I don't want to hear private conversations of people on their cell phones. Why don't they understand that?

While some people are more sensible, courteous and safe while on a cell, others hold up check-out lines and do other things to inconvenience the rest of us while blabbing on the phone. What gives?

Are people on cell phones trying to give the impression they are so important they can't even be in a grocery store without a phone or the world will collapse without their advice. It gives me the opposite impression. What do others think about this?

I definitely have an issue with it when it interferes with other people. Last week at a restaurant I saw the waitress have to stand there & wait for this woman to finish her conversation. She acted like the waitress wasn't even there. Unbelievably rude.

It bugs me too. A lady at Target last week was talking about her custody battle so loudly and so detailed.

I think people that do that are just rude in general and like to talk on the phone and figure why not make shopping less boring and chat with others without caring who hears it.

[rant]You put "Cell Phone, Courtesy & Common Sense" in the same subject line. That is called an oxymoron.

If I add to the rant ppl will have something to say about old farts not being 'with it.' I do own a cell phone. It is in my courier bag right beside me - TURNED OFF! Yes, I bought the damn thing for my convenience and if anyone needs me, they know my work #. They can also call my home fone and leave a message on my machine. Old technology, but it works for me.

So, I am very critical of the ppl who have succumbed to the technology and feel they cannot exist off the grid. My daughter chastises me all the time for not carrying or turning on my cell.

I am old, I know I can exist without being reached by phone. I lived most of my life like that. IF I really needed to reach someone I would go to a pay phone (Seen any of them lately) and drop some coins. If they needed to reach me and couldn't - then guess what - they didn't really NEED to reach me. The world and I continued without that absolutely necessary fone call. [/rant]

I think if you're going to have a conversation on your phone, you need to be mindful of your enviornment. People who hold up lines and are rude will definitely get checked by me if it was directly affecting me. A lot of showboating isn't necessary...but not talking on your phone because your worried about the next person or because you're out in public is BS. I'm going to have a convo on my phone if I feel I have to right then and there and perhaps if you mind your business, you wouldn't know what I'm talking about and therefore, wouldn't be offended or p.o.

Don't have one don't want one. I don't understand why people in restaurants feel the need to make sure everyone knows they have a cell phone by talking loud enough for everyone to hear. Here in Canada it isn't anything new, heck even welfare recipients have cell phones.

Nystyle709 wrote:

I think if you're going to have a conversation on your phone, you need to be mindful of your enviornment. People who hold up lines and are rude will definitely get checked by me if it was directly affecting me. A lot of showboating isn't necessary...but not talking on your phone because your worried about the next person or because you're out in public is BS. I'm going to have a convo on my phone if I feel I have to right then and there and perhaps if you mind your business, you wouldn't know what I'm talking about and therefore, wouldn't be offended or p.o.

Agree

The worst is when you're in an office setting, and suddenly someone wants to have a long, drawn out conversation in front of everyone else. Maybe it's just me, but I still operate under the premise that cellphones are for emergencies or quick hello/goodbye conversations.

Nystyle709 wrote:

I think if you're going to have a conversation on your phone, you need to be mindful of your enviornment. People who hold up lines and are rude will definitely get checked by me if it was directly affecting me. A lot of showboating isn't necessary...but not talking on your phone because your worried about the next person or because you're out in public is BS. I'm going to have a convo on my phone if I feel I have to right then and there and perhaps if you mind your business, you wouldn't know what I'm talking about and therefore, wouldn't be offended or p.o.

Not for anything NY but on the trains some people talk so damned loud you can't help listening to their business even if you don't want to. I am one for not paying attention to people on their phones but when some woman is yelling that she will attend Gilda's party saturday night and she has nothing to wear, it then becomes my business through default.

Chris wrote:

The worst is when you're in an office setting, and suddenly someone wants to have a long, drawn out conversation in front of everyone else. Maybe it's just me, but I still operate under the premise that cellphones are for emergencies or quick hello/goodbye conversations.

My neighbor came over for a chat. She got me right in the middle of changing the litter box. I stopped and sat down to talk. I was taught that the polite thing to do was to call someone before dropping by but no one does that any more. Well okay, I figured if the cat really had to go she could go outside.

So while the neighbor and I were chatting, her cell phone rings. 15 minutes later, she gets off and tells me it was her grandson then her daughter in law from whom she hadn't heard in two weeks.

Well I am sorry about that but I think she should have called them back. I should have just gotten up and resumed cleaning out the cat box but polite person I was raised to be I just sat there staring at the neighbor hoping she would get the hint to get off the phone.

A couple weeks later a friend was visiting. During the visit which was all day, she got a few texts. She picked them all up but didn't answer them. She at least had the phone on vibrate so there was no ring to disturb our conversation but I still think it was a bit rude. She didn't even say "excuse me" when she picked up the phone.

Can't blame youth. The neighbor is 75 and the friend is 56.

I had a very very old cell phone for a long time. Then I didn't have one. Recently I got one of those cheapie ones that just makes calls; no camera. It's for emergencies only because one cannot find a public phone very easily any longer.

I don't text or go on the Internet with it. I just don't have the need. It's fine for those who like that kind of stuff but I just wish they would show some manners.

I'm coming up for a quick "get some air" break from writing lectures for class next week, so here's my take on this one: I think cell phones are a good thing when they aren't permanently attached to your ear or fingers for text.

I carry mine on my person from the minute I get up in the morning, up to midnight when I get out of work. It hardly ever rings, and the only time I actually talk on it, is to call my Grandmother, because that's the only phone she can hear me on. Otherwise, it serves the purpose of a pager for me--my daughter texts me when she arrives at her destination after driving and notifies me when she's leaving to come home, since she's a new driver. I also have my cell # on everyone's speed dial in the event of a seizure emergency with my daughter (which luckily, that's been a non-issue for 2 1/2 years now), as well as being the first call at Phillips Lifeline Service, if something happens to my Grandmother and she presses her Lifeline buzzer.

So for me, it's a necessity, lying in wait--most of the time it's silent and you'd never know I have it attached to my belt.

There is a sign outside the hospital asking people to turn off their phones, so today waiting in a line some woman's phone rang, she answered it and apparently her phone was run down, she said "I hate phones". I said I don't carry one, and another woman reminded me that hers was in the car because they aren't supposed to be in use in the hospital. I don't get the need to be connected every minute of the day! After my test we went for breakfast, sitting there I hear a mans voice raised , sure enough he is on his cell phone and apparently feeling the need to let very one know he has cell phone.

I had a friend that came to visit and while visiting, he did nothing but text to the point that I got very angry and told him that if he comes to visit me leave the phone off or don't bother. I have an android phone, all the latest apps but my phone stays off most of the time. Sure I have played with it here and there but I am not obsessive about it. I certainly don't need anyone tracking me down everywhere I go, especially my family. I am not really a phone person I will converse with people but please get to the point so I can go about my business. People today act like they will not survive unless they have their phone attached to their fingers or ears. What did they do when there were no cell phones? On the positive side cell phones are wonderful in an emergency and for me thats it!