll ducking sort it. Hang on let me answer the door. Ducking hell, it's a delivery for the ducking neighbours, like I've got duck all better to do than answer the door for them! Duckers!

Entirely irrelevant and unimportant, just off loading. When reminded by nurses to keep it down it was

'Chele, the nurse says remember you're on speakerphone'

Oh soooorreeee, sorreeee everyone one, sorreeee.

I do get that people might have disabilities etc that make it difficult for them. It does seem unlikely that this is the case for all of the people that were doing it though. Most of them I couldn't hear as well, but the woman next to me at least was not having a short or important conversation. At literally 3am!! Who she was chatting to at that time I have no idea.

Fortunately I did bring my earplugs, they muffled it a bit but were not enough to drown it out.

Yanbu. Someone was doing this in a silent prayer room the other day! I had to ask them to stop. It is so rude and really selfish.

Surely then you either hold the phone to your ear or use text???

I can recommend earphone headbands for that.

Me and DP did exactly that during a train journey. The person in the seat in front of us was having a loud conversation on speaker phone about a film he had watched which we had also seen. The guy turned around and said "excuse me this is a private conversation" to which DP replied "well it's not that private if the whole carriage can hear it is it? If you don't want anybody to hear maybe turn the speaker phone off".

Agreed. Not all of the people you heard on the train had disabilities. It’s just plain rudeness.

as usual this post will segue into talk of hearing aids, headphones etc, meanwhile those without hearing impediments who do this speakerphone behaviour go uncommented on

because it’s Mumsnet law somehow that we don’t talk about behaviours in able people, we instead search for disability to explain

It happens everywhere,people just don’t care and seem to have no idea of their surroundings.
An man was playing a full blown loud video game recently in a hospital waiting room, no one said anything.
I used to commute by train and have heard all sorts, including a solicitor discussing a child protection case,.with names,until he was told to shut up.
Civil servants discussing confidential white papers, my colleague is CS and heard someone discussing a very controversial case on a train , turned out they were at the same meeting, when he started speaking she said “I know you were telling the whole train” he was rightly mortified.
And recently on holiday a lady having a loud conversation every afternoon with family at home on her balcony ….Yes I do know that Ethan had chips every night for at least four days and how many goals he scored at school.
OP I feel sorry for you and yes it is enough to give even the most patient person the rage.

My kids do phone calls like this, I hate it won't hold phone by their face and then put on speaker. But they only really phone calls when I insist for elderly relatives etc they never actually speak on phone with their own friends just message

A lot of people are just thick as mince. Lockdown seems to have just made it worse.

I was in hospital for three days at the beginning of the month. A woman opposite me was doing this all day and evening. Pointless conversations which went round in circles. I was very unwell and wanted to ram her phone where the sun doesn't shine.
Added to this were the televisions being watched without headphones. Why is this allowed?
So rude, so very rude.

A friend of mine joins in the conversation when he sees people do this. It's hilarious to see but his wife is always mortified.

I would imagine that you wouldn't be having a conversation by phone on a bus though? That environment must be very difficult?

It’s so rude. A woman was doing this in the small supermarket last night Standing in front of cabinets, blocking aisles because she was not actually shopping just holding an inane and very loud conversation with her mum about a complicated family life and who was and wasn’t getting Christmas presents because various family members were not talking to each other. Yes I think she was an idiot

Of course it is rude do you really need to ask. What I don’t get is why people never say anything and just let people carry on with unacceptable behaviour.