Cell-Phone-Use-In-Public pet peeves...

[MinnieM21]

I hate it when your friend or whoever you're with decides to have a conservation on their cell phone and completely ignore you. Also, people who talk on their cell phone while they're about to place their order at a coffee shop or restaurant or people who talk at the checkout at the grocery store and completely ignore the person helping them.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by mudnuri
before people assume that people are always on the phone for no reason, think of this. There are people, like me who are on call 24/7 and get calls on my cell phone regardless of where I am, or who I am with.

My calls are coming from highschool/college age kids who are lifeguards, or general recreation center staff members, they are calling me usually for clarification, possibly questions that they ar not comfortable answering on their own. Maybe the chlorine pump, that they know they can always hear clicking, isnt....maybe they have an irate parent who is livid because we close the pool for 1/2 hour when we see lightening....

Last year I was out to dinner with DH, DD's, and DH's entire family- (23 of us total) and I received a call about an assault on Rec property, that involved a BB Gun, I spent the entire dinner on the phone with staff, parents, police, my boss etc.... yes, for the most part, I was outside, or in the entrance to the restaurant, but for the initial call, and a few other later ones, I was inside sitting at my table. Had your child been at the center, I'm sure you'd have been thankful that I did not let the call go to voice mail, or ignore the callers.

There are times when I wish I didnt have to answer the phone, WDW in april was one...however, when I'm in line for TOT, and the phone rings, you bet your butt I'm gonna answer it.

So not all calls are meaningless, and not all people on the receiving end are rude, and thoughtless people...some of us are looking out for your children!

Brandy

We know that not all of them are rude and meaningless.

But most of them are.

I have never overheard anyone yapping loudly on their phone on the subway who was discussing anything that could not wait. Usually the people I overhear are talking about their personal lives...

The worst was going out to dinner with a friend of mine and she got a call and was on the phone the entire meal. We have not hung out together since. I also have another friend who needs to call her DH every 5 minutes... I don't know why she even leaves the house...

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by mrsheppo
I hate cell phones and driving - a potentially deadly combination.

Yesterday, a lady was talking on her cell and ran off the road right into our mailbox that is near the street. She ended up in the ditch with quite a bit of damage to her car. DH had cemented the mailbox post in the ground.

A few months ago, a teenage girl around here died while speeding and yapping on her cell phone. She actually ran her car into a cell phone shop.

Tragic, and rather ironic.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by Missy1961


I also hate when people are outside on a beautiful day and they are so busy talking on their phones they are missing the sun, the flowers, etc.

 

[mazzarafe]

I hate people driving and using their phones. Of course I have a really good reason for it. In April of 2001 DH was on his way home from work on the highway. The car in front of him stopped suddenly and he was able to stop in time not to hit them but as he looked into his rearview mirror he saw a car coming straight at him and not slowing down. He was walloped from behind and our '93 blazer had done a good job of protecting him.

When DH got out of the car and the guy who hit him got out of his holding a cell phone in his hand. DH said to him "oh, good you called 911" the guy replied "oh, thats a good idea huh?"

So now DH gets cortizone shots a few times a year in his shoulder and takes alot of 600mg motrin and sometimes he gets treated to tylenol w/codine when he goes to the doctor. He's had 2 bouts of physical therapy on his shoulder, but cannot use that arm to lift anything by itself.

I guess it is pretty safe to say that I hate people using their phones while driving because we live with the effects of the danger of it...it could have been much worse seeing our what our car looked like.

I too did see someone stopped at a left hand turn signal with a cigarette in one hand and a phone in the other and thought what is she gonna do when the light changes?

I have a phone for emergencies only that is only on when my kids are in school and when I do use it I dial at a light or have my DD make the call for me when she is with me.

I also hate how now everywhere you go to see a show or concert at school they have to tell everyone to shut off their phones.

 

[laurajetter]

Lately, peoples' cell phones have been going off during church. Last Sunday there were at least three phones that started ringing at different times, possibly four (I can't remember for sure). It is so distracting and rude and it usually rings 2 or 3 times before the person can get to it. Once they pull it out it usually rings at least one more time but this time it is at its loudest since it's not muffled by a purse, pocket, etc. Most of the people turn it off at that point, but one time someone actually carried on a conversation. Even though they were talking lower than normal, they were still TALKING!

Is it so hard to turn their phones off? If someone has a job where it's necessary to keep it on (a doctor, etc.) I feel they should set it to vibrate and then exit the church before talking.

Apparently these people can't read the bulletin or projectors that say to please turn off cell phones and pagers. I don't know how the pastor speaking can concentrate on what he is saying because it TOTALLY distracts me, and I'm just listening.

-Laura

 

[krissy3483]

What did we do before we all had cell phones anyway?

 

[goofy4tink]

Originally posted by krissy3483
What did we do before we all had cell phones anyway?

You beat me to the punch!!! Yes, I have a cell phone. It is very seldom even turned on. My dh has his on whenever he is away from home. Most of the time it is on 'vibrate'.

I have to wonder what people did without their cell phones. There really aren't all that many calls that are that 'important'. I mean, okay if you're a brain surgeon. But sometimes I think there are people that like to make out that they are super important.."Sorry, but I HAVE to take this call!" My b-i-l is one of those. So, unless someone is anticipating a call of some importance, put it on manners mode!!! If you feel that you have to take the call, go someplace quiet/private. I don't want to hear your conversation!! Have any of you been to the movies lately and seen the 'inconsiderate cell phone guy' trailer? My dd, 10, now sings it whenever someone's cell phone rings in an inappropriate place...church, movies, theater etc.

I apologize to any of you out there who need to have them on. But I wonder what kind of jobs you have that you have to have your cell phones on while on vacation. Even my dh doesn't do that. Isn't there someone at work that takes over for you while you're away? Emergencies are one thing but how many of them could there be.

 

[mckeonfive]

This post got my attention. My newly single sister in law comes over all of the time now that she's divorced and living back in our hometown.

She comes over a few times a week with that darn cell phone glued to her ear. We will be talking about things and all of a sudden she's on the phone talking to someone else. I have had conversations with her and the whole time she's text messaging someone else. How Rude!!

Also, she got a new phone that has all of the different rings for each person she has calling her. How annoying! She constantly sits there listening to all of the different rings! Over and over again...

This is also the same girl who does not knock when she comes barrelling in our house at 2:00 in the afternoon when the babies are taking their naps.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

The ones that bug me are the people that give out their home address, tell people they aren't home, give out their social security #, and other private information while they are on the cell phone, speaking loudly, in a public place

I, unfortunately, am on the phone way too much. It's all work related though. It's my ball and chain.

 

[disneyangel7488]

My pet peeve is when people are checking out at a store and on their cell phone. I think it's just rude. They wouldn't like it if the clerk was chatting away w/someone else while helping them, so don't do it to them!

I woork in a department store, and have already had that happened a few times! They'll be chatting away on their phones while waiting in line, and then continue chatting as I'm ringing up their items. Usually the chatter includes this line : "I'm at the mall right now, buying some new clothes. I'm standing at the register right now." Then when I tell them the total, I refuse to wait until they're done talking, especially when there's a whole line of customers behind them! It is so rude.

 

[Amberle3]

Originally posted by krissy3483
What did we do before we all had cell phones anyway?

We missed important things.

Before I had a cell phone... I was at work one day setting up for an event. I was on the premises but out of the actual office. My mother tried me for over an hour and then finally called the security office who came looking for me. My grandmother had been taken to the hospital and was dying. By the time I got there it was too late, and I didn't have a chance to say goodbye to her.

If I'd had a cell phone (and had it on), I wouldn't have that regret now.

Now if I'm not home, my cell phone is on all the time. I can count on one hand the people who have that number.

Yes they're often abused, but they still serve a purpose.

 

[Figaro]

I understand why people dislike cell phones that are being used in places where it is inappropriate to use them (church, movies, in line at stores), but what I don't understand is why it bothers people if cell phones are used in other places where people would normally talk with other people (buses, restaurants).

As long as people are talking in a reasonable tone of voice, I really don't care what the person in the booth next to mine in a restaurant is talking about whether it is on a cell phone or to another person who is sitting there. Same thing on a bus.

I consider the cell phone to be a wonderful convenience. And I don't care if people only want to use their cell phones for emergencies or important work calls, but I don't see a single thing wrong with using a cell phone just to chat about totally unimportant day to day stuff as long as it is not done in places where it would be disruptive to others. My own rule is that if it would be acceptable for me to be talking with a friend, then it is acceptable for a cell phone to be in use.

I am so glad my youngest calls when she is on the bus and tells me all of the details of her day. I hear how her day went, what she is going to fix for supper and all kinds of boring, mundane details that only a mother could love(smile).

 

[sue1013]

ITA Figaro. What's the differance if I'm in a restaurant, walking in the mall on a bus or train if I'm on the phone or speaking to someone next to me? I agree that phones should be turned off in some places like theaters, church, meetings, etc. But I can admit I've forgotten once or twice I'm not perfect so I usually figure they forgot also.

 

[goofy4tink]

Just had to post this now....dd and I just got home from school shopping at Target. In front of us in line at the check-out was a woman on her cell phone. Well....the cashier totaled her stuff up, told her the amount and what did this woman do? Held up her finger to the cashier in that 'hold on, I'll be with you in a moment' gesture and went back to talking, finishing her conversation!!! Now, it didn't take her long but for heaven's sake. Couldn't she have just paid? She used a credit card anyway.

 

[krissy3483]

Originally posted by sue1013
ITA Figaro. What's the differance if I'm in a restaurant, walking in the mall on a bus or train if I'm on the phone or speaking to someone next to me? I agree that phones should be turned off in some places like theaters, church, meetings, etc. But I can admit I've forgotten once or twice I'm not perfect so I usually figure they forgot also.

I totally agree. My phone is on most of the time, but there are definitely times when I think it is rude to have one turned on (or not on vibrate). Obviously movies, plays, church, etc. I don't really have a problem with people using them while on buses or in restaurants or wherever. I just can't stand when there is obviously little or no service and the person continues to shout or say "WHAAAT??!?!??!" over and over again. Hang up already, please! And my biggest pet peeve is those people who answer their phones right when they're checking out in a store....just wait a couple seconds if it isn't urgent. It is so rude to hold up the people behind you for a friendly conversation.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I remembered something else. My mom and I went to a program this winter called Destination College. It was a whole bunch of seminars on the college admissions process. Well in the first seminar we were in, while the speaker was talking, her cell phone rang. She hadn't put it on vibrate because she didn't know that option existed, and she hadn't turned it off, in case my stepdad needed her. . He works at the same college the event was held at, I think he could have tracked her down. Now here's the ironic part. She's a teacher and flips if cell phones go off in her class, yet she can't give a speaker the same respect. I was humiliated, and kind of angry too.
And the bathroom thing. We were in a publiv ladies room not too long ago when a cell phone started playing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". My mom decided the cell phone was rude to be going off and started singing along with the ringer . But anyway, the girl it belonged to answered the phone, said "hang on", flew out of the restroom not washing her hands and as soon as she was out the door we heard her say "sorry bout that I was in the middle of peeing. Like the entire store needed to hear that.