Cell Phone manners

[exigeracer]

If they are shouting at each other at the decibel level that most people seem to require to make themselves heard through a cellphone, yes.

The poll topic of if it is rude to talk in public or not does not adress the fact that people don't know how to control their own voices, which is an entirely different discussion. I just don't agree with the cut and dry separation of celphones being rude or not, which is what I was originally illustrating.

 

[Wolfe]

I just don't agree with the cut and dry separation of celphones being rude or not...

I agree. 👍

So anyone holding a long involved conversation on a cell phone is FAR more likely to get in the way, brush rudely past others, stop dead in the middle of an aisle, not let you reach the shelf, etc. etc. etc.

Sorry, Duke, but how can those things be "far more likely" to happen when they already happen nearly all of the time anyway? I hate walking through busy public places just as much as I hate driving with everyday traffic.

In short, people walk like they drive when they are distracted by a phone. Anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves badly.

I think people just generally walk like they drive. In other words, most people get in the way, stop dead in the middle of a parking lot, not let you reach a turn lane, etc. etc. etc.

I think there are two kinds of people in the world -- those who can drive well, drive just as well with a phone, and "walk" efficiently and courteously, and those who don't drive well, drive worse with a phone, and "walk" inefficiently and rudely. Not the most eloquent way to put it, but I think you get my point.

 

[Josh]

When other people start paying my cell phone bill is the day I'll start caring what they think when, and where, I use it. And vice versa.

 

[Joey D]

There are very few laws that tell you when and where you can use your mobile, but that still won't stop me from thinking you are an asshat for doing so. About the only time I ever really use my mobile in public is if I'm at a store or something and I need to call my boss to figure out what he wants. Other then that I typically talk at the office (business related calls), in my car (I know it's bad), or at home.

 

[Josh]

Having random strangers [whom I'll never see again] thinking I'm an asshat, or a douche, for using my cell phone where ever I please isn't exactly going to bother me. Life's too short to be walking around worrying about what others think of you. I'll live my life the way I see fit, and have fun doing it. The day I become a prostitute is the day I'll start worrying about pleasing strangers.

 

[Mark T]

My rules are:

1) Never answer your phone while in mid conversation (unless it is a REAL emergency)

2) Never answer or read messages on your phone at a dinner table.

3) Speaking on your phone on the tube/train is fine but not during rush hour when things are pretty close.

4) When being served at a shop you shouldn't be on a phone. It's just plain rude.

5) The rudest situation I have ever encountered was when I was speaking to one of my clients. I heard his phone ring in the background and he said he had to put me on hold quickly. He answered his phone and had a conversation for about five minutes with his wife whilest covering the phone with his hand assuming that I couldn't hear what he was saying. I did hear and the topic seemed to be about what they were having for dinner.

 

[Duke]

Having random strangers [whom I'll never see again] thinking I'm an asshat, or a douche, for using my cell phone where ever I please isn't exactly going to bother me. Life's too short to be walking around worrying about what others think of you. I'll live my life the way I see fit, and have fun doing it. The day I become a prostitute is the day I'll start worrying about pleasing strangers.

So common courtesy is not your forte?

 

[Gil]

Having random strangers [whom I'll never see again] thinking I'm an asshat, or a douche, for using my cell phone where ever I please isn't exactly going to bother me. Life's too short to be walking around worrying about what others think of you. I'll live my life the way I see fit, and have fun doing it. The day I become a prostitute is the day I'll start worrying about pleasing strangers.

See, for me it's not about what others think.
It's all about keeping people I don't know out of my business, no matter how mundane.
I don't want strangers knowing what's for dinner; if I need new Froot of the Looms, and in what size/color; etc.
I could give a rat's ass about what people think. But after 12 years worrying obsessively about other folks privacy because my profession requires it, I have become a bit obsessive about my own privacy.

Plus, I really don't want to hear about anyone else's issues either. I get enough of that **** at work. Please don't bring me into your world unless I need to be there, or there is a really good laugh in the offing...

 

[Flerbizky]

The poll actually needs yet another option..

People who use Cell phones - IN ANY WAY - should be shot - no questions asked - Myself included...

I'm forced to wear my cell day and night when on guard duty (every 4th week) and it annoys the living cr@p out of me...

The other morning, I passed a colleague, say 3 minutes from work, we both ride bicycles, he answered a call from another co-worker, while being less than 3 minutes from work.. What could possibly be so important ?...

 

[G.T]

Had an annoying example today... this woman came onto the bus and sat next to me. It was 7:50am, and she decided to phone her boyfriend, talk about random stuff for about 2 minutes, then started to have an argument with him about how he doesn't give her attention anymore, and he was complaining about she doesn't listen to him anymore, blah, blah... I mean, COME ON, it's early in the morning, and what couldn't possibly wait for another 10 minutes when the bus reaches the end of its line?

And to add to this, on the way home she was back, but rather than speaking, she had her text received sound up at full blast, so that was going off every 2 minutes...

I hope her phone falls down a drain.

 

[AOS-]

Generally, people who chat away on cells, I think of them as they got problems..

I treat cells as a way to meet people and quick communications, not conversations.

Also, people who chat on phones generally speak way too loud on transit and/or restaurants. IT's people like them who don't have the "common manners" of everyday life, such as "holding the door for next person" or "helping someone picking up a lot of dropped stuff", and esp. (in my school), stepping aside for people who need to get to places.

It's a pet peeve of mine, it's like the world revolves around THEM..

offtopic: I hate the manners so many people at my school give. In hallways where there are a line of lockers on both sides, everyone seems to gather around a locker talking to friends, and it just so happens your locker is right beside theirs. They see you standing right there waiting for them to step aside but they don't bother responding. Even so, if they did move they'd move like a foot step away for you to access your locker, but they don't realize they have their backpacks on so they still get in your way.

 

[YSSMAN]

Yet another thing to add to the list:

People who text you, despite telling them that you don't do it, and that it costs you (extra) money.

Is it really that hard to type my number into the phone and hit send and ask me instead of texting me?

 

[Azuremen]

Yet another thing to add to the list:

People who text you, despite telling them that you don't do it, and that it costs you (extra) money.

Is it really that hard to type my number into the phone and hit send and ask me instead of texting me?

Yeah, that is really annoying. I'll always talk to a person over the phone and make sure they can text before I do it.

I am finding myself texting more and more. Wasn't as aware of it till just recently, as I kind of soaked my u740 in god knows what when I was drunk, the result being that I am using a 3 year old spare phone. Going from my qwerty keyboard to this has been painful and made me aware of how often I text because I now have to spend more time composing the messages.

Those of you that find texting completely pointless though, here is one thing to consider. Getting unlimited texting costs me 15 dollars a month, but I have cut my minute usage massively as a result of texting. Its cheaper for me to just text than use my peak minutes, so I wouldn't say texting is completely pointless like some of you have insisted in here.

 

[Gil]

I have discovered in the last year or so that most of my younger employees, (those under about 25), my sons and my wife are more likely to answer a text. If I call, I go directly to "voice mail hell".
I don't even know why cell phones have voice mail.
90% of the people I talk to go thru their "missed call" log and call back, never even listening to the detailed message I left.
Only people I know that actually listen to voice mail is one of my sons, (out of the six) and one of my good friends.

 

[YSSMAN]

Those of you that find texting completely pointless though, here is one thing to consider. Getting unlimited texting costs me 15 dollars a month, but I have cut my minute usage massively as a result of texting. Its cheaper for me to just text than use my peak minutes, so I wouldn't say texting is completely pointless like some of you have insisted in here.

From what I've seen, texting wouldn't save me much money at all. I still use nearly all of my 450 minutes a month, which ends up costing me about $50 when the various taxes go through. What pisses me off is that when I tell people I don't text and that it costs me extra money ($0.15 per text), and they don't respect it, I get pissed.

I absolutely refuse to pay extra money to do something that is more complex and takes more time than dialing my friend Andrew for a minute to see if hes at the movie theater yet. Furthermore, you can't text while driving...

 

[Gil]

From what I've seen, texting wouldn't save me much money at all. I still use nearly all of my 450 minutes a month, which ends up costing me about $50 when the various taxes go through. What pisses me off is that when I tell people I don't text and that it costs me extra money ($0.15 per text), and they don't respect it, I get pissed.

I absolutely refuse to pay extra money to do something that is more complex and takes more time than dialing my friend Andrew for a minute to see if hes at the movie theater yet. Furthermore, you can't text while driving...

While true, we have unlimited texting and my kids use thousands of text messages per month.
I use about 500 in a busy month. And about the only person I actually talk to on my cell is my wife and my mother.
I bought a Bluetooth so that I can hands-free my calls.
granted, I often forget the damn thing is on my ear, untill I get a call, and I prefer a quick call to texting most of the time, but the people I text are usually not in a position to take a call, be they in class, at work, etc. I like to get quick answers back, but I don't expect them. It gives the person I've texted time to finish what they are doing and get back to me at their leisure. Especially since no one knows how to listen to voice mail...

 

[Azuremen]

Voice... mail? What is that?

I never check my voicemail. I either just call back or wait for them to call again. I am considering changing my voicemail statement to say "Don't bother leaving a message, I'll just call you back. If its really important, just text me."

As for usage, I generally have a few thousand a month. If this was turned into minutes, I would be way beyond my plan, and the 15 dollars for unlimited is well worth it.

 

[Joey D]

Voice... mail? What is that?

I never check my voicemail. I either just call back or wait for them to call again. I am considering changing my voicemail statement to say "Don't bother leaving a message, I'll just call you back. If its really important, just text me."

As for usage, I generally have a few thousand a month. If this was turned into minutes, I would be way beyond my plan, and the 15 dollars for unlimited is well worth it.

I agree, I hate it when people leave voicemails. Just call and if I don't answer hang up...I'll call you when I can.

 

[Danoff]

I agree, I hate it when people leave voicemails. Just call and if I don't answer hang up...I'll call you when I can.

I don't respond to people who don't leave a message. I assume that if you didn't leave a message, then there is no point for me to call back.

In general, I consider it poor manners to not leave a message when you get someone's voice mail. This is especially true at the workplace where, at times, a detailed voice mail can really improve communications. I've found that by telling others what I was calling about, they'll often have prepared for the conversation when they call me back and I can get more information than I would have if I had actually gotten ahold of them originally.

 

[Gil]

I don't respond to people who don't leave a message. I assume that if you didn't leave a message, then there is no point for me to call back.

In general, I consider it poor manners to not leave a message when you get someone's voice mail. This is especially true at the workplace where, at times, a detailed voice mail can really improve communications. I've found that by telling others what I was calling about, they'll often have prepared for the conversation when they call me back and I can get more information than I would have if I had actually gotten ahold of them originally.

I knew I liked you for a reason.
I tend to leave VM's anyway, unless I know for a fact the person is not going to listen to them.
If I know I'm calling a cell, I usually don't leave a message. I will text them if I get no answer. As I said most people that I know will answer a text. A VM will get ignored.

 

[Joey D]

I don't respond to people who don't leave a message. I assume that if you didn't leave a message, then there is no point for me to call back.

In general, I consider it poor manners to not leave a message when you get someone's voice mail. This is especially true at the workplace where, at times, a detailed voice mail can really improve communications. I've found that by telling others what I was calling about, they'll often have prepared for the conversation when they call me back and I can get more information than I would have if I had actually gotten ahold of them originally.

I always leave a voicemail when calling from work and I always check my work mobile for messages. With my friends though I rarely leave messages.