Thank goodness it's almost the weekend!
Is it just me?
I just can't remember this happening EVER before - and now 4 times in past few months!
Always on the way home, never in the morning.
Last night on my way home I was reading my book on the tube (also known as the London oven - WOW it was hot!) and someone on my carriage was blasting music out of their mobile phone. Now, I'm not an overly sensitive person - people talking, headphones too loud, talking on your mobile - all normal tube stuff NOT to get stressed over. BUT, lately the 'cool' thing for teenagers to do is to play music out loud on their mobile in a crowded tube carriage.
I admit, I did like the song she was playing, but it was so disrespectful to the rest of us stuck in a small space with her. I reread the same sentence in my book a bunch of times and finally leaned forward to see if I could see who's mobile it was. I couldn't tell because it was crowded and they were too far down from me. So, I went back to my book, and the mobile continued blaring.
I looked up to see if this was bothering other people as well - the grimaces, shaking of heads, closing eyes & rubbing of temples, etc. confirmed that it was not just me - everyone was annoyed! I leaned forward a few more times over the next 4-5 stops to try to see who it was - the guy across from me looked at me and just rolled his eyes. I said to him 'isn't it just annoying?' and he agreed. Finally I could take no more - the British politeness is a very nice trait - but why can't people just stand up and politely say please stop!
SO I leaned forward and said 'Excuse me, who's mobile phone is that?'
Everyone turned and looked at me and no one said anything. A guy a few people down from me was texting and I asked if it was his, he said no, I said sorry. Then a girl across from the aisle from me discreetly started pointing at a girl across from her and mouthed the words 'it's her.'
**SIGH**
So I looked at the girl and said 'Excuse me, can you please put your headphones on or turn that off, it's really disrespectful to the rest of us.' As usually when I politely ask someone this (yes, this is the 4th time) she stared at me with her mouth open before shutting it off.
It just confirms my suspicion that they KNOW this is annoying, and they do it simply because they can. They do it because they know no one will say anything. She went back to chatting with her friend and everyone was happy, especially me. No worries!
It just seems like common courtesy when travelling on crowded public transport that you don't carry a boom box & blast your music, and you shouldn't do that with your mobile phone either.
posted by Monique @ 9:35 AM
7 Comments:
What an interesting post! Good for you for saying something. Isn't the cultural difference interesting...the British (even in London, where you'd expect a bit more assertiveness) are just so reluctant to "make a scene".
My husband ALWAYS asks me to do that sort of thing...because, as he would say, "You're so good at it."
Very interesting.
Stay as cool as you can! Are they still giving out free cold water in some of the Underground stations?
Janet
(lordcelery.blogspot.com)
Usually, it takes a LOT to get me ticked off, but there are certain things I cannot stomach - teens, for instance, are a neverending source of things to enervate the general public to the point somebody risks getting seriously hurt.
Over here, where sex is legal from 15 years of age, and everybody tries to beat that by at least one year, you have 13 and 14 year olds on the bus, sitting, giving their friends DETAILED desription of their sex-fest last night over the phone... loudly, very clearly, very detailed, VERY annoying...
Oh well, I guess that's life... *sigh*
Great blog BTW!
Good for you!
You are hilarious. I am proud some of your American traits are still with you even though you are now a POM!
Love to Zac!
We miss you...
yay! Americans ROCK.
i kinda had a similar experience at disneyland the other day. my teenager daughter and i were in the LOOOOOOONG line to see the newly johnny deppedout pirates ride. half way throught the line and right before it turns into the official lines with ropes and bars, this girl cuts in front of us. i politely tell her that the end of the line is thata way and she went bullistic on me. giving me the talk-to-the-hand and "i was, too, in line, you idiot" backtalk. i firmly said that i was definitely not behind her this whole time. my daughter started getting into the discussion and this chick calls my daughter a preppy b---ch. i quietly said that's the kind of talk that will get you kicked out of the park. luckily her friend refused to cut in line with her, so even after yelling at her friend to "get in line!" she finally left.
well, she's one american who doesn't rock, but WE do! :)
This is one of my biggest pet peeves!!!!!
I see you are learning how to use British weakness to your advantage.
You could probably just go around telling people what to do all day and they would just abide because they, "don't want to cause a scene."
I'm proud...
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