How Big Of A Life Nit Am I? (Cell phones on trains)

[otnemem]

So after being called a life nit and a douchebag by about 15 different people in the Real Life Hero thread, I wanted to get an idea of exactly how nitty I am by OOT standards. In general, I'm very neurotic about lots of things, and when something attracts my attention (whether positive or negative), I stay fixated on it until there's some sort of resolution. So one of my pet peeves is people using their cell phones while riding the train. I'm not talking about people who speak in hushed tones and keep their conversations quick, and I'm also not referring to people who speak really loudly throughout the entire trip (I assume everyone hates those people). I'm talking about people who just speak at a normal volume, say outdoor speaking volume, and have what seem like everyday, trivial conversations that seem like they could probably wait until after the train ride. And to be clear, I'm talking about a commuter train - like an under an hour - not a four-hour trip from NYC to DC. So on to the poll:

[JACK CUST]

i didn't read the thread and voted for the first option.

[otnemem]

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i didn't read the thread and voted for the first option.

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Cool.

[guids]

I'm talking about a commuter train - like an under an hour




If Im in any kind of vehicle by myself (ie w/o friends), I purposely schedule any phone calls I need to make, personal or business, during this downtime.

[emon87]

I really don't get why people think it is such a big deal that people talk on the train. You're reading a paper, not preforming brain surgery or recording an album.

[Triumph36]

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I really don't get why people think it is such a big deal that people talk on the train. You're reading a paper, not preforming brain surgery or recording an album.

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i don't ride on trains regularly, but when i do, i'm often reading. if you're talking to someone you know on the train fine, but god, find something to do, read a book or get an ipod.

although i'm a huge life nit

[Blarg]

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I really don't get why people think it is such a big deal that people talk on the train. You're reading a paper, not preforming brain surgery or recording an album.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. Seems kind of nuts to me to think someone owes you silence on the train. The only things I can see them owing you are a reasonable volume and not using any curse words or talking about things you could reasonably assume would offend a lot of people -- like saying racist crap, or particularly derogatory political or religious comments, or talking graphically or at length about sex, or toilet humor.

Guids has a good point that sometimes you have to use your time where you can find it too.

[Quicksilvre]

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I really don't get why people think it is such a big deal that people talk on the train. You're reading a paper, not preforming brain surgery or recording an album.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. Seems kind of nuts to me to think someone owes you silence on the train. The only things I can see them owing you are a reasonable volume and not using any curse words or talking about things you could reasonably assume would offend a lot of people -- like saying racist crap, or particularly derogatory political or religious comments, or talking graphically or at length about sex, or toilet humor.

Guids has a good point that sometimes you have to use your time where you can find it too.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is correct. Tolerating minor conversation ought to be standard.

[NJchick]

You must not take New Jersey Transit. I ride the train 3 hrs R/T every day into Penn Station and cell phone talkers are the bain of my existence. I would say 9 out of 10 cell phone users speak in such a manner that you can usually hear their entire conversation throughout the car. Not to mention I take the 6:28a train and when you are trying to sleep or just chill out, having a cell phone loudmouth kind of ruins the peace and quite most commuters crave in the morning. If I could drive to work I would, but working in New York City its not an option.

I'd readily sign up for this for the extra $3k a year if they had it on my train.

Club Car

Bose noise cancelling headphones and ipod have been my savior.

It you want to read about some of the [censored] I commute with on NJT click below.

Transit Hell

[emon87]

Someone who thinks it is rude for people to talk on phones on the train respond to the question about talking to the person next to you about the same topic in the same volume.