Cell Phone Ettiquettes
Love them and Hate them. This morning I was fortunate enough to witness a classic cell phone fight in public. A "Yuppie" was making business plans in his "Louder than normal" cell phone voice, while the "breakfast club" (4 old geezers) were enjoying their cresammiches. This business guy was completely unaware nor concerned for the groups causal relaxing conversation. That was until the eldest started yelling at the yuppie. "Hey why don't you take your phone and tie and go to the back of the restaurant"? The yuppie (who was strolling the dinning area) responded "You don't own this establishment". Then the two parties exchanged "insensitiveties" with one another til the yuppie aquiesed and went to the back of the restaurant and continued in a lower tone of voice.
Let me ask you a question. Who was right and who was wrong? Let me say that personally, when I get a cell call in a restaurant, I excuse myself and go outside. But I wonder why I do that?
From the caller's standpoint, He's engaged in a conversation. Just as anyone else in the restaurant. I think the issues that arise are that cell phone "talkers" lose awareness of their vocal level and speak in an annoyingly loud level. But still, one's right to a conversation on the phone should be no different from one's right to a conversation with a human sitting across from them. Personally, I find nothing more annoying than being stuck at a table next to a pack of pubescent girls.
From the annoyed viewpoint, I can feel the emotional perception of rudeness. But we're living in a culture that talks with it's mouth full of food, allows men to where their baseball caps indoors, and are lucky to see someone cover their face when they cough or sneeze. I get annoyed when someone is talking loudly next to me whether they are on their cell or talking to their fellow pimple faced girlfriend. It's annoying. It's actually rude when the person is walking with their phone in their ear and have a whole restaurant where they could be standing that would not annoy others.
I praise establishments that have signs at the entrance demanding that all cell phones be turned off before entering.
But what if the person on the phone is speaking in a normal tone of voice, but happens to be seated next to you? I was at a MLB game once and was talking in Seattle to a friend watching the game in Los Angeles. I was speaking in a very soft tone of voice and it still annoyed the person I was sitting next to. Who was right? I ended my conversation because I gave him the benefit of the doubt, and the call wasn't that important. But did I cave in when I shouldn't have?
As for cell phones and cars; Don't get me started. JUST OUTLAW THEM.
Let me ask you a question. Who was right and who was wrong? Let me say that personally, when I get a cell call in a restaurant, I excuse myself and go outside. But I wonder why I do that?
From the caller's standpoint, He's engaged in a conversation. Just as anyone else in the restaurant. I think the issues that arise are that cell phone "talkers" lose awareness of their vocal level and speak in an annoyingly loud level. But still, one's right to a conversation on the phone should be no different from one's right to a conversation with a human sitting across from them. Personally, I find nothing more annoying than being stuck at a table next to a pack of pubescent girls.
From the annoyed viewpoint, I can feel the emotional perception of rudeness. But we're living in a culture that talks with it's mouth full of food, allows men to where their baseball caps indoors, and are lucky to see someone cover their face when they cough or sneeze. I get annoyed when someone is talking loudly next to me whether they are on their cell or talking to their fellow pimple faced girlfriend. It's annoying. It's actually rude when the person is walking with their phone in their ear and have a whole restaurant where they could be standing that would not annoy others.
I praise establishments that have signs at the entrance demanding that all cell phones be turned off before entering.
But what if the person on the phone is speaking in a normal tone of voice, but happens to be seated next to you? I was at a MLB game once and was talking in Seattle to a friend watching the game in Los Angeles. I was speaking in a very soft tone of voice and it still annoyed the person I was sitting next to. Who was right? I ended my conversation because I gave him the benefit of the doubt, and the call wasn't that important. But did I cave in when I shouldn't have?
As for cell phones and cars; Don't get me started. JUST OUTLAW THEM.
posted by Ace at
8:47 AM
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