I say, I say...

I’m on a train to Newcastle and my phone started vibrating, as I went
to answer the bloke opposite (my sort of age) shouts “This is a quiet
coach, this is a quiet coach” (which it is).

I give him a bit of a Paddington look and he shouts “do not stare at
me, DO NOT STARE ME OUT” – “if you continue I shall call the guard”.

How very odd.

He’s now looking incredibly smug. Actually he looks like I'd imagine
TOG would after writing a ranty letter about some unfortunate customer
services sleight.


I mean, life’s too short for that kind of madness.

 

Do you represent guards or are you only involved with drivers? It
would have been funny if he'd called the guard and he recognised you
and started having a chat.

That's rail travel for you.

You mean he's foaming at the mouth?

Hang on, I'll phone you....

 

I think he's just arrested.

 

And he didn't answer. I wanted to hear the guy get all shouty again.

 

Ok, how loud is your message alert?

I think it's time to find out...

 

Apparently I'm a ****.

Like that's news to anyone.

 

My tickets don't really allow for "scenes". And as I said, life's too
short.

 

Fart as you walk past him.

 

I'd've replied "Shhh, this is a quiet coach, stop shouting like a loony!"

 

LOL, that made my day (so far).

 

Careful, Commie. You're starting to make Hog and Nige look normal, with
all those interrogatives.

 

Is the whole Quiet coach thing advisory or compulsory?

 

I think it's a request rather than a rule iyswim. I'd have answered
it, asked the caller to hold on and walked to the end of the carriage
but if somebody started giving me shit over it I'd just have the
conversation where I was originally sitting.

Apparently he got off the train at York but Sweller could have just
been saying that to stop me from bombarding him with text messages
aimed at making his phone cause more annoyance.

 

"I'm sorry, you'll have to speak up. I've got some nutter shouting at me
this end."

 

I would have been inclined to call his bluff. Something along the lines of
"You are the one who is being aggressive. Your behaviour is threatening.
Feel free to call the guard and lets see what happens." If guard arrives
deny using the phone for a call. Say you simply took it out to send a text
message and then this nutter started shouting at you and threatening you. As
for "staring him out" - his behaviour was so aggressive you felt the need to
keep an eye on him in case he attacked you.

 

And he is right to tell you, I always remind people if they answer it
and do not walk out

It amazes me how many people say

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise"

Jeez, are they all blind !

Quiet coaches rock

Well, you were wrong, he may well have over reacted, but he could well
have felt threatened

Yes, like not switching your phone off in the quiet coach

 

Hard day at the Wailing Wall, Des?

 

How are the French responsible, then?

 

Off? no. To vibrate perhaps. SMS is fine and as Andy said, simply walk to
the end of the carriage to conduct a conversation.

I asked whether it was an obligation as I was offered the chance to meet
Transport Police. A couple brought an Autistic teenager into the Quiet
Carriage and I asked them to leave. The child was a nightmare and the
parents claimed they couldn't control them. I spazzed out.

 

Both points accepted.

Hmmmm, getting into PC territory now.

I just about put up with kids in the quiet zone, but not early in the
morning as I usually want to snooze.