# Cell Phones in the Bathroom **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 4, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724 "2012-03-04T14:18:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/1 "2012-03-04T14:18:50Z")
The other day I was in the bathroom at work, using the urinal when the person in the stall started talking. It was one of those weird situations where I thought he was talking to me, but he was on his cell phone. I somehow immediately thought of the Seinfeld episode where George takes a bookstore book into the bookstore bathroom. Anyway, I just wonder: Do people talk on their cell phones in the bathroom? Most days I don’t even take mine with me to work, much less into the bathroom. If I inadvertantly brought it with me, I don’t think I would answer it if I was “dropping the kids off at the pool.” You? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/2 "2012-03-04T14:33:48Z")
I carry my cellphone pretty much everywhere once I’m outside the home, which means at work I carry it into the bathroom, but I don’t normally answer it when I’m in the can because I think the background noises and FLUUUUSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! effects really are not conducive to polite conversation. If it were an emergency type situation I’d answer it (or, more likely, call from it) but I have voice mail for a reason. ---
**Author:** ![NGC2024](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f475e1/32.png) [@NGC2024](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NGC2024)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/3 "2012-03-04T14:35:35Z")
I wouldn’t dream of it and I’ll never forget the day at work that I entered a stall to use the bathroom when I heard the woman already using the stall next to me say “I have to get off the phone. I’m done in here.” ---
**Author:** ![littlespeedysuperbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@littlespeedysuperbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/littlespeedysuperbike)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/4 "2012-03-04T14:41:00Z")
I will not use my phone in the can. I’ve always wanted to interrupt a toilet-dialer with a loud “Excuse me. I’m trying to take a dump here” ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/5 "2012-03-04T14:57:53Z")
One day I dashed into the ladies quickly before class, and a student was talking away on her phone – she was quite cross with me for daring to use the toilet while she was on the phone, and asked me, ‘Do you mind?!’ No, I don’t mind at all – keep talking; I’m good, thanks. It’s not the first time; while it’s very rare, there has been the occasional student who complains in the toilet about lack of privacy, ambient noises, etc., disturbing their calls. I have a male colleague who takes great pleasure into creating as much OTT noise as possible when he encounters students and colleagues in this manner (not in the ladies, of course). Now, the custodian who blocks off the ladies for 45 minutes to an hour every day so she can go in there and skive off is a completely different peeve… ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/6 "2012-03-04T15:24:15Z")
You might find this podcast transcript interesting: [Call Me Back When You’re Out of the Bathroom](http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/manners_for_the_digital_age/2011/11/digital_manners_talking_on_the_phone_in_the_bathroom_transcript_.single.html); a discussion between _Slate_’s advice and technology columnists. The upshot: the tech guy sees nothing wrong with it (as long as it’s discreet and non-obvious to the counter-party), while the advice columnist is somewhat horrified. For the record, I answered no. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/7 "2012-03-04T15:31:11Z")
It can wait a couple of minutes. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/8 "2012-03-04T17:51:11Z")
Since my phone rarely leaves my pocket unless I’m using it, yes I take it in there with me. If it’s someone I’m familiar with, I’ll even answer, provided I want to talk. I take my nook tablet in there with me too. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/9 "2012-03-04T18:07:01Z")
There’s a little wiggle room here. If you’re in your own private lavvy, I suppose it’s a little icky, but different strokes, etc. However, if you’re in a public loo I find this behavior fairly disgusting and inconsiderate. It’s rude to the person on the other end of the phone and the lavvy users. Are you really that important that it can’t wait? Sometimes people’s incivility drives me batty. I noted this behavior from a douchebag in an airport bathroom. He was talking quite loudly above the normal bathroom din. I’m fairly sure he could have had more privacy in the concourse. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/10 "2012-03-04T20:40:41Z")
If I’m in my own bathroom at home, sure. In a public toilet, absolutely not; I’ll hit the button to send the call directly to voice-mail. If someone ELSE is chatting on a cell phone in a bathroom, I make all the toilety noises I can: grunting, wheezing, flushing. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/11 "2012-03-04T21:36:40Z")
I won’t even talk on my cell phone on the commuter train. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/12 "2012-03-05T00:46:13Z")
So gross. One of my coworkers came into the bathroom last week, talking on her cellphone, and proceeded to stay on it as she used the toilet. No one needs to hear you pee! (And, yeah, if somebody is on the phone in the bathroom, the proper thing to do is be as gross as possible.) ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/13 "2012-03-05T01:58:26Z")
I don’t own a cell phone, but my mindset is no way will I use a phone while I’m using the toilet. The only exception would be to call 911. But I think it’s rude and outright disgusting when I walk into the men’s room and see (or hear) someone using a toilet while they’re on the phone. Whatever it is, it can wait. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/14 "2012-03-05T02:20:03Z")
If I’m at home and talking to my mom, with whom calls tend to be 2 hours or more, I’ll use the loo without flushing. She’s the only exception. I’ll take my phone in there to check stuff on the web if I’m at home, but not on calls. Public or work is entirely different and the phone does not leave bag or pocket while in those situations. If I figured out someone I was talking to was in the bathroom, I’d end the call abruptly after telling them to call back when they can be bothered. Gross. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/15 "2012-03-05T16:11:24Z")
I was torn between “just gross” and “maybe if it rang and it was very important”, so I picked the latter (sorta at random). I’ve held a phone conversation in the bathroom just _once_ - 20+ years ago, when I got a work-related call while in a posh hotel that actually had a phone in the bathroom. Obviously I wasn’t actively _doing_ anything at the time. And I wouldn’t flush while still on the phone. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/16 "2012-03-05T16:23:55Z")
It’s extremely rude to the other people in the bathroom and the person on the other end of the phone. Is there really anything that is so important it can’t wait two minutes for me to finish up and call them back? Anything that can’t wait two minutes, you probably should have dialed 911 rather than my number. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/17 "2012-03-05T16:47:11Z")
> [@Ms\_Boods](#): > > Now, the custodian who blocks off the ladies for 45 minutes to an hour every day so she can go in there \*\*and skive off \*\*is a completely different peeve… (Bolding mine) I don’t know what this means, but it sounds dirty. There’s a guy in an office on our floor who routinely walks in and out of the bathroom on a call _on speakerphone_, including whenever he’s in a stall. Of course, I make way more noise than is necessary just so the woman on the other end (I think it’s his wife, but I don’t know for sure) will be totally grossed out. But if she’s married to him, she’s probably immune to stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/18 "2012-03-05T16:53:07Z")
I’ve posted before that my sister, whose job it should be noted has nothing to do with organ transplanting, was once reprimanded for not taking her blackberry into the rest room with her. My ex thinks nothing of continuing a call as he walks into the bathroom and uses it. I asked him many times not to stay on with me if he needed to go in there. Finally I just started hanging up on him when he did it. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/19 "2012-03-05T19:57:09Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > (Bolding mine) I don’t know what this means, but it sounds dirty. He he he – sorry, it just means to goof off. She has a habit of sitting in dark classrooms, as well, hiding, and then of course scaring the heck out of students when they walk into the room and they flip on the lights. (And the very thought that this woman is doing anything remotely skeevy when she’s skiving makes me shudder and reach for the brain bleach.) ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724/20 "2012-03-05T20:14:39Z")
> [@Ms\_Boods](#): > > (And the very thought that this woman is doing anything remotely skeevy when she’s skiving makes me shudder and reach for the brain bleach.) I’d be OK with it… as long as she doesn’t talk on her cell phone during. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-in-the-bathroom/614724.md?page=2)