To Mr. Red:

Yes, I too take buses and local trains and I know exactly what you mean. I have heard just about "everything" loud and clear, very private information as other threads here have mentioned.

Awhile back now there was this one guy on the bus and he was obviously was very angry about something. He was telling someone on the cell phone call that he was thinking of (didn't say "kill") but something about doing this other guy in if he does something one more time." I didn't actually hear the entire conversation as the guy was already on the bus when I sat down so I didn't hear the call from the start. He was using terrible language - didn't care who was around him, elderly people and children.

There is a train I take 2 or 3 times a week from downtown L.A. and I am on the train just over 1 hour to the area where I live. There is one carriage or car that is called, the "Quiet Car" and that is supposed to be just that (no cell phones, loud talking, etc.)

This is only one car that is the "Quiet Car." Usually, but not always the conductor of the train will announce Car # 234 (or whatever the car # is) that that car is the "Quiet car" and not to talk loudly, use of cell phone, etc. They usually add,
"That can be overheard."   The train has many other cars/carriages - very long commuter train. These people who want to talk on the cell phone have all these other cars to go into. Yet what really infuriates me is that you will always find someone who will use the cell phone in the "Quiet" car - and will be talking loudly.

If I leave to find the conductor - it would be pretty hard as the train is long and he could be in any car. Plus I risk losing my seat.
Conductor does walk through the train but you may not see him for awhile. Actually one time I did say something to this one conductor as the person had gotten off the train by then. All conductor said, "Well we can only announce it and unless I see him/her myself talking on the phone (in Quiet car) I cannot do anything about it."

Of course on the buses there is no "Quiet area."

Others here have posted messages about how people are so distracted always looking down at cell phone or texting and run right into people. That is so true! I will be walking down the street in busy area in L.A. and crossing streets. I see people coming towards me with their head down and texting or whatever. So I will try to move out of their "path" only to find another person walking towards me doing the same thing. I have had people just about run into me very often. It sometimes really scares me. But this happen in the malls and grocery stores too.