LifestylePublic transportA man has sparked a debate after a fellow bus passenger politely confronted him over something he does on his daily commute - but while he insists his behaviour was harmless, others think he crossed a line14:48, 12 Jul 2026A man has been slammed after admitting he plays music and videos out loud on the bus - before offering what many have branded a weak excuse when another passenger asked him to stop. He explained that he catches the bus to work every morning and only travels two stops, so he doesn't bother taking headphones with him. Instead, he simply watches videos or listens to music through his phone's speaker.‌While insisting he always keeps the volume low, he took to Reddit to explain what happened during one of his recent journeys. He said: "This morning, on the way to work, it was the last few minutes of the World Cup game and I was watching it on my phone with no headphones.‌"I got onto the bus and, as it was mostly full and my journey is so short, I stayed standing at the front. I had the volume on, but extremely quiet. I could barely hear it myself. There were other sounds on the bus that were louder, like people chatting, so I didn't think anyone could even hear my phone.‌"Then suddenly a man sitting just to my left asked if I had any headphones to watch the game."Although the passenger asked politely, the man argued it shouldn't be an issue because the volume was so low.He added: "I said I could barely hear the volume, so I knew he would barely hear it too.‌"He said, 'Well, we're in a public enclosed space and it's really bothering me.'"I do wear headphones basically every day on the bus, and I understand bus etiquette is to wear them."But with how short my journey was and how quiet the volume was, I really didn't think it was an issue."‌He also claimed plenty of other passengers regularly play music out loud without being challenged - even when it's much louder than his.Seeking opinions, he asked: "I don't think I was bothering anyone else on that bus. Am I the a**hole for A) not having headphones and B) not granting his request when he asked?"‌Most social media users sided with the passenger, arguing that wearing headphones is simply common courtesy.One person said: "Wearing headphones is a basic courtesy. If it was loud enough for someone to hear it and complain, it was too loud."Another added: "You are truly the most obnoxious kind of person."Article continues belowA third said: "You turn off the volume when someone asks, no matter how low it is or how short your trip is."Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌MusicPublic transport