Is it just me or have people turned much more ignorant lately?

When did it become OK to stop in the middle of a conversation you are having with me to answer your cell phone?

If I am talking with you, I will not answer my phone. It has call answer after all. You will have my full and undivided attention while we are talking.

I think my mother taught me that basic human skill by example.

When did it change?

I often asked "who died?" after they hang up. Based on the 1/2 conversation I'm forced to listen to I'd say 95% of the time the call was not important.

Can I just walk away? The conversation must be over - right?

Can I slap the next person who does it to me silly?

Yikes - they really got my goat today.

Is it just me or have people turned much more ignorant lately?


Do you mean ignorance (lack of knowledge) or rudeness?

Generally, this problem is worse in Asia. Partly because we are generally lower down the rung in 'Maslow's Heirachy' of needs and partly due to cultural factors.

I hate sitting at an airport terminal gate and having to sit in someone's sales meeting, when I wasn't sent an agenda and don't know what my contribution to the discussion is!

But what really worries me about cell/mobile phone use is the number of people (generally young women) who now drive their cars as mobile phone boxes - as they move off they start their calls and even have the phone held to their ears with their shoulders.......:mg:

I wish phones still had a cord attached........

Is it just me or have people turned much more ignorant lately?

When did it become OK to stop in the middle of a conversation you are having with me to answer your cell phone?

If I am talking with you, I will not answer my phone. It has call answer after all. You will have my full and undivided attention while we are talking.

I think my mother taught me that basic human skill by example.

When did it change?

I often asked "who died?" after they hang up. Based on the 1/2 conversation I'm forced to listen to I'd say 95% of the time the call was not important.

Can I just walk away? The conversation must be over - right?

Can I slap the next person who does it to me silly?

Yikes - they really got my goat today.
FWIW:
When I was a boy, not everyone had even one phone in the house, let alone a separate walk-around number for each member of the household. When the phone rang, it was deemed to be important enough an occasion for EVERYONE present to stop in mid stride until the nature of the call was determined. Long distance calls were occasions to turn off radios (no TV back then) until the disaster or celebration had been communicated to everyone present.

Today, calls are much more frequent and infinitely more trivial. Status of people present in person relative to the phone owner (call recipient) make a decided difference in whether the call recipient is rude or ignorant in diverting attention to the call.

When a boss does it to a subordinate, it is rude. When a subordinate does it to a boss, it is either ignorant or suicidal (pick one.)

In my personal experience, I am mollified if the call recipient says something to the effect,
"Please excuse me, I'm expecting an important business/personal call. It shouldn't take more than a minute."
or
"Whoa! This is from my wife! I hope she isn't stranded somewhere or that the kids are OK."

Of course, that means the person carrying the cell phone has to lay down some ground rules to the folks with his number - customers and bosses excepted;)
Thirty years ago, I had someone screening my land line calls and an interruption during a conversation meant my screener felt it was important enough to interrupt rather than to take a message to call back or to divert the call to someone else in our organization.

Alas, today, hardly anyone below the rank of POTUS has anyone screening ALL incoming calls.



POTUS = President of the United States

When I was a Supplier QE for one of the (then) Big Three automakers, I spent a lot of time in meetings at supllier facilities with the suplliers leadership. I was representing a significant customer, and if they weren't in trouble i would not have been there. I still found it necessary to use a strategy to limit cell phone interruptions. At the beginning of the meeting, I would take out my cell phone, turn it off, and state "I have nothing more important to do right now than work on this issue." It seemed to help.

Geoff Withnell

I don't even turn my phone on unless absolutely necessary. I'll check for messages and reply, but it is not attached to my head. My cell is a tool, not a way of life.

It really amazes me when I see people "having" to take or make calls at 7:00AM at the airport. Who are they talking to? Surely it isn't business. What did they do before the cell, hold everything in and then explode?

Blue-tooths are even worse.

Cells in restaurants

Cells in elevators

Cells in restrooms

Cells on escalators

Cells on shuttles

Cells, cells, cells...................

Turn the F.....g things off already!

I do have a cell phone AND a bluetooth headset.

However, the only time I use my headset is when driving (not by law, just for safety). I have the phone set to automatically answer the call after 2 rings (again, don't need to take my eyes off of the road).

It usually is relatively important as my wife can sometimes be very late at work and when I am driving home is usually the time she finds out if she will be on time. This lets me know whether I need to take care of other things (re: feed my daughter before mommy gets home, etc.).

Other than that, I usually leave it in a coat pocket or on the kitchen counter charging.

I cannot understand what is so important that you must have a 20 minute conversation while driving....:bonk:

I do try to figure out how my mother-in-law and wife managed before cell phones...they must talk to each other 3 times a day...what happens in a day that you must talk to someone that much each and every day????? I will be married for 5 years this year and it still goes on to this day.

Anyway, I feel better now.

I always enjoy seeing police driving down the highway at 90mph yapping on a cell phone. Not their radio - a cell phone.

Besides people interrupting conversations the most annying thing for me is people yapping on the phone at the gym.
There one woman who goes to my gym in the evenings... she walks in yapping, comes out of the locker room yapping, climbs on the treadmill yapping, does her workout yapping, goes back into the locker room yapping, comes out and leaves yapping.

And then she has the nerve to cast an annoyed glance at anyone who turns up the TV volume.

Besides people interrupting conversations the most annying thing for me is people yapping on the phone at the gym.
There one woman who goes to my gym in the evenings... she walks in yapping, comes out of the locker room yapping, climbs on the treadmill yapping, does her workout yapping, goes back into the locker room yapping, comes out and leaves yapping.



Well, at least her vocal cords are getting a thorough workout!:tg::lmao:

This is a pet peeve of mine as well. If you're having a face to face conversation with someone and suddenly your cell starts playing a demented version of a bad Alicia Keys song, this does not mean that you should immediately pick it up and begin talking while holding up a finger to signal "one second". A great many people need to learn basic manners when it comes to cell phone useage.

Cell phone etiquette:


Please use the silent function on your ringer. If you cannot feel the vibration, then please get a wireless headset device to hear the ring.
If you are hard of hearing, please do not yell into your phone. Please make other reasonable accommodations.
Determine if the phone call in your car is worth the driving hazard. Never take an emotionally charged call while driving.
Any phone call should be between two people; keep them private. If you accept a call, it is your responsibility to assure privacy and confidentiality.
However many minutes you spend on your phone is that many minutes lost with your children, spouse, etc.
It is your responsibility to politely let people know there is an important call to take; it should be seldom enough that people believe you.
Teach children how to answer phones, how to address issues, and how to be security-savvy with phones.
Text messaging should be considered the same as a phone call, as far as etiquette goes.
If there is any questions on etiquette or proper course of action- turning it off is the best approach.

Several things about cell phones annoy me - the obnoxious ring-tones many people choose - if you're in a business situation turn it off, or at leats set it to vibrate rather than ring.

The one place I've seen them in use that totally blows my mind is in men's rooms - I've seen people start or continue their call while they're busy at the urinal. I do not understand what could possibly be so important that you can't complete the call before entering, or set the phone to voice mail mode and catch up after leaving the facility.

I'm also amazed at the number of women who enter stores talking, talk all the time they're in the store, leave the store talking and then get in their cars and drive away while still talking.

Several things about cell phones annoy me - the obnoxious ring-tones many people choose - if you're in a business situation turn it off, or at leats set it to vibrate rather than ring.

Well stated!:applause:



The one place I've seen them in use that totally blows my mind is in men's rooms - I've seen people start or continue their call while they're busy at the urinal. ...

No telling how many Man Codes are being broken when they do this!:lol:

I'm also amazed at the number of women who enter stores talking, talk all the time they're in the store, leave the store talking and then get in their cars and drive away while still talking.

Seriously, as someone who teaches self-defense classes: DON'T DO THAT! When violent offenders have been interviewed in prison, they outline how they pick their targets. They look for women who are disorganized, talking on cell phones, digging for their keys, generally unobservant. They sum them up as better targets than the women with keys in hand, head up, watching, eye contact, etc.

Minimally, parking lots are very dangerous places, for minor fender benders, kids running out in front of cars, etc. Parking lots need your total attention, men and women both.:yes:

I encounter a different situation with someone answering a cell phone in the middle of our conversation.

My part time job (and hobby) is working in motorcycle sales and nothing irks me more than a potential customer answering a cell phone in the middle of our discussion about a bike. I don't want to listen to their conversation so I usually end up walking away. Being successful in a sale becomes harder when the customer is being distracted.:(

It really amazes me when I see people "having" to take or make calls at 7:00AM at the airport. Who are they talking to? Surely it isn't business.

When it's 7:00 a.m. in Chicago, it's 1:00 p.m. in London. Where I work, the first shift starts at 6:00 a.m. There's lots of business going on all over the place at all hours of the day.
What did they do before the cell, hold everything in and then explode?
Before automobiles, people rode horses. We should stop using stuff that make things more convenient?

Blue-tooths are even worse.
I agree. A while back I was in a store and walked by someone who was using a Bluetooth headset, only I couldn't see it because it was on the opposite side of his head from where I was. As I drew abreast of him he said, in a rather perturbed way, "You know my sister's been looking all over for you don't you?" I'm told that I bear a strong resemblance to one of my brothers, and people I don't know often mistake me for him. Thinking that might be the problem, I replied, "I'm not Bob, you know," just as I saw the headset. The man gave me a quizzical look as though he was afraid I might be deranged (why would a stranger approach you and tell you, out of nowhere apparently, that he's not Bob?). He ignored me and went back to his conversation, only he was walking a little faster and turned his head a few times to see where I was.

When it's 7:00 a.m. in Chicago, it's 1:00 p.m. in London. Where I work, the first shift starts at 6:00 a.m. There's lots of business going on all over the place at all hours of the day. Let's see, I work for an organization that has a rather small international operation so I might be familiar with that one. I don't know about you, but I've done conference calls and web based training with folks here in the US, the UK and Australia at the same time.

Before automobiles, people rode horses. We should stop using stuff that make things more convenient? Nope. But enough already. I'm just as busy as the average guy, but my cell is not my pacifier



To me the cell usage I see is probably more ego than need "Hey look at me, I'm so important I have to leave messages at 5AM"

Friends,

How to send a message to a cell phone abuser.....

Look here (http://www.mopocket.com/graphics/shhhhh-1.png).

Stijloor.

I do try to figure out how my mother-in-law and wife managed before cell phones...they must talk to each other 3 times a day...what happens in a day that you must talk to someone that much each and every day????? I will be married for 5 years this year and it still goes on to this day.

You ain't figured that one out yet? Hmm, who could it be? Not you, could it?:lol:

Don't ask me how I know this!:tg:

March 1, 2008 - in New Jersey handheld cell phone use while driving becomes a primary offense. $100 fine.

Up until now it's been a secondary offense, meaning you had to get stopped for something else to get a ticket for it.

Anyone driving through NJ - keep that in mind!

March 1, 2008 - in New Jersey handheld cell phone use while driving becomes a primary offense. $100 fine.

Up until now it's been a secondary offense, meaning you had to get stopped for something else to get a ticket for it.

Anyone driving through NJ - keep that in mind!

Cell phone use while driving has been an offence in the UK for ages; it doesn't seem to stop most people though, and I have never seen it enforced. I don't understand it, the car is only place I can escape the phone with a reasonable excuse!

Apparently it is common practice for the police to check phone records after a traffic accident to see who was on the phone, or texting at the time of the incident.

Cell phone use while driving has been an offence in the UK for ages; it doesn't seem to stop most people though, and I have never seen it enforced. I don't understand it, the car is only place I can escape the phone with a reasonable excuse!

Apparently it is common practice for the police to check phone records after a traffic accident to see who was on the phone, or texting at the time of the incident.

We'll see if they enforce it... I hope so. A lot of people in these parts need to be reminded that world won't stop if they can't make a call for 10 minutes.

nice avatar picture BTW - what's it from?

nice avatar picture BTW - what's it from?
A 1989 Movie called Warlock. The movie stank but I loved the poster! :cool:

I like your signature, takes me back to my school days

I keep my cellphone at "Silence All" at all times.

"Need to reach me leave a message, keep calling me filling my inbox and do not understand this I WILL block you."

That is the standard talk I give before giving my number. So far its been working.

Dimitri

:notme:

http://www.phonejammer.com/

I was really happy when the prices became affordable. It makes no noise and nobody can tell your doing it. Yes, I know its illegal in the United States, so is speeding...