Call for Music Free London Buses
 

BC News at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6069140.stm
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

Call for Music Free London Buses
 

Ian Jelf wrote:

BC News at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6069140.stm

Just a little more info - a gent from Leyton has started an online
petition calling on TfL to ban the use of mobile phones to play music
out loud (note this is not against ringtones but specifically against
mobiles that are in effect mp3 players with speakers). The petition is
at:

http://www.hovis21.com/buses.html

I agree with him completely - I don't mind relatively loud
headphone-wearers or spirited conversation, but this new trend is
something that really riles. Of course one can - and indeed I have -
ask politely for it to be turned off, but such requests are often met
with an uncooperative response. If there was a well advertised rule
against this then that would help a great deal. I've just scanned the
TfL conditions of carriage and I can't find any existing rule that
deals with this.

Any future rule should of course deal with other non-mobile devices
that could have the same functionality.

Call for Music Free London Buses
 

Mizter T wrote:
I agree with him completely - I don't mind relatively loud
headphone-wearers or spirited conversation, but this new trend is
something that really riles. Of course one can - and indeed I have -
ask politely for it to be turned off, but such requests are often met
with an uncooperative response. If there was a well advertised rule
against this then that would help a great deal. I've just scanned the
TfL conditions of carriage and I can't find any existing rule that
deals with this.

Any future rule should of course deal with other non-mobile devices
that could have the same functionality.

I too hate this, especially working at a station and kids turn up (well
lets face it, its not adults is it?) and blast the latest generic r&b
at you before nipping behind the footbridge for a cigarette. Of course
its my job to ask them to stop the music (and to stop smoking on the
station...) both of which are met with absolute disdain and disrespect.

Asides from the suggestion of rules from TfL, how about the already
relevant laws on noise pollution? Surely the same rules apply that
prevent me from using my sub when i'm driving to work at 5am!!

Call for Music Free London Buses
 

wrote:

Mizter T wrote:
I agree with him completely - I don't mind relatively loud
headphone-wearers or spirited conversation, but this new trend is
something that really riles. Of course one can - and indeed I have -
ask politely for it to be turned off, but such requests are often met
with an uncooperative response. If there was a well advertised rule
against this then that would help a great deal. I've just scanned the
TfL conditions of carriage and I can't find any existing rule that
deals with this.

Any future rule should of course deal with other non-mobile devices
that could have the same functionality.

I too hate this, especially working at a station and kids turn up (well
lets face it, its not adults is it?) and blast the latest generic r&b
at you before nipping behind the footbridge for a cigarette. Of course
its my job to ask them to stop the music (and to stop smoking on the
station...) both of which are met with absolute disdain and disrespect.

That's the thing - it's not like the music is even any good, it is as
you say just the latest generic R&B to come out off the mass production
line, each track having had as much individual care paid to it as the
average tic-tac. In fact that analogy's crap - at least tic-tacs
freshen your breath.

I was once on a bus where two young guys were dissecting some 50-cent
tune where he talks about his life. Yes they were playing it out,
though it wasn't too loud and the bus wasn't at all busy - but on this
occasion the intensity and thought they put into discussing it was
fascinating to overhear. I'm not advocating that musical dissection
masterclasses happen on buses all over London, but if only everyone
were to pay this kind of attention to the music they listen to that
music might be a lot better - instead they prefer some moody tune to go
along with their moody attitude. Fools.

Call for Music Free London Buses
 

Mizter T wrote:
That's the thing - it's not like the music is even any good, it is as
you say just the latest generic R&B to come out off the mass production
line, each track having had as much individual care paid to it as the
average tic-tac. In fact that analogy's crap - at least tic-tacs
freshen your breath.

I was once on a bus where two young guys were dissecting some 50-cent
tune where he talks about his life. Yes they were playing it out,
though it wasn't too loud and the bus wasn't at all busy - but on this
occasion the intensity and thought they put into discussing it was
fascinating to overhear. I'm not advocating that musical dissection
masterclasses happen on buses all over London, but if only everyone
were to pay this kind of attention to the music they listen to that
music might be a lot better - instead they prefer some moody tune to go
along with their moody attitude. Fools.

Actually I just recalled a slightly amusing anecdote. Once upon a
time, not so long ago, I was stuck at a particular station when the
points failed, as they do, and we couldn't do much but send people on
to the next station.

A group of young girls (maybe 13 or 14 years old) started playing that
nice underground song those doctors wrote (I think I'll write one about
doctors and MRSA some time...) and of course there's the bit at the end
where the lyrics state "they're all Wa***rs". Well, I sorted these
girls out, and got them on their way, and they said "you're not a
wa***r, you're a nice one".

Made me smile at the time, at least I'm doing my job well ;) My
colleagues were going mad about the song!

Call for Music Free London Buses
 

Mizter T wrote:

That's the thing - it's not like the music is even any good, it is as
you say just the latest generic R&B to come out off the mass production
line, each track having had as much individual care paid to it as the
average tic-tac. In fact that analogy's crap - at least tic-tacs
freshen your breath.

You're right, it's always R&B. Perhaps next time I encounter these kids
I will switch the loudspeaker on my phone on and gve them a blast of
some Radio 2!

Call for Music Free London Buses
 

"Stuart" wrote in message
...
Mizter T wrote:

That's the thing - it's not like the music is even any good, it is as
you say just the latest generic R&B to come out off the mass production
line, each track having had as much individual care paid to it as the
average tic-tac. In fact that analogy's crap - at least tic-tacs
freshen your breath.

You're right, it's always R&B. Perhaps next time I encounter these kids I
will switch the loudspeaker on my phone on and gve them a blast of some
Radio 2!

I was contemplating putting a 10-second mp3 of static on my phone, or
someone repeating "your music is ****" over and over, and see if either of
those work against people listening on speakers. But I decided against it,
as I'd most likely get stabbed in the face.

dave

Call for Music Free London Buses
 

d wrote:
I was contemplating putting a 10-second mp3 of static on my phone, or
someone repeating "your music is ****" over and over, and see if either of
those work against people listening on speakers. But I decided against it,
as I'd most likely get stabbed in the face.

dave

I had a similar idea, I put Peace Sells by Megadeth as my ring tone,
and every time it plays near these particular children, the looks I get
are akin to having a 10 inch wart on my face. Its crazy that they can
force that crap on everyone non-stop, but when 5 seconds of ring tone
play that disagrees with them, they go ape about it.

Call for Music Free London Buses
 

On 20 Oct 2006 09:23:02 -0700, "Mizter T" wrote:

Ian Jelf wrote:

BC News at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6069140.stm

Just a little more info - a gent from Leyton has started an online
petition calling on TfL to ban the use of mobile phones to play music
out loud (note this is not against ringtones but specifically against
mobiles that are in effect mp3 players with speakers). The petition is
at:

http://www.hovis21.com/buses.html

I agree with him completely - I don't mind relatively loud
headphone-wearers or spirited conversation, but this new trend is
something that really riles. Of course one can - and indeed I have -
ask politely for it to be turned off, but such requests are often met
with an uncooperative response. If there was a well advertised rule
against this then that would help a great deal. I've just scanned the
TfL conditions of carriage and I can't find any existing rule that
deals with this.

Any future rule should of course deal with other non-mobile devices
that could have the same functionality.

The bus companies and trade unions (for bus drivers) have said any rule
would be unenforceable. I tend to agree.

Quite why TfL said what they said about trying to encourage people to be
reasonable I do not know. There are no notices or anything to suggest
such a policy - and I've made a deliberate effort to look on buses to
see if anything has been recently put up. It hasn't so the comment is
worthless other than as a pleasant sound bite.

The other problem is that since this petition made the news more and
more people seem to be playing their damned phones with awful noises
emerging from them. I'm a big music fan but there's a time and a place
and 5pm when I'm tired and want to go home by bus is not it. The oxygen
of publicity and all that !
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!