You’ve had a long day at uni. It’s already past five and you’re starving, and the thought of the uphill trek back home is not a pleasant one. You don’t get the bus often and you haven’t spent too heavily this week, so you decide to treat yourself to the great indulgence of a ride home. You can pop in your earphones and zone out to some music, the slow rumble of the bus wheels lulling you into a newfound state of calm. At least that would, and indeed should be the case, if it weren’t for the guy sitting next to you, who is blasting TikToks out of his phone.
The little treat of a bus trip home is a treat no more, and you’re now wishing you saved your pennies and just braved the walk. The nationwide pandemic of public transport noise pollution has stricken once more, and you were the latest victim.
Well, perhaps ‘victim’ is a bit strong, and ‘pandemic’ too, but having to put up with noisy neighbours on communal transport is not an isolated or enjoyable incident, and indeed happens on every form of transport: planes, trains, and of course, automobiles. It is an undeniable irritant to have your relaxation or conversation interrupted by the inconsiderate loudness of someone around you, whether they’re playing music or videos loudly on their phone, or shouting with friends.
Obviously, this problem is decidedly a ‘first world’ one, as it’s not that bad in the grand scheme of things, but that doesn’t mean we still shouldn’t avoid it where possible. This is not to say that we cannot have some noise on public transport: it is normal to chat with your friends or make a call, or even watch a video on low volume if you forgot your earphones that day. However, blasting out drum and bass at 8:30am on a Tuesday morning, in a full carriage of people trying to steel themselves for another day of work or study? That’s a step too far.
It is important that we make some allowances for our more senior travellers, who sometimes struggle to connect their phones to their headphones, or do not even realise that they are playing anything out loud, perhaps due to poor hearing. It’s still annoying, but we have to let these people off the hook. Depending on how long and how loud the nuisance is, that is. There is also always the option to politely ask the person to turn down whatever noise they’re making, to which most reasonable people would probably oblige. However, you’re a tad bit too British to broach that sort of confrontation, aren’t you? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Never mind, there must be a sale for noise-cancelling headphones somewhere.
Image credits – artawkrn (Pexels)
