Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

M. J. Powell wrote:
In message ,
steve writes

On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 19:31:14 +0000, Ivor Jones wrote:
I never understand this. Should conversations also be banned. I assume
the
motive is they you get frustrated by only being able to eavesdrop on on
half of the conversation - otherwise the 'campaign' would be about load
conversations not just phone conversations.

The point is that phone users speak more loudly than they would for a
normal conversation.

Mike

Some research suggests that people pay more attention when they only
hear one-half of the conversation:
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20040412.html

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Andrew Yarnwood wrote:
I have a proposal for dealing with (punishing) people who make loud
business phone calls on trains (or any other public transport). ("I'm
on the train ... buy! ... sell!")

Record the calls or make some note, especially if there's anything
that sounds confidential, and publish transcripts or summaries on the
web or a newsgroup.

One particularly obnoxious person managed to get me to react. Only one
so far.

This person had been conducting some business for some time (they had
some very borderline case for something or other, and definately
wouldn't take no for an answer, and it sounded vaguely like there was
some kind of fraudulent claim or application going on), and the whole
carriage was getting rather tired of it. I'd couldn't even get away from
it by listening to some music - the person's voice was that piercing.

Anyway, some poor old lady decided to ask the woman politely to stop.
The woman completely ignored her, and continued her debating via the
phone. She didn't even acknowledge that the old lady was trying to
communicate with her. It got to the point where the old lady tapped her
on the shoulder, just to get some kind of acknowledgement that she was
there - at which point, the woman on the phone accused her of assault.
The old lady tried valiantly to argue her corner, but when she wasn't
physically in contact with the woman, she was ignored, and when she was,
she was accused of assault. So eventually she gave up.

The rules of this game appear to be: be as annoying as possible to the
woman, but without any physical contact. I can work with that :¬)

An ordinary walkman in-ear style earpiece, dangled within 1-2cm of the
phone mic seemed to work quite well. Small, easy to maneuver, easy to
place accurately. No danger of actual contact. She tried to stonewall me
too - but this was to my advantage, not hers, as I'm sure the other
person had no idea what she was saying. I was quite content to listen to
the song. The challenge is to pick something with a strong riff, some
memorable changes, and not something that can be easily filtered out -
i.e. not just typical clubbers' noise.

For added effect, the other earpiece can be dangled next to the free
ear, so she can't clearly hear what the other person is saying either.

Five minutes, and she was off the phone. Never said a word to me. The
old lady did though, she was most thankful :¬)

James Moody
--
aka: Major Denis Bloodnok | (¯\
ICQ: 7000473 | \ \ /¯)
http://www.vsr.org.uk | \ \___/ /
No more can they keep us in | |/ _)| )
Listen, damn it, we will win | ( (|_| )
They see it right, they see it well | \ /
But they think this saves us from our hell | |====|

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"Cheeky" wrote in message
...
On 16 Nov 2005 10:50:51 -0800, wrote:


There are mobile phone jammers available from electrical retailers, but
they cost up to £200.

Still, it would be worth the money just to watch the misery on the
callers face as they try and figure out why their call keeps cutting
out.

Alternatively just have a ride on one of Branson's trains. You'll get
the same without shelling out £200...

That assumes you don't need an Open ticket ;-)

Peter

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Gavin Hamilton wrote:
A friend of mine suggested a small device that transmitted the sound
of a low flying aircraft on bluetooth frequencies - it would be
exceedingly amusing to watch those with bluetootehed mobile phones
diving for cover - in the office :-)

One day we'll work out how to make one..........

G

I'm pretty sure this isn't possible because:
1. The signal received by the earpiece from the "small device" would
have to be stronger than the signal received from the phone
2. The "low flying aircraft" data frames would have to be aligned with
genuine data frames
3. Any encryption would have to be mimicked
4. The frequency hopping pattern would need to be known
5. The computer misuse act would need to change

The best you could hope for is to provide hostile interference which
could jam the signals between phone and headset. Problem with this is
that bluetooth uses frequency hopping because it is intended for use in
a congested frequency spectrum (the unlicensed band)

On the topic of mobile phone jammers... The UK government charges
mobile phone companies a lot of money to license the frequencies hence
I doubt they are going to legalise any form of unrestricted broadcast
over them

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 12:20:32 +0000, "N.I.B."
wrote:

wrote:
Evil, good but evil.

Now can you come up with a way to deal with screaming brats and larger
louts.


It's the smaller louts that I can't stand.

I must say, I'm impressed by the way that three different people made
substantively the same comment so close together :)

--
James Farrar
. @gmail.com

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"steve" wrote in message

On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 19:31:14 +0000, Ivor Jones wrote:



"Jon" wrote in message
et
declared for all the world to hear...
Suggestions?

Sit in the quiet carriage.

But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The
whole train should be phone-free. As should buses for
that matter.

I never understand this. Should conversations also be
banned. I assume the motive is they you get frustrated by
only being able to eavesdrop on on half of the
conversation - otherwise the 'campaign' would be about
load conversations not just phone conversations.

Have you never taken the time to note the difference in people's behaviour
when talking on the phone..? If you are sitting next to someone and
talking to them, you naturally keep your voice at the minimum level
required for them to hear you. On the phone, people tend to shout.

Ivor

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

I have the fortunate ability to stop people on their mobile phones quite
easily!
Might have something to do with the fact I am a 6' 10" rugby player who
works out in the gym 5 times a week !
They take 1 look at me and usually end their call pretty quickly.
Cant think why?
--

Aaron

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Meeeee wrote:
Andrew Yarnwood wrote:

I have a proposal for dealing with (punishing) people who make loud
business phone calls on trains (or any other public transport). ("I'm
on the train ... buy! ... sell!")

Record the calls or make some note, especially if there's anything
that sounds confidential, and publish transcripts or summaries on the
web or a newsgroup.



A far worse menace these days are the idiots who play music on their
phones via the loud speaker. It's worse than the walkman/Ipod tinny
hissing noise as these people really do think everyone else wants to
hear their (normally 'urban') music.

I should really get together some MP3s of very loud classical music to
counteract it, either that or develop a portable antinoise generator


And it is NEVER anything good; it's always noisy and obnoxious and
completely and utterly senseless. This is why I avoid public transport
during school starting/finishing times or during the holidays. Doesn't
always work though unfortunately. Worse still is that crazy frog.
Working in the music section in a supermarket means I had that rammed
down my neck for weeks on the promotional video, followed by the bus
trip to/from work from some low intellects who would play it repeatedly
for a good half hour and still find it funny after the 50th time.

Jamie

Plan for dealing with large bullies on trains?
 

Nozomi Warrior 2005 wrote:
I have the fortunate ability to stop people on their mobile phones quite
easily!
Might have something to do with the fact I am a 6' 10" rugby player who
works out in the gym 5 times a week !
They take 1 look at me and usually end their call pretty quickly.
Cant think why?
--

Aaron

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

sad pathetic individual with a massive chip on his shoulder !!

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Ivor Jones wrote:

Sit in the quiet carriage.


But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The whole train should be
phone-free. As should buses for that matter.

And what about standing in queues at the ATM - they should be mobile
free zones.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Andrew Yarnwood wrote:
I have a proposal for dealing with (punishing) people who make loud
business phone calls on trains (or any other public transport). ("I'm
on the train ... buy! ... sell!")

Record the calls or make some note, especially if there's anything
that sounds confidential, and publish transcripts or summaries on the
web or a newsgroup.

Comments?
Suggestions?
Does a site or newsgroup already exist for this?

I've had these in my bag for a while, never used one in anger though
:o)

http://www.coudal.com/shhh.php

--
Doug
"Doug's cool. He's metal ;)" - Fnook
Ignore the old spamtrap work address; mail me on: doug at fruitloaf dot
net
http://suicidegirls.com/?hungrydoug

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

One plan would be to allow you to book the quiet carriage (or a loud
one) on qjump / thetrainline etc. I want to be able to use my mobile on
the train, but I invariably get allocated the flippin' "quiet carriage"
which even without the mobiles seems pretty noisy to me.
Regards
Kevin

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"GazK" wrote in message
ups.com...
Not sure about "larger louts" (seems a bit fattist to me) but screaming
brats, or "children" as we call them, have as much right to be on a
train as you do (assuming they are not in the quiet carriage). With the
best will in the world, children sometimes make loud unexpected noises
and even responsible parents cannot - and indeed should not - expect
them to remain mute on a long train journey.

Incorrect. Anyone, and I do mean anyone, who acts in a fashion resulting in
other peoples' journeys being adverseley affected should not travel. If
they're a kid, then it's their parent's fault. Kids do not have carte
blanche to run around ****ing everyone else off. No-one's saying they
should remain mute, but if they're being noisy, there's no excuse.


wrote:
Evil, good but evil.

Now can you come up with a way to deal with screaming brats and larger
louts.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"Ivor Jones" wrote in message
...


"Jon" wrote in message
et
declared for all the world to hear...
Suggestions?

Sit in the quiet carriage.

But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The whole train should be
phone-free. As should buses for that matter.

There should be a "Noisy carriage", with the rest of the train being silent.
That way screaming kids can go **** phone users off. Everyone wins.

Ivor

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"Andrew Yarnwood" wrote in message
...
I have a proposal for dealing with (punishing) people who make loud
business phone calls on trains (or any other public transport). ("I'm
on the train ... buy! ... sell!")

Record the calls or make some note, especially if there's anything
that sounds confidential, and publish transcripts or summaries on the
web or a newsgroup.

Comments?
Suggestions?
Does a site or newsgroup already exist for this?

Discuss their conversation like it's an episode of Coronation
Street/Eastenders/Whatever, staring intently at them, hanging off their
every word. I did that to some lady on the bus who decided she wanted to
hold a conversation on her phone AND her husband simultaneously (he was 4
rows away, at the back of the bus). My wife and I were taking the **** out
of her for a minute or two before she hung up. Stupid woman.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

I don't know but it never ceases to amaze me why all the really noisy
and annoying people seem to make a bee-line for the Quiet Carriage.
When I was commuting through South Wales on FGW recently it was
typically the noisiest place on the train. Ggggrrrrrr!

Andy

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

James Farrar wrote:
I must say, I'm impressed by the way that three different people made
substantively the same comment so close together :)


It's not great minds thinking alike, I can assure you of that much.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 19:31:14 -0000, "Ivor Jones"
wrote:

But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The whole train should be
phone-free. As should buses for that matter.

Yes dear. Some of us are on that train not for the pure pleasure of
travel, but because we're rushing around trying to make a living.
Customers need attention NOW. Or they go elsewhere. It's a
privilege to have employment now. Let us get on with it.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Laurence Payne wrote:
On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 19:31:14 -0000, "Ivor Jones"
wrote:

But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The whole train
should be phone-free. As should buses for that matter.

Yes dear. Some of us are on that train not for the pure pleasure of
travel, but because we're rushing around trying to make a living.
Customers need attention NOW. Or they go elsewhere. It's a
privilege to have employment now. Let us get on with it.

I don't think anyone has a serious problem with you getting with your
business. It when you inflict it on those who are trying to go about their
business that problems arise.

Other people's business might well include trying to catch up on some sleep
because their self-centered/incompetent "business partner" has kept them up
all night.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

There are mobile phone jammers available from electrical retailers, but
they cost up to £200.

Still, it would be worth the money just to watch the misery on the
callers face as they try and figure out why their call keeps cutting
out.

Try http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/yo50.htm

They're illegal in the UK and far too powerful for train use. I
wouldn't want to interfere with non-obnoxious mobile users (texting
with low volume ringers). I'd like something with a short range and
directional, so I could more or less disconnect one mobile at a time.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Meeeee wrote:
I should really get together some MP3s of very loud classical music to
counteract it, either that or develop a portable antinoise generator

I have a CD of Olivier Messiaen organ music kept in the car for just
that reason*. If an XR3i with bowel-worryingly aggressive speakers
pulls up alongside, "music" going "thud, thud, thud" in such a way that
you can hear it from the next county, I just roll back the roof
(Citroen C3 Pluriel) and let M Messiaen do his worst.

I suspect there are probably specific by-laws prohibiting the playing
of Messiaen on trains, though.

Richard

* I do rather like it, as well.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

wrote:
There are mobile phone jammers available from electrical retailers, but
they cost up to £200.

Still, it would be worth the money just to watch the misery on the
callers face as they try and figure out why their call keeps cutting
out.

Try http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/yo50.htm

From that website:

Note for UK customers: Cell phone jamming equipment is illegal to use
in the UK as it violates sections 1 & 13 of the 1949 telegraphy act, we
are therefore unable to supply cell phone jammers to any UK customer
with the exception of certain military and government departments who
have the necessary authorisation from the UK Office of Communications
(Ofcom). Please note that no exceptions can be made on this policy.

Oh well, we can dream anyway!

Phil

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"Andrew Yarnwood" wrote in message
...
There are mobile phone jammers available from electrical retailers, but
they cost up to £200.

Still, it would be worth the money just to watch the misery on the
callers face as they try and figure out why their call keeps cutting
out.

Try http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/yo50.htm

They're illegal in the UK and far too powerful for train use. I
wouldn't want to interfere with non-obnoxious mobile users (texting
with low volume ringers). I'd like something with a short range and
directional, so I could more or less disconnect one mobile at a time.

It's called a taser :)

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"Brimstone" wrote in message
...
Laurence Payne wrote:
On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 19:31:14 -0000, "Ivor Jones"
wrote:

But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The whole train
should be phone-free. As should buses for that matter.

Yes dear. Some of us are on that train not for the pure pleasure of
travel, but because we're rushing around trying to make a living.
Customers need attention NOW. Or they go elsewhere. It's a
privilege to have employment now. Let us get on with it.

I don't think anyone has a serious problem with you getting with your
business. It when you inflict it on those who are trying to go about their
business that problems arise.

Other people's business might well include trying to catch up on some
sleep because their self-centered/incompetent "business partner" has kept
them up all night.

Exactly :)

I don't care what people do on trains/busses/in public as long as it doesn't
affect other people. As soon as that happens, the perpetrator has
over-stepped the mark, and should stop.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 10:29:55 GMT, "d" wrote:

"Ivor Jones" wrote in message
...


"Jon" wrote in message
et
declared for all the world to hear...
Suggestions?

Sit in the quiet carriage.

But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The whole train should be
phone-free. As should buses for that matter.

There should be a "Noisy carriage", with the rest of the train being silent.
That way screaming kids can go **** phone users off. Everyone wins.

Ivor




The trains here only have 2 carriages and there so noisy you can't
hear your phone anyway

--

http://Borg.no-ip.com

XJ900 Trike GS850 Trike
DIAABTCOD#29
DAMICRWIM

Some people are like slinkys....
no real use but it makes you smile when they fall down stairs!

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"BORG" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 10:29:55 GMT, "d" wrote:

"Ivor Jones" wrote in message
...


"Jon" wrote in message
et
declared for all the world to hear...
Suggestions?

Sit in the quiet carriage.

But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The whole train should
be
phone-free. As should buses for that matter.

There should be a "Noisy carriage", with the rest of the train being
silent.
That way screaming kids can go **** phone users off. Everyone wins.

Ivor




The trains here only have 2 carriages and there so noisy you can't
hear your phone anyway

That's why phones have a vibrate option. Frankly, why people have audible
ringers on their phones when they're in their pocket is beyond me... :)

--

http://Borg.no-ip.com

XJ900 Trike GS850 Trike
DIAABTCOD#29
DAMICRWIM

Some people are like slinkys....
no real use but it makes you smile when they fall down stairs!

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The whole train
should be phone-free.
-----------------------------------

The development of this thread has taken me back 20 years
or so, to when I was British Telecom's Business Systems
Manager at Warrington and also an active writer/photographer
for RAIL and other rail enthusiast magazines.

I was on a BR (Provincial?) press trip from Sheffield to Liverpool
on the prototype Met-Camm Class 151 dmu --- during which we
ceremoniously 'opened' the then new Hazel Grove chord line.
I seem to remember that Bob Goundry himself cut the tape.

I had in my possession my then brand new Motorola 'brick' mobile
phone, which had just been distributed to BT managers, along with an
'open account', chargeable to publicity. It was called a 'brick'
phone because it looked like one, felt like one & was nearly as
heavy! We were encouraged to use it whenever we were out and about
and offer its use to anybody in business who might like to try it.

The maximum endurance of this early mobile phone was 30 mins
talk time and 10 hours standby but I had spare batteries for it so
I demonstrated it to both the BR management on board and
to fellow journalists. They flattened the first battery 'phoning the
office', but in the case of two evening paper hacks, this got their
'copy' into the last editions that same night!

I returned home with dozens of enquiries and business cards
in my pocket which I passed on to our BT Sales Dept. next day,
since I was an engineer. I also arranged for the loan of some demo
mobile phones to BR's Liverpool management, from which BT Sales
did extremely well not long afterwards. BT Engineers didn't earn any
commission but the sales people did, resulting in me and 3 of my top
technical staff being treated to a slap-up meal a few weeks later!

Next time you are overwhelmed by on-train mobile phone chatter,
remember who *may* just have started it all! :-) :-) :-)

{Sorry lads, I'm returning to my bunker now...}.


Regards,

DigitisED (Eddie Bellass)

Mythical Merseyside, in the Occupied Territories
of Old Lancashire, United Kingdom.

Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free and checked
by a leading anti-virus system - updated continuously.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"Eddie Bellass" wrote in message
...
But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The whole train
should be phone-free.
-----------------------------------

The development of this thread has taken me back 20 years
or so, to when I was British Telecom's Business Systems
Manager at Warrington and also an active writer/photographer
for RAIL and other rail enthusiast magazines.

I was on a BR (Provincial?) press trip from Sheffield to Liverpool
on the prototype Met-Camm Class 151 dmu --- during which we
ceremoniously 'opened' the then new Hazel Grove chord line.
I seem to remember that Bob Goundry himself cut the tape.

I had in my possession my then brand new Motorola 'brick' mobile
phone, which had just been distributed to BT managers, along with an
'open account', chargeable to publicity. It was called a 'brick'
phone because it looked like one, felt like one & was nearly as
heavy! We were encouraged to use it whenever we were out and about
and offer its use to anybody in business who might like to try it.

The maximum endurance of this early mobile phone was 30 mins
talk time and 10 hours standby but I had spare batteries for it so
I demonstrated it to both the BR management on board and
to fellow journalists. They flattened the first battery 'phoning the
office', but in the case of two evening paper hacks, this got their
'copy' into the last editions that same night!

I returned home with dozens of enquiries and business cards
in my pocket which I passed on to our BT Sales Dept. next day,
since I was an engineer. I also arranged for the loan of some demo
mobile phones to BR's Liverpool management, from which BT Sales
did extremely well not long afterwards. BT Engineers didn't earn any
commission but the sales people did, resulting in me and 3 of my top
technical staff being treated to a slap-up meal a few weeks later!

Next time you are overwhelmed by on-train mobile phone chatter,
remember who *may* just have started it all! :-) :-) :-)

{Sorry lads, I'm returning to my bunker now...}.


Regards,

DigitisED (Eddie Bellass)


WHY!!!! WHYYYYYY!!!! GAAAAH! :-P

hehehe

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

In message , at 14:02:52
on Thu, 17 Nov 2005, d remarked:
I don't care what people do on trains/busses/in public as long as it doesn't
affect other people. As soon as that happens, the perpetrator has
over-stepped the mark, and should stop.

So if someone insists on silence, and that affects someone who has an
important phone call to make...

--
Roland Perry

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at
14:02:52 on Thu, 17 Nov 2005, d remarked:
I don't care what people do on trains/busses/in public as long as it
doesn't affect other people. As soon as that happens, the
perpetrator has over-stepped the mark, and should stop.

So if someone insists on silence, and that affects someone who has an
important phone call to make...

Tough ****.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:02:52 GMT, "d" wrote:


I don't care what people do on trains/busses/in public as long as it doesn't
affect other people. As soon as that happens, the perpetrator has
over-stepped the mark, and should stop.

There's affecting and affecting. I detect an urge to ban things. A
mind-set that won't laugh off a minor annoyance.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

Laurence Payne wrote:
On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:02:52 GMT, "d" wrote:


I don't care what people do on trains/busses/in public as long as it
doesn't affect other people. As soon as that happens, the
perpetrator has over-stepped the mark, and should stop.

There's affecting and affecting. I detect an urge to ban things. A
mind-set that won't laugh off a minor annoyance.

The only reason that restrictions are imposed is because a minority of
people can't or won't show respect and consideration for others.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

In message , Roland
Perry writes
In message , at
14:02:52 on Thu, 17 Nov 2005, d remarked:
I don't care what people do on trains/busses/in public as long as it doesn't
affect other people. As soon as that happens, the perpetrator has
over-stepped the mark, and should stop.

So if someone insists on silence, and that affects someone who has an
important phone call to make...

If it was that important why wait until you're on a bus/train. Make it
before you leave.

Mike
--
M.J.Powell

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"Laurence Payne"
wrote in message

On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 19:31:14 -0000, "Ivor Jones"
wrote:

But there isn't room for *all* of us in there..! The
whole train should be phone-free. As should buses for
that matter.

Yes dear. Some of us are on that train not for the pure
pleasure of travel, but because we're rushing around
trying to make a living. Customers need attention NOW.
Or they go elsewhere. It's a privilege to have
employment now. Let us get on with it.

How did you ever manage in business before mobile phones were invented,
"dear"..?

Incidentally, my living is driving buses, I don't see why I should spend
my entire working day subjected to other people's noisy conversations. Or
shall I come and park myself in your office all day and make phone
calls..?

Ivor

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

"Laurence Payne"
wrote in message

On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:02:52 GMT, "d"
wrote:


I don't care what people do on trains/busses/in public
as long as it doesn't affect other people. As soon as
that happens, the perpetrator has over-stepped the
mark, and should stop.

There's affecting and affecting. I detect an urge to
ban things. A mind-set that won't laugh off a minor
annoyance.

It's not a minor annoyance when you're subject to it for seven hours or
more a day. See my other post in this thread.

Ivor

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:35:08 -0000, "Ivor Jones"
wrote:

Or they go elsewhere. It's a privilege to have
employment now. Let us get on with it.

How did you ever manage in business before mobile phones were invented,
"dear"..?

How did you make a living before 'busses were invented?

There was a time when you could say "I'm not ruining my front door by
cutting out a letter-box!". When you could say "I refuse to install
a 'phone! If they want me, let them write!". When not having an
answering machine, a fax, email were possible options. When you
could say "I'm traveling today. I'll be out of touch for several
hours!".

None of these are currently possible. Tough, ain't it?




Incidentally, my living is driving buses, I don't see why I should spend
my entire working day subjected to other people's noisy conversations. Or
shall I come and park myself in your office all day and make phone
calls..?

A bad analogy, and you know it.

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

In message , at
22:27:29 on Thu, 17 Nov 2005, Brimstone
remarked:
I don't care what people do on trains/busses/in public as long as it
doesn't affect other people. As soon as that happens, the
perpetrator has over-stepped the mark, and should stop.

So if someone insists on silence, and that affects someone who has an
important phone call to make...

Tough ****.

Glad we got that one sorted. Tough **** can work both ways, of course.
--
Roland Perry

Plan for dealing with obnoxious phone calls on trains?
 

In message , at 23:10:34 on Thu,
17 Nov 2005, M. J. Powell remarked:
So if someone insists on silence, and that affects someone who has an
important phone call to make...

If it was that important why wait until you're on a bus/train. Make it
before you leave.

You may be on the train, which like one I was travelling to London on
recently, grinds to a halt for twenty minutes just before arriving at
the terminus (it eventually got to West Hampstead and turned everyone
off to trudge to the tube station in the rain). You may need to warn
people you are late.

Catch an earlier train, I hear you starting to say. Well, sadly, I find
I do have to anyway because of their unreliability, and infrequency. I
live on a route with effectively one per hour. Although I can get from
the terminus to the meeting in 30 minutes, I do need to catch the train
which gets me to the terminus at 12.15 for a 2pm meeting, because the
1.15 is cutting it too fine.

Meanwhile, the world does not stop revolving when you are on a train - I
was halfway to London on a two hour train journey yesterday when one of
the co-organisers of the meeting I was going to rang me to ask an
important procedural question. Fifty other people could have been
inconvenienced if I had been unable to answer it promptly.

What, I hear you ask, would I have done before the days of mobile
phones? I've had one since 1988, so we are going back a fair way, but
the answer is that I employed a fulltime secretary to organise such
things for me when I was otherwise uncontactable, and whose job it was
to make sure that when I went out she knew the landline numbers of
everywhere I was likely to be (and the names of the secretaries of all
the people I was visiting).

This has all changed in the name of "greater efficiency and
productivity", and people are more demanding, too.
--
Roland Perry