# "HI--I'M ON THE TRAIN. NOTHIN' WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 5, 2003, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902 "2003-06-05T19:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AveDementia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@AveDementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AveDementia)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/41 "2003-06-06T08:08:26Z")
Just a few weeks ago I told my sweetheart’s 15-year-old niece that she is not part of the computer generation as she claimed- she’s part of the cell phone generation. My definiton of the cell phone generation: Where everybody can talk to anybody from practically anywhere about anything, but more typically, the conversations are nothing to e-mail home about. My sweetie and I got rid of our cell phone, too many people were calling… ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/42 "2003-06-06T09:39:25Z")
I find that a good way to get people to shut up is to act very interested in their convo. Don’t even hide that you are listening. Act like you are listening to some 40’s radio show. Gasp at all the right moments. Have an "oh really?! expression on your face. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/43 "2003-06-06T11:21:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sivalensis \* > \*\*It seems like this is a wholly American phenomenon. I see it all the time here at home (I have no problems whatsoever hearing on my cell phone, or being heard). > \*\* Not really. I see a lot of people do it over here in England as well. It really winds me up. Yes, I have been known to use my mobile whilst on the train, but generally for just a quick “Hi, I’ll be in at such and such a time.”, or “Hi mum, yes I’m going out, I’ll talk to you tomorrow”, or a quick conversation at a very low volume. If I’m in the quiet carriage, my phone will be set to silent, and I will answer text messages only. And don’t get me started about parents who think that letting their little darlings run riot in the quiet carriage (whilst the rest of the train is practically empty) is an OK thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/44 "2003-06-06T11:41:22Z")
In the UK we have adverts in our trains that say, “Do you really want to share your intimate conversation with 49 other people?” Doesn’t stop 'em, mind. pan ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/45 "2003-06-06T11:46:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by D\_Odds \* > \*\ ***World Eater** , I do that every day (J train). I don’t know how anyone can have a phone conversation on that train, over the constant din of subway preachers, philosophers and performers. But people try and do hold their conversations. I think 9/10ths of the train pulls out their phones once it exits the tunnel onto the bridge. \*\* I’m lucky, I usually take the N or R into the city, so I get to stay underground. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*Don’t forget all the elevated lines in Queens and The Bronx. Every evening when my N train rounds the curve into QBP about half the car whips out their phone to get their important call in before they get off the damn train at 39th Ave. \*\* Checking with their stock broker I’ll assume 😃 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cicada2003 \* > **Well, okay, maybe this is why they have to scream.** No they scream because they are fucking idiots. \*\* > [@](#): > > But really, what is wrong with someone having a conversation in a normal tone of voice, on a cell phone? Why is it worse than if they have a conversation with their seatmate?\*\* Cell phones get shitty reception, usually _very_ shitty reception, and 99% of the idiots that use them think if they talk louder the person on the other end will hear them better, \*\*SO THEY TALK REAL LOUD LIKE THIS! BECAUSE IF I’M BREAKING UP SCREAMING OF COURSE WILL HELP FILL IN THE BREAKS, GOT THAT? \*\* I’m sure when they play their old scratched records they **FUCKING CRANK IT UP SO THEY CAN HEAR IT WILL ALL THE CLARITY IT WAS ORIGINALLY RECORDED WITH!** ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/46 "2003-06-06T13:16:06Z")
What the hell did these people do before they had cell phones? Did they live in a phone booth? Can’t people stand to just be alone with their thoughts for a while? I’ll probably get a cell phone to use on trips and for emergencies (it’s getting harder to even find a pay phone in Atlanta, and they cost 50 cents now). But I just can’t talk to people every minute of the day. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/47 "2003-06-06T13:27:26Z")
The scene on the 4 train in the Beautiful Bronx, as it emerges from the tunnel after 149th Street to emerge at Yankee Stadium. A train blasts out like a champagne cork from the dank, 1917 vintage tunnel. Everybody blinks at the daylight (if it is daylight). Half the train turns to look in the wide slit into the stadium to see if there’s a game on. 1/4 of these folks then turn to their male friends and ask who’s playing. The other half whip out the cells. Contrary to some outdated perceptions, most people in the Bronx are nicely and gainfully employed and well able to afford the cells, and you’ll see every color, make and model displayed. Now the human pageant begins. Mothers tell kids they’ll be home from work soon. Guys usually are talking to their friends, loudly but briefly. It’s usually not too bad. The worst, though, are girls who are talking with other girls or even worse, fighting with boyfriends. It’s amusing for the first ten minutes, then as things get more and more personal it gets downright horrible. You’d think you’d notice a carful of people staring at you as you yell at the guy who broke your heart with that skank ho, but these girls avoid your gaze as skillfully as your waiter when you need the check. I sometimes call for a friend who lives in my neighborhood to pick me up at night, but that’s it. See, I realize that when I get engrossed in a call, I may not modulate my voice. So nothing personal. Amtrak cellphone stories, OMG. The worst! Five hours of “I’m ON the TRAIN!” Got to the point where I would actually ask the person coming to sit next to me if they had a cell, and would pointedly move (if I could) when they took it out and talked more than a few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/48 "2003-06-06T13:31:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lissener \* > \*\*I miss the days before cell phones, when you could just pity the poor souls who sat on the bus talking loudly to someone who wasn’t there, rather than despise them. \*\* For a perspective, consider how many of the people who are engaged in apparent cell phone conversations are actually just a modern edition of these same folks – there’s nobody on the other end of the call! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/49 "2003-06-06T13:47:19Z")
Oh, **MaddyStrut** , I have _got_ to get a job as the Strict Matron of the Quiet Car. No one will _dare_ talk on their cell phone when I’m on patrol!! ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/50 "2003-06-06T14:02:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baldwin \* > **What the hell did these people do before they had cell phones? Did they live in a phone booth? Can’t people stand to just be alone with their thoughts for a while?** Or at least leave us with _our_ thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/51 "2003-06-06T16:13:15Z")
**Eve** , you’re reaffirming my commitment to avoid public transit and stay on my bicycle whenever possible when I move to NYC this fall. It’s bad enough I have to spend ten minutes bellowing at commercials when I go to a movie. Now I’ll have to bellow at my fellow commuters because they’re disturbing my peace. ---
**Author:** ![NutWrench](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nutwrench/32/20193_2.png) [@NutWrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutWrench)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/52 "2003-06-06T16:27:33Z")
I think all the cell-phone-screamers should be paired off in couples, so they can at least _look_ like they’re having a conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/53 "2003-06-06T16:31:58Z")
Eh, could be worse; you could _know_ the person doing the loud talking. My SO does this, sometimes. He’ll get a phone call when we’re in the store, or in the car, and he’ll pick up. . .and his voice will automatically go up a couple of volume notches. Usually, I mutter something like, “you’retalkingkindofloudhon,” if we’re in a public place. If we’re in the car, I’ll either ignore it or go “shh!” in a half-joking manner. If it isn’t bugging me much, I let it go, but sometimes, I get a touch of a headache or a touch of a cold, and, for whatever reason, that makes me extremely sensitive to sound. I’ll just end up cringing from being startled and from the (not excruciating but still massively unpleasant) pain. Both my parents do this, too. I can’t be as direct with them when they do it, though, which bites. Me, on the other hand…I try to keep it down. I have no desire to allow anyone to hear my conversations. My service sucks, too, so it’s even worse. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/54 "2003-06-06T16:54:33Z")
Loud cell phone talkers really piss me off. I think of a cell phone as a convenience for me. I carry one all the time, but it’s almost always on "silent. " (it would be off, but then missed calls aren’t logged). When I move, I’m seriously considering using my cell phone as my primary phone, because economically I think it makes more sense for me (free long distance, free caller ID, free voicemail, etc) . I’ll only have a land line at home because, as a single woman living alone, I really want 911 service. However, I will continue to have my cell on silent mode except when I’m home and actually want to take calls. I often do talk loudly on the phone, which is party of the reason I try to have most of my phone conversations at home. When I use my cell in public, I consciously try to keep my voice down and keep the conversations short. **Eve** , let me also give you kudos for calling the idjit and telling him he gave his phone number to everyone on the train. That’s priceless. I’m dreading having to take public trans again on a regular basis because of the dearth of cell phones. Last time I did this it was almost 10 years ago, and not as many people had them. Just like not as many people had portable CD players. Last time I was on an airplane, I actually asked the person in the row behind me to turn theirs down, because it was so loud it was keeping me awake. ---
**Author:** ![rmbnxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@rmbnxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rmbnxs)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/55 "2003-06-06T18:17:23Z")
Who invented the cellular phone? If he is still alive, I’d love nothing more than to kick his ass. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/56 "2003-06-06T18:23:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*Ah NJ Transit. For a moment I thought you were going over the Manhattan bridge, one of the few places people can use a phone while on the subway. \*\* Oh, Christ, I used to do that. D and W trains over the Manhattan Bridge. EVERY FUCKING day on the commute home - at least three or four people would whip out their cell phones and the conversations would all go something like this: “Yo, it’s me. Yeah. I’m on the bridge. Yeah, I’ll be home in twenty minutes. I don’t know, what do you want to eat? I don’t know, what do you want? Hello? HELLO? HELLLOOO??” (That was one was as the train began to dive underground again). I’m sorry, but can you not wait until you get HOME to argue about dinner? You can’t start cooking from the fucking train. > [@](#): > > Have you ever seen Trigger Happy TV? One recurring skit is of a man with a huge cellphone - it’s a good 3 feet, and he yells inanities while continuing with his shopping, movie watching etc… **Lyllyan** , I was just about to mention that (in fact, I tried to when the hamsters got to me yesterday). I LOVE that! Especially the one in church…“I’M IN CHURCH! CHURCH! PRAYING!” ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/57 "2003-06-06T18:27:17Z")
Believe it or not, [Hedy Lamarr](http://e1.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,779,00.html) was partially responsible . . . ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/58 "2003-06-06T18:43:13Z")
I am suddenly a huge proponent of text messaging when I never was before… Esprix ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/59 "2003-06-06T18:48:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rmbnxs \* > \*\*Who invented the cellular phone? If he is still alive, I’d love nothing more than to kick his ass. \*\* HAH! This made my day. I’d like to kick his ass too: my dad has a placque on his wall, thanking him for the work he did as part of the original Motorola team that developed their first cellular phone, which was (IIRC) one of the very first anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902/60 "2003-06-06T19:37:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\* > I’m going to start carrying a water-pistol with me . . . \*\* …wouldn’t that be assault? If he/she then complained about you to the conductor, wouldn’t the conductor be within his rights to tear up your monthly pass and put you off on the next stop? Look, I know you’re a little hot around the collar about this…but at what point are going too far? Isn’t there a point when you’re suppost to tell yourself “simmer down. Its just a phone call”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-im-on-the-train-nothin-what-are-you-doing/179902.md?page=4)