# How did we ever get along without cell phones? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 20, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319 "2004-06-20T17:46:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/1 "2004-06-20T17:46:22Z")
[http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/19/sports/golf/19CELL.html](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/19/sports/golf/19CELL.html) (registration probably required). In short, the US Open printed on the tickets that cell phones wouldn’t be allowed on the course, and people are making a big stink about it. Of course, they didn’t quote anyone in the article who was happy about not having to deal with other spectators’ phones. I pit these people: > [@](#): > > “If I have a heart attack, who’s going to call 911?” said Claudia Mutter, 50, from Coventry, R.I., who said she was unaware of the cellphone ban, even though it was printed on the back of tournament tickets. “Seriously, I have to call home and check on my kids. Now I can’t relax. I really think that as long as you keep the ringer off and you don’t speak where you’re not supposed to, they should absolutely allow them.” > > Many fans did not bring cellphones because they knew about the ban; the same rule was in place at the 2002 Open at the Bethpage Black course in Farmingdale. But some fans pleaded ignorance, explaining that they had not read the rules on the back of their tickets. Others admitted that they thought they could sweet-talk the security staff. Many fans said they had skipped work to head to the East End and had planned to monitor business from the golf course. :rolleyes: First–at events with large numbers of people, don’t they usually have paramedics and ambulances on-site? Second, if you’re so worried about your kids being home alone, maybe you should either hire a babysitter or stay home with them. Third, ignorance is a stupid excuse (hey, that’s why I’m on this board) and trying to hassle the security cards shouldn’t get you any sympathy points. Ahh, I hate these types of people. I have a cell phone myself (in fact, I no longer have a land-line phone), but I am scrupulous about turning it off when I enter theaters, concerts, and restaurants. Because I hate hearing someone’s phone ring at these places. Sometimes I forget to turn it back on. Don’t these people remember how nice it can be when nobody can reach you? ---
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/2 "2004-06-20T19:53:25Z")
I personally don’t have a cell phone. If someone wants to reach me and I’m at work or at home that’s fine. Why would I want to be bothered anywhere else. I DESPISE people who talk on their cell phones in theatres. Not only is their conversation irritating, the damn lights on the phones are distracting. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/3 "2004-06-20T20:47:18Z")
I don’t have a cell phone either. I never intend to have one. I like the freedom of being out of touch with the world. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/4 "2004-06-20T21:08:12Z")
I hate the damn things too. At my former job they insisted I had to own one, and said they’d pay the initial charges and all company-related calls plus the baseline monthly rate on it. Fine. I got one, submitted my bills, and stuck it in the nether regions of my computer bag. Never made a call on it, never received a call on it. (I waited to see if anyone ever complained about trying to reach me via my cell and failing, they never did). They paid a monthly fee for me to have a cell phone gathering dust (no doubt soon lacking a battery charge). When I left the company I still owed the cellphone company half a year on the minimum-subscription-duration contract (which appears to be the only way they’ll give anyone service) and I made my company eat the early-cancellation charges. I’ve got a damn laptop and it goes everywhere I go. I’m not an EMT so you don’t really need to reach me during my subway trip to and from home, and at work or at home I get email. You want me, email me. I don’t do phones. I hate all phones and I particularly hate cell phones. Stupid beeping things that sound like a goddamn video arcade. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/5 "2004-06-20T21:16:25Z")
I’m one of the few without cells, too. I used to have one and hardly ever used it, felt like it was money wasted. I’m fine with just having a non-working phone in the car with me, because 911 will still work and that’s all I’d need it for. In my last job, everyone had cell phones (except me) and if theirs rang, they expected whoever heard it to answer it. I would never answer their phones, and when they asked me why, I told them that I didn’t have a cell phone because I wasn’t going to be a slave to my phone, so why would I be a slave to theirs? In most instances, IMHO, cell phones become self-owns, what people are thinking of when they use them in public. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/6 "2004-06-21T00:53:34Z")
I’m one of the " I don’t want or need a cell phone crowd" too, but we are a diminishing breed. As evidence, I submit a story I just heard from my college age nephew, who just returned from a business school class trip to Europe ( think they were touring all of the pubs there) and he said that all of the kids were thrown into a tizzy because none of their American cell phones would work in Europe. He said it really cramped everyone’s style, because they had to make plans before-hand as to where to go and what to see, rather than just do it on the spur of the moment by calling everybody on the cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/7 "2004-06-21T01:48:48Z")
I don’t have one either, and as a male in Miami in his 20s, I’m definitely a tiny minority. I can see the convenience of having a cell phone, really I can. I can think of several times in my life it would have been useful, or at least made things easier. But I’ve gone this long without one, and frankly, I just don’t need the additional expense. Sometimes I don’t WANT to be reached 24/7. ---
**Author:** ![KJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@KJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KJ)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/8 "2004-06-21T01:59:33Z")
> [@easy e](#): > > [http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/19/sports/golf/19CELL.html...if](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/19/sports/golf/19CELL.html...if) you’re so worried about your kids being home alone, maybe you should either hire a babysitter or stay home with them. That wouldn’t be necessary. After all, what’s to stop you from coughing up 50¢ to call them from a pay phone? ---
**Author:** ![KJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@KJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KJ)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/9 "2004-06-21T02:00:58Z")
Ignore the above URL, I screwed up when I was editing the quote. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/10 "2004-06-21T02:09:17Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > I like the freedom of being out of touch with the world. There’s a softball if I’ve ever seen one. 😛 Haj ---
**Author:** ![Zap\_Rowsdower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3da27b/32.png) [@Zap\_Rowsdower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zap_Rowsdower)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/11 "2004-06-21T02:12:04Z")
I was one of those who didn’t need or want a cell phone and thought they were a pain. However at Xmas, I gave in and got one mainly because I was getting a townhome and decided to get a cable modem and got rid of my home line. Most of the time I leave my phone at my desk or turn it off while I am out with friends or doing whatever. I also will not answer it while driving and if it rings I wait until I get to where I’m going to check it. I will not become a slave to a stupid phone ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/12 "2004-06-21T03:30:19Z")
I used to carry one. After awhile I grew tired of it. I leave in in the car switched off so I can call home if I get stuck or break down or something. If someone needs to call me, I have a house AND an office. If I’m not in, leave a damned message. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/13 "2004-06-21T04:03:10Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > There’s a softball if I’ve ever seen one. 😛 Isn’t it, though? ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/14 "2004-06-21T04:12:35Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Sometimes I don’t WANT to be reached 24/7. You know these nowadays these new fangled cell phones have off buttons on them? Imagine that! ---
**Author:** ![jsleek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8dc957/32.png) [@jsleek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsleek)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/15 "2004-06-21T04:18:19Z")
I thought I was the only one in the world who hated cell phones. Every day some air head woman in a SUV jabbering on a cell phone cuts me off without a glance. (She may have a thought, but it’s not about driving.) I suppose there’s a few guys out there doing the same, but I’ve never seen it. ---
**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/16 "2004-06-21T05:04:39Z")
I’ve had one for years, but I don’t consider myself a slave to it. As I’m usually nowhere near it while I work, if someone called, I call them back at lunch. I use mine for the calendar, alarm and calculator functions more than for phone calls (mainly because it appears my ex got the friends and I got the cat in the divorce). I don’t like to see others using cells in public. Seems rude to me, especially those who have a few pals with them already and are still on the phone with someone else. Saw a man at lunch today who never put the phone down while he was eating. Solitude can be healthy, dude. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/17 "2004-06-21T05:21:46Z")
> [@treis](#): > > You know these nowadays these new fangled cell phones have off buttons on them? Imagine that! You’re suggesting we should buy a phone - and then switch it off? Or hey, what about this: we don’t buy a phone. Seems cheaper and easier to me. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/18 "2004-06-21T05:37:23Z")
I don’t have one, or a regular phone, for that matter. After moving out of the dorms for the summer its just not necessary, my friends are within walking distance or I can contact them online. If people want to contact me I’m often home or a note on my door works fine. I’ve had to fill out paperwork that asks for a phone #, I just attach a post it with my e-mail. If anything I’m happier without a phone. Take away my 'net, though, and there will be hell to pay 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/19 "2004-06-21T05:43:55Z")
I love having a mobile phone. The convenience appeals to me. It is convenient to see who is calling before I answer. It is convenient to be able to communicate from most locations. It is convenient to be able to turn it off or on as the situation/my preferences dictate. That said, I can understand why some do not like them. And I can be driven into a frothing-at-the-mouth fury by the inconsiderate bastards who leave them turned on (non-silent) in a cinema, not to mention the arrogance of actually answering the damn thing. It would be much nicer if all people had the courtesy to turn off their mobiles when at events that make it disturbing, rather than having to have them banned completely, however often the lowest common denominator ruins it for the rest. ---
**Author:** ![WILLASS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/54ee81/32.png) [@WILLASS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WILLASS)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319/20 "2004-06-21T07:53:32Z")
I have a cell phone as my only phone contact because I am out more often than in but I still think they are really annoying, people seem to have forgotten that we all got on just fine without them. I find it particularly annoying when people go to an event then jabber relentlessly throughout, why bother going? Switch the bastard off! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-we-ever-get-along-without-cell-phones/251319.md?page=2)