I’d go over to greet a table and they’re on the phone (a lot of times I couldn’t see they were on the phone until I was at the table) and they’d dismissively wave me away like
“come back later, serving wench, I’m busy now”
:mad:
I used to just walk away and stay in the kitchen laughing at them when they were looking around urgently for me. Hey, you’re the one who decided your phone call was more important than being served. It’s not that hard to say “hold on” and ask for a coke. Now you can wait for me.
Note: I never did this if the person was nice and gave me an “I’m so sorry!” look. Only the rude fucks who acted like they were shooing away a servant. Fuckers.
I’m going to refer you to this quote, which sums up my point quite nicely:
Briefly put, you may not find your behavior rude, but it would behoove you to recognize that at least some of the people you spend time with are likely annoyed by it.
I agree. It can be annoying. This is part of the reason my ringer is on a low setting and why I will sometimes turn it off entirely.
The “phone glancers” I’m talking about don’t say “excuse me.” They just do it.
To my mind, this is a horse of a different color, because:
Most people will excuse themselves to go check the door, and
It’s pretty rude to leave a person who desires immediate face-to-face contact with you hanging; better to at the very least go and tell this person, “Sorry, I’m busy at the moment, I’ll find you later.” (Salesmen and Jehovah’s Witnesses can go screw themselves, though.)
“Banging” on a door usually connotes urgency.
My point is simply that a large contingent of people out there DO think it’s rude. Be aware of this or be a social oaf. It’s your choice.
Check the definition of urgency. Not all important calls demanding immediate attention are unexpected.
Bingo. I didn’t really mean to suggest that I’d discarded it, just that it was something I was taught is essential to good manners.
The above is the input of my kitten, Oedipuss Rex, who jumped up on the keyboard to let you know that he thinks it’s really rude when I interrupt playing with him to answer the telephone. (He really does hate to see me talk on the phone–he tries to bat the phone out of my hand and once actually bit my telephone hand and drew blood. I guess cell phone rage is not limited to humans.)
I have a different perspective, coming from a social group where one ring usually sees 5 people diving for their phones. (It’s worth noting that my group hangs out in Disneyland, and the ringing phone is more often than not another group member looking for the group).
I have no problem with public cell phone use per se, but there are definitely limits. For example, if you’re hanging out with me and you get a call, do what you need to do, and then end the call. My best friend has a tendency to chat on and on with the person, completely ignoring me for 10 minutes and that’s just overboard. I know when I’m out with friends and my dad calls, it’s important for me to let my dad get what he needs to said, however, he tends to want to chat on and on, so I have to remind him that I’m out with people so he’ll get off the phone and let me get back to my friends.
Thankfully, I and most of my pals realize that phone technology has come a long way and there is no need to shout into our phones. (For the record, the signal carries better when you are quieter).
Also, there is no excuse for leaving your phone on during a show of any kind, whether it’s a concert or a movie. I have no patience for people who talk during a show - in person OR on the phone.
I’m less annoyed by the phones in restaurants thing. But again, if you’re with people, end the call quickly.
Another bad cell phone experience: I was driving on the highway to get home from work last week when some idiot in the car next to me nearly ran into me while she was talking. I looked over, saw her throw her head back to laugh at whoever was talking on the phone and, as though she heard my nasty thoughts about her, she almost broadsided me. I honked at her. She swerved back into her lane after glaring at me. Then she did it again! Goddammit! We continued down the highway, and I looked over again to see if she was still there, and, sure enough, there she was still on her cell phone. Oh, but now she was writing something down. She was fucking talking on her cell phone and writing on a piece of paper propped on her steering wheel at the same time as she was driving down the highway at 80 miles per hour. Urrrgh. Bitch.
I think I already flamed about one of my other bad cell phone experiences in the Pit. Some girl on her cell phone was rollerblading by me while I was running and told me to “get the fuck out of the way, bitch,” even as she was giggling into her phone at her boyfriend or some guy she was trying to impress. WTF?? Sometimes I hate people. I should have clotheslined her. If I see her again I will.
I love my cellphone but I’m nice enough to know that not everyone needs to hear my business.
That being said, I worked in a library setting for the last 4 years and the one thing that would peeve me off the most is someone coming in to get a book/movie/cd and throwing said item at me along with their card (if I was lucky) and continuing on with their conversation. I mean, really people, have some freakin’ class. Talk to the people who are taking care of you!
As for me, I would stare at the person until they got off the phone and answered my questions about their account…
I headed to the local grocery store on Monday to get a salad for lunch. This store gets packed at lunchtime and we all just try to move as quickly through the lines as possible. Never mind the fact that I was already late for coming back to work since I had trouble with my insurance while picking up a prescription at Target. So I got in line behind this woman who was arguing with her son (9-10) about what he was allowed to have in his salad. I wanted a very basic salad - romaine, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and mushrooms. The latter three ingredients are at the end of the salad bar. Halfway down, she gets a cell phone call. Whipping it out, she screams “HEY! WHAT’S UP?”. And then she stands there. Firmly plants her ass smack dab in the middle of the salad bar line and talks. I stood nicely for about five seconds, hoping she just wanted to get something else from the bar and then she’d move. Nope. She stayed. What the hell? She kept talking. There are now about 6-7 people behind me, all of us getting annoyed. So, finally, I got pissy. I started reaching around her to get to what I wanted. She gave me the obligatory nasty looks, her poor son looked embarrassed as hell, and the people behind me began pushing through as well.
June of 2002, my daughter’s HS graduation. A gorgeous outdoor setting at that magical pre-dusk time of day when everything glows with angled light. Sept. 11 is still fresh enough to cause considerable emotional reactions in people, and the ceremony begins with a tribute to those who suffered and died. A moment of silence is preceded by two seniors playing Taps on trumpets. Quite a stirring moment, and then…you guessed it! Brrreeeep! Brrreeeeeppp! The bitch not only did not turn the phone off, she answered it and TALKED DURING TAPS! AND CONTINUED TALKING DURING THE MOMENT OF SILENCE! I felt my blood pressure rise as she chatted away two rows in front of me. I considered hissing “shut the fuck up, you classless shitwit,” but decided not to further ruin the moment. Let her bear the shame and glares from everyone around her. I was amazed–how could she not grasp the utter inappropriateness of her actions?
Good point, Oedipuss Rex. I wish I had the guts to reach over and press the ‘off’ button on the phones of people who are using it in an inappropriate or rude way.
Or bite their hand to draw blood - either would be ok.
Put me on the membership list of the non-users club.
Awww c’mon everyone. Those cellphones put food on my table
Seriously they do but I agree one hundred percent with the posters who say they are a fucking grade A annoyance.
Truthfully I hate the Goddamned things and wish that merger of the 5 big cellphone companies had never happened. First they destory the incredible countryside that is America with the tacky and unsightly towers. Then they swindle people into 2 year contracts. Then they fuck up your billing statements. Then they hire extremely rude and inconsiderate customer service reps. And then they come out with inane and trite slogans like can you hear me now. And no, it is not “good”.
Hey, I’m not upset. I’m amused. It’s somewhat laughable when someone dares to lecture on good manners while uttering needless insults from the other side of his or her mouth. Somewhat ironic, woudn’t you agree? Boorish, even.
–
Incidentally, the proud non- mobile phone users remind me of this Onion article (warning: humour).
At worst I’ll answer it and say "I have guests, so call back tomorrow. "
I don’t have call waiting either. It’s expensive, the phone’s there for my convenience, and if people want to talk to me they can damn well call back.
The rude cell phone users will never know they’re being rude if you’re polite about it. Grab their phone and throw it away. Mock them. Tell them to stop because they’re disturbing you.
But don’t sit there and put up with it. The meek only inherit the earth in plots 6 x 2, people.
