Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Cell Phone Etiquette 101


I'm all for cell phones. I've had one since I was 17. It comes in very handy. I honestly don't know how we picked people up from the airport before cellphones. However, with these technological blessings have come many, many pains. Although cell phones went from an adult to a teenage necessity, I think we need to start at the other end and hold classes in school about the proper way to own, and use a cell phone.

1. Places that a cell phone should be neither seen nor heard: Church, school classrooms, movie theater's, on date's, and the dinner table. It is just unacceptable, rude and completely unnecessary.

2. While driving, keep cell phone conversations under a minute. Not only is it unsafe, and becoming against the law in more and more states, but it's annoying to the other people in the car, and frankly I hate driving by people going 75 mph to see that they aren't 100% focused on their driving.

3. When in public places in close confinement, (ie: grocery lines, bathrooms, airport terminals etc.) keep your voice down. No one likes a loud, obnoxious talker gabbing away while we are all stuck in the same place and can't walk away from you.

4. Remember there is always someone listening. Keep private issues for private conversations. Everyone else doesn't need to hear you chew out your significant other, or how bloated you felt this morning, or how much you hate your co-worker.

5. Again, do not answer your phone on a date. It just shows that you aren't interested and they'll pick up on that quickly. Your attention should be on them, and not what ELSE is going on.

6. Do not text unless it is something that can be exchanged in 4 texts. Example:
"Hey, sorry I'm late. I'll be there in 5 minutes."
"No problem, where are you?"
"Just getting off the freeway."
"K, see you soon."

NOT:
"Hey how are you?"
"Good how are you?"
"I'm alright, just hangin."
"Cool."
"Yeah."
"Wanna do something?"
"Sure. Like what?"
"Dunno."
"Me neither."
(this continues on for another five minutes...)
That is why you bought a cell phone in the first place. To be able to talk to people from anywhere at anytime. It's really irritating to see people clicking away on their phones forever. Especially at meals, during conversations, or in any of the places mentioned in #1.

7. Don't play games on your phone in social settings. It just tells everyone around you that they are boring you and you'd rather be somewhere else.

8. Always hang up on conversations when approaching or speaking to someone that is helping/serving you, ie: waitresses, bankers, grocery store clerks. You need to be available to them for the service you came to THEM to provide.

I'm sure there is more that I am forgetting. But I feel like cell phone's are rapidly decreasing the quality of human interaction. I hear about break-ups over texts, and people getting in car accidents due to people on cellphones, so much more texting rather than actual conversing, and it makes me sad. We DID manage... before cell phones.

Anyway. Again, I am a fan, but let's do it right.

3 comments:

Laura Lee said...

I rarely see a teenager "talk" on a phone anymore. Just texting.

So last rehearsal, we were in the middle of one of our songs and everyone gradually went quiet because someone was on their phone, shaking. We thought someone died. Nope. Someone called to tell her that REAL won.

Don't answer your phone during a rehearsal. If you're supposed to be singing, you can't be talking.

Kell's Belles said...

Hear, hear! Can you believe kids in Chloe's class have cell phones? She asked for one the other day. It just keeps getting younger. I totally agree on your etiquette class idea. And I think it should cover more than just cell phones!

Although if I'm ever bored in a waiting room, I LOVE it when people have a dramatic phone conversation. It can be very entertaining. I listened to this receptionist tell the most shocking story yesterday at the pediatrician's office (technically she wasn't on a cell, but still, it was juicy). Seriously, it was better than TV!

Jergs Family said...

Ditto to this post Lisa! We have had situations in our neighborhood where a Young Women's leader has 6 girls in her car, no one is talking to each other - at least not verbally. They are communicating to the person they are sitting next to via texting! What is happening to our society? People are forgetting how to converse and general etiquette is flying out the window extremely fast!

My kids want cell phones too - in fact we finally relented and gave them our old phones (which only have batteries, but no service). For about two weeks Lauren's phone was permanently connected to her ear, even though she wasn't talking to anyone! It made me realize that there really is no legitimate reason that anyone under the age of 18 should have a cell phone. I could rant on and on..so I'll just stop now.

Happy Thanksgiving!