# How do you carry your (expensive) phone, and has it ever been lost, stolen, or broken? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 4, 2015, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593 "2015-11-04T06:31:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/21 "2015-11-04T14:59:08Z")
I’ve never lost or had a phone stolen, but up until this year, I had a pay as you go phone I barely used and it mostly just hung out in my purse. This year I got a shiny new phone with data and stuff, had it two months, and then took it for a swim. :smack: Hot day at the beach with the dogs, forgot the phone was in my pocket and waded out waist deep into the lovely cool water. I now have another new phone and I mostly carry it in my purse or a coat pocket. Last time I went to the beach, I left it in the car. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/22 "2015-11-04T15:07:14Z")
I’ve never lost, broken, or had stolen my slightly expensive phone (routinely carried in a belt clip). Two phones, in fact; replaced the first when I had to change carrier. Both phones are fine, although the first is now a tiny wifi-only tablet that mostly gets ignored. Nonetheless, I can’t vote, because there’s no checkbox for that. (The boxes assume you must surely done one of (lost|had stolen|broken), and vBulletin won’t let you submit a blank survey. So your statistics are going to be suspect.) ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/23 "2015-11-04T16:28:38Z")
I’ve had smart phones since 2007. I’ve never had any sort of belt clip holder. (Shudder.) No losses or thefts, but I’ve broken three while using them. Two cracked when dropped on pavement - today those could probably be repaired, but it wasn’t an option at the time. The third died in a bowl of soup. I carry my phone in my pocket, in my purse, in my work bag, in my hand, or very occasionally tucked into a bra strap. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/24 "2015-11-04T17:14:12Z")
It’s been about 10 years now, but I’m pretty sure my phone cost $19.95 at Walmart. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/25 "2015-11-04T17:27:04Z")
None of the above. No phone stolen, broken, damaged or lost. No case, belt clip, or anything but my pocket. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/26 "2015-11-04T17:57:06Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Nonetheless, I can’t vote, because there’s no checkbox for that. (The boxes assume you must surely done one of (lost|had stolen|broken), and vBulletin won’t let you submit a blank survey. So your statistics are going to be suspect.) Hey, I wish that I had some way in the poll to specify the number of phones I had damaged. But even if I did, during the period when I had an vast supply of Nokia 5100s to scavenge parts from, a Theseus’ paradox arises. So, they’re going to miss both ends of the bell curve. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/27 "2015-11-04T18:57:01Z")
Just to satisfy our prurient curiosity, how many phones have you damaged? Round numbers are fine. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/28 "2015-11-04T19:11:47Z")
I carry my (expensive) phone in my pocket. No belt clip holder, no case. I’ve never lost, broken, or had one stolen. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/29 "2015-11-04T19:19:45Z")
Pity there’s no option for “Never lost/broke my phone”. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/30 "2015-11-04T19:28:06Z")
Once I dropped my phone while I was handling it, fell on the pavement and the screen cracked. However, this had nothing to do with how I carry it when I am not using it. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/31 "2015-11-04T21:19:32Z")
I mentioned in the other thread… My phone has fallen out of a belt clip a number of times, but I was always lucky enough to notice in time. Now I use a velcro pouch. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/32 "2015-11-04T21:30:47Z")
I’ve carried a cell phone since 1996, generally in my front pocket. No case. Maybe a screen protector. Never had it stolen or broken it. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/33 "2015-11-04T22:47:42Z")
I use a belt clip and have broken about a half dozen of them. Never had a phone broken, lost, or stolen. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/34 "2015-11-04T23:22:41Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I mentioned in the other thread… My phone has **fallen out of a belt clip a number of times** ,… (emphasis mine) I’ve had that happen once, but I had just received a new phone that day and was still using the holder I had bought for its predecessor. So in that case I was more or less asking for it. In the end it turned up under the passenger seat of the car, where it had fallen out while I was sitting there. For the poll I considered acknowledging whether the belt clip/holder was designed for the specific model of phone being used, but I didn’t want to have an excessive number of options. Over four-odd years of using Android devices, I have dropped my phone a half dozen times without ever breaking the screen or any other component. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/35 "2015-11-04T23:46:43Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Just to satisfy our prurient curiosity, how many phones have you damaged? Round numbers are fine. 🙂 Well, only counting the ones with obvious signs of damage, and not the ones that just stopped working ( my sweat is pretty corrosive ): at least 8. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/36 "2015-11-05T00:13:52Z")
I’m on my fourth phone since 1999. They go in my pocket (jacket if I have one on, pants pocket otherwise). Never lost or broken any. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/37 "2015-11-05T04:21:18Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Pity there’s no option for “Never lost/broke my phone”. I would have voted for that. I have my phone in an inexpensive case and it lives in my purse. It has never been lost, stolen, or damaged. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/38 "2015-11-05T14:57:19Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Never lost or broken a phone. I treat it like a $700 piece of glass, because, well, it’s a $700 piece of glass. This. I treat expensive electronics with respect. I have never had a broken laptop or phone. I am always a little puzzled watching other people throw their electronics around like they cost nothing. But hey, its their stuff so they can do what they want with it. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/39 "2015-11-05T15:05:54Z")
I try to be very careful with electronic devices, but I’m clumsy. I dropped my current phone (iPhone 4) on a stone step and cracked the glass on the back. The duct tape I put on it is still holding up, and it’s probably been almost a year by now. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593/40 "2015-11-05T20:10:45Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > The “stolen” part is scary. When I’m sitting at a bar, I leave my phone on the bar. I’ve gone to the men’s, never considering my phone at risk. That seems foolish to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-carry-your-expensive-phone-and-has-it-ever-been-lost-stolen-or-broken/736593.md?page=3)