Sharon, this is a terrific topic. Actually, I no longer have a landline since I got the transfer scholarship to across the state and now I am attending graduate school, it would be too expensive to talk long distance via landline. Plus, with all the moving, it would also be expensive to connect to new service every time I moved.
I do use my cell when I am shopping to find out what DH wants and things like that. However, I think it is rude to chat on the phone while I am checking out. I also think it is rude to chat on the cell when in the bathroom, in elevators, and so on. I think people should be more thoughtful as to who may be around when they are on their cell phones and how it affects them. I don't talk when I am in a restaurant unless I am expecting an important call and then it is to get on and then off. I don't chat on the phone in restaurants.
I have been out with people who constantly answered their phones while I am trying to have a conversation with them. I think that if people are in a social setting such as a lunch, party, etc...they should turn their cell phones off unless they are on call, are an emergency person, or something similar.
I only use my cell phone for emergencies,,and about the only reason why I would use it in a grocery store is if I thought we were outta something and wanted to phone home to check,,,
I really don't understand why people have to carry on an intense conversation on their cell phones anywhere...maybe it is understandable for people with businesses,,but other then that,,I get out of the house to get away from the phone,,the only people whom have my cell phone number are family,,in case of emergencys
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I've put my hard hat on because I'm probably going to get blasted after my reply. ROFL!!
People talking on the phone while shopping, eating, driving, walking & not paying attention to anything, playing with their kids at the playground, ordering food at fast food places ...etc. is such a PET PEEVE of mine!! My reply is "GET OFF THE PHONE!!". It's like people cannot function if their phone is not on! There cannot possibly be a reason to be on the phone while you are ordering food! Imagine how the employee feels! Is it really necessary to talk on the phone while pushing your child on a swing? OR...is it really important to carry on conversations while grocery shopping? (unless you really need to ask a question).
BTW, I'm using "you" in general.
We have a cell phone that my DH takes to work in case he would need to reach me or vice versa. We also take it with us when we are going to go out on a long trip in the car. We also use it if our electricity goes out.
I know that we aren't "the norm" when it comes to this but, to me, some people are out of control!!
Tami, it is a pet peeve of mine too! Not too long ago, I told a girl, who was chatting on her cell in the BATHROOM to please leave or get off the phone. She said she was trying to escape someone and I told her that might consider escaping me as I was going to rip that phone out of her hand. I didn't know who she was talking to, but I didn't want that person to hear me pee! She left. One other girl as requested that she please get off the phone while we were peeing in the bathroom at the movies wanted to beat me up. People just aren't taught manners anymore. I wait until I am away from people to talk on my phone. I don't want my family to think others are more important by talking on the phone while I am taking them to the movies or the park.
I will admit to very occasionally using my cell when shopping to find out if we are out of something. I do not make calls when driving and if a call comes in I either make a kid answer it or I let it go to voicemail until I can pull over into a parking lot & check to see if it's the kids' school or some other emergency.
You never see a young mom pushing a stroller who is NOT on a cell phone. Same with the swings in the park. Tell me you are spending quality time with your child while you yak on the phone the whole time
I have a prepaid phone. I must buy 100 minutes once a year to keep my phone going (it's for emergencies!) I don't even use up my whole 100 minutes in a year.
Last summer I took Luke to the library for storytime. While he was in the story room I went out front to their book sale porch. They have a bench in front of the porch. Someone else came outside and had a LOUD and LONG cell-phone conversation regarding her mental health therapy and other very personal issues while I was standing there (she had to pass me to get to the bench). I was very uncomfortable and at the same time annoyed that I would have to be the one to stop doing what I was doing and go somewhere else to avoid hearing her very private conversation.
Cell phones are nice in the case of an emergency. But I think they have allowed people to lose all sense of boundaries.
Even my Big DS is so into the Joy of Text that as soon as we pick him up from track practice, he is checking the phone. I have laid down the law, no phones at the dinner table (and he apologized, the time he tried it).
It cracks me up when I see a bunch of teenagers all together, all on their phones. Who are they talking to? Why aren't they talking to the kids they are with?
When I took cognitive psychology, we had to research cell phone safety while driving a car. What the researchers found was that talking/listening on a cell phone is no more dangerous than listening to a passenger in the car. However, the danger comes in when dialing or otherwise messing with the buttons on the phone. Thier conclusions were that as long as you dial before you take off and hang up after you stop or while you are stopped, it is safe. But, I know people you can not chew gum and walk at the same time. You know who those people are. They can not talk on the phone AND drive a car. Those people probably cannot talk to a passenger and drive either. They shouldn't talk on a cell while driving either.
I never used a cell phone until I moved to Las Cruces. Now, that is all I use. I have to admit, it is convenient as I can go outside, wash dishes, or anything else, while I am on the phone. Since I am not a phone person, I don't live on mine so we don't use up our minutes. I mostly talk to my DH while he is out of state or a few of my friends who are out of state.
This is also a pet peeve of mine. I will admit that we have four cell phones in our family. DH was assigned his by his employer, and 90% of the calls on it are business-related. I have two teenage daughters and they do make it easier to arrange rides and check in, etc.
I will not answer my phone in a restaurant. In fact, I turn the ringer off so I will not be tempted. Almost every Sunday, someone's cell is ringing during church!
A couple of weeks ago, I was grocery shopping. It seemed like everyone was talking on their cells. It really annoys me because they're completely oblivious that they're meandering around the store and blocking the aisles. There was one couple there with a little boy about 3 years old. Both mom and dad were talking on their phones while he was trying to get their attention. This went on for the entire hour that I was in the store. Then I got to the check-out, and there was a woman yakking away on her phone while unloading her cart. Of course, in slow motion because she wasn't paying attention.
When I was working it was maddening to have someone walk up behind me talking. I'd think they were wanting help and here they were on their cell phone.
Also when I would be setting up a display, someone would be right there looking through a rack of clothes and talking about family problems, somebody going to jail, arguing with someone or personal problems. I had a job to get done and couldn't just walk away. These are all things that are no one else's business.
People out shopping and talking on their cell phone is a big pet peeve of mine.
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I do use my phone will shopping, but as stated before only to check if we need something. I try to be quite and stay as far away from other shoppers as possible. If I receive a call that I need to take while shopping I try to keep it short and quite. If at all possible I ask the caller if I can call them bak when I get to the parking lot.
When I am eating out, attending any function or at an appointment I always put my cell on vibrate so the ring will not distrub anyone. I might check to see who the caller is, but normally I ignore it until I am done and then deal with it.
We are in the process of updating our cell phone policy at our Library. We ask our patrons to turn off the ring on their phones while in the Libray. If they receive a call and need to have a conversation we ask that they step out in the entry way so other patrons are not disturbed.
I've put my hard hat on because I'm probably going to get blasted after my reply. ROFL!!
