As one of those people who regularly has to suffer other people's loud and interminable phone calls, other people's phones going off with increasingly infantile ring tones, and, nearly as bad the white noise coming from other people's Pods, and Walkthings - you have provided me with the best reason for ever boarding the HEX. It is worth the ridiculous fare just for some peace - except don't they have a lot of stupid advertising on it?

All the above is culled from trips on trains to London, or on the bus to Kingston which parking and traffic have moved me to do. As one who graduated to solid food indays before mobiles as such existed, somehow life was managed. No, we did not ring up to chit-chat on the train or anywhere else - but equally we did not feel as though we had stumbled into someone else's office or boudoir. One day after about five long loud calls, some commuters to Surbiton really went for someone who had been barking orders to some poor fool down the phone (fool only to be working for a person such as this) and told him in plain Anglo Saxon to shut it. Deeply offended and embarrassed he did just that. I felt like hugging the person concerned.

The world had moved on and nothing that I feel will make the slightest bit of difference - expectations or feeling of insecurity - I know not which - mean that people feel that they have to be contactable constantly. Blackberries appear to be silent so I really do not mind those. It's the intrusion that these things makes into everyone else's life. I smile to myslef as I write this think - God - what a cantenkerous old cow I sound - but this thought strikes me. Not that long ago - there used to be one Non-smoking car on every train - now it is the whole train and the station. Now there is one non phoning carriage on some of the trains. I wonder what will happen next?

Still it could be worse - it could be Italy. Chronic telefonitis is rife. Sit on any beach and you'll see - or should I say hear what I mean.

Good - I feel much better. Time to deal with the M25, I'm right in the mood!