I've noticed a few times now. I often travel on the quiet carriage on the trains I use regularly. I think it tends to mean I have a better place to get on with work or reading. I don't mind people having quiet conversations. I do find the leakage of tinny music from people who are likely to end up deaf by their mid-forties irritating, but I can often tune it out. However, I have been surprised at how difficult it is to tune out the person who forgets that it's the quiet coach and goes on to have a moby conversation. Now this article actually gives evidence that it really is harder not to listen to a one-sided conversation than to tune out a real two-hander. Overheard cell-phone conversations are not only annoying but reduce our attention: The researcher says: "'It's definitely changed my own etiquette,' says Emberson. 'I'm a lot more sensitive about talking on the phone in public. It has a really profound effect on the cognition of the people around you, and it's not because they're eavesdropping or they're bad people. Their cognitive mechanism basically means that they're forced to listen.'"
So I feel that I might be a bit more emboldened to ask people to do what the signs ask: take that phone call in the vestibule.
21 September 2010
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2 comments:
Of course if you are really naughty you taker the chance of someone having a phone conversation in you hearing to join in!
A few "really" or "surely not" s usually do the trick!
I you are confident you can upgrade to "I'm sorry I missed what she said would you like to repeat it" or even "could you tell her this from me...."
When they tell you "this is a private conversation" - then is the time to say "well would you like to have it somewhere more private then?"
I still remember with affection the man having a conversation on a train in the early days of cellphones (when they were stil a show off gadget) who appeared to be talkign away to someone when .......his phone rang.
Mark Smith
I like the sound of these ideas. If I can manage to psyche myself up and get into the groove for this approach. Thanks Mark ;)
Of course I have had a negative experience of asking someone to behave in a way that the signage indicates...
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