Rude woman on the bus, WWYD?

[DontReinMeIn]

Last night I got on the bus like normal, there was a guy watching the news out loud without headphones on. It was annoying but it is what it is, you can’t force someone to put headphones on, so I put my AirPods in and that was that.

a couple of stops later an older woman (probably 50-ish?), got on and goes straight up to the man, starts jabbing him and shouting at him to turn it off, because the news was now about Trump and a speech he made and the woman “can’t bear to listen to it”. The man said no and turned back to his phone. She started screaming hysterically about the fact she can’t stand Trump, shouldn’t be subjected to listening to him in a public place, and demanding that the bus driver remove him from the bus.

The driver refused and told her that she needed to sit down or get off, as he couldn’t continue his route with her being disruptive. She sat down, but was crying loudly and told every single person that got on about what had happened, how she was so much better than that man and criticising everyone else on the bus for not “speaking up” about him listening to it.

AIBU to think I should’ve just told her to shut up? Looking back I regret it because as much as I dislike Trump (and people not using headphones on public transport), the man wasn’t actually doing anything wrong and shouldn’t have been attacked like he was.

You lost me at ‘older lady, probably 50 ish’ sorry 🥱

No, low voices are fine.
BTW he retaliated by not turning off the phone, especially if he thought for a moment that the lady was unstable.

Ok so if noise is part of public transport, in your view we can all get on at blast whatever music we like out of whatever portable device we like at 90 decibels?!

Yes he did, he had the sound up loud

It wouldn’t really bother me to be honest. Like someone said it might be an age thing. I’m happy to just stick my AirPods in and read my book

Yes preferably.

Thankyou so much for speaking up to those people. Their obliviousness/disregard is astonishing and painful.

We all need to support one another in Upholding civilised standards of behaviour, for our wellbeing as a society.

Well that is quite ageist actually as most people over a certain age are unlikely to have AirPods. Just because you are ok with it doesn’t mean others are, you cannot consent on behalf of others. Thankfully most people take a dim view of people with no manners.

Your passive complacency is sad.

"He didn’t do anything wrong", except - as we all keep telling you - he did!

Her disproportionate reaction was also wrong of course, but that kind of noise pollution and being inconsiderate of other passengers IS wrong, whether you want to accept it or not.

Okay, it’s ageist of me to own AirPods? My dad in his 70s owns them! Other earphones are available, of course.

The man was rude and selfish. Public transport is full of twats like him, which is why I avoid it unless strictly necessary. Which is a shame for the environment tbh.

I feel sorry for the woman and if it was me, I would have sympathised with her and agreed that the man was a bellend.

Of course not, clearly got mh issues.

You're being deliberately obtuse now. Where did anyone say being physically violent is ok? No-one is condoning what the woman did either, BOTH of them were wrong.

I think it is so sad that people are prepared to just accept antisocial behaviour by blocking it out. Imagine if every person on that bus had their phone playing at the same volume. No-one would be able to hear what they are listening to and it would be unbearable.

I would have stood by the woman on that bus. She was right to challenge it.

It feels like a lot of people think that watching the video is worse! Again, it’s probably an age thing because it really doesn’t bother me at all.

i didn’t realise being in my 50’s made me an old lady (shuffles off to wait for death)

I think it's probably a 'strength of character' thing. You are happy to put up with any shit and let people walk all over you, whereas others have a sense of decency, want people to respect each other and are happy to speak up.

You said "im just baffled that people think it’s okay to be physically violent" but no one does.

Ps it's not an age thing, it's a manners thing. My teenagers know it's not ok.

What has age got to do with it? Are you implying that younger people have worse manners?

If everyone were playing music at 90 decibels the driver would be dangerously distracted and normal conversation between passengers would be impossible.

But hey, you’ve got your AirPods and your book so why should you care, eh?

God, yes. That would be the dream.

I don't want to hear someone's shit music, or their tedious phone conversation about their boss, or some kid playing a video game with the sound up. Also I am ND which makes it all MUCH worse. I realise I can't have my dream of silent public transport, but it would be nice if people so much as considered those around them instead of doing exactly what they want, no matter how annoying, all the time.

Multiple other people have suggested the same thing - that younger people just don’t seem to be that bothered

That’s a generalisation and a half. In reality I just like to use my commute to listen to music, read and do stuff online like planning trips. I couldn’t care less what other people were doing

this may be the crux of the issue. People have no idea how to behave in public.

At least most of us old biddies know how to behave in public. (am waiting for the onslaught of evidence that we old biddies are all obnoxious eejits in need of an ASBO and a care home)

I liked the idea of fighting with fire. I will find some lovely shouty metal core to play next time someone else is playing loud music on the bus. I will cup my hand to my ear and say "eh? speak up laddie, i can't hear you over this Architects track, isn't it a banger" to anyone who approaches me.

Or. And i have done this when with a few others before, join the loud phone conversation. Or talk about it very loudly "oh he DID NOT do that?! i would do xxx"

And there's the ageism again. 🙄