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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To play audio on my phone on train?

183 replies

ThreeWordUsername · 17/01/2026 23:00

Would IBU to start loudly playing some ads for headphones from my crappy tinny phone speakers on the train?

Given the number of other people blaring shite from their own they are unlikely to be affected much tbh.

OP posts:
landlordhell · 18/01/2026 08:55

NoSoapJustUseShowerGel · 18/01/2026 08:48

Hope you corrected her that she was the rude one?
All the receptionists need to do is put up a notice saying “in consideration of staff and patients, please do not play audio from your phone or tablet without headphones” then direct people’s attention to it if incidents arise.

This attitude of the receptionist is dire. It’s their waiting room, set a standard!!

Bluesclues1 · 18/01/2026 08:58

i was sat behind 2 children both playing games at full volume on an 8 hour flight over Christmas. Parents did fuck all

IwannaspendchristmasontheM5 · 18/01/2026 08:59

I need Rammstein on full blast now and I'm at home indoors [detatched property though, elderly and hard of hearing both sides]😆🤘

Blueuggboots · 18/01/2026 08:59

I tell people to turn it off/down/tell them to use earphones. Don’t just sit there and take it!?

landlordhell · 18/01/2026 09:00

Blueuggboots · 18/01/2026 08:59

I tell people to turn it off/down/tell them to use earphones. Don’t just sit there and take it!?

Not with the aggression and violence that prevails these days.

Bikergran · 18/01/2026 09:00

CrispySquid · 17/01/2026 23:02

I generally consider myself a reasonable person, but I do think people who play stuff loudly on their phones on public transport should receive the death penalty.

Hung, drawn and quartered, in public, to discourage others!

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 18/01/2026 09:00

BunfightBetty · 18/01/2026 00:07

Far too much of this around - I think some are entitled, others are just oblivious, and haven't been brought up properly.

Instant £1000 fine would sort it.

Yes,

And lifeline ban from public transport.

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 18/01/2026 09:01

Bikergran · 18/01/2026 09:00

Hung, drawn and quartered, in public, to discourage others!

Or maybe this suggestion might be better than just a fine.

Alltheyellowbirds · 18/01/2026 09:01

I was on a two hour bus journey recently and one of the passengers was watching game shows or something on his phone. No headphones, full volume. The entire journey.

Blew my mind. Of course no-one said anything because we’re British but there was lots of head-turning and glaring which he totally ignored.

NoSoapJustUseShowerGel · 18/01/2026 09:03

Bluesclues1 · 18/01/2026 08:58

i was sat behind 2 children both playing games at full volume on an 8 hour flight over Christmas. Parents did fuck all

“Parents did fuck all”
And what about you? I’d have been tapping them on the shoulder and asking them to turn the volume off or use headphones. No way would I have put up with it for an entire flight.

cariadlet · 18/01/2026 09:03

A widespread campaign against noise pollution, like there have been to promote the use of seat belts and to stop drink driving, is a good idea and could potentially shift attitudes. I have seen a real societal shift in those 2 areas in my lifetime. There are still people who don't bother with seat belts and who drink and drive but they are outliers.

Until that happens, people will only stop blasting out noise on their phones if other people step up and speak out. I understand that the thought of confrontation can make people anxious. I wouldn't expect anyone who has previously been abused for asking someone to use headphones to do so again if they didn't feel able to.

But I do get really frustrated when so many people hate it but just sit and seethe instead of using their voices. Those of us who do ask people to use headphones find that everyone/virtually everyone we ask will do so. Some will be apologetic. Some will be grumpy. But generally, they do as they're told.

I'm a teacher and we often get reminded on INSETs that behaviour we ignore is behaviour we condone. The same is absolutely true outside of schools.

LakieLady · 18/01/2026 09:04

CrispySquid · 17/01/2026 23:02

I generally consider myself a reasonable person, but I do think people who play stuff loudly on their phones on public transport should receive the death penalty.

I wouldn't go quite that far, but I think travellers enduring awful tinny music played by selfish arseholes should be allowed to grab their phones and stomp on them until the noise stops.

Just use headphones, for fuck's sake.

ElevensesKing · 18/01/2026 09:05

landlordhell · 18/01/2026 08:53

👍🏻😂

@landlordhell they'll be doing the nation a public service and should be nominated for an award! 😀

I might email their agents and suggest the topic for their next show! I hate listening to loud audio on the tube, I once had to listen to a bollywood film all the way to work. Oh and another horrific conversation was listening to a woman talk to her Dr about gynecology issues. Ffs on a public train, people have no self awareness nowadays.

Theeyeballsinthesky · 18/01/2026 09:06

There are people out there who think "policing" people's "right" to play their music/crappy tik tok videos out loud is massively unreasonable

they walk among us....

PistachioTiramisu · 18/01/2026 09:06

Extremely rude and discourteous behaviour. It made me think though - why do so many people have to be 'entertained' the whole time? Do they never want to just sit in silence and think or read a book? I hate it that you can't go anywhere any more where there isn't music playing - pubs, restaurants, supermarkets, dentist or doctor, hairdresser, etc. It's not necessary.

Zanatdy · 18/01/2026 09:07

Its so annoying isn’t it. I stand near the train doors now as cannot stand the selfish idiots who play volume out load and cough and splutter everywhere or do this disgusting sniff (get a bloody tissue).

landlordhell · 18/01/2026 09:08

cariadlet · 18/01/2026 09:03

A widespread campaign against noise pollution, like there have been to promote the use of seat belts and to stop drink driving, is a good idea and could potentially shift attitudes. I have seen a real societal shift in those 2 areas in my lifetime. There are still people who don't bother with seat belts and who drink and drive but they are outliers.

Until that happens, people will only stop blasting out noise on their phones if other people step up and speak out. I understand that the thought of confrontation can make people anxious. I wouldn't expect anyone who has previously been abused for asking someone to use headphones to do so again if they didn't feel able to.

But I do get really frustrated when so many people hate it but just sit and seethe instead of using their voices. Those of us who do ask people to use headphones find that everyone/virtually everyone we ask will do so. Some will be apologetic. Some will be grumpy. But generally, they do as they're told.

I'm a teacher and we often get reminded on INSETs that behaviour we ignore is behaviour we condone. The same is absolutely true outside of schools.

Do the train companies send out customer surveys?? I wonder if anyone who works for them is reading this thread. Such a simple thing to do. As well as See it, Say it, Sort it we could have Play it, Mute it, Sort it or Play it, Risk it, Smash it? 😂

Theeyeballsinthesky · 18/01/2026 09:09

I don't disagree with what you say @cariadlet but

A widespread campaign against noise pollution, like there have been to promote the use of seat belts and to stop drink driving, is a good idea and could potentially shift attitudes. I have seen a real societal shift in those 2 areas in my lifetime. There are still people who don't bother with seat belts and who drink and drive but they are outliers.

driving without wearing a seatbelt and drinkig and driving are both illegal and so there are penalties (stick) to back to the campaigns (carrot) is ppl playing their music out loud on public transport illegal? I genuinely don't know if it is or not or whether it comes under catch all public nuisance?

landlordhell · 18/01/2026 09:11

The public announcement in cinemas is well known and most comply. That’s all that is needed.

MyLimeGuide · 18/01/2026 09:11

ThreeWordUsername · 17/01/2026 23:05

I'm not seriously going to do it but for fuck's sake they're driving me insane. Who the hell thinks this is an OK thing to do in a shared space? (Answer: about half the train apparently)

50% sounds about right. In my experience 50% of humans are utter dicks.

acorncrush · 18/01/2026 09:13

I don’t understand some teenagers now using their phone on speaker, held out in front of them like they’re on the Apprentice. Turn the speaker off and hold it up to your face!!

Hereagain2 · 18/01/2026 09:15

ThreeWordUsername · 17/01/2026 23:00

Would IBU to start loudly playing some ads for headphones from my crappy tinny phone speakers on the train?

Given the number of other people blaring shite from their own they are unlikely to be affected much tbh.

I know you’re not serious 🤣

Flowerlovinglady · 18/01/2026 09:18

This reminded me of a train ride recently where in a virtually empty carriage, the guy directly behind me was watching something on his laptop with no headphones. I moved to get away from him but I did think, the social contract is breaking down here as it used to be just the occasional anti-social idiot but now it just seems to be Okay not to consider anyone but yourself in a public space.

AgnesMcDoo · 18/01/2026 09:19

They won’t care

fairislecable · 18/01/2026 09:19

I rarely travel by train and the first section of the journey was in standard. A man over the aisle from me had a full volume video call with his girlfriend discussing his imminent appearance in court for robbery! She pointed out he was likely to go down as the last time he had pushed someone in the river and stolen their phone!

The second part of the trip was in first class every one was so quiet. One man got up to take a call and said ‘hang on I will go to where I can speak’. He left the carriage.

It was such a huge contrast it felt like the train company had made the standard class so uncomfortable everyone would pay for first.

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