Somebody please explain cell phone use ...

[Jennasis]

If you are screaming at each other to the point that the people sitting four tables away can hear you, yes. It is rude. Very rude.

People on speaker phones must not realize how loud it is.



Don't make your business into other people's business. People need to use some common sense when screaming into a speaker phone. Talk like you are talking to the person next to you. And turn your volume down.

Never once heard anyone screaming into a phone. While I'm sure it happens, Hyperbole does nothing to further the discussion.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Never once heard anyone screaming into a phone. While I'm sure it happens, Hyperbole does nothing to further the discussion.

So because YOU never experienced screaming into a phone/hearing a far away conversation it's hyperbole? Gotcha.

It is odd how you feel different experiences than yours don't further a discussion.

 

[dominiondad]

I get that there are times when people are out in public and need to use their phone. That's why we have cell phones. Work, family, gambling addiction - we all have our reasons. What I don't understand is why somebody will sit in a crowded area (think DMV waiting area), and although they posses technology that allows for a private conversation, instead put the phone on speaker and this ...
Person beside me: DIALS...."Hey, I wonder if I should put walnuts in the brownies?"
Person on speaker: "Nancy always did and hers were great. Whatever happened to Nancy?"
Person beside me: "I thought they moved to Kansas"
Person on speaker: "Didn't her husband just buy a riding lawn mower?"
Person beside me: "He did. He hurt his leg playing softball. I think it happened last year. He was on the same team as Greg, remember him?"
Person on speaker: "Never liked Greg, his motorcycle was too loud."
Person beside me: "Greg didn't have a motorcycle"
Person on speaker: "Yes he did"
Person beside me: "Oh, maybe I'm thinking of somebody else."
Person on speaker: "You're thinking of Kevin. He had a motorcycle but he just crashed it. In fact, I was going to make him some brownies"
Person beside me: "Are you going to put walnuts in them?"

If these two people were sitting beside me having this conversation, I would be annoyed, but recognize that they have no other reasonable way to communicate and that making polite conversation during the wait seems normal. But if you're alone in a waiting room and just start making calls because you're bored and then subject everybody else to the conversation, I like you less. Equally annoying - if you are playing video games on your phone, turn the sound off.

 

[DisLiss]

If it's on speaker phone, I can kinda sorta see the annoyance...but then again if someone wants to put their conversations on a speaker phone I suppose that's their choice

It may be their choice, but perhaps not the choice of the person on the other end. I was sitting in my car waiting to pick up my son from school one day and it was summer (we were in school very late that year!), so my windows were down. There was a woman in a car in the actual parking lot (I was in the pick-up line and there is just a narrow patch of grass and a sidewalk between the two.), and she also had her windows down and she was using her phone as described here. Only the poor person she was talking to was describing, with a good degree of detail, their current financial problems, and this woman still kept her phone on speaker the entire conversation. Everyone around her could hear all of it, and I felt really badly for this person who likely had no idea that dozens of people were hearing what I am sure they thought was a private conversation.

I already highly dislike speaking to anyone if they are on a cell phone to begin with, but after that day in the car, it finally dawned on me, that on top of the connection/sound issues I have with it, there's also the possibility that whoever I'm talking to is allowing the general public to hear everything I have to say as well.

 

[tzolkin]

How do you know it's random unimportant crap?

Because sometimes you can hear the content of the conversation. Because sometimes people will share with you what they're texting someone else about. Because I have talked or texted unnecessarily myself as has everyone else I know, so I know that's a thing that human beings are prone to do.

I did not say that everything people talk or text about is random unimportant crap. I have two phones and I'm often texting for work while I'm out. But, there's really no denying that with the constant presence of cell phones that people talk and text about more random unimportant crap than they would if they were not accessible 24/7.

Some people really need to get over themselves thinking they are the phone police. . There must be something really lacking in excitement in their own lives to be so twitterpated over what strangers are doing with their phones.

Everyone needs to get over themselves and engage in a hefty dose of MYOB!

I think you're blowing people's comments out of proportion a bit. Other posters have asked for specific reasons why it's more annoying to hear a speakerphone conversation in public than a face-to-face one and people have been trying to come up with reasons.

I listed several reasons in order to spark some conversation and thought about why we perceive cell phone use as being more annoying. Just because I came up with several possible explanations doesn't mean that I think I know every person's motives, that I'm overly bothered by what others are doing with their phones, or that I need to mind my own business.

 

[DisLiss]

I will add, though, that I think one reason people use the phones that way is that when cell phones first became very small, they were flip phones, and they still had a bit of a shape similar to an actual phone receiver, in that part of it was near your ear and part came closer to your mouth. But now, smart phones have lost that shape, and I think for some folks it feels odd to hold it up to your face when it doesn't seem to span the distance between ear & mouth as well as a regular phone. I think perhaps people may have at first thought that people on the other line couldn't hear them because their mouth was too far from the phone (which may have been a legitimate concern at the time) and now, even though phones are likely better, the habit to hold it closer to the mouth continues??

 

[Jennasis]

So because YOU never experienced screaming into a phone/hearing a far away conversation it's hyperbole? Gotcha.

It is odd how you feel different experiences than yours don't further a discussion.

Yep. Hyperbole isn't helpful. I too dislike people using speaker phone in public, and I don't like people on the phone in public in general. It annoys me when I have to do it myself. It's my own personal grumpy old lady hang up and is a reflection of me rather than the person on the phone for the most part. Should I ever have the misfortune of coming upon a phone screamer I'm sure I will dislike them too...just as I would dislike two people screaming at each other.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Yep. Hyperbole isn't helpful. I too dislike people using speaker phone in public, and I don't like people on the phone in public in general. It annoys me when I have to do it myself. It's my own personal grumpy old lady hang up and is a reflection of me rather than the person on the phone for the most part. Should I ever have the misfortune of coming upon a phone screamer I'm sure I will dislike them too...just as I would dislike two pool screaming at each other.

Glad we agree on some things. Although I don't think it's MY issue that someone thinks it is ok to be obnoxiously loud in public spaces. It really shouldn't be acceptable. But our society is truly lacking basic manners. So what are you going to do?

My "hearing you from 4 tables away" is from a recent experience. We were out for a work lunch and a woman was sitting four tables away on her speaker phone. It was a calmer place, so not very loud inside. Everyone in the restaurant got to hear her conversation. Someone did eventually ask her to step out side. She was annoyed, but complied .

Like, how dare I not be able to put my volume on loud for all to hear.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

So you also just join in the conversation when you come upon two individuals having a conversation somewhere?

Gets them off speaker phone quickly. I love hearing the other person saying "who's this"?

 

[Jennasis]

Gets them off speaker phone quickly. I love hearing the other person saying "who's this"?

You intrude upon the conversation of two individuals standing there talking to each other?

 

[kiddo76]

I think it's annoying in general when people talk loudly on their cell. The method they use is inconsequential.

 

[willowsnn3]

I hate it when people in the office use speaker phone. I don't need to hear your conversation!

I hate it when people call my office & have me on speaker phone. All I can hear is what I'm saying echoing back in my ear. Usually I just put them on speaker too, hoping they can take a hint.

 

[igrsod]

When someone is using speaker phone I join in on their conversation. As far as I'm concerned its open game when on speaker

But would you do this if you were walking by two people having a conversation?