Tokyo is probably among the most covered area in term of cell coverage. And it is just wasted among the commuters. No one talk on the subway. They text like mad or just stare at the screen. (Later, I found their cell phones actually play TV programs.) Tokyo’s public transportation is quiet, a stark contrast to Beijing.
In this capital, and other large cities, of China, everyone talks all the time: on the street, in the restaurants, on bus, on subwy, in meetings, and even in the theaters. I was very annoyed in the beginning. After a while, I got used to it. Then I came back to the US.
Social protocol here demands respect to privacy. People step out of the room or find a quiet corner to talk. On bus, the rule seems to be keeping the conversations short, “I am on a bus. I will call you back later.”
That why I was surprised the other night when a fellow rider practically yakked all the way during my 40-minute bus ride home. Not only he talked non-stop, he was loud too. This Caucasian suit talked about he being on the bus, about his day at work, about his daughters, about politics. The whole bus listened and threw him an occasional disapproving glance. He was in his zone. It was annoying.
That’s worse than Beijing.