People with Loud Leaky Headphones on The Train

So I take the Sydney trains everyday to and back from work like millions of others. My commute on the train is 1 hour long one way. Often I want to nap on the journey to catch some sleep that I usually don't get enough of. Sometimes I code on my laptop. And 3 out of 10 times there's at least 1 guy wearing headphones playing loud music destroying his ears and the headphones he's wearing "leak" sound. It sounds like someone's simply put on music without headphones. Some others watch TV shows in loud sound. Unsurprisingly, it ruins my sleep and concentration. I don't know if they have such low self esteem that they feel the need to show off like that.

I have at times asked them to reduce the volume. They always get defensive with me instead of understanding that they are being d**kheads. More often through I move to another cabin. But for me this is BASIC public decency. Who the hell are you to blast your s*it music in a public environment? It's the same as putting your feet on the seats and that IS prohibited and fined.

What I want to know is if causing noise pollution is prohibited in the trains as well and can attract fines/warnings? If yes then I have better reasons to be confrontational than just that they are being indecent in public. And I also want to know if you experience this and what do you do? I don't like to listen to music like most people on the train so there's no point telling me to just buy noise cancelling headphones.

Comments

  • +53

    Your options are;
    *You are on a train, move to a different carriage;
    *Buy a noise cancelling headphone (but dont play any music)
    *Or if you can't beat them join them, get a Loud Leaky Headphones
    *don't sleep in the train, goto bed one hr early.

      • +2

        All you need is one bad fruit, It doesn't even matters if you are in quite carriage.
        I have noticed few times even in quite carriages, people on the phone talking loudly not realizing there are bad connection within train at times.

        Whatever you do, don't do anything like this https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/285818 :)

        • +5

          I have seen case whereby the person refused to stop talking loudly in a "Quiet Carriage" and someone pressed the emergency button. The loud AF person was escorted off the train by police at the next station.

        • -3

          @bsmksg:

          Wonderful use of police resources there. The fool who pressed the emergency button should be fined. I am guessing the police escorted them off the train because they continued to be a nuisance and defied police instructions.

        • -3

          @syousef: Let's just say people were getting sick of his behaviour and MORE than one emergency button was pressed.

          The fool who pressed the emergency button should be fined.

          No, it's within your rights to press the emergency button for such situations. It is no different from reporting people who are drunk, or smoking in trains. (Yes, smoking in train is not a major crime, and therefore it would also be a waste of police resources)

        • +3

          @bsmksg:

          Sounds like, as I said, the person was removed for making a public nuisance of themself and maybe failing to comply with police direction.

          However there was no danger. No emergency. It all comes down to the vague notion of whether the person pressing the button had a "reasonable excuse" according to the law. A different police officer responding may take a different view.

          http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/rsnl270/s2…

          RAIL SAFETY NATIONAL LAW (NSW) - SECT 228

          Applying brake or emergency device
          228 Applying brake or emergency device

          (1) A person must not, without reasonable excuse-
          (a) apply any brake or make use of any emergency device fitted to a train or tram; or
          (b) make use of any emergency device on railway premises.
          Maximum penalty: $10 000.
          Example : Emergency devices include an emergency button on a station communication board or on an escalator.
          (2) Subsection (1) places an evidential burden on the accused to show a reasonable excuse.

        • +1

          Theres a difference between a emergency button, for reporting incidents over a mic versus an emergency brake for halting the whole train..

      • -4

        I might rather have to invest in this
        https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/muzo-state-of-the-art-vib…

        I don't know if the technology can be trusted to really do what it claims though. But I would prefer this more than headphones. Silence > music.

        • +3

          I call BS on that. The comments aren't very encouraging either…

        • @John Kimble: Not saying it will work, but any comments have come prior to release - April 2017 per their website.

      • +3

        Unfortunately, you're in a public place where people have the right to watch TV shows, listen to loud music, have conversations…etc.

        If you were in an office space or a library, I would completely understand your concern, but there is no expectation that one be quiet on a train, same as with a shopping centre, market, middle of the street or in a public park. When I catch the train, I don't see any signs which say "no talking", or "please be quiet", do you?

        It'd be nice if people were more considerate, but often times they aren't, nothing wrong with that. Have you tried tapping them on the shoulder and asking them to turn their music down. They might not even know that it's annoying you.

        • OP did say they got defensive when he/she did that.

      • +2

        All of the above sound to me like public indecency of someone else is my problem.

        Unfortunately, with our current entitled & self-centred generation, that is exactly the case. The worst problem is that once you say something, you become the monster.

        They're all big hard bastards too until you front them, at which point they have a hissy fit & start to play the victim; then more often than not, the scumbag who started the whole thing in the first place with their selfish, antisocial behaviour squeals cop.

    • +1

      Noise cancelling without playing music.
      How does that work?

      • So does that work? Noise is cancelled without music? I had tried such Bose headphones about 8 years ago. At least then you have to play music to have the effect. Never tried after that. I ll give this a thought but I hope I can find something easy to carry, hopefully Bluetooth. I am just not a headphones person.

        • I would say the tech has improved in 8 years…try it out at JBHifi or similar. Get someone to play music or talk loudly next to you. See if it makes a noticeable difference.

          It does to an extent…but would be cheaper 98% cheaper just to use earplugs if you don't want any music. Sometimes I use the silicone ones to sleep or if I go to a loud concert/club (link below, but you can get at any pharmacy) that are meant for swimming (instead of the foam ones)…the foam ones feel like they are just constantly expanding in your ear canal and start hurting after a while.

          I only use half the amount they allocate you for one ear…combination of being tight and having small ears?

          http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/161899395138?lpid=107&chn=ps

          Only thing is you will hear yourself breathe and swallow a lot more.

      • +5

        Not sure what you mean? You activate the noise cancelling, but don't play music.

        The headphone mics pickup the outside noise and essentially play opposite sound waves to attempt to counteract the outside noise. It mostly works the best with constant droning like car/train/plane engine noises, but can also cancel out other noises too. Obviously you will still hear certain things.

        If you want to try it, just go into any store that has them on display and turn on the noise cancelling, but don't play the music.

        If the noise cancelling tech is good, then you would notice a difference.

        The "silence" or "anti noise" on my Audio Technica headphones does start to hurt my ears after a while to be honest. The BOSE QC35 ones have the best tech I've tried (and reviews online confirm this), but I've not used them for extended periods of time…just tried them in the shops.

        • Yeah, they still work best for uniform background noise. It can dampen some non-uniform noise, but it's still not all that effective if they're playing being arsehats and playing music super loud. You'll still be able to hear it.

      • +1

        Would be cheaper to just get a pair of ear muffs.

        • Earmuffs: Aka Ozbargain noise cancelling headphones.

      • I do this all the time and it really helps. But I do listen to music with very very low volume. Because when you don't play the music, it feel like you are in a plane.

      • -2

        Bunnings sells a cheaper version called ear plugs. If you have large ear holes, you could also try butt plugs, albeit you have to buy left and right individually and they are more expensive.

        If the noise is leaking from one cavity only, then the option of buying one would work better. This is for the butt plugs only; if ear plugs, then you could simply cut them in half and use left or right side in either ear.

    • you have right to enjoy your train try ear plug might help.

    • +1

      include the cheapest "noise cancelling" devices… ear plugs
      Do waste your energy fighting every idiot out there, you will always get a negative response publicly criticising someone.
      This in my experience then puts me in a bad mood which then changes they way I deal with other people…
      in short emotions are contagius, foster positivity and tolerance and choose to ignore and not propagate negativity

  • +7

    Some trains have quiet carriages:
    http://www.transportnsw.info/en/travelling-with-us/using-pub…

    If the noise is still excessive, contact them on http://www.transportnsw.info/sites/en/contact-us/index.page or 131 500.

    • +1

      Thats awesome. Didn't know about this. Thanks.

      • +6

        I always use the quiet carriage because I like the quiet. but at least once a week there is some douche bag playing music too loud for the headphones and I have to tell them to turn down their music or move carriage.

        • The quiet carriages aren't that quiet. They aren't soundproof!

      • +1

        They make announcements about them all the time! Maybe you can't hear them over the music…

        • The announcements are only on the few trains that actually have quiet carriages.

          Other train-uses are not made aware as this would simply cause yet more problems.

        • @zerovelocity: True, I was just assuming that a long commute would imply a train with quiet carriages (probably a bad assumption). They should have them on all trains IMO.

    • +1

      I have seen people have long loud phone conversations on quite carriages (Brisbane Air Train). What mostly annoy me is that they don't respect others, as they can move to a carriage that's not designated as a quiet.

  • +5

    ^ this … sit in the quiet carriages (1st and last carriage on a 4 carriage train, and 1st, last and middle carriages on trains longer than 4 carriages). At least on these carriages you can ask the guard to tell any offending person to turn down the volume. I don't believe there is any fine option available for people who do not conform to the standards of the quiet carriages.

    On the other carriages, you have buckleys of claiming "noise pollution" on a pair of head phones, even if you can hear them! The EPA (who can fine) wouldn't consider leakage from head phones during the day as noise pollution.

    • Makes sense to use those carriages then.

    • +1

      Yep, you need to start using a quiet carriage. They are very peaceful places, where I catch the train from they're generally full of people sleeping in the morning. Some even bring blankets, eyemasks and pillows - no joke!

  • +2

    The best answer is to get yourself a set of noise cancelling ear phones. I just got the Bose ear bud ones and they are very effective. They should block out this sort of repetitive rubbish noise, they block out the general train noise as well. I do agree with you, this sort of stupidity drives me nuts. If they got something like the Comply buds they could block the noise in, they could turn the volume down and we could all enjoy the journey. I wonder sometimes if the noise isn't amplified by their empty heads.

    • -3

      Haha. I don't feel comfortable wearing headphones. I think it's because I am claustrophobic. Also over the ear headphones are not really easy to carry. They don't just fit in your pocket. I have read that earbuds (in ear headphones) are not good for your ears but they are super easy to carry.

      • I think they are only a problem if you turn the music up too loud or don't pay attention to what is happening around you when you are walking. Also, you want to clean your buds relatively regularly. I've work earbuds for years and haven't had any issues.

        • +1

          I could be careful about those things but for me silence is better than any kind of music even the music I like.

          http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2275685.htm

        • +1

          @alikazi: Sounds like you need the quiet carriages then; as long as your train has them. As far as I know Melbourne only has them for country travel. However, you might find that people start "tutting" about the sound of you typing on your laptop - if you are doing coding :)

        • @try2bhelpful: haha I am glad my laptop keyboard isn't loud. I don't think the trains I take have quiet carriages but it's still good to know.

  • +6

    Ear plugs? Cheap and good.

  • Depending on whether or not you're a deep sleeper, consider earplugs.

    +I wouldn't blame people for getting defensive, you even type in an aggressive manner.

    • +1

      I am aggressive after a lot of suffering. At the time I wrote the post I had actually moved to another cabin just to find another guy with loud music. When I talk I am neutral. If someone would point out something wrong I am doing I don't argue.

      • -4

        If noise affects you such that you claim "a lot of suffering", how do you leave home? Walking on the street must be agony.

        • +1

          The difference is normal "everyday" sounds vs shitty music forced upon your ears. Don't tell me you feel nothing when that happens.

  • +3

    They are damaging their hearing in 10 - 20 years they will wish that they never had the volume so loud.

    Maybe print out a datasheet on hearing loss with loud music (keep a few in your bad) and hand it to the person.

    • +4

      This is probably the best solution.

      If someone is watching a TV show try and work out what show it is and then search for spoilers.

  • I use Bose QC20 with noise cancelling. Expensive, but soooo dammn worth it.

    It's quiet wherever I go… bus, train, plane, boat. I even use it when I have to share a room with somebody and they snore.

    • Do you find they "stab" your ears when you sleep? I tried using the earphones to drown out snoring and other noises but it just feels so uncomfortable doing so. Looking for something that can actually drown out noises without feeling so uncomfortable, and if possible can play music.

      • They do, but not to the same extent as my other earphones. Xiaomi Piston, LG Quadbeats, sony and Samsung all use the same in-ear design which is very stabby.

        , I still haven't gotten used to the idea of falling asleep with headphones on. I tried to order a bluetooth 'sleep-phones' on ebAy but they never arrived.

        On Head-Fi and Reddit, some people talked about the Shure SE215 being good for sleeping in and small enough that it doesn't jab into your ear canal.
        http://www.head-fi.org/t/735276/good-sleeping-in-ear-headpho…
        https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/2fi1fx/the_best…

        they cost around $85 dollars, so they are not cheap…I'm usually a little afraid of pulling on the cables and ruining a pair of expensive IEM's, but when you're sleep deprived your reasoning goes out the window and you'll do anything to block out noise trying to get some sleep!

        • Yeah, I tried with the hybrids from xiaomi… they hurt but I dealt with it cause I was sharing a room with a snorer. I find that it isn't the size of the part that goes into the canal but the driver casing. If you so much as nudge it, it stabs you. Those SE215 do look smaller… maybe I'll wait for a special or something.

    • Dont u change sides when sleeping? Do they keep intact through out night?

      • I've been known to do some crazy shit when I sleep… I was told by one of my uncles that I somehow dropped my pillow and he was gonna pick it up for me only to have me snatch it off the floor a few seconds earlier then him whilst still asleep… perhaps I untangled it whilst I was sleeping, did not have any issues with keeping it intact or being tangled.

  • +13

    Once you travel, you'll soon come to realise how many dckheads there are in Australia. Sure, every country has their own set of these people, but Australia has a significantly higher concentration of them. And the most frustrating this of all, is that dckheads don't actually know they're d*ckheads.

    On another note, I've never heard so many cars with loud exhausts, revving and skidding within the space of 20 minutes than in Lakemba.

    • Yes I too have noticed how loud vehicles are here. Also people talk loudly in pubs and restaurants. I don't get too bothered by that now I got used to it.

    • +1

      Its probably true, but i'm sure other cultures have their own version of people with poor etiquette amongst one another, that you won't notice due to an unfamiliarity with the various types of people and behaviour within that culture.

  • +3

    Sit next to them and start sneezing on them.

    • +2

      Or some really close dancing to their music? If they can invade your space with noise, why not invade theirs with body parts!

  • +4

    Heard a story once of a guy carrying scissors with him on the train and cutting the headphone cable of offenders. A good yarn…… doubt it's ever happened though.

    • +2

      If your going to do that I'd say you'll end up in a fight.

      • Yeah risky approach :P

    • +2

      I feel for the OP but sometimes confronting a stranger in a public transport not worth it.
      Its not OP's job to fix inconsiderate people.
      * Speaking loudly in public transport.
      * Slamming the door at other car in Car parks.
      * Leaving the shopping trolley in the middle of the Car park.
      * Acting dumb and jumping the queue.
      * Illegally parking in wrong spot.
      * list goes on…

    • +1

      …doesn't work on wireless headphones…..

      • +2

        hey dont ruin a good story….

    • I fantasise about doing this but when wearing an invisible cape.

    • So malicious damage to property. Yeah that's to be encouraged as the behaviour of a model citizen.

    • Asking to be stabbed and rightfully so.

  • My daughter has bose noise cancelling, both earbuds and cups. The cups ($450 worth) are awful for this. They block out sound for her, but for people around you can hear whatever she is listening to. Don't really understand why $450 headphones would do this.

    • Yeah I would expect them to block all noise too. Thanks for the input.

    • +3

      Don't really understand why $450 headphones would do this.

      Because they are not in ear…they are basically small speakers with cushioning around them that go over the top of your ears…how do you expect the cushioning to stop noise getting out if the volume is turned up high enough and there is low ambient noise?

      It is more to do with the lack of etiquette/awareness/consideration for others of the person listening.

    • +3

      I am not writing this to tell you off or her off, but the chances are she's listening to the music at too high volume. People usually perceive louder music to sound better so usually they put the volume to a level where it is louder than it needs to be.

      Actually, if it is an in ear type, I do remember people saying on ear headphones are generally worse with noise bleeding than over ears… so who knows that might be it.

  • +1

    Learn to meditate. That will teach how to zone out from any external noise.

    • I used to do that before. Ultimately I know you can't change people you can only change yourself. I need to meditate as much as I used to before. But with the new job and stuff it's low priority.

      • But you're experiencing "a lot of suffering". Perhaps you should raise that priority.

  • +1

    Noise cancelling ear buds, eg Nuheara

    • Are you a backer?

      • No, just know someone who is getting them.

  • +1

    Ask them to turn it up so you can hear the lyrics and sing along

  • +3

    It really sounds like you expect complete silence from the other passengers. I mean that's fine to an extent, but you ARE riding public transport and need to be reasonable.

    • +3

      Or move to Japan.

      • +2

        Heck yeah! I was in Japan a year or so ago and the public transport there is incredible. So efficient and also no one makes a peep.
        I felt a bit like a loud rude Westerner even just quietly telling my mate that our stop was coming up and to be ready.

      • +2

        My friend and I were in a silent carriage but this old Japanese man came up and spoke to us, in broken English. People were giving us dirty looks - wasn't our fault, we kept turning away and he just kept talking at us until he made a point about our breasts. Pervy old man!

    • -2

      Reasonable: People talk (to each other/on the phone), kids talk/cry, typing noises, someone watches a commercial on the speaker (lasts a few minutes), people coughing/sneezing/laughing and so on.
      Unreasonable: People BLAST their music loud. They have headphones that are not built well, they have put up the volume high and it sounds like music is on speakers. No, to do this go home dont do this on the train.

      • -3

        It genuinely sounds like you might be being super sensitive to it.

        • +1

          I don't think so. On my bus home, there was one douchebag who blasted his hardcore doof doof dance music at full volume through his stock apple earpods. He would always sit on the back seat or close to it. You could genuinely hear his terrible music from halfway down the bus (which is pretty hard to do on a bus!!!), so I learnt to sit down the front when I noticed him boarding the bus. Almost everyone would look around trying to figure out where it was coming from and then give him dirty looks…its not music you want to hear when all you want to do is sit quietly on the bus home…

          Perhaps he has moved, or I don't catch the same bus anymore as him, but I haven't seen him in a while thankfully.

      • +2

        Totally rude ; talking on a phone on public transport
        Nobody wants to hear you jabbering on about yourself and others you don't know
        Shut the fark up!!

        • +6

          I yelled at some drunk tourists singing along to a boom box on the bus the other day. Aren't I an old self-righteous killjoy.

          Shut the fark up was among the more polite things I said.

          Just sharing.

      • +1

        Can I suggest noise cancelling headphones with ambient noise playing through them?

  • +1

    Earplugs. Who cares what you look like while you're sleeping like a smart baby.

    Howard Leight by Honeywell do great DB reduction.

    Get the orange ones with the flared base.

    • I am no headphones expert never heard of that brand before. Will take a look. I know there are many such brands that are supposed to be better than mainstream brands. I only know the ones in JB Hifi.

      • +2

        Not headphones, earplugs. As in, no wires.

        Look for decibel reduction. Ask at a local chemist but you will find cheapest bulk prices on eBay.

        • Got it.

        • -1

          @alikazi: When the Offensive polluter arrives beside you, make a big thing of installing your ear-plugs.

          And when you get up to leave, do try to resist pulling them out and flick them into their lap. With all available ear wax.

          Even if you have a clear exit planned, doors closing behind you in perfect synchronisation with the dasterdely impacts left in your wake.

  • +3

    Even worse are the humanoids who play it on speaker phone. Like they want to start a party in the carriage.

    Also I don't understand people that talk on speaker phone in noisy carriages. The hold the phone to their mouth and have the speaker phone full volume. With that much effort I am sure you can just go the extra mile and stick the phone to their ears, and stop disturbing everyone else. Damn selfish.

    • I personally don't like holding the phone to my head if I can help it because the phone gets so hot, so speaker phone or the bundled earphones. Maybe these people are the same.

      But I don't do it on public transport…

    • -1

      Humanoids? Don't human-ify these monsters!

      We are not part of their evolutionary path.

      • Monkeys are humanoids too.

  • +4

    Crop dust them

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