Quiet Carriage / Coach: restrictions and issues - ongoing discussion, merged topic

[whole diary]

[willc]

But the lovely card and website also add that you should "watch your volume when talking to other passengers" or something like that - I would suggest that neatly covers the 20th rendition of this old farmer, even when three-year-olds are involved and even if their parents have paid for first class tickets.

[Mookiemoo]

But the lovely card and website also add that you should "watch your volume when talking to other passengers" or something like that - I would suggest that neatly covers the 20th rendition of this old farmer, even when three-year-olds are involved and even if their parents have paid for first class tickets.

You see thats where I and another lost out - they werent THAT noisy - if it was low level background noise, ok.  Was the constant repetition you could not avoid!  Static is static because it doesnt repeat

a repeating pattern even at static levels is VERY annoying

[thetrout]

I once had an unpleasent experience on an XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Service coming back from Birmingham New Street during half term. I got on the train and sat in First Class. These 2 women got on the train with 3 young kids.

I'm going to sound rather snobby here, I'm not a snob, Just prefer peace and quiet

I was hoping they had accidentally sat in the wrong place... However, My luck had run out and they were indeed FC^‡(resolve) Ticket Holders. One of the women decided not to allow the children to do something... The screams that entailed as a result were highly impressive, But I couldn't hear myself talk, let alone think! It got to the point where I started to get a severe headache!

Needless to say I quite happily removed myself from the train at Cheltenham Spa...!

[Btline]

What are FGW^▸ (First Great Western) on?

Don't they realise that it is not only the speaker noise, but the tapping of keyboards and the distraction of a screen? So laptops should be BANNED from Quiet Zones - they are for people to sleep/relax or do work with distractions.

The policy they have put in place regarding earphones etc. should be in place IN EVERY CARRAIGE. It is not acceptable for anyone - even a neighbouring passenger - to be able to hear what is on the earphone. (except, perhaps, a sudden noisy part of a film which then dies down; or a crescendo in music)

And that's not just out of common courtesy - but health! If you are constantly listening to sound through ear phones which are loud enough to be heard around you - it's too loud! You risk permanently damaging your middle or inner ear. (and it's bloody annoying having a thumping beat in the carriage!)

[Zoe]

Don't they realise that it is not only the speaker noise, but the tapping of keyboards and the distraction of a screen? So laptops should be BANNED from Quiet Zones - they are for people to sleep/relax or do work with distractions.

It's never going to be completely noise free, if nothing else you can hear the train manager.

[johoare]

But the lovely card and website also add that you should "watch your volume when talking to other passengers" or something like that -

I used to sit in the quiet carriage when we had adelantes taking us into London. Until one day, someone I knew vaguely, got on the train with me, and into the quiet carriage, and then proceeded to chat to me in the loudest voice you have ever heard.. I was very embarassed, and even though I was answering in a normal, if not quieter than normal, tone of voice, this person was still talking so loudly that people were making a point at looking (and in the case of one person, laughing).. I was glad when we got to Paddington..

[Btline]

Yes, put tapping is an annoying noise - and unnecessary. They can tap in the other carriages!

[Phil]

I was on the 15:06 from Paddington to Penzance today when the buffet manager had the temerity to talk over the train manager's announcement. So there we were sat in the First Class "quiet zone" having to put up with (a) noisy wheel grindy noises due to a faulty carriage, (b) some ignorant **** using his phone, and (c) not one but two simultaneous VERY LOUD announcements. Followed by a brief interlude of blissful peace, followed by the Train Manager repeating her entire message (which we could have all probably repeated off by heart in any case) right back from the very beginning again. And then finally the buffet manageress saying her piece again.

[plymothian]

Should quiet carriages be included in advance seat bookings?

With the Seat Bookings thread, if you have an advance ticket and are allocated A or G then you must travel in your seat even if you don't want to and be forced to travel in silence.  This would be especially bad with families.

[devon_metro]

Blimey, anyone would think there was a war zone in coach A! Maybe fgw should offer free ear plugs!

A lot of hype over nothing. If somebody is bothering you that much, ask them politely to keep the noise. I frequently use my mobile and iPod in the quiet carriage, however on silent mode/very quietly.

What are FGW^▸ (First Great Western) on?

Don't they realise that it is not only the speaker noise, but the tapping of keyboards and the distraction of a screen? So laptops should be BANNED from Quiet Zones - they are for people to sleep/relax or do work with distractions.

The policy they have put in place regarding earphones etc. should be in place IN EVERY CARRAIGE. It is not acceptable for anyone - even a neighbouring passenger - to be able to hear what is on the earphone. (except, perhaps, a sudden noisy part of a film which then dies down; or a crescendo in music)

And that's not just out of common courtesy - but health! If you are constantly listening to sound through ear phones which are loud enough to be heard around you - it's too loud! You risk permanently damaging your middle or inner ear. (and it's bloody annoying having a thumping beat in the carriage!)

[Btline]

Should quiet carriages be included in advance seat bookings?

With the Seat Bookings thread, if you have an advance ticket and are allocated A or G then you must travel in your seat even if you don't want to and be forced to travel in silence.  This would be especially bad with families.

If you use the "Mixing Deck" booking websites (LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise), NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast), SN, SE....) then you can opt in or out of the Quite Zone.

You can also pick: "near buffet" and "near end of carriage". A lot better than the "Trainline" system FGW^▸ (First Great Western) uses.

[willc]

If somebody is bothering you that much, ask them politely to keep the noise

Silly me. There I was thinking that the entire point of the quiet carriages was to remove the need to actually have to do this in a whole two coaches out of seven or eight in an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) formation.

[Trowres]

As a parent, I would like a carriage for children but excluding mobile phones and intolerant folk 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Well, there is the Family Carriage option - sometimes! 

The Family Carriage can be found in Coach D on First Great Western^s High Speed Trains. It is available on Saturday and Sunday and during the school holidays.

[devon_metro]

Well of course, when I say that, I was making the assumption that people had the the common sense to work it out for themselves and the few that didn't could be subjected to a rant