> I want someone to invent a new product.  It searches out the local
> cell phone transactions and inserts an annoying 'whine" into their
> conversations.

In countries where such things are legal, or where the law can be
held at bay for a modest investment in the local power structure,
I'm told there's a market for cell phone jammers.

Mexico, for instance.


On 2/27/08, Cedric Chang <cc@nope9.com> wrote:
> >
> > On Feb 27, 2008, at 3:51 PM, William Bross wrote:
> >
> > M. Adam Davis wrote:
> >
> >>>
> >>> Because ?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >> It was a night time ride, which may have made it worse.
> >>
> >> * The train was over two hours late for departure (nothing
> >> interesting to do near or at the station)
> >> * There were two people talking very loudly on their cell phones and
> >> to each other for about 3 hours during the night who ignored the
> >> impotent conductor's pleas to stop
>
> I want someone to invent a new product.  It searches out the local
> cell phone transactions and inserts an annoying 'whine" into their
> conversations.
> cc
>
> >> * It was exceedingly slow - lots of 30mph sections of track
> >> * Several hour or longer stops on side tracks while 'priority' trains
> >> (such as coal and cargo trains) moved in the other direction
> >> * Several other minor issues
> >>
> >> Suffice to say that while I was looking seriously at taking a train
> >> vacation across the country prior to this trip, I think I'm going to
> >> skip it.  Of course I doubt all, or even most, trips have these
> >> problems, but it did leave an impression.
> >>
> >> I guess the biggest problem for trying again is that everyone I've
> >> talked to about it decries Amtrak for many of these reasons.  Sounds
> >> like James has had a different experience, and I'd certainly like to
> >> hear better stories and perhaps experience the joy James finds in it.
> >>
> >> -Adam
> >>
> >>
> > Adam,
> > Sounds like a pretty 'typical' train ride to me.  Amtrak doesn't
> > get the
> > right of way on anybody's tracks -- the people paying to have their
> > freight moved get it.  Sitting on siderails is all part of the
> > process.
> > Rude passengers, especially at night can be a real drag though.
> >
> > Last October, we took Amtrak from Cincinnati to Chicago to Los
> > Angeles,
> > drove up the coast to San Franciso and returned home on the train from
> > San Fransisco to Chicago to Cincinnati.  The trip was quite
> > educational
> > and the scenery very interesting.  It really gave us an appreciation
> > just how far away the west coast is from Cincinnati.  We arrived at
> > each
> > destination early with one exception when we were about an hour
> > late on
> > the first leg into Chicago.  The food on the trains was pretty decent.
> > Now for the fun part....  We had our own sleeper compartment.  A nice
> > place to sit and watch the scenery but quite cramped as sleeping
> > quarters.  One night I was practically catapulted out of bed when we
> > flew through a cross track about 60mph.  Track conditions on CSX were
> > the poorest between Cincy and Chicago, then on the BNSF route to LA.
> > Union Pacific tracks were by far the smoothest and those weren't so
> > smooth.  Going through the mountains and changing elevation slowly
> > made
> > my head feel like it was going to explode some nights.  As far as the
> > shower is concerned -- you can clean the important parts but a nice
> > leisurely soak ain't gonna happen.
> >
> > I found the trip educational, scenic and semi-relaxing.  There are
> > lots
> > of little annoyances you have to overlook along the way but I'd do it
> > again.  I was also told I'd be doing it by myself next time
> > though.  The
> > wife got antsy sitting there all day.
> >
> > BB
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