Orphan Road

The battle for silence on public transit is just getting started:

France's SNCF rail company, determined to spare travelers cell phone cacophony, now operates "zen zones" in select compartments aboard intercity TGV bullet trains. The railway asks passengers seated in those areas to turn off their phones so everyone can "travel in a totally relaxing environment."

Denmark, Germany and Finland - home to mobile phone giant Nokia Corp. - offer similar "quiet compartment" sanctuaries on trains.

That strategy didn't work out so well in Sweden:

Last May, Sweden's Stockholm Transport did away with "cell phone free zones" on subways, buses and commuter trains just 10 months after launching the spaces.

"It relied on people showing respect, but it didn't really work," spokesman Bjorn Holmberg said: Too many passengers wanted to use their commute to catch up on work calls, and some just felt safer with cell phones in hand.

Next up? Airplanes. The EU is getting closer to allowing cellphones in flight. Yikes.