# Blegh Telephones... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 10, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blegh-telephones/680981 "2014-02-10T16:29:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blegh-telephones/680981/1 "2014-02-10T16:29:06Z")
I like talking to people, I like doing it in person and I like doing it online but I absolutely frigging hate telephone conversations, every time it turns into an awkward stuttering conversation as I inadvertantly talk over people before they’ve finished speaking or make inapt comments mistaking the tone of the conversation. It can’t be just me right? Yes, I’ve just put the phone down on a rather important telephone conversation and I’m now worrying that I ended the call too abruptly as I don’t think she was actually finished speaking… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blegh-telephones/680981/2 "2014-02-10T16:40:40Z")
Were one or both of you on a cell phone? Cell phones are the worst for talking on the phone. They are literally like walkie-talkies, where you have to wait for the other person to stop before they can hear you. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blegh-telephones/680981/3 "2014-02-10T16:45:49Z")
Which is why, given a choice, I text. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blegh-telephones/680981/4 "2014-02-10T16:52:37Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Were one or both of you on a cell phone? I think we were both using cell phones, the reception kept cutting in and out often enough for that to be the case… > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Cell phones are the worst for talking on the phone. They are literally like walkie-talkies, where you have to wait for the other person to stop before they can hear you. Ugh. Really? I didn’t realise that, it explains a lot. > [@kayaker](#): > > Which is why, given a choice, I text. I much prefer text but it can be a bit short and impersonal as well, also people seem to not know how to finish text conversations either. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blegh-telephones/680981/5 "2014-02-10T17:02:27Z")
Time constraints can force miscues, and yeah it happens a lot more now. I don’t think you meant to over-talk them or they you… I think you both just wanted a two minute give and take condensed down to 30 seconds. “Do more with less” does _wonders_ for interpersonal communications. :smack: Don’t feel badly, its not you… or rather its not _just_ you. Yes, it would be wonderful if we could make every call a relaxed one with room for everything you needed to say and hear… including the weather and news on the kids. I’m not sure how to mentally banish the spectre of the bean-counter standing over your shoulder with a stop watch (and I truly think that this is the cause of all this). Sometimes I’ll try to break the tension by a short laugh followed by “Oh wow, I’m sorry. Lets try that again.” Its corny, but it will break the tension some. PS- I’m not sure if you wanted any advice, so feel free to ignore this. FTR I’m just trying to say I agree with you and yes… it sucks. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blegh-telephones/680981/6 "2014-02-10T17:05:29Z")
get a picture phone, coming to a future near you. cell phones are half duplex, only one talking at a time. land line phones are full duplex (for all practical purposes), both can talk. you need different behavior with each. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blegh-telephones/680981/7 "2014-02-11T16:06:11Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Time constraints can force miscues, and yeah it happens a lot more now. I don’t think you meant to over-talk them or they you… I think you both just wanted a two minute give and take condensed down to 30 seconds. > “Do more with less” does _wonders_ for interpersonal communications. :smack: Don’t feel badly, its not you… or rather its not _just_ you. > > Yes, it would be wonderful if we could make every call a relaxed one with room for everything you needed to say and hear… including the weather and news on the kids. I’m not sure how to mentally banish the > spectre of the bean-counter standing over your shoulder with a stop watch (and I truly think that this is the cause of all this). Sometimes I’ll try to break the tension by a short laugh followed by > “Oh wow, I’m sorry. Lets try that again.” Its corny, but it will break the tension some. > PS- I’m not sure if you wanted any advice, so feel free to ignore this. FTR I’m just trying to say I agree with you and yes… it sucks. Any advice very much appreciated! > [@johnpost](#): > > get a picture phone, coming to a future near you. > > cell phones are half duplex, only one talking at a time. > > land line phones are full duplex (for all practical purposes), both can talk. > > you need different behavior with each. Picture phones have been mooted for decades and never really taken off though. And the half-duplex thing explains a lot though I find even ordinary telephone conversations awkward, missing out on the visual cues from the other person I suppose. At least with personal-radio communication transmissions are kept short and to the point, with mobiles the other person often just blathers on and you can’t get a word in. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blegh-telephones/680981/8 "2014-02-11T16:10:10Z")
Cell phones are all (or very nearly all) duplex these days and can carry a full two-way conversation like any landline. Whether or not you actually get a duplex connection depends on the phone, the connection and the provider on each end. Any or all may suppress the connection to half-duplex, which is very slightly better than simplex - walkie-talkie mode. If you want better conversation quailty, you may need a better phone or provider, and you will definitely need to be on an uncrowded cell.