# Indiscreet mobile phone conversations



## liaconn (16 May 2008)

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing how people are prepared to shout their private business all over the bus, just because they happen to be on a mobile phone. I have heard the intimate details of people's relationship break ups, problems their children are having in school and one really cringy conversation where a  breastfeeding mother was telling a friend about the particular underwear she needed to buy in town. It passes a boring journey, admittedly, but why do people do it? Do they not realise everyone can hear them?


----------



## Caveat (16 May 2008)

liaconn said:


> Do they not realise everyone can hear them?


 
...which is why they do it in many cases IMO. They think their lives sound interesting/crazy/risqué etc.

I blame Sex and the City...


----------



## Teabag (16 May 2008)

Caveat said:


> I blame Sex and the City...



I blame Dom Jolie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21lOpV5c2OQ


----------



## liaconn (16 May 2008)

Caveat said:


> ...which is why they do it in many cases IMO. They think their lives sound interesting/crazy/risqué etc.


 
Well, most of them need to dream on if some of the silly, inane conversations I've had to listen to are anything to go by. They just sound like needy attention seekers.


----------



## contemporary (16 May 2008)

avoid buses then


----------



## liaconn (16 May 2008)

unfortunately, they do it on trains, darts, the luas.... I'm dreading the day when they allow mobile phone use on planes as well.


----------



## DeeFox (16 May 2008)

My OH has a loud voice and always talks loudly on the phone.  Am constantly telling him to shush...and then feel like his nagging mother....


----------



## shanegl (16 May 2008)

Maybe they don't care what you or anyone else on the bus thinks?


----------



## liaconn (16 May 2008)

That's my original point. I just can't believe how unselfconcious some people are when they're talking on mobiles. Far more so than if they're just sitting beside a friend on the bus chatting.


----------



## rmelly (16 May 2008)

Maybe they assume you're not earwigging?


----------



## liaconn (16 May 2008)

If someone is shouting,at the top of their voice, a few seats away from you, how can you not 'earwig'?


----------



## ninsaga (16 May 2008)

.... some people just into the mode of...'I'm important, I'm on the mobile'


----------



## Murt10 (18 May 2008)

Problem solved and annoying person peed off for good measure




Murt


----------



## rmelly (18 May 2008)

> unfortunately, they do it on trains, darts, the luas


 
I use the dart every working day and often at weekends - the ONLY time I have heard someone 'shout' is when some drunk thugs get on and start harassing people - and that has been few and far between.


----------



## liaconn (18 May 2008)

Lucky you.


----------



## rmelly (18 May 2008)

Or maybe you're just blowing this out of all proportions - like a 





> needy attention seeker


?


----------



## Teabag (19 May 2008)

rmelly said:


> Or maybe you're just blowing this out of all proportions - like a ?



Oh rmelly, will you please give it a rest. You know exactly what the OP is talking about so get off your high horse and stop being so argumentative for the sake of it !


----------



## liaconn (19 May 2008)

Thank you teabag. You took the words out of my mouth.


----------



## ClubMan (19 May 2008)

Teabag said:


> Oh rmelly, will you please give it a rest. You know exactly what the OP is talking about so get off your high horse and stop being so argumentative for the sake of it !


Yeah _rmelly _- who do you think you are? A needy attention seeker or something?!?


----------



## msmyth (19 May 2008)

Was getting the bus home the other evening and some foreign guy had his phone on loudspeaker from O'connell street to Glasnevin. He shouted into the phone for the entire journey, I'm sure the whole bus could hear him. Had no idea what he was saying as I couldn't even figure what language he was speaking but the arrogance of it I couldn't get over! Lets give everyone on the bus a headache as I want to show off that I've a speaker phone!


----------



## rmelly (19 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Yeah _rmelly _- who do you think you are? A needy attention seeker or something?!?


 
I thought this was Letting Off Steam? Is liaconn the only one entitled to an opinion here?


----------



## liaconn (19 May 2008)

Why, do you object to teabag or clubman having an opinion?


----------



## ClubMan (19 May 2008)

msmyth said:


> Was getting the bus home the other evening and some foreign guy


What is the relevance of this? 


> had his phone on loudspeaker from O'connell street to Glasnevin. He shouted into the phone for the entire journey, I'm sure the whole bus could hear him. Had no idea what he was saying as I couldn't even figure what language he was speaking


Surely there's a possibility that he was an _Irish _citizen who happened to be able to speak another language?


> but the arrogance of it I couldn't get over!


Arrogance?! 


> Lets give everyone on the bus a headache as I want to show off that I've a speaker phone!


Why didn't you ask him to stop if it was bothering you? I was on a bus recently and the same thing happened. Didn't bother me but it did bother another woman who politely asked the person to switch the phone off speaker and he did.


----------



## liaconn (19 May 2008)

Clubman, she's just citing an example of some bad manners she saw on a bus. It doesn't need to be dissected like a thesis.

Not everyone has the nerve to approach people on buses and ask them to stop doing something, as you never know what kind of a reaction you're going to get. Also, if he appeared to be a foreign national, people are nervous of being accused of racism.


----------



## msmyth (19 May 2008)

Yes arrogance. In the same way that the little scumbags who play chipmonk music on their phones loudly and smoke joints down the back of the bus are being arrogant by displaying a complete lack of consideration for anyone else around them. As someone else said. it's "I'm important I'm on the mobile".

I assumed that he was foreign in the same way that, if for example I rolled into Pakistan the locals would naturally assume I wasn't a native due to the colour of my skin and by how I spoke. He nationality has really nothing to do with it other than I've no idea what he had to be so animated about.

The point is, that I've never until now had the displeasure of having anyone blast their conversations on the loudspeaker of their phone whilst on a bus, shouting is bad enough. In my mind it's a new low to put up with on the journey home.

I keep myself to myself on the bus,I don't go asking people to stop what they're doing for fear of reprisal. In the same way I wouldn't ask anyone to stop smoking on the bus for fear of what might happen.

I thought this was letting off steam??????


----------



## ClubMan (19 May 2008)

liaconn said:


> Clubman, she's just citing an example of some bad manners she saw on a bus. It doesn't need to be dissected like a thesis.


This is a discussion forum remember? I'll "dissect" posts whatever way I choose within the posting guidelines. 


> Also, if he appeared to be a foreign national, people are nervous of being accused of racism.


As it happens the guy in question on the incident that I mentioned seemed to be a foreign national. Nobody accused the woman of being racist and he just acceded to her request.



msmyth said:


> He nationality has really nothing to do with it other than I've no idea what he had to be so animated about.


Huh!?! 


> I don't go asking people to stop what they're doing for fear of reprisal. In the same way I wouldn't ask anyone to stop smoking on the bus for fear of what might happen.


Maybe you and _liaconn _should lock yourselves in your houses and never venture out so? Sounds like you are both of too nervous a disposition to use public transport in case something happens to you?


> I thought this was letting off steam??????


Did I say that it wasn't?


----------



## liaconn (19 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> This is a discussion forum remember? I'll "dissect" posts whatever way I choose within the posting guidelines.
> 
> And I'll 'let off steam' if I happen to think you're going over the top with your dissections.
> 
> ...


----------



## ClubMan (19 May 2008)

Poor dissection job I'm afraid...


----------



## Teabag (19 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Poor dissection job I'm afraid...



Do you ever argue with yourself Clubman ? That would be epic !


----------



## liaconn (19 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Poor dissection job I'm afraid...


Poor response I'm afraid.


----------



## Purple (19 May 2008)

Do the last few posts qualify as an indiscreet slagging match?


----------



## Caveat (19 May 2008)

Purple said:


> Do the last few posts qualify as an indiscreet slagging match?


 
tut tut Purple - highlighting this kind of behaviour...

...you're not very discreet yourself really are you?


----------



## becky (19 May 2008)

Purple said:


> Do the last few posts qualify as an indiscreet slagging match?


 


I rarely have to use public transport but if I have have to to go to Dublin on the train and then onto the luas I always have my ipod on so I hear nothing.

That said I have a friend who talks loudly into her phone and it drives me mad - when she's round at mine she takes calls and will have a lenghty coversation or arrange a night out.  When I'm round at hers I always silence my phone.


----------



## Purple (19 May 2008)

Caveat said:


> ...you're not very discreet yourself really are you?



yea...so?


----------



## Caveat (19 May 2008)

Purple said:


> yea...so?


 
I forgot - probably a badge of honour for you


----------



## Purple (19 May 2008)

Caveat said:


> I forgot - probably a badge of honour for you



Yea...so?


----------



## Green (19 May 2008)

Purple said:


> Do the last few posts qualify as an indiscreet slagging match?


 
Agree,


----------



## GeneralZod (19 May 2008)

becky said:


> I rarely have to use public transport but if I have have to to go to Dublin on the train and then onto the luas I always have my ipod on so I hear nothing.



I hope you're not one of those people that seem to listen to the same repetitive beat incessantly for 30 minutes. Boom-diddy-boom-boom-boom-boom.


----------



## AlastairSC (20 May 2008)

Murt10 said:


> Problem solved and annoying person peed off for good measure
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
A friend of mine got one of these recently. He found his bus and train journeys blissful until his wife suggested that the signal blocker could also block vital calls as well as the "It's important, I'm on the mobile" kind. Now he's wondering whether he can wrestle with his conscience and win........


----------



## ClubMan (20 May 2008)

liaconn said:


> Poor response I'm afraid.


Of marauding foreigners and their mobile phones on public transport?


----------



## ClubMan (20 May 2008)

AlastairSC said:


> A friend of mine got one of these recently. He found his bus and train journeys blissful until his wife suggested that the signal blocker could also block vital calls as well as the "It's important, I'm on the mobile" kind. Now he's wondering whether he can wrestle with his conscience and win........


Aren't those devices illegal (to operate) in _Ireland_?


----------



## Gordanus (30 May 2008)

Personally, I'd rather listen to people talking on their phones, though sadly it's rarely interesting than have to listen to the tinny noise of iPods.  I have thought of asking people to turn their iPods down....haven't yet.  

I'd ask them to share their music but if it's like the experience of driving in summer in Dublin traffic, you'd just get blasted with the most awful hip hop.


----------



## GeneralZod (30 May 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Aren't those devices illegal (to operate) in _Ireland_?



Yes.  ComReg issued a consultation document a few years ago where they were prepared to consider proposals for the use of mobile call interceptors instead that would let emergency calls through (e.g. from cinemas). Can't find anything since then so presumably nothing's changed.


----------



## Brianne (30 May 2008)

This is off thread slightly but thought I'd share it. True story.......happened to my friend in a Dublin hotel bar about 18 years ago when mobile phones were relatively uncommon. She and friends were enjoying their drinks when this debonair man about town type sits down and then proceeds to have a long , loud business conversation on his phone.They were all earwigging when suddenly a phone starts ringing loudly.........with a VERY RED face the fellow then answers his own phone.
Since then I'm always dubious of people who have loud conversations on their mobiles. Is it just they're plain ignorant or is there a touch of letting the rest of us know that they're not a Billy No Mates!!!


----------



## Welfarite (30 May 2008)

Brianne said:


> This is off thread slightly but thought I'd share it. True story.......happened to my friend in a Dublin hotel bar about 18 years ago when mobile phones were relatively uncommon. She and friends were enjoying their drinks when this debonair man about town type sits down and then proceeds to have a long , loud business conversation on his phone.They were all earwigging when suddenly a phone starts ringing loudly.........with a VERY RED face the fellow then answers his own phone.
> Since then I'm always dubious of people who have loud conversations on their mobiles. Is it just they're plain ignorant or is there a touch of letting the rest of us know that they're not a Billy No Mates!!!


 

Funny, I heard that same story about 18 years ago when mobiles were new ...except different location and the man was a tradesman. The person that told said it was true too! 

Urban legend or what?!?!?


----------



## ClubMan (30 May 2008)

Welfarite said:


> Urban legend or what?!?!?


The former probably?


----------

