from NY Times: Cordially or Not Cordially?

[SarahZ]

Ugh. Just because I don't have a job that requires me to work outside of work hours doesn't mean I don't want to use my phone or laptop. I have electronic books on my phone, so while you might think I'm playing Candy Crush or texting 1000 people, I actually AM reading and relaxing. Also, I don't appreciate being demonized because I can't take a nap sitting up and get bored staring at trees after an hour. Some of us are simply more energetic than others and can't sit and do nothing for very long. That's why I have a laptop for movies when it gets dark and books to read during the day while I have natural light. I don't like small talk, hence the headphones.

I am courteous and ask the person if I can run the cord under their legs, and if I'm in the window seat, I ask the aisle person if they have anything they'd like to plug in. I don't judge, and I don't appreciate being judged. I'm a nice, quiet seatmate, so who cares if I'm using my phone or my laptop? Since my job is very hectic and involves talking to hundreds of people every week, sitting on a train in absolute quiet while reading a book or watching a movie IS relaxing to me. I paid for my seat, and as long as I'm not bothering anyone, I'll do what I want in it.

 

[Meat Puppet]

With the long battery life of todays phones and computers these people should plan ahead and charge before they get on if it thats important to them.

As far as the cars with one outlet per seat seat pair, I think it first one to use it has the rights to it. If its that important to someone that they have an outlet and they know there is only one per seat pair, Bring a power strip or triple tap.

 

[me_little_me]

OlympianHiawatha is a subterranean sanitation engineer ala Ed Norton. :giggle:

 

[trainman74]

This can be a fantastic ice breaker: "Pardon, would it be ok if I just get under your legs to run my cord to the outlet?"

I have a multi-outlet extension cord that I bring on train trips -- it's come in handy for a female Surfliner seatmate at least once, but sadly, I wasn't as adept as following up with flirting as I should have been.

 

[Bus Nut]

Last 2 times flying, my neighbors did not utter one word to me. One dude was hung over and slept the whole time. The other was just too good to speak to me. I don't care, I had a better movie on my laptop.

You may be right about why your seatmates in those cases wouldn't speak to you, but I'd like to put in a reminder that not everyone who doesn't speak does so out of snobbery. They may be shy or afraid to initiate an interaction. For example, a person who is afraid of being bullied may become avoidant with strangers.

Flying in an airplane is already stressful because of fear of flying or the turbulence and discomfort due to the drop in pressure and also because of the loss of oxygen which can make cognitive tasks more challenging. While extroverted people can be energized by small talk, introverted individuals can find such interactions draining. An autistic person might find such interactions to be a huge stretch and with O2 loss it may be all but impossible to avoid self-stimming and perseverant behaviors (which bring on highly negative reactions from others that they naturally which to avoid) AND try to carry on a "normal" conversation.

People are not always at their best when flying, is what I'm saying. I personally enjoy chatting with other patrons and crew on a train but in a jet at altitude I tend to feel sick and run down and basically either try to nap or throw myself into distractions to avoid the physical discomfort. Which is not to say I haven't had some interesting convos on planes (assuming my ears unpop :giggle: --I go deaf sometimes on planes too). Like the dude who basically grew up on an airfield and filled me in on a lot of technical details about takeoff.

 

[Bus Nut]

With the long battery life of todays phones and computers these people should plan ahead and charge before they get on if it thats important to them.

Right. I don't think I have encountered a device yet that has 7 hrs of battery under use.

I used to ride WAS (or further south) to BOS or Rt 128 pretty frequently over a decade ago. It was early days for all these devices so I didn't have to fight to get the outlet to plug in my CD player (oh yeah, baby). The idea of just reaching over someone without asking is ridiculous. Of course back then a broke young person could still afford NE Regional tickets and not every seat was filled except maybe in PA.

It's possible that the entitled, rude behavior is on the rise as the social standing/wealth of NEC patrons increases. (There's plenty of psych research on this phenomenon--people at the top of any social hierarchy feel entitled to take liberties with resources. In fact there is a recent article on Psychology Today right now about traffic violations and luxury cars.)

 

[Bus Nut]

I am courteous and ask the person if I can run the cord under their legs, and if I'm in the window seat, I ask the aisle person if they have anything they'd like to plug in. I don't judge, and I don't appreciate being judged. I'm a nice, quiet seatmate, so who cares if I'm using my phone or my laptop? Since my job is very hectic and involves talking to hundreds of people every week, sitting on a train in absolute quiet while reading a book or watching a movie IS relaxing to me. I paid for my seat, and as long as I'm not bothering anyone, I'll do what I want in it.

Well said, Sorcha. The only thing I really can't take are people who won't use headphones or have theirs turned up way too loud. But the train makes enough noise that it's only really a prob when you're right next to them.

People who have super loud (even drunk) conversations in coach late at night ... well ... they make me ragey. Take it to the cafe car, party animal.

 

[Alexandria Nick]

With the long battery life of todays phones and computers these people should plan ahead and charge before they get on if it thats important to them.

Right. I don't think I have encountered a device yet that has 7 hrs of battery under use.

RAZR Maxx HD

Its...pretty awesome. I can pull a good 28 hours out of it, half of that is listening to music at work.

 

[jebr]

With the long battery life of todays phones and computers these people should plan ahead and charge before they get on if it thats important to them.

Right. I don't think I have encountered a device yet that has 7 hrs of battery under use.

I wish my phone and netbook had that much battery life. My phone, if it's being heavily used, can easily go through 30% in an hour. Same with my computer.

Plus, if there's two outlets, there's one per person and they should be shared. Be courteous, yes, but there's nothing wrong with using an outlet to charge your phone or device. In fact, Amtrak lists it as an amenity, so if a customer wants to use it, they should be able to without being scoffed at.

 

[MiRider]

Ugh. Just because I don't have a job that requires me to work outside of work hours doesn't mean I don't want to use my phone or laptop. I have electronic books on my phone, so while you might think I'm playing Candy Crush or texting 1000 people, I actually AM reading and relaxing. Also, I don't appreciate being demonized because I can't take a nap sitting up and get bored staring at trees after an hour. Some of us are simply more energetic than others and can't sit and do nothing for very long. That's why I have a laptop for movies when it gets dark and books to read during the day while I have natural light. I don't like small talk, hence the headphones.
I am courteous and ask the person if I can run the cord under their legs, and if I'm in the window seat, I ask the aisle person if they have anything they'd like to plug in. I don't judge, and I don't appreciate being judged. I'm a nice, quiet seatmate, so who cares if I'm using my phone or my laptop? Since my job is very hectic and involves talking to hundreds of people every week, sitting on a train in absolute quiet while reading a book or watching a movie IS relaxing to me. I paid for my seat, and as long as I'm not bothering anyone, I'll do what I want in it.

Sorry to have to quote this but it's posts like this that make me wish we had a LIKE button on the forum.

I watch movies and read on the train all of the time.

I'm not a window gazer either unless it's something I haven't seen before.

Also, it doesn't matter if you _are_ playing Candy Crush or texting 1000 people, that is absolutely nobody's business but yours.

We should all be able to enjoy ourselves.

I also don't care how long the batteries last on my electronics.

I do plan ahead - I always travel with an extension cord and chargers.

When I get off of the train, I insist on having everything fully charged - I'm not going to use battery power when there's a perfect good outlet there for my use - that's what they're there for - sheesh.

 

[SarahZ]

With the long battery life of todays phones and computers these people should plan ahead and charge before they get on if it thats important to them.
As far as the cars with one outlet per seat seat pair, I think it first one to use it has the rights to it. If its that important to someone that they have an outlet and they know there is only one per seat pair, Bring a power strip or triple tap.

What? So I shouldn't use the outlet because I should charge my phone and laptop ahead of time? What if I've been at work all day or running errands? What if I'm on my way somewhere and know I won't be able to charge my phone for a few hours, so I'm trying to get it back to 100% before I de-train?

Also, my laptop battery lasts maybe two hours, if that, if I'm doing anything more advanced than word processing. My phone battery dies after a couple of hours if I'm listening to music through my earbuds. A four-hour train trip would leave me powerless.

What about people who have kids? If I were a parent, I'd want my phone charged above 50% at all times.

The outlets are meant to be shared. Just because I'm in the aisle seat doesn't mean you get full access to the outlet and I get zero. If someone preached to me that I should have charged up beforehand, they're the selfish, ignorant one, not me.

Not everyone puts their cords across the other person's lap. I'm sure many of us ask first and then run them under their legs. Using an electronic device and using the outlet I PAID FOR does not make me a rude troglodyte.

 

[guest]

Wow!

tonys96 got it right. This isn't about using an available socket or not. It's about being civil in arranging to use it.

 

[shelzp]

Wow!tonys96 got it right. This isn't about using an available socket or not. It's about being civil in arranging to use it.

Thumbs up!

 

[shelzp]

I got a backup charger that has 11,600 mAh so it's strong enough to power an ipad for a good amount of time and will charge my phone as well. But it's gotta be plugged in at some point too!!

 

[Meat Puppet]

First one to the outlet owns it for the trip. Plemty are available in the lounge for the latecomers. its the same as an airport boarding area. First ones who find the outlets scattered about own them until their flight boards.

 

[jis]

In this context, would watching a movie or listening to music be considered relaxing? Or would they be disqualified because they use the dreaded "electronic device" and need to be attached to power outlets from time to time, that some seem to be allergic to?

While I myself tend to not use devices too much while traveling, except when I want to shut the rest of the world out using a noise canceling headphone to help in getting some Zzzzzs. And I almost never work while traveling, even though I have more of a 24/7 job than most others given that my team is distributed across US east and west coast, Shanghai, Bangalore, Tel Aviv, Boeblingen and Copenhagen - perish the thought ... How would I then be able to enjoy the sounds of the K5LA in the distance, or the clickety clack where present, the whine of the tilt system on an Acela, or for that matter a mighty GE90 or a Rolls-Royce RB211 winding up, or the hydraulics and motors deploying the flaps and slats?

But that is me. Frankly i don't understand the antipathy some people have about others using electronic devices when and where they want to. Why is that any concern of someone else is beyond me. Everyone should be allowed to indulge freely in their own activities that keeps them entertained without being judged for doing so IMHO as long as they are not overly getting in the way of others. Live and let live.

 

[RailRide]

My SOP is to carry a multi-outlet surge protector (Fellowes Mighty 8) with a right-angle plug so the cord runs along the wall.

If I'm in the window seat, I run the cord across the tray supports of the seat in front of me so it sits between the seats. I then offer use of the vacant plugs to anyone sitting next to me who appears to have any sort of electronics.

If only the aisle seat is available, I ask the person occupying the window seat if they can plug in the strip, then offer the use of spare outlets for any additional chargers they may need to use. Being the aforementioned protector has eight outlets, there's plenty for even the most gadget-equipped pair of riders.

---PCJ

 

[NS]

The outlet belongs to both folks in the seat pair - aisle and window. However, the aisle person should ask the window person to plug in the device and to place the cord where it is comfortable for them.
It is absurd to say "put away the electronics" for two hours. Many ppl need to work on the train on the NEC.

No, it's actually normal to go offline and get a life. Too many corporate phonies keeping up appearances in a desperate attempt to look important.

 

[JayPea]

In this context, would watching a movie or listening to music be considered relaxing? Or would they be disqualified because they use the dreaded "electronic device" and need to be attached to power outlets from time to time, that some seem to be allergic to?

But that is me. Frankly i don't understand the antipathy some people have about others using electronic devices when and where they want to. Why is that any concern of someone else is beyond me. Everyone should be allowed to indulge freely in their own activities that keeps them entertained without being judged for doing so IMHO as long as they are not overly getting in the way of others. Live and let live.

Absolutely. Cannot. Agree. More.

I guess it is the fact I'm private by nature, but I cannot understand the preoccupation some folks have for minding others' business for them. How others choose to pass time on the train is none of my business, nor is how I spend time on one anyone else's. Of course, if someone is being loud and obnoxious and interfering with my enjoyment of the trip, then it is my business. Otherwise, stay out of it.

As for me, I don't own a laptop. And I don't think my job as a grocery store clerk/janitor exactly lends itself to computeration. :lol: I do have my GPS and phone. I also bring an extension cord with multiple outlets and a power strip. I like a window seat and would gladly let someone charge whatever they need to charge. Just be polite and ask first. There's too much hurray for me and the hell with everyone else attitude these days, IMHO.

 

[SP&S]

I do not understand the animosity towards those using electronics. I wonder if this also extends to a foamer with a scanner, gps, and possibly a smartphone/tablet/laptop with which the're blogging about the trip? :unsure:

Ask politely, accomodate reasonably. As mentioned by several posters an extention cord and power tap are great to bring along.

With appologies to Will Rogers: The only problem with common courtesy is that it's so uncommon.

 

[VentureForth]

I've never had the problem on the Surfliners because the RUDE Californians that I encountered had their BAGS in the aisle seat. </vent>

Riding a train is, like it or not, a social activity. As much as some of us may or may not try to spend that time in our own little bubble, and though we may be successful more times than not, it's quite possible - nay, LIKELY - that we will some day encounter someone who has a very different personality trait.

A couple of months ago on the Palmetto, I had a window seat and a lady boarded and asked if she could plug in her phone. I was amenable and we got that all squared away. Except then she used MY tray table to keep her phone, place her snacks, and just wanted to talk to me about how we've been best friends forever.

I'm just too cowardly to confront someone and tell them "I'm sorry, would you please get your stuff off my tray table - you do have one, you know..."

Ask and you shall receive. If you don't, go tattle to the conductor or SA and perhaps negotiate a deal to move seats.

 

[Alexandria Nick]

The outlet belongs to both folks in the seat pair - aisle and window. However, the aisle person should ask the window person to plug in the device and to place the cord where it is comfortable for them.
It is absurd to say "put away the electronics" for two hours. Many ppl need to work on the train on the NEC.

No, it's actually normal to go offline and get a life. Too many corporate phonies keeping up appearances in a desperate attempt to look important.

Normal changed. Sorry.

I'll do work on the NEC because then I'm not burning vacation time for the half day I took so I could leave on a mid day train. Sorry if you think that's me trying to look important. Its me trying to save some vacation time.

 

[Ispolkom]

I don't care how people spend their time in public places, as long as it doesn't impinge on me. Tap away at your electronic device all you want. It's when you use your outdoor voice on your phone that I'm annoyed. Unless you're entertaining, of course. Last month I got to hear a guy in Bedroom C crash and burn in a relationship across much of Montana, leading up to, "I'll cut you off! I'll cut you off completely! No rent! No insurance! No..." Sadly, the next word wasn't "cellphone." The idiots yammering in the NEC trains are never that amusing.

 

[VentureForth]

I don't care how people spend their time in public places, as long as it doesn't impinge on me.

Like in THIS Southwest Airlines flight?

 

[Afsheen]

The outlet belongs to both folks in the seat pair - aisle and window. However, the aisle person should ask the window person to plug in the device and to place the cord where it is comfortable for them.
It is absurd to say "put away the electronics" for two hours. Many ppl need to work on the train on the NEC.

No, it's actually normal to go offline and get a life. Too many corporate phonies keeping up appearances in a desperate attempt to look important.

I've resisted jumping in here until now, but I just wanted to add yet another voice reminding people that there are many reasons to be working or using electronics on the train. For me, using my commute time to work means less time at the office and more time at home with my newborn son - although it might irk you to see me tapping away on my phone and iPad in the morning and evening, that just means I get to go home a little earlier and make it back in time for Goodnight Moon.

In my opinion, we've gotten fairly far off from the original point, which was simply that it's rude to reach across someone and plug in your phone, laptop, gps, scanner, or other electronic item without asking - I think we can all agree on that and maybe call the matter closed, without a never-ending debate about whether or not it's right to use your electronics on the train.