The Swear Box

Since when did it become acceptable to swear loudly and explicitly in public places?

I recently tweeted that I didn't want my kids to ride on buses in Stevenage any more. Not that they did very much anyway, but I made the decision. I am lucky enough to work from home most of the time, which works well because I can spend more time with my family. However, on some days I have to go into the office, and because I'm too lazy to ride my bike, I get the bus.

The journey in, before 8am, is usually OK. However, I have found that if you catch a bus after 4pm you are bound to get some morons in the back seat talking loudly and usually every other word they use is the f-bomb. I am usually appalled, but too scared to confront anyone about it. I might if I had my kids with me, because I don't want them exposed to such idiocy just yet.

I assume the other people on the packed bus don't like it. They just look forward and dare not turn around I imagine. We all grin and bare it. But why? Nobody wants to hear that.

It could be something to do with my upbringing, or their upbringing. When growing up, the f-word was the forbidden word, nobody would dare say it or my Mum would flip. Even my Dad wouldn't. As for the c-word, I don't think my Mum even knew it existed. I think because of this we would get a bit of a kick out of it when we saw it on films (as it was rarely on TV in the 80s, at least the TV we watched) - memorably when the word is subtitled in the film Critters.

Anyway, as a result, I am a bit sensitive to swearing. I am sure people who swear in public, above the age of 16, were brought up with their parents swearing casually either at them or around them house. So I suppose it is a case of what you know, and they know no different, just like me. But it doesn't make it very nice.

It could be that society has changed and the thugs rule the street? Yobs do what they want because they know no-one will challenge them? Or could it be a Stevenage thing - a rough place, full of rough people, jointly with Broxbourne the most deprived area in Hertfordshire? Or it could be that I am overly sensitive.

One thing is for sure - over the weekend I will make sure my bike is fully working - no more bus for me, its bad for my health.