Kill Your Cell Phone

[muck_a_luck]

My newest pet peeve.

People who use their cell phones in enclosed spaces with other people.

Like the elevator.

The kind of quiet one maintains around a person on the phone is different. You are conciously silent, so as not to interfere with the call. And you know you should not be eavesdropping on the call. So you feel all weird for listening and put upon for being forced to listen.

Yeah, yeah. I realize I owe that person nothing, and what I should do is start singing old Jim Croche songs at the top of my lungs, hoping other elevator riders will join in.

But anyway, it's still annoying.

People have the worst manners under the best of circumstances.

Cell phones put way too much strain on public interaction. Stupid cell phones.

Comments

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

It absolutely kills me that people will talk about their most private things that they will only discuss with a close friend/family member, with said close friend/family member... and however many complete strangers are within earshot. EEEEEEEEWWW! Shut up! Shut up! Well, also shut up to people who carry on the most stupid and inane conversations in public places because they're freaking addicts and won't hang up their lifeline even though they have absolutely nothing to say. Grrrr!

I am so not getting a cell phone. Ever.

And sing those songs in the elevator, please. Loudly. For me.

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

I do have a cell phone. My mother got it for me initially to have in case of emergencies. I mainly use it for calling in take out and calling my husband from the grocery store to find out what kind of cereal he wants. And calling day care providers if I'm going to be late.

I admit that I have used it in traffic (see comment about calling in takeout, above. Average length of call, 1min 30 sec).

I have been called on my cellphone while I was in the store and had personal conversations with Husband about shopping. Usually quite brief.

I have never placed or received a call in the bathroom. Where someone was just now having a very long conversation while I had a really big Mt. Dew fueled pee and flushed the toilet after. Eh. I figure, if they could hear me pee and flush the toilet, yay!

Cellphones have their place. The problem is that people don't know it.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Yes, the 1 min 30 sec cell phone call is perfect -- the sharing of vital info, and then we'll actually see each other or have a proper chat in a private place later thing. Why do people not understand basic etiquette? *is mystified*

Yay for peeing/flushing during people's calls! Even better would be to say loudly so that person on other end can hear, "Wow, you pee while you're talking on the phone?" *is evil*

[kalliopeia.livejournal.com]

No, what you should do is comment on the conversation as you heard it when they end the call. Then when they get bitchy about you listening to their private conversations, sweetly inform them that if they want to have a private conversation it would probably be best to do so when NOT enclosed in a six foot square box into which seven other people besides themselves are crammed.

But then I'm kind of bitchy today. :D

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

So, so right.

Emily Post Cut and Run

[azramoon.livejournal.com]

I call this the Emily Post Cut and Run.

Here's an idea: Hand them a sheet with Cell Phone Manners <http://www.cellmanners.com/>. Since they will be yakking away on the phone they won't be able to really know what you gave them and so they can't start screaming at you. Maybe they will actually read it. Of course, next thing you know they will be walking into your office as your next client. Oops.

Re: Emily Post Cut and Run

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

This is, like, the best idea EVER!!!!