Recently I used the German trains and came upon two signs that I hadn’t seen before. Apparently the carriage on the left is for people who like to travel quietly and the seats on the right are reserved for the elderly and the pregnant. Which reminded me, of course, of an old chestnut of a joke:
A young lady entered a train and it was full, no seats available. So she asked the sitting passengers: “Can I sit, please? I’m pregnant.” A gentleman got up politely, she sat down, then he proceeded to ask: “How far are you along?” “Oh, about 45 minutes or so.”
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At least he could have paid taxi fare 😂
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😂 But … he walks with a stick (can be used in German for somebody who is really struggling, financially or otherwise). 😂
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Luv the joke!
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😄
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And passengers are VERY fierce about the ‘quiet’ sign, as we discovered this summer. I was asking M a question in a low voice, unaware we were in a quiet carriage. We nearly got escorted from the train! Whereas in England, the ‘quiet’ sign in occasional carriages is routinely ignored by phone-users, video players and generally noisy people … I preferred the German attitude!
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To be honest, I have no idea how well it is enforced. A little quiet whispering should be allowed.
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It did feel a bit fierce. I’m sure this guy saw us speaking, rather than heard us.
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Maybe he just thought to intervene early because he thought you might turn into a chatterbox … I don’t know, quiet and quiet as a grave is a difference.
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Two OAPs are unlikely to be riotous!
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Possibly loud though if the hearing aid isn’t working … 😂
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Haha! Life isn’t THAT bad yet!
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😄👍🏽
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I suspect I have misophonia and misosmia – my brain hurts when someone in the train takes out their bread/sandwich/chips out of those paper/plastic bags that make so much noise or eats something with a strong smell – for neither of those two things, there’s no sign (except in SE Asia where Durian fruit is not allowed in enclosed public places)..
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Luckily, I’ve only heard of Durian and never experienced it.
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🤣
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