Commuting

14 June 2004

For three days a week I commute to work on an express bus service from Oxford to London. It's a good service and I catch it very early in the morning.

On Thursday one of my colleagues was on the bus and I hadn't seen him for a few days. During the ride we sat on adjacent seats and caught up on a few things; some work and some play. As soon as we started to talk - a rather stroppy woman (who has complained about people talking before) gave me a stare and put on some headphones. We thought nothing more of it. As she was getting her things together to get off at Notting Hill, she turned to Ian and said (in a particularly patronising voice) "Next time if you insist on talking for the entire journey can I propose that you sit closer together". She thrust her handbag under her arm and stomped off up the isle. Ian and I looked at each other with disbelief. Fancy that. Talking. On public transport.

This morning Ian phoned me see if I had read the Times on Saturday (I hadn't). He found it rather amusing to find the following letter

How far is it acceptable to challenge fellow passengers on public transport who are being annoying — having very loud conversations, playing with mobile phone ring tones, drumming their feet, whistling? I have occasionally been driven to speak up, then subsided crimson into my seat, feeling I was the one at fault. What alternative strategy could you recommend?

Jane Mann,
Oxford

Jane Mann, Oxford? Coincidence? I'm not sure.

Hello. My name is Roy. I live in rural Oxfordshire.

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