Why do you sit in the quiet car if you want to chat?

[Anonymous]

The other post about the guy on the phone in the cafe car made me think of this. I take the train a lot for work. Almost every ride, there are people who sit in the quiet car and proceed to chat with their friend or the random person next to them the entire trip. The conductor will tell them that they’re in the quiet car, and they say okay and then just proceed in a loud whisper with their constant conversation. I use earbuds and white noise so I mostly can block these folks out, but I’m always confused as to why a person chooses to sit in the quiet car if they know they want to chat. You have to walk further to get to the quiet car, and seats are usually harder to come by in that car than in others, so it makes no sense to me. On the Acela quiet car, there is a quiet car sign every two feet so I don’t know how people could possibly end up there by mistake.

[Anonymous]

Is this really a travel forum question?

[Anonymous]

DP. Yes, of course it is.

[Anonymous]

Because they don’t care.

[Anonymous]

Because you can talk without too much background noise getting in the way.

[Anonymous]

I did end up in the quiet car by mistake once with a colleague. Trust that the quiet car nazis made our mistake extremely clear, and quickly. You can miss the signage, but the people who choose that car are heavily on patrol.

Amtrak could help by making it clear which car will be where for every train in every station.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't do it. So rude!!

[Anonymous]

Some times it really isn’t clear when you are walking from car to car trying to find an open seat.

[Anonymous]

Because I'm a dick and I only care about myself.

As DCUM so often says, MYOB. I can do whatever I want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The other post about the guy on the phone in the cafe car made me think of this. I take the train a lot for work. Almost every ride, there are people who sit in the quiet car and proceed to chat with their friend or the random person next to them the entire trip. The conductor will tell them that they’re in the quiet car, and they say okay and then just proceed in a loud whisper with their constant conversation. I use earbuds and white noise so I mostly can block these folks out, but I’m always confused as to why a person chooses to sit in the quiet car if they know they want to chat. You have to walk further to get to the quiet car, and seats are usually harder to come by in that car than in others, so it makes no sense to me. On the Acela quiet car, there is a quiet car sign every two feet so I don’t know how people could possibly end up there by mistake.

NP I thought the quiet car meant no cell phones or loud talk. Are you really saying no quiet chat allowed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some times it really isn’t clear when you are walking from car to car trying to find an open seat.

Ooh that horrible searching trek. Is there something on the door between cars or how can you even tell?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The other post about the guy on the phone in the cafe car made me think of this. I take the train a lot for work. Almost every ride, there are people who sit in the quiet car and proceed to chat with their friend or the random person next to them the entire trip. The conductor will tell them that they’re in the quiet car, and they say okay and then just proceed in a loud whisper with their constant conversation. I use earbuds and white noise so I mostly can block these folks out, but I’m always confused as to why a person chooses to sit in the quiet car if they know they want to chat. You have to walk further to get to the quiet car, and seats are usually harder to come by in that car than in others, so it makes no sense to me. On the Acela quiet car, there is a quiet car sign every two feet so I don’t know how people could possibly end up there by mistake.

NP I thought the quiet car meant no cell phones or loud talk. Are you really saying no quiet chat allowed?

The Amtrak Quiet Car is, for the uninitiated, the single car reserved on most Northeast Corridor trains (and a few other routes) where peace and quiet reign. No cell phone use is allowed, no audible noise is supposed to emerge from devices and there is no talking in anything above a whisper. Riders in the Quiet Car are told to maintain a “library-like atmosphere,” and technically speaking, you’re not really even supposed to talk in a library voice for very long. If you plan on speaking at length, says Matt Hardison, Amtrak’s chief marketing and sales officer, “you should really move into another car, even if you’re speaking quietly.” (Quiet Car amateurs, take note!)

http://fortune.com/2014/09/17/amtrak-quiet-car/

[Anonymous]

Sometimes it’s the only car with open seats. Doesn’t excuse it but it’s a reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes it’s the only car with open seats. Doesn’t excuse it but it’s a reason.

If it's the only car with open seats, then close your mouth if you choose to sit there.

[Anonymous]

It's called the quiet car, not the silence car. Quiet talk is permissible.