"Andrew Black" wrote in message
...
Helen Deborah Vecht wrote in
:

There are some 'quiet' coaches on trains. Thing is mobile phones are
useful whilst on PT, especially if there's a delay. Phones can be
tamed so that they don't disturb other passengers much. I really don't
think my sending text messages disturbs anybody.

I have no problem with short phone calls ("sorry I am going to be half an
hour late"). It's the long babble that annoys me (".... I saw Darren
yesterday..... He is going out with Tracey ....."). I recknon people talk
louder on mobile phones than on landline phones.

They do. I think it's partly because many mobile phones have the "foldback"
of your own voice into the earphone set at too low a level so you think that
you need to speak up. If I use a mobile on a train, I usually turn to face
the window so my voice will be "contained" by the carriage wall and the back
of the seat. Most people take great delight in making sure as many people as
possible can hear - even now, long after the novelty and "pose-value" of
mobile phones have worn off.




I once experienced a delightful incident involving mobile phones. It was in
the late 80s when mobiles were still mainly used only by yuppies. I was on a
train back from London at the rush hour and the only place where there was
even standing room was in the corridor outside the first-class compartments.
In the compartment (amongst others) there were two yuppies. One reached into
the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a housebrick-sized mobile
phone. Within about three microseconds, the other did likewise. They both
dialled furiously and then started to speak. A look of puzzlement crossed
their faces - they'd got a crossed line and had ended up talking to each
other.

Then the fun began. To begin with, they tried to outdo each other: "My
call's more important than yours - I've got a ten million pound contract
resting on this call". "So what, my call's worth a twenty million pound
contract". And so it continued, with each trying to outdo the other.
Bull**** was flying everywhere! Suddenly one tried a different tactic. "OK,
then. You go ahead if you must. See if I care." "No, YOU go first." And so
it started again, this time with them trying to see which one could grovel
lowest.

By this stage, the rest of the people in the compartment and everyone in the
corridor with the noses pressed up against the glass were in hysterics at
these childish antics - which only egged them on more. Finally one could
stand the humiliation no more. He stood up and flounced out of the carriage,
barging past everyone in the corridor muttering "Tosser", "W*nker" and other
such epithets.

Best bit of entertainment I've had for years.