Mobile phone use irks public transport passengers

Mobile phone use is the most annoying part of using public transportation, beating out late trains, smelly passengers and having to stand during a journey.

Twenty-eight per cent of silicon.com readers named somebody speaking loudly on their mobile phone as their biggest annoyance on public transport.

Of the 345 readers polled over the past week, trains or buses arriving late was the next biggest irritation with 18 per cent of the vote, followed by smelly or pushy passengers with 16 per cent.

Other frustrations included being unable to get a seat (13 per cent), fellow passengers listening to loud music (13 per cent) and the train or bus being dirty or vandalised (nine per cent).

While mobile phone use is already allowed on buses and overground trains, London Underground is planning to provide mobile connectivity in underground Tube stations by 2008.