Public transport etiquette is a funny thing, with infractions like farting, eating hot food, standing on the left, and not giving your seat up, as good as a criminal offence for many commuters.
The latest offence to join the list is bare beating, which is thankfully not as violent or as naked as it sounds. The practice involves watching videos or playing music out loud without headphones, and the Liberal Democrats are now asking for it to be banned.
But what really is it? And are you guilty?
What is bare beating?
Bare beating refers to letting any noise play from a device, whether that be at full or low volume.
Culprits of bare beating are being dubbed “headphone dodgers” by the Liberal Democrats, who are now suggesting this practice should be explicitly banned from public transport.
The party has suggested it wants to see headphone dodgers hit with £1,000 fines.
Lisa Smart, the party’s home affairs spokesman, said: “Far too many people dread their daily commute because of the blight of antisocial behaviour – and headphone dodgers playing loud music on buses and trains are some of the worst offenders
“Whether you’re heading to work, taking your kids to school, or simply trying to enjoy a moment of peace, everyone deserves to feel safe and respected on public transport. Time and time again, I hear from people who say they feel too intimidated to speak up when someone is blasting music or other content from a phone or speaker
“It’s time to take a stand for the quiet majority who just want to get from A to B in peace.”
Comment: I have misophonia and TfL's lack of action on headphone dodgers is unbearable
There are already rules in place to prevent anti-social behaviour on public transport - however, bare beating is not formally considered anti-social behaviour.
What do commuters think?
For many years now, Londoners have taken to social media to express their annoyance at those who choose to blare music out loud.
One X user said: “Thank you to the two men on the @TfL bus next to me playing their music out loud. With a portable speaker. Because the rest of us were just waiting for your DJ skills”
Another commuter shared a video on TikTok:
@danielharding14 Can we ban music that’s played out loud in public? #debate #fyp #frustration #musicoutloud #tfl #public
♬ Abracadabra - Lady Gaga
Recent polling by YouGov found that 34 per cent of Londoners asked said they would support the introduction of fines for playing music out loud on public transport.
