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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Phone/devices on train - without headphones

97 replies

rosemarble · 19/02/2025 22:59

I don't know why the sound from a phone or other device when someone's watching YouTube or films drives me batty.
I'm on a fairly busy train, trying to read. People are talking and laughing and I can tune that out, but I can't tune out the device noise. It doesn't bother DS at all. Is it just cos I didn't grow up with it? Maybe I am harbouring feelings that it's antisocial to force your own entertainment on others?

The Eurostar asks people to wear headphones so I don't think it's just me being uptight.

OP posts:
OneFineDay13 · 19/02/2025 22:59

I hate it too so anti social also

JorgyPorgy · 19/02/2025 23:01

I agree there is so much antisocial, rude , selfish and inconsiderate behaviour, I wish people showed more respect for the people around them .

ThatsNotMyTeen · 19/02/2025 23:02

I can’t stand it. People are so ill mannered. I wear AirPods on public transport largely so I can’t hear other people and their noise.

JorgyPorgy · 19/02/2025 23:02

ThatsNotMyTeen · 19/02/2025 23:02

I can’t stand it. People are so ill mannered. I wear AirPods on public transport largely so I can’t hear other people and their noise.

But then you can miss announcements…

ThatsNotMyTeen · 19/02/2025 23:03

JorgyPorgy · 19/02/2025 23:02

But then you can miss announcements…

Show quote history

Not had a problem, maybe I’ve been lucky so far!

mdinbc · 19/02/2025 23:03

Someone did this at the doctor's office the other day...just why? So rude.

flutterby1 · 19/02/2025 23:06

It's antisocial and shows self entitlement and is a big sign of societal decay , and de -civilisation lack of manners and etiquette. If the noise isn't bothering me then the lack of principle they have eats me inside. Buses in inner cities are awful for this and it's seen more in certain sections of society.

ErrolTheDragon · 19/02/2025 23:07

If you want to listen to something but also not miss announcements then just use a headphone in one ear.

Original poster
rosemarble · 19/02/2025 23:07

I'm talking this as permission to glare at them if they get off before me......

OP posts:
Mnetcurious · 19/02/2025 23:08

Yanbu. I’ve noticed it more and more in public places/transport and it’s so incredibly inconsiderate of others.

NorthernSpirit · 19/02/2025 23:16

This absolutely boils my piss. I think since Covid and people spending too much time on their own, many people have forgotten how to behave in public. Don’t even start me on people holding a phone like a Kardashian on the Apprentice having a telephone call on loud speaker in public.

Last week I was having dinner at a very nice restaurant in London when a girl on the table behind stated listening to something on her phone on loud speaker. After a few minutes I turned around and asked her if that was her and if so could she turn it off. She refused and had to be asked by the manager to turn it off.

I was at a coffee shop today and an older guy sat next to me working on a PC starts listening to music on loud speaker on his phone. I got up and asked him politely if he could pop some earphones in or turn it off. He quickly turned it off.

I’m not sure why he thought him listening to his shite music trumped everyone’s else’s enjoyment of having a quiet coffee.

God this country has gone to shit. This is absolutely not acceptable. Anyone who does this is selfish.

Original poster
rosemarble · 19/02/2025 23:18

3 more stops......

OP posts:
LaughingCat · 19/02/2025 23:30

Ohhhh…it’s my absolute bugbear. Talk on the phone, chat to people with you but if you want to scroll through bloody TikTok or listen to music, then wear some headphones. Manners don’t cost a penny. Totally with you, OP.

SodOffbacktoaibu · 19/02/2025 23:37

They're assholes. Tons of em around. In same category as the stinking vape monsters who force me to walk through clouds of stink. People shouldn't be forcing their noises or stinks on other people.

DonutCroissant · 19/02/2025 23:42

I just ask people politely to turn it down because it's disturbing or to put on headphones. I've never had anyone refuse or be rude. Most times they are apologetic.

I think it's important that everyone at least tries to ask if something antisocial is bothering them otherwise it just becomes normalised which is no good for anyone.

MyButter · 19/02/2025 23:46

Have a man on the same ward as me when I'm having chemo.

He thinks it's acceptable to call every member of his family on loudspeaker, while holding the phone up in the air so that everyone is disturbed.

He chats about the must mundane shit over and over then proceeds to call the same family members multiple times regarding the same issues. We are all pretty exhausted and wiped out and desperate for peace.

I had enough at one appointment and asked him if he had any headphones to use as I was desperately needing to rest and he was making me more ill with the constant chatting. He pretended he couldn't speak English so couldn't understand me! Wtf. I have literally sat there week after week listening to his shit chat (in English).

I told him he was just rude and asked to move away. Not been near him since thankfully however I still hear his calls down the hallway. Ignorant prick.

purpleme12 · 19/02/2025 23:48

It's really bad

I'm sure it happens more now

In a breakfast/, sandwich bar there's a mum and kid who goes and she puts a programme on for him.
I don't want to hear the programme he's watching!

HelenCurlyBrown · 19/02/2025 23:55

There world is full of absolute idiots with no manners. I say something - every single time. In trains, in cafes, once in A&E… I’ve yet to have a rude response.

We went out for lunch the other day and a young couple with a toddler sat near us, propped an iPad in front of the toddler and proceeded to play something out loud on it.

I went over with a smile on my face and said, ‘excuse me, you haven’t got your headphones plugged in, we can all hear that’ as if to imply they’d done it accidentally. They immediately turned the sound off.

HelenCurlyBrown · 19/02/2025 23:56

MyButter · 19/02/2025 23:46

Have a man on the same ward as me when I'm having chemo.

He thinks it's acceptable to call every member of his family on loudspeaker, while holding the phone up in the air so that everyone is disturbed.

He chats about the must mundane shit over and over then proceeds to call the same family members multiple times regarding the same issues. We are all pretty exhausted and wiped out and desperate for peace.

I had enough at one appointment and asked him if he had any headphones to use as I was desperately needing to rest and he was making me more ill with the constant chatting. He pretended he couldn't speak English so couldn't understand me! Wtf. I have literally sat there week after week listening to his shit chat (in English).

I told him he was just rude and asked to move away. Not been near him since thankfully however I still hear his calls down the hallway. Ignorant prick.

That is just outrageous. What an arsehole.

ZippyCat · 20/02/2025 00:00

Yeah it's annoying but you get it every where now I would be inclined to step up and say can you be quite joking but really theirs very little you can do

AnonymousRhinoceros · 20/02/2025 00:02

If you vote for me, I will have everyone who does this put to death. Or exiled to a place where they all think it's normal and can sit together on trains, playing their tiktoks loudly at each other.

Hall84 · 20/02/2025 00:04

I agree. I got up and moved further down the train just the other day for the same reason. DD5 sometimes has her tablet on trains/planes. No headphones = no sound.

Original poster
rosemarble · 20/02/2025 00:07

DonutCroissant · 19/02/2025 23:42

I just ask people politely to turn it down because it's disturbing or to put on headphones. I've never had anyone refuse or be rude. Most times they are apologetic.

I think it's important that everyone at least tries to ask if something antisocial is bothering them otherwise it just becomes normalised which is no good for anyone.

If I ad even on my own I would have asked, but DS2 (15) was with me and he would have hated me doing so.
Nb I override him in many situations but pick my battles.

OP posts:
yetanotherusername44 · 20/02/2025 00:07

Can we all start some sort of campaign against this?

Notgivenuphope · 20/02/2025 00:13

Totally unacceptable with no exceptions