Every commuter on the Northeast Corridor gave a collective standing ovation after Lakeysha Beard was kicked off an Amtrak train this past week and charged with disorderly conduct.
If you haven't heard by now, Lakeysha was doing something that drives me and every other train rider nuts. Talking loudly on her cellphone. Not only was Lakeysha loud, but she talked nonstop for --wait for this--16 hours in the quiet car from Oakland, Calif., to Salem, Ore. AND she became belligerent when a fellow passengers asked her to shush.
In case you don't ride Amtrak, New Jersey Transit or Philadelphia's SEPTA lines, quiet cars are the cars in the trains designated for passengers who want quiet--no talking, no cellphone conversations, no nothing. The United States isn't Europe so train seats aren't assigned, which means Lakeysha didn't have to sit in the quiet car.
Lakeysha, WHYYYY were you in the quiet car? And who in the heazy were you talking to for 16 hours? What could you have to talk about for that long? Didn't your throat hurt? No? Ever heard of a book, a nap, some quiet time to yourself?
I am a self-described train Nazi, one of those people who shushes loud talkers or nicely asks people to quiet down or use headphones with their music players. I have a horrendous commute five, sometimes six, days a week and just can't. Trying to clear my head in the morning, the last thing I want to listen to is someone else's loud convo or music.
After I posted this story on Facebook with comments, my sister, friend and cousin chastised me for asking commuters to quiet, saying they feared for my safety. Like I said, I ask very kindly and so far, no one has refused. Then again, I haven't come up against a Lakeysha.
What do you think? What would you have done if Lakeysha were sitting in your car?
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