I don’t answer it everywhere I go, but I think it’s rude not to respond to calls in a timely fashion. I respond as soon as I can. Although I think it’s rude to check calls when you are out doing a “real life” activity with someone. I do check them when I am done though.
When my sister died suddenly, I did not get the news for over 12 hours, because I had my cell phone off (it is my only phone). I am now vigilant about keeping it charged and on.
I answer the call or text immediately if it’s at all practically possible - if I’m driving, I will not usually pull over to take it (I just wait until I get where I’m going).
My voicemail greeting asks callers not to bother leaving a message, as I have to pay to listen to it.
I have phone phobia, so I sometimes answer and sometimes don’t. Also, I have a tight schedule and don’t have much time to myself, and when I do I would rather do something else than be on the phone. I like to be seated, with a glass of water, before I make a call, because some of my relatives and friends will talk for HOURS, which is why I avoid calling them in the first place. One of my friends literally talks until my battery goes dead. I will tell her I have to go to the bathroom, and still she keeps talking.
I don’t make calls while driving, shopping, or cleaning unless I have to. I usually listen to voicemails within a few minutes–or hours–or days, depending on who they’re from. I get many more texts than calls (thank goodness), and if I can I answer them right away. My cell phone is my only phone.
I don’t expect people to answer my calls quickly unless there is a reason to, and I return calls when there is a reason to. If it’s “just to talk,” then I have to be sitting, etc., as described above.
Before I answer, I must tell you that my cell phone is my primary business phone. I have a land-line but I’m not always at that location, so I tell clients to always try the cell phone first.
**Do you answer your phone wherever you are? **
I try to, particularly if it’s a client.
** Do you stop answering in certain venues–church, movies, meetings, and so forth? **
Yes, of course, I put it on silent. If I get a call from a family member at an odd hour I answer it, since that indicates an emergency.
**Do you deliberately let some calls go to voice mail–say from a particular person–no matter what? **
I don’t understand the question. If I’m in a place where I can’t answer, yes they roll to voice mail. I will answer it if I can, no matter who it is.
Do you expect other people to always answer YOUR calls?
Of course not, I’m not Queen of the Universe. How conceited!
ETA: I answer messages as soon as I can because if I don’t, I forget. I get lots of texts from my kids & my neice and I answer them according to the urgency (or not) of the message.
Do you answer your phone wherever you are?
No.
Do you stop answering in certain venues–church, movies, meetings, and so forth?
Yes.
Do you deliberately let some calls go to voice mail–say from a particular person–no matter what?
Yes.
Do you expect other people to always answer YOUR calls?
Absolutely not.
Unless there’s a reason I can’t (theatre, meeting, existing IRL conversation that is not casual enough to interrupt), I pretty much try to grab it right away.
I’m somewhat embarrassed to say that during moments of great stress and busy-ness, I’ve kept the cell phone in the bathroom during showers. And had that prudence justified.
Unless I’m in what I consider a “quiet zone”, I’ll answer my cell immediately. We keep the school phone forwarded to it when I’m not in the school.
I have a cell phone, but it’s really for emergencies only, because there are no public phones any more. I will almost never answer it, if I’m expecting a call on the cell I’ll answer, but usually I won’t bother to do so. I have a landline, and everyone knows that I only answer my landline. I don’t even have a phone in my bedroom any more. I only expect businesses to always answer MY calls.
The phone (landline or cell) is a tool. I don’t feel that I must be at the beck and call of every random person who has access to my number. I will generally return calls if I want to talk to whoever has called.
I’ve received a few spam texts, which always get deleted. I’ve never received a text from anyone that I want to talk to, and I’ve never texted anyone. Really and truly. Email is quite a different story, but I don’t do email from my phone.