(Mori)Bus Philosophorum: The Polite Police

Yesterday morning I noticed a new poster on the bus and had to grin.  It read:

CDTA wants everyone, customers and employees, to enjoy the ride and arrive safely at their destination.  Use radios and CD/MP3 players with headphones only.  Speak at a reasonable volume when using a cell phone.  Smoking is prohibited.  Food is allowed on the bus for transport only.  It should not be consumed while riding.  Thank you.

I couldn't have said it better myself, but, to tell you the truth I doubted most of it (except for smoking, of course, which, does anyone really whip out a cigarette indoors anymore?  It's not like the law was changed last week!  You haven't been able to smoke anywhere for years now) was enforceable.  Until yesterday afternoon's ride home.  A young man was listening to Let's Get It Started at about 10,000 decibels.  Sure, he had his earbuds in, but he'd cranked the volume up so far I could practically hear Fergie pumping her tiny fist from half a bus away.  This type of display is annoying at worst so I was shocked when the bus operator buzzed in over the intercom and said, "Someone has their headphones turned up too loud.  Please lower to volume.  Please lower the volume."  Everyone was surprised, especially the sonic offender, who sheepishly looked around the bus before lowering his music to a whisper.