Staying off social media is a great way to avoid some of the most annoying trends in today’s day and age but anyone who gets public transport on a regular basis will have been subject to bare-beating at some point or another.
Although it might sound a little suspect, it’s actually to do with our phones, and it’s something that’s become such a problem in recent years that even Andy Burnham felt the need to get involved.
Having to deal with other people on public transport can already be frustrating enough, especially if they pester you about giving up a window seat on a plane or even sit so close that you feel the need to poke them, but bare-beating might be the worst of the lot.
Picture this, you’re sitting down ahead of a long bus ride home or an expensive train to London, you’ve pulled out your meal deal from the station or the book you’ve never had time to read, and suddenly a bunch of youths across from you start listening to their TikTok pages on full blast.
Not everyone wants to hear your music taste (Getty Stock)
According to a survey from TrainPal and OnePollAround one in 12 Brits (eight per cent) admit to watching something on their phone without headphones, despite more than two-thirds (69 per cent) saying passengers should wear them when listening to music or watching videos.
Unwanted music and videos also top the list of train irritations, with 37 per cent naming them among their biggest annoyances. Your algorithm might know exactly what you like, but it hasn’t yet consulted the other 40 people in the carriage.
Etiquette expert Jo Healy said: “If you’re watching or listening to something in public, use headphones. A shared journey needn’t come with a shared soundtrack.”
This is the way to do it folks (Getty Stock)
Fortunately, it seems to be a shared frustration for a lot of people, so much so that there’s been talk of a £1000 fine for anyone who refuses to put on a pair of headphones when they’re using public transport.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham previously said: “We’ve all been on the train when someone starts blasting music or videos from their phone. It gets on your nerves and can quickly spoil the journey.
“So we’re launching a nationwide campaign reminding passengers to use headphones on trains. On top of that, we’re giving local leaders new powers to tackle loud music, vaping and littering on buses.
“It’s a simple thing, but one that will make journeys that little bit better for all of us.”
So, if you are one of those eight per cent of people, it might be time to re-think your life choices, especially if we do end up enforcing fines on those who want to disrupt the rest of us. And if you are going to bare-beat, just make sure it’s a good song that everyone’s going to like eh.
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