Why could you NOT live without your cell phone?

[4nana]

Because it's pay back time!?!?!

We could probably do without our cells, but bless their hearts, our thoughful kids have us on their family plan so they can keep tabs on us!!

Of course, also in case we have an ER.

 

[eliza61]

I have a question?

A lot of people say they want to be able to be reached all the time. Why? I mean I'm old enough to remember no cell phones and people were capable of functioning without 24/7 access.

People always say they want to use them in case of emergencies but the majority of people yacking on the highway aren't having an emercency, if any thing they are causing it.

I think this is one technology that has made us step backwards. We are ruder, people go shopping and yack constantly and god forbid if the poor cashier forgets to give them a discount while they're not paying attention. In elevators I've got to hear about Kikki's drunk trailer park boyfriend or the latest episode of Jersey shore. did no one teach them not to yell.

I've had to ban them also entirely because my kids for some reason can't go to Olive Garden and sit through a meal without texting their friends.

I got rid of mine last year and am having a ball "not" being in contact 24/7

 

[kaytieeldr]

We still have corded phones in our house. : In fact, our kitchen phone is a corded phone! : )

Ha. I can do better than that. I was talking with someone a few weeks ago who still has ROTARY telephones!

 

[jodifla]

I have a question?

A lot of people say they want to be able to be reached all the time. Why? I mean I'm old enough to remember no cell phones and people were capable of functioning without 24/7 access.

People always say they want to use them in case of emergencies but the majority of people yacking on the highway aren't having an emercency, if any thing they are causing it.

I think this is one technology that has made us step backwards. We are ruder, people go shopping and yack constantly and god forbid if the poor cashier forgets to give them a discount while they're not paying attention. In elevators I've got to hear about Kikki's drunk trailer park boyfriend or the latest episode of Jersey shore. did no one teach them not to yell.

I've had to ban them also entirely because my kids for some reason can't go to Olive Garden and sit through a meal without texting their friends.

I got rid of mine last year and am having a ball "not" being in contact 24/7

It's like so many other things. You can use it poorly, or you can use it well.

As I've said, I want to be accessible to my son at all times in case he is ill. And the school expects that I will be. I also
want to be able to reach my husband at all times. He is a reporter and often out and about.

And when my dad was dying, I wanted to make sure the hospice and assisted living could reach me at all times.


And for myself, when it's 2 degrees and the car breaks down in the middle of no place in the middle of the night (I work nights), then I darn sure what a cell phone to call for help.

All of these things are real-life scenarios that happened. There are situations where time is of the essence.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I have a question?

A lot of people say they want to be able to be reached all the time. Why? I mean I'm old enough to remember no cell phones and people were capable of functioning without 24/7 access.

Go back and read the "we didn't have seatbelts back then either" response Can't speak for phones (I have a cell phone but I'm NOT tied to it), but way back before the 1970s, cars were bigger and sturdier - and, okay, gas guzzlers - so, safer than the cars we have today.

eta: and there were no drivers distracted by cell phones and so likely to cause more accidents

 

[sbell111]

Go back and read the "we didn't have seatbelts back then either" response Can't speak for phones (I have a cell phone but I'm NOT tied to it), but way back before the 1970s, cars were bigger and sturdier - and, okay, gas guzzlers - so, safer than the cars we have today.

eta: and there were no drivers distracted by cell phones and so likely to cause more accidents

It should be noted that a bigger, sturdier car without seatbelts is no where near as safe as a smaller, crumplier car with seat belts and air bags (or even just seat belts).

 

[luvmy3]

I have a question?

A lot of people say they want to be able to be reached all the time. Why? I mean I'm old enough to remember no cell phones and people were capable of functioning without 24/7 access.

People always say they want to use them in case of emergencies but the majority of people yacking on the highway aren't having an emercency, if any thing they are causing it.

I think this is one technology that has made us step backwards. We are ruder, people go shopping and yack constantly and god forbid if the poor cashier forgets to give them a discount while they're not paying attention. In elevators I've got to hear about Kikki's drunk trailer park boyfriend or the latest episode of Jersey shore. did no one teach them not to yell.

I've had to ban them also entirely because my kids for some reason can't go to Olive Garden and sit through a meal without texting their friends.

I got rid of mine last year and am having a ball "not" being in contact 24/7

I only have mine for emergencies. If someone calls me to chitchat I tell them I'll call them when I get home. I don't want to be able to be reached 24/7 wherever I go, I only have it for the sole purpose of having a way for my kid's to be able to reach me. Of course I have used it for other things and it is a convenience, but I will never use it to just shoot the breeze

I half agree with you about it making us more rude as a society but then I look at 9/11 and how it was the only way to communicate with some of tehir loved ones for the last time. I look at the situation in Haiti and how today's technology is making it possibe for people to be found. There was a story of a Canadian there, trapped and used her cell to call family. Because of that call and the GPS in her phone, she was found and pulled out of the building that had collapsed onto her. The ability to do those things to me are worth the rudeness it can create.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It's like so many other things. You can use it poorly, or you can use it well.

As I've said, I want to be accessible to my son at all times in case he is ill. And the school expects that I will be. I also
want to be able to reach my husband at all times. He is a reporter and often out and about.

And when my dad was dying, I wanted to make sure the hospice and assisted living could reach me at all times.


And for myself, when it's 2 degrees and the car breaks down in the middle of no place in the middle of the night (I work nights), then I darn sure what a cell phone to call for help.

All of these things are real-life scenarios that happened. There are situations where time is of the essence.

But are you tied to it? Are you one of the people to whom eliza61 refers, talking on the phone while a cashier is trying to interact with you; or driving down the street having a conversation about, for example, shoes - one that could have waited until the car isn't moving; or the doctor can't explain the course of action your son's condition needs because you're talking about yesterday's weather with someone you just saw, well, yesterday?

I realize "all those things" have happened, or could. But, respectfully, how often does your son get sick at school that the school wouldn't be able to reach you at home? Or how often/necessary is it to call your husband when he's reporting a story?

 

[princesspumpkin]

I could definitely live without my cell. It's not a necessity. But, I don't want to It makes things more convenient for me - and who doesn't like convenience? I could probably live without my microwave, dishwasher and washer/dryer too

To be honest, when I had a 2-hour commute each way to work, it was so convenient to be able to talk to people (via bluetooth) during the drive - killing 2 birds with one stone. To me, talking on the bluetooth in my car, is like talking to somone sitting right next to me. So, unless they ban conversations in the car 9and singing along to the radio), I don't have a problem with having casual conversations while driving.

Helps with DD-13, who can't seem to remember if she has an afterschool activity, until she gets to school! She can quickly text me to say what time she'll be home, that way I can adjust my schedule to be there for her (cause I like to, not cause I have to)

Helps for DH - I've been on my way to meet him and he wants me to pick up something that he forgot - quick call, quick turn around back to the house, and we're good.

Need - no. Convenience - yuppers!

Oh, we don't need the internet either, now do we?

 

[bettymae1121]

I don't use my cell much, but I do need it as I drive a rather old ('98) car and I'm affraid I'd break down and have no way of calling for help without one. By having a cell, I'm saving the cost of getting a new(er) car!

My cell is a pre-paid, and since I don't use it much, it costs me about $50 a YEAR to have. And that's an average, I used less than $50 of minutes in 2009. I may use more this year, a friend of mine moved back to my area and I talk to her on my cell a lot.

I could live without it rather easily most of the time. But I love the peace of mind it brings by having it with me when I'm driving.

 

[luvmy3]

I could definitely live without my cell. It's not a necessity. But, I don't want to It makes things more convenient for me - and who doesn't like convenience? I could probably live without my microwave, dishwasher and washer/dryer too

To be honest, when I had a 2-hour commute each way to work, it was so convenient to be able to talk to people (via bluetooth) during the drive - killing 2 birds with one stone.

Helps with DD-13, who can't seem to remember if she has an afterschool activity, until she gets to school! She can quickly text me to say what time she'll be home, that way I can adjust my schedule to be there for her (cause I like to, not cause I have to)

Helps for DH - I've been on my way to meet him and he wants me to pick up something that he forgot - quick call, quick turn around back to the house, and we're good.

Need - no. Convenience - yuppers!

Oh, we don't need the internet either, now do we?

Of course we do, how else could we discuss the importance of cell phones with people all over the world. If I didn't have that I might be forced to clean my house

 

[Darcy03231]

I don't have a land line, just the cell phone, so it would be hard to live without. When I had a land line I hardly ever used the cell (less than 60 minutes a month).

 

[sbell111]

But are you tied to it? Are you one of the people to whom eliza61 refers, talking on the phone while a cashier is trying to interact with you; or driving down the street having a conversation about, for example, shoes - one that could have waited until the car isn't moving; or the doctor can't explain the course of action your son's condition needs because you're talking about yesterday's weather with someone you just saw, well, yesterday?

I realize "all those things" have happened, or could. But, respectfully, how often does your son get sick at school that the school wouldn't be able to reach you at home? Or how often/necessary is it to call your husband when he's reporting a story?

I think that people make a mistake when they take the position that celphones are either worthless or their users are rude and unsafe.

For truth in advertising, it is only fair to mention that I do talk on my phone while driving and I have talked on it while in line at the grocery store. (It was an important conversation and I was polite and responsive to the cashier.)

 

[NotUrsula]

Well, the thing DOES have an "off" switch, and it is legal to use it, you know?

I don't feel the need to be reachable at all times. I keep it on during the school day if I'm working somewhere other than my office, in case I'm called for my children, but once I'm home and in the same space as they are, I put it on the charger and turn it off. If the family are out and about together, the phones are turned off, because the only people I keep it on for are DH and the kids.

My office is a Faraday cage, so it won't work there, anyway -- people who want to reach me must use the office phone unless they just want to send me a text that I will see at 6 pm.

I've got a prepaid phone, and it suits me fine. I just checked it, and it still has 1/2 my last-added $30 on it, so in just under 3 months I've used about 60 minutes between talking, text messages and web use. The difficulty I find is in making it clear to people who have contract phones that I do NOT want them calling my cell phone for social chats. I pay .10/minute for my cell minutes; please don't make me waste them. Call the landline at the house! Their long-distance is "free" on the cell, but for me, all minutes cost the same.

One thing that does bother me is that DH has gotten really ridiculous about knowing where I am at times during the evening and on weekends. My free space is now about an hour -- if I don't give him an ETA after that, he gets upset. Drives me BONKERS! I can spend well over an hour just browsing in the public library.

 

[Stephanie218]

I don't have a landline, and if my husband gets the chance to call from Afghanistan, I'd better have a phone to talk to him, where ever I am. I've heard of military wives who don't have cell phones being afraid to leave the house because they may miss a call.

 

[disneynutcase]

My DH is a truck driver so he depends on having a cell phone and DD,20, has about a 45 minute drive home from her work and when she is heading home at midnight I like her to be able to get ahold of me if she has a problem.

 

[jodifla]

But are you tied to it? Are you one of the people to whom eliza61 refers, talking on the phone while a cashier is trying to interact with you; or driving down the street having a conversation about, for example, shoes - one that could have waited until the car isn't moving; or the doctor can't explain the course of action your son's condition needs because you're talking about yesterday's weather with someone you just saw, well, yesterday?

I realize "all those things" have happened, or could. But, respectfully, how often does your son get sick at school that the school wouldn't be able to reach you at home? Or how often/necessary is it to call your husband when he's reporting a story?

No, I'm not tied to it. It's more the Girl Scout motto of "Be Prepared." I can go days and days with no one calling me, but I always have it with me, just in case.

And while those emergencies don't happen often, they happen often enough that I've very glad to have a cell phone. One less thing to worry about.

The only time we went over our minutes is when we just moved, and I was calling all my friends back home, I was so homesick.

 

[kaytieeldr]

No, I'm not tied to it

Well, that's the key. Ideally, the OP is referring to people who seem to have the phone surgically attached to their ear

 

[KimR]

I actually very rarely use my cell, but I love knowing it's there if I need it. My car broke down on the highway a few months ago and I don't know what I would have done had I not had my cell phone with me. And as the mom of a teen driver it gives me tremendous peace of mind to know that I can reach my DD anytime. I would be a nervous wreck otherwise - just like my Mother was when my sister and I started driving.

 

[Darsa]

We only have the cells, no land line. And the cells were PRICELESS in late July/August when my mom's liver failed and she spent several weeks in ICU. Before then I'd have said "oh well!" if I left my phone at home. Now, since it's the only number the doctors, hospitals & transplant team have, I panic.