There is something about the quiet car . . .

[railiner]

All of the above comments are fodder for those who prefer traveling in their private automobile, and forsaking public transportation...hard to argue...you can talk, blast your stereo, or have it quiet....your choice...

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I'm of the opinion that "if you wanna talk on a cell phone, don't sit in the quiet car, and if you do, the conductor should tell you to move to another car."

On the TE, when I've ridden it (I ride in sleeper most of the time) they regularly announce that "during quiet hours, if you are going to make or receive a phone call, please go to the lounge car." I wonder how many people actually abide by that - the last time (about four years ago) I was in coach, there were people who seemed to want to call their loved ones every half-hour to report on the progress of the train. I get placing ONE call when you are a certain distance out from the station for a "Hey, I'm almost there, come get me" but every half-hour? Really?

It is reasons like this I wish the cell phone had never been invented, or was licensed for legitimate commercial/business use only; a large majority of people who have them have no legit reason to have them.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I'm of the opinion that "if you wanna talk on a cell phone, don't sit in the quiet car, and if you do, the conductor should tell you to move to another car."

On the TE, when I've ridden it (I ride in sleeper most of the time) they regularly announce that "during quiet hours, if you are going to make or receive a phone call, please go to the lounge car." I wonder how many people actually abide by that - the last time (about four years ago) I was in coach, there were people who seemed to want to call their loved ones every half-hour to report on the progress of the train. I get placing ONE call when you are a certain distance out from the station for a "Hey, I'm almost there, come get me" but every half-hour? Really?

It is reasons like this I wish the cell phone had never been invented, or was licensed for legitimate commercial/business use only; a large majority of people who have them have no legit reason to have them.

Without my cell phone I'd lose the ability to take vacations and might be without a job altogether. Everyone makes mistakes now and again but I do my very best to be as respectful as possible when using my phone. I think the main problem today isn't mobile devices themselves so much as our growing indifference toward acceptable manners and etiquette. All too often I see children being raised without any well defined boundaries between indoor and outdoor noise levels or between public and private behavior. These days public spaces are treated like a personal living room or back yard and that makes it hard for people to realize when they're being a nuisance to others.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Ah, just catching up with one of my favorite topics--I love the Quiet Car.

I was listening to Ron Darling (former Mets pitcher and now Mets TV broadcaster) being interviewed on a Mets pre-game show, and he mentioned in passing that he loves riding in the Quiet Car when he takes Amtrak to Philadelphia! Nice to know he rides the train, and free advertising for Amtrak!

Of course, the team is so awful right now that I was probably the only one listening.

 

[jis]

And what is this new trend apparently of people setting up their cellphone in the speaker rmode for every call? That makes it doubly annoying. Really I have no desire to know the minute details of why your friend's boyfriend decided to ditch her and move on, and how your friend has decided to go bonkers over it etc. etc.

 

[John Bredin]

I'm of the opinion that "if you wanna talk on a cell phone, don't sit in the quiet car, and if you do, the conductor should tell you to move to another car."

On the TE, when I've ridden it (I ride in sleeper most of the time) they regularly announce that "during quiet hours, if you are going to make or receive a phone call, please go to the lounge car." I wonder how many people actually abide by that - the last time (about four years ago) I was in coach, there were people who seemed to want to call their loved ones every half-hour to report on the progress of the train. I get placing ONE call when you are a certain distance out from the station for a "Hey, I'm almost there, come get me" but every half-hour? Really?

It is reasons like this I wish the cell phone had never been invented, or was licensed for legitimate commercial/business use only; a large majority of people who have them have no legit reason to have them.

What's a legitimate reason to use the telephone, in your not so humble opinion? Long before there were cellphones, people made phone calls just to chat. Long before there were cellphones, train passengers talked to each other, and the conversations weren't always business or urgent.

If you're not in the quiet car, the problem isn't people using cellphones, it's people talking too loud. And some clueless people do that with their seatmate, no phone required. If you're not in the quiet car, your desire for utter silence places no obligations on anyone else to not converse -- in normal tones -- with anyone they want to, sitting next to them or on the other side of the world, about any damned topic that pleases them. hboy:

 

[jis]

Yup. Hence noise canceling headphone. And the fishbowl on his head for Steve too

 

[tricia]

If you're not in the quiet car, the problem isn't people using cellphones, it's people talking too loud. And some clueless people do that with their seatmate, no phone required. If you're not in the quiet car, your desire for utter silence places no obligations on anyone else to not converse -- in normal tones -- with anyone they want to, sitting next to them or on the other side of the world, about any damned topic that pleases them. hboy:

Talking on a cellphone is different from talking with a seatmate. When you're on a cellphone, your mind is someplace else, engaged with someone in another physical location. Prior to cellphones, there was a stronger expectation that people in public places moderate their effects on others occupying the same public space. As cellphones have become ubiquitous, the sense of sharing a common space has eroded, which in turn has eroded courtesy when individuals are physically--but no longer mentally--occupying a shared space.

And there's the issue of the increase in chatter that cellphones enable. If your only option for conversation is persons who are physically on the train with you, it's apt to be a LOT quieter.

 

[Alice]

A fun thing to do with other people's speakerphone conversations, especially highly personal ones, is chip in.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

A fun thing to do with other people's speakerphone conversations, especially highly personal ones, is chip in.

Oh, I've been tempted, speakerphone or not, to add to the conversation of loud phone users in bathroom stalls. Hmm, maybe ask if they're doing #1 or #2.

 

[railiner]

And what is this new trend apparently of people setting up their cellphone in the speaker rmode for every call? That makes it doubly annoying. Really I have no desire to know the minute details of why your friend's boyfriend decided to ditch her and move on, and how your friend has decided to go bonkers over it etc. etc.

Yeah....I noticed that too....seems like a throwback, to when using a Nextel push-to-talk phone was the urban 'trend'...with those annoying "chirps".....

 

[Bob Dylan]

Makes those of us old enough to remember Phone Booths realize that they were there for a good reaaon, Privacy for the User and the General Public!

I noticed theres still a Phone Booth in the nicely restored Longview,Tx Station but except for Museums they've gone the way of the Dodo Bird and the Passenger Pigeon!

 

[user 13416]

Makes those of us old enough to remember Phone Booths realize that they were there for a good reaaon, Privacy for the User and the General Public!

I noticed theres still a Phone Booth in the nicely restored Longview,Tx Station but except for Museums they've gone the way of the Dodo Bird and the Passenger Pigeon!

A lot of them have been repurposed by restaurants and nightclubs as "cell phone booths", a place to step inside to both muffle the music/ambiance so you can hear who you're talking to, and to prevent you having to shout over the music/crowd noise.

 

[fillyjonk]

And what is this new trend apparently of people setting up their cellphone in the speaker rmode for every call? That makes it doubly annoying. Really I have no desire to know the minute details of why your friend's boyfriend decided to ditch her and move on, and how your friend has decided to go bonkers over it etc. etc.

I have experienced this recently (more than once now).

My hypothesis is that people think they exist in bubbles now, that what they do doesn't affect those around them, that it's like they're in their living room at home. Or, alternatively, that they and whatever they are conversing on is SOOOOOO important that their being able to converse supersedes the comfort of everyone else around them.

And yeah, I get that some people have to take important calls but they do not seem to be the rude ones; the people who are discussing their own surgery with their friends, or talking about someone's break-up, or gossiping, or having a gross, TMI romantic convo with their SO are the ones who seem to want everyone else to have to listen to them.

I wish cell phone jammers were legal in the US. I'd wear one around my neck like Flava Flav wore that clock.

 

[MikefromCrete]

People are very self-centered nowadays. Probably comes from all those trophies that were given to kids for just showing up.

 

[railiner]

Even worse than those who don't have a clue how annoying they are, are those that are aware, and do it anyway....

Like those that have to blast highly amplified "music" from their cars... just another way to shout "look at me!"...

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Even worse than those who don't have a clue how annoying they are, are those that are aware, and do it anyway....

Like those that have to blast highly amplified "music" from their cars... just another way to shout "look at me!"...

Some of those blasting from their cars are deaf/HoH, like me. I stopped listening to my radio when my hearing got really bad but am now listening to CDs for rehab now that I have a cochlear implant. I sometimes have to put the volume up to 20, but usually turn it down or off when stopped on traffic.

 

[ehbowen]

And what is this new trend apparently of people setting up their cellphone in the speaker rmode for every call? That makes it doubly annoying. Really I have no desire to know the minute details of why your friend's boyfriend decided to ditch her and move on, and how your friend has decided to go bonkers over it etc. etc.

In my father's case, he's 85 years old and hard of hearing. It's easier for him to communicate in speakerphone mode than otherwise.

 

[jis]

Is Speakerphone better than headphone? If so what makes that happen that way? This would suggest that hearing aid should be a loud speaker attached to ones head rather than something placed in ones ear.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Is Speakerphone better than headphone? If so what makes that happen that way? This would suggest that hearing aid should be a loud speaker attached to ones head rather than something placed in ones ear.

If you have severe-to-profound hearing loss and wear power hearing aids, you still may need to use the speakerphone. Headphones will cause feedback, so that's not a viable solution. Speaking as one who knows.

I have a streamer (receives sounds either via wire or bluetooth) that sends the audio to my hearing aid/CI. Every HA wearer does not have a streamer (they're expensive). I've only used the speakerphone in the privacy of my home.

 

[jis]

Thanks for the good explanation of the lay of the land.

It should still be possible for them to refrain from partaking in hour long conversations using a speakerphone about the shopping trip yesterday and what will be cooked for dinner etc.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Thanks for the good explanation of the lay of the land.

It should still be possible for them to refrain from partaking in hour long conversations using a speakerphone about the shopping trip yesterday and what will be cooked for dinner etc.

I totally agree. I wasn't defending rude users of the speaker phones, just explaining why hard of hearing people might use it.

 

[jebr]

People are very self-centered nowadays. Probably comes from all those trophies that were given to kids for just showing up.

I know, there's a lot of self centered people that believe the world revolves around them and so made sure their little Jimmy got a trophy no matter what.

 

[JayPea]

People are very self-centered nowadays. Probably comes from all those trophies that were given to kids for just showing up.

I know, there's a lot of self centered people that believe the world revolves around them and so made sure their little Jimmy got a trophy no matter what.

As my dad used to say, "Hurray for me and the hell with everyone else".

 

[MARC Rider]

And what is this new trend apparently of people setting up their cellphone in the speaker rmode for every call? That makes it doubly annoying. Really I have no desire to know the minute details of why your friend's boyfriend decided to ditch her and move on, and how your friend has decided to go bonkers over it etc. etc.

I hear you. But, to be fair, there's also the problem that many smartphones with touch screens can do unpredictable things, like switch into speakerphone mode without that being the intention of the person using it. I know I have to be very careful holding a phone to talk , as I can inadvertently do things like switch on the speaker or drop the line. Actually, come to think about it, while smartphones are amazing devices that do a lot of advanced communitation and computing functions, they are actually pretty lousy cell phones. Better to use a circa 2000 flip phone.