How often are quiet coaches actually quiet?

[island]

In Japan the default is that every coach is a quiet coach and the "quiet" coach is a "totally silent" coach.

Little booths are provided on some trains for making phone calls, the vestibules can be used for this purpose on others.

 

[kristiang85]

In Japan the default is that every coach is a quiet coach and the "quiet" coach is a "totally silent" coach.

Little booths are provided on some trains for making phone calls, the vestibules can be used for this purpose on others.

It's utter bliss!

I remember a loud British family getting onto my carriage, and they were promptly put right by the locals.

On the other hand, it was so quiet and smooth I nodded off and totally missed the view of Mt Fuji.

 

[Cowley]

vestibules can be used for this purpose on others.

Is that because empty vestibules make the most noise?

 

[Ken H]

Is that because empty vestibules make the most noise?

Coat

 

[DelW]

I'm surprised at the number of posts suggesting that a quiet coach should mean no conversation, even between two passengers sitting next to each other - I don't think I've ever found those disturbing. Four passengers talking in a group across a bay of four seats might be an annoyance depending how loudly they talk and how much ambient noise there is.

My ire would be directed at the people who blatantly play videos or music tracks out loud, especially over the tinny and tiny loudspeakers on mobile phones. Even more so the passenger on a GWR train recently (admittedly not in a designated quiet coach) making a phone call with the volume turned up so high that I could hear the person at the other end louder than the one actually on the train with me.

 

[43066]

Got told off today by a rather pompous middle aged gentleman in coach A on a GWR. Was travelling back from Paignton with my London friend who I only see about once a year, after a lovely few days break, and we were just chatting, not shrieking, giggling or even talking particularly loudly. He came to us from two rows of seats in front of us and told us he could hear us talking, and didn't we know it's the quiet coach. I was all set to point out that it's not the 'silent' coach, and generally applies to electronic equipment and phones, not normal conversations, but my much more diplomatic friend said "oh we're sorry" and nudged me not to make a big deal of it. I was still annoyed though. I did give him a look as I got off at Taunton.

A young couple got on at the next station after this incident and sat two rows in the other direction from him, and were literally just almost whispering to eachother, and he stuck his head over the back of the seat and told them off too. They looked incredulous. They got off at Taunton too and could hardly contain their giggles as we waited for the doors to release. It really was an absurd reaction on his part. I bet he's great fun at parties!

I didn't think it was forbidden to have a normal level of conversation in a quiet coach. Some people obviously see it differently though.

Ridiculous. It’s aimed at phones and music, not at muted conversations. Sounds like a bully throwing his weight around.

Sooner or later he’ll attempt to “tell off” the wrong person…

 

[Bantamzen]

It sounds like quiet coaches are more about people getting angry at others than they are for somewhere slightly less noisy. Perhaps they should either be scrapped altogether, because it seems that no one can agree on what the "rules" are, or there should be a premium to pay to prevent people wandering in them accidentally.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It sounds like quiet coaches are more about people getting angry at others than they are for somewhere slightly less noisy. Perhaps they should either be scrapped altogether, because it seems that no one can agree on what the "rules" are, or there should be a premium to pay to prevent people wandering in them accidentally.

Or the rules should be stated clearly and enforced.

The Germanic countries have Hausregeln/Huisregel displayed in places where relevant. The Abellio TOCs I think also did some of this due to the Dutch influence.

 

[jfowkes]

Is that because empty vestibules make the most noise?

UK trains have devised an amazing method for making vestibules quiet. By a combination of cancellations and inadequate train lengths, passenger are forced to stand in the vestibule, providing sound-absorbing material.

This is the kind of thing people mean when they talk about the innovation of the private sector.

 

[infobleep]

The problem is that our quiet carriages don't really define what is expected, which is asking for trouble. But personally I don't see why it should be such a problem expecting people to essentially remain silent.

I think the problem with the train operating companies is around the word essentially.

Why not make it explicit and say silent coach and then in small words below unless speaking to a member of staff or in an emergency?

I remember many years ago being in a Quiet Coach on c2c. It was so noisy, with uncontrolled children and also young gentlemen practising their rapping, that I went to a normal coach for some peace and quiet!

I can imagine it’s absolutely impossible for a c2c service to have a quiet coach, so do they still have these?

I think quiet coaches are pointless in the UK. For whatever reason, they’ve only been effective when I’ve experienced them on the continent.
All coaches should be the same, but there really needs to be more enforcement of ridiculous noise. But it’s clear that confronting some of the delightful characters we have to share trains with, it could end with arguments or much worse.

The problem with quiet coaches is that not all routes have them.
.for example guild ford to Waterloo via Cobham doesn't.

In the morning it may be that people want a quieter coach.

Then you get TOCs who have no quiet coaches at all.

To quote that well-known phrase, it's a postcode lottery.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Try the south WCML or Chiltern in the morning peak. ALL coaches are quiet coaches, and woe (tutting and dirty looks) betide anyone who does otherwise.

 

[BeijingDave]

Try the south WCML or Chiltern in the morning peak. ALL coaches are quiet coaches, and woe (tutting and dirty looks) betide anyone who does otherwise.

Good.

 

[Parjon]

or there should be a premium to pay to prevent people wandering in them accidentally.

That would probably be effective. In my experience the people causing the issue are those that have just rocked up and got on the first available carriage. Add just a £2 surcharge for sitting in the quiet coach (and give interlopers the option to move if they don't want to pay) and I'm in

 

[Master29]

UK trains have devised an amazing method for making vestibules quiet. By a combination of cancellations and inadequate train lengths, passenger are forced to stand in the vestibule, providing sound-absorbing material.

This is the kind of thing people mean when they talk about the innovation of the private sector.

That was a breath of fresh air .

 

[Kumquat]

If the various train operating companies could unite on a policy, and advertise it, that would help.

Some years ago there was a problem that people booking seats often got put in the quiet coach inappropriately - I'm assuming that's no longer an issue as it's not been mentioned. But more than once I've been in a quiet coach with a raucous stag party or similar, and the guard has explained to anyone who asks that the rules say no phones or music out loud, but speech at high volume isn't against the rules. So he can't do anything... Can't, or won't?

I recently was in a non-quiet coach with a bunch of football fans. One decided to play coverage of the match out loud on his tablet. After a few minutes and the guy refusing to turn it down, another man with a louder device started playing commentary about the first guy's team losing a match for playing terribly. Soon first and then second guy turned their devices to silent and the carriage was fine after that.

 

[Railguy1]

In Japan the default is that every coach is a quiet coach and the "quiet" coach is a "totally silent" coach.

Little booths are provided on some trains for making phone calls, the vestibules can be used for this purpose on others.

I need to visit Japan!

 

[Tester]

I need to visit Japan!

You most certainly do

 

[Skiddaw]

A bit of a jolly can be fairly entertaining if you're not travelling far.

I popped into Carlisle (from Penrith) on Friday and you couldn't move for do's. There were several hen parties on the outward leg (variously headed for Glasgow and Edinburgh) plus another party on the platform at Carlisle waiting for the Edinburgh train and on the way back there was a stag party on the platform headed for Newcastle, plus, when on the (Liverpool Lime Street) train there was another hen party (taking up one entire carriage- they were in the midst of a smutty pub quiz type thingy involving much raucous laughter) and a large 50th birthday party group who were having a makeshift disco. I rather enjoyed it!

 

[Andy Pacer]

A bit of a jolly can be fairly entertaining if you're not travelling far.

I popped into Carlisle (from Penrith) on Friday and you couldn't move for do's. There were several hen parties on the outward leg (variously headed for Glasgow and Edinburgh) plus another party on the platform at Carlisle waiting for the Edinburgh train and on the way back there was a stag party on the platform headed for Newcastle, plus, when on the (Liverpool Lime Street) train there was another hen party (taking up one entire carriage- they were in the midst of a smutty pub quiz type thingy involving much raucous laughter) and a large 50th birthday party group who were having a makeshift disco. I rather enjoyed it!

But was any of this taking place in a quiet coach?

 

[Skiddaw]

But was any of this taking place in a quiet coach?

Goodness only knows! As I say, the various groups had taken over entire carriages at least on the return train and the Liverpool Lime Street TPE isn't very long at the best of times.

I didn't care as I was only going to Penrith but it would probably have been rather tedious if I'd been on a long journey.

 

[kristiang85]

Just on a GWR quiet coach.

- one screaming child
- one bloke telling his entire life story it seems to a mate on the phone
- one very loud girl effing and blinding either on the phone or to the person next to her, I can't tell as it's up the other end.
- two girls talking very loudly about their weekend drunken antics. If I had a pound for everytime one of them said "literally" I'd be able to upgrade to first by now.
- oh wait just as I'm typing this another loud person has started up.

Kudos to the girl who had a phone call and apologised to the person on the other end as she quickly relocated to the vestibule as she was in the quiet coach.

 

[spyinthesky]

I find them rather pointless, as the noisy groups / families or random noisy people don’t bother to choose which coach they sit in when booking advance, likewise those who just want a seat when a train is full.
Such a rarity that a quiet coach is quiet and to be honest I couldn’t care less. I am content with getting somewhere to sit.
As for enforcement…no chance

 

[al78]

Seems to me it is pointless having a quiet coach if it isn't enforced. You cannot rely on people doing the right thing in this country.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Just on a GWR quiet coach.

- one screaming child
- one bloke telling his entire life story it seems to a mate on the phone
- one very loud girl effing and blinding either on the phone or to the person next to her, I can't tell as it's up the other end.
- two girls talking very loudly about their weekend drunken antics. If I had a pound for everytime one of them said "literally" I'd be able to upgrade to first by now.
- oh wait just as I'm typing this another loud person has started up.

Kudos to the girl who had a phone call and apologised to the person on the other end as she quickly relocated to the vestibule as she was in the quiet coach.

I actively avoid them now as they annoy me more than a standard noisy carriage!

 

[philosopher]

Seems to me it is pointless having a quiet coach if it isn't enforced. You cannot rely on people doing the right thing in this country.

Quiet coaches to me in the UK don’t really work as they rely on enforcement by other passengers. This may be a bit of generalisation, but in the UK people tend to intervene if they see someone else doing something wrong, meaning any quiet coach is unlikely to be enforced.

From watching YouTube videos in the United States there is more active enforcement of the quiet coach by other passengers, hence there I think the concept should work.

 

[BeijingDave]

Bad behaviour gets shut down with the stares from other passengers in East Asia. The recipient perceives it a 'loss of face' and quickly stops what they are doing.

A stare in the UK is typically met with "wat you lookin at? (wanna go?)"

 

[Doctor Fegg]

It sounds like quiet coaches are more about people getting angry at others

Could probably scrap this entire forum based on that logic.

 

[SussexSeagull]

If there are quiet carriages and people know that when they get a ticket then the rules should be observed. Also people shouldn't be playing music on their phones, etc. in any carriage but ultimately it is public transport and not a court of law.

 

[AM9]

If there are quiet carriages and people know that when they get a ticket then the rules should be observed. Also people shouldn't be playing music on their phones, etc. in any carriage but ultimately it is public transport and not a court of law.

All of those ranting about other passengers not behaving in accordance with *their* own preferences should learn personal stress relief. Trying to control other people's behaviour in such circumstances is a waste of time. I'm not keen on noisy people but a token name of 'quiet coach' just doesn't make it happen however self-entitled it might make somebody feel.

 

[BrianW]

All of those ranting about other passengers not behaving in accordance with *their* own preferences should learn personal stress relief. Trying to control other people's behaviour in such circumstances is a waste of time. I'm not keen on noisy people but a token name of 'quiet coach' just doesn't make it happen however self-entitled it might make somebody feel.

I observe your use of the passive aggressive as in rant, their own preferences, self-entitled, should ...- something like 'get over it; get a life?' I hope you will calm down, and feel able to respect the wishes of your fellow travellers, which is not (it seems to me) unreasonable, however token that might be. Self-entitled 'old git'?