You may not notice today’s faux pas until it is obnoxiously violated by chattering long-lost friends or by the family of tourists who also happen to be morning people. The unwritten rule? Do not talk during rush hour. Now, while this holds true for both morning and evening rush hours, the regulars tend to be more tolerant during the evening rush hour since they’re not still waking up. Still, they are probably recovering from a painful day at work so the more you can tone down your evening chatter the better chance you have of getting home without someone tripping you on your way off the train.
In the morning, however, it is absolutely imperative that you do not talk. If you walk on to the train and see a friend you thought had disappeared from the face of the earth, it is perfectly acceptable to say hello and save the actual conversation for later. If they’re a regular, they will understand that you’re not snubbing them, you’re just being polite to your fellow morning commuters. On the other hand if they do think you’re being rude to them, maybe they’re not a friend you want to reconnect with anyway.
If you absolutely must talk during rush hour, then please keep your conversation to yourself. No one else needs to know your work schedule or what you're making for dinner or how you're going to break up with your boyfriend tonight.
Shh... I'm still trying to sleep.
Have you really overheard the "how I'm going to break up with my BF" conversations on the Metro? That can be pretty scary...
ReplyDeleteWait...are you serious?? I'm not allowed to speak on the train in the morning because it annoys people???? YOU'VE GOT TO BE JOKING!!! If I'm speaking in a low, respectable tone, hell yeah I'm talking...what poo!
ReplyDeleteHey Anon, calm down and stop yelling. I'm trying to read.
ReplyDeleteIs this a humor column?
ReplyDeleteActually, this is pretty much true. It's *incredibly* quiet on most morning rush hour trains. If you're having a quiet conversation, it's not a problem.
ReplyDeleteWhat really gets to me is during tourist season when 40 people in a group try to get on in the *same door* and then proceed to yell at the top of their lungs their whole trip. Do they not notice the other people who might get annoyed at their yelling?
If you disagree with the no-talking-during-rush-hour rule then you are obviously not a regular commuter on the train. This leads us to our next lesson. If you are not a regular commuter, stay off the train during rush hour. You obviously won't know the rules and you'll just end up pissing everybody off!
ReplyDeleteI don't see the big deal with talking either. I use the metro to get to work every day. A little small talk or bantering tends to make the whole thing a little more pleasant.
ReplyDeleteTreating the folks around you like human beings is just good manners. GASP! Maybe you're the one with the problem and not everybody else.
Typical self-absorbed DC-East Coast douchebaggery.