# Do you carry your cell phone everywhere? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 23, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196 "2010-08-23T20:21:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/61 "2010-08-24T18:25:36Z")
I chose “Other”: if I were allowed to have it at work I’d have chosen “24/7.” When I’m in the office it’s in the car, but otherwise it’s on me at all times (and turned on). I haven’t had a landline in years, and I keep my phone near me/in a pocket when I’m in the house. Like many others, though, I mostly use it for non-phone functions: to check email and Facebook, to look up random facts, etc. I hardly ever get or make actual phonecalls, but it works pretty well as a phone when it has to. 🙂 I keep it on the nightstand within arm’s reach when I’m sleeping, just in case of an emergency call (I have sick/elderly family members). I’m far from a slave to my phone, though: I don’t feel compelled to answer every call, and I usually let calls from unfamiliar numbers go to voicemail. And when I’m doing something and don’t want to be interrupted – having lunch with a friend, watching a movie, out hearing live music, etc. – I’m perfectly happy to silence all of the sounds and ignore it for a while. It’s with me all of the time because I want it to be, not because I feel like it needs to be. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/62 "2010-08-24T19:55:27Z")
It usually stays at home, and I will bring it with me if I’m expecting a call or feel I might need to use it while I’m out. I rarely pick up calls (and I get called pretty rarely anyway). I don’t send text messages. I’m 25, my approach seems to be uncommon in anyone under 50. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/63 "2010-08-24T20:09:07Z")
Seriously, no gray area between “Always 24/7” and “Just when I need to make a call”? Can’t answer the poll honestly without it. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/64 "2010-08-24T20:15:51Z")
Always when I leave the house. I get slightly panicky if I realize I don’t have it. In the house, though, I don’t carry it around with me, I just leave it in one place and go check it if I hear it going off. I also don’t have it on all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/65 "2010-08-24T20:27:31Z")
Mine is mostly for work, and nobody ever calls me up to say, “Hi, **Shodan**! Everything is fine!” I hate my cell phone. I hate being available 24/7. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/66 "2010-08-24T20:34:37Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Seriously, no gray area between “Always 24/7” and “Just when I need to make a call”? > > Can’t answer the poll honestly without it. Choosing “other” wouldn’t be honest? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/67 "2010-08-24T20:38:11Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > I do not understand the purpose of a cell phone that is turned off. You are paying regardless. That is the same as you unplugging your house phone when you are not expecting a call or do not need to dial out. Just leave it on the standby times now a days are over 10 days long. Landlines are a waste of money. Mine is turned off when I don’t expect to be plugging it in for a while. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/68 "2010-08-24T20:45:03Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > > [@KneadToKnow](#): > > > > Seriously, no gray area between “Always 24/7” and “Just when I need to make a call”? > > > > Can’t answer the poll honestly without it. > > Choosing “other” wouldn’t be honest? A fair cop. I’ll amend to “honest and in any way informative.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/69 "2010-08-24T20:48:02Z")
I have one just for if I break down in my car. I didn’t even give out the number. I only turn it on when I load it every 90 days, or if I need to make a call when I’m out. You don’t see pay phones anymore, even in stores. So reluctantly, I got cell phone. I’ve only charged it about 3 times in 2 years. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/70 "2010-08-24T21:00:43Z")
It’s part of my job requirements to be (reasonably) reachable 24/7, so yeah, I pretty much always have it on me or within earshot. However, I use my iPhone far more for at-will Internet access (email, Wikipedia, Facebook, sports scores and live game action feeds, the weather forecast, traffic conditions of nearby roads, GPS or map finder, scanning the SDMB and other message boards), calendar appointments and text messages (not to mention as a music player, TV episode player for Simpsons, South Park and Futurama, YouTube browser and game app player) than I do as a phone. In fact using it to send and receive voice calls is probably the least useful thing about it, and I probably make more calls than I receive. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/71 "2010-08-24T21:42:03Z")
I use it as an alarm clock, so 24/7. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/72 "2010-08-24T21:46:29Z")
My cell is my alarm, and my boss requires that I be reachable at all times (he goes nuts if we don’t answer our phones) so mine is always on and always nearby. In case you’re wondering…why no, I’m not a medical professional who saves lives. I’m just a bartender. But he’s that kinda guy. ---
**Author:** ![LegsAkimbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@LegsAkimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegsAkimbo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/73 "2010-08-24T22:49:21Z")
I keep mine in the car. I turn it on when I go to run errands but most of the time I leave it in the car while I’m in any store. Only two people ever call me on it anyway, and those won’t be important calls. As mentioned in the OP, it would have been interesting to see if there is a correlation with age and cell phone usage. ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/74 "2010-08-24T23:17:45Z")
I said “other” because I have my cell phone everywhere. But, being older and one who longs for time alone, I usually don’t have it on. When I go out, it’s in my purse for an emergency. Lately though, I put it on during the day so I can get calls related to my job-hunting. I have to remind myself to turn it on during the day… Not like I’m getting that many calls anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/75 "2010-08-25T01:19:22Z")
Because I’m currently looking for a job, I need to be able to be reached if someone is calling back about a job application. Normally, though, it’s just hidden in my purse, available if I need it, but not because I think I’m going to get called all the time. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/76 "2010-08-25T03:44:05Z")
It’s with me when I remember to bring it. My voice mail greeting is “I’m either home or driving. Please call my home number.” ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/77 "2010-08-25T03:55:26Z")
I answered “other.” I have no landline, so my personal cell is my phone. It goes with me pretty much everywhere. I have to leave it in the car or my locker at work, as personal cell phones aren’t allowed past security, but then, I have a company phone on me. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/78 "2010-08-25T04:03:58Z")
Mine is provided by work and I’m (theoretically) on call 24x7. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/79 "2010-08-25T06:34:49Z")
iPhone Except for the odd time that I need to toss it in the charger during working hours, its always either on my person or within reach. No such thing as a no cell zone. Declan ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196/80 "2010-08-25T10:09:13Z")
I voted “other”. I tend to have my phone with me almost all the time, in that it’s in my bag somewhere. Often it’s switched off unless I think I need it or am expecting a call. I will have it with me if I’m in the car in case of breakdown or emergency, but other than that I am not hugely bothered whether it’s about my person or not. However, my phone is just that. It does calls and texts, none of that fancy schmancy interweb stuff. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-carry-your-cell-phone-everywhere/551196.md?page=5)