# Cell phones **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 9, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733 "2003-06-09T22:43:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/1 "2003-06-09T22:43:27Z")
Grrrrr. So, I’m in the bathroom at an office building, and there’s someone in the toilet stall on his cellphone. I can hear every word he says, good thing I’m not an industrial spy. And then he flushes the toilet, still talking, emerges from the stall, and washes his hands, balancing the cellphone between his shoulder and chin while he’s washing. I don’t understand some people. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/2 "2003-06-09T23:02:52Z")
When I was in the ladies room at one of the stores at the mall (I think it was Norstrom’s), some woman was having a loud inane conversation on her cell phone in the stall next to me. If it’s an important conversation, the conversation should probably take precedance over peeing or taking a dump, and if it’s a fucking stoooopid conversation, I would think bodily functions would take precedence. “Can you hear me now? \ Can you hear me now?” ---
**Author:** ![Read\_Neck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Read\_Neck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Read_Neck)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/3 "2003-06-09T23:44:53Z")
Cellphones are absolute proof that when your mouth’s open your brain’s outta gear. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/4 "2003-06-09T23:46:09Z")
I know what you mean! Why just the other day I was taking a dump at the public restroom at the mall. I heard this guy talking to his wife about what they wanted for dinner. Well, I thought, what a disgusting conversation to have in a public restroom. I couldn’t wait to call my friend right then and there to talk about it! What? Wasn’t that worth calling somebody from a stall in a public restroom mid-dump to talk about? The nerve of some people! [sub]I thought, in mid-dump, they should have livermush for dinner[/sub] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/5 "2003-06-10T00:20:15Z")
You think that’s bad, eh? Dude, get a load of this: I was in the bathroom of an office building the other day, talking on cell phone, going through the motions of, well… the usual; I finish up the usual, get up to wash my hands, all the while keeping up with this important conversation, and this E-N-T-I-R-E time some weirdo is watching me. In the bathroom nonetheless! At least bring a newspaper, is all I’m sayin’. Or bring your own cell phone. Just stop watching me, will ya’? 🙂 Heh-heh. I said “load”… ---
**Author:** ![soulsearcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@soulsearcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulsearcher)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/6 "2003-06-10T01:00:25Z")
at least these people flush. I work in a small office and we share one small bathroom. My boss has a cordless headset that he uses to talk on the phone to customers, and we will often hear him in the bathroom talking on the phone. HOWEVER!!! He thinks the person on the phone has no idea what he’s doing so he doesn’t flush. poor sod who goes in there next gets quite a surprise. ugh! ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/7 "2003-06-10T15:57:19Z")
Uggh! To all of these examples. My sister was reprimanded at work because she refuses to answer her phone or pager while she’s using the facilities. Her position is that since she is not a transplant surgeon even the most dire emergency she is called to can be addressed after she has wiped herself. I have a friend who on a few different occasions has carried the cordless into the bathroom with him, making no attempt to shield me from that fact. I don’t call him at home anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/8 "2003-06-10T16:07:49Z")
Taking the cordless into the bathroom at home is done all the time. Talking on a cell phone and speaking on it in a public restroom where anyone can hear you and know what you are doing is just uncouth. ---
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/9 "2003-06-10T16:33:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gorgon Heap \* > \*\*Taking the cordless into the bathroom at home is done all the time. Talking on a cell phone and speaking on it in a public restroom where anyone can hear you and know what you are doing is just uncouth. \*\* Why are these two things different? I have never done either, and if I had to think about it I would refrain from going to the toilet while I was on the phone in deference to the person on the other end of the phone to whom I am speaking. Not out of respect for a)Random people I don’t know in a public toilet or b)People who work with me That’s if I had to think about it, which I don’t because mobile phones and lavatorial functions do not mix. Ever. Think of the echoes being transmitted down the phone from all the ceramic tiles!! ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/10 "2003-06-10T23:33:20Z")
Yuck! I hope he wasn’t talking to someone regarding business. Ick. I have a love/hate relationship with cell phones - I love 'em because I can get in touch with people, but I hate 'em because they can get in touch with me. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/11 "2003-06-11T01:53:21Z")
**overlyverbose** , that is the joy of “Silent Mode.” I carry my cell phone my briefcase or purse all the time for my convenience, and keep it on silent so I can see the numbers of missed calls, but I almost never have the ringer turned on. The phone is for my convenience, and that means no one can reach me on it unless I want them to. I also feel under no obligation to answer my phone at home. It’s only an electronic leash if you allow it to be one. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/12 "2003-06-11T02:02:12Z")
See, what you oughta have done, **Dex** is make the _loudest_ and most _raucous_ farting noises you possibly could. I bet he’d have hung up fast. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/13 "2003-06-11T02:12:08Z")
My old house had a phone jack right next to the toilet. So I stuck a phone in there, and if it rang when I was using the toilet, I answered it. My old job required that I carry a cell phone and a walkie talkie - sometimes I remembered to take them off before I used the facilities, but sometimes I forgot. If I was beeped or called while in the ladies room, I would answer. The beeping or ringing would keep going until I did answer, (driving me nuts) so it was easier to answer right away instead of waiting until I was done. No big deal, it’s not like I’d be grunting or farting up up a storm. ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/14 "2003-06-11T03:18:15Z")
I had a roommate once who seemed incapable of having phone conversations outside of the bathroom. The phone would ring, he would pick up, and in he went. He’d flush while still on the phone, too. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/15 "2003-06-11T15:57:28Z")
I’m with **Q.E.D.** on this one. I would’ve really ramped up my noise level PhoneGuy: So, anyways, I was tellin this guy, I told him… Me: NNNNNUUUUUGGGGG!!! PG: I was tellin him, I said… Me: AAAAGGGGGUUUUUUNNNNNN!!! PG: Can you hear me? I was sayin to this guy… Me: **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! oh god oh god oh god NNNNNN!!! JESUS HELP ME!!! NNNUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!!!** [ploop] ah… PG: Gawd! How crass. Anyways, I was tellin this guy, I said to him… ---
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/16 "2003-06-11T20:15:55Z")
By god, that is _funny_! Nice one, **NoClueBoy**! ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/17 "2003-06-11T20:44:59Z")
That made me snort, NoClueBoy. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/18 "2003-06-11T21:01:42Z")
Just wait… the day of the ubiquitous camera phone fast approaches. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/19 "2003-06-11T21:05:17Z")
_“Gee Bob, that’s just like a huge fucking dump you just took. We’re scrapbookin’ this jpeg!”_ ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733/20 "2003-06-12T00:53:43Z")
And [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=190198) I ask where and when is it okay to use a cell phone and where and when it is **not** okay? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones/180733.md?page=2)