# Pet peeve: People who zone out when making a phone call

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-people-who-zone-out-when-making-a-phone-call/219837
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 18, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-people-who-zone-out-when-making-a-phone-call/219837 "2003-12-18T20:21:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-people-who-zone-out-when-making-a-phone-call/219837/1 "2003-12-18T20:21:44Z")

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I’m talking about people who dial a phone, but apparently can’t keep their head in the game long enough to actually be ready when the other person answers.

Me (answering phone): Hello?  
[long pause]

Person calling me: Hello?..Hello?..

No, _you_ called _me_. I say “Hello?” then you are supposed to state why you called me. I have decided to simply hang up on all people who can’t be bothered to be present on the line when I answer the phone.

p.s. - I know a lot of times it’s telemarketers using an automated call-routing system, so if I don’t have to talk to them, so much the better.

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### Author: ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-people-who-zone-out-when-making-a-phone-call/219837/2 "2003-12-18T22:38:33Z")

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One thing that bugs me is when someone dials you rnumber on a speakerphone, waits til I answer, then picks up the receiver- which results in this huge _crack_ sound as they crash the receiver against every other part of the phone on the way to their pointy little heads.

Troy: Hello?  
Putz: _crack_ _smash__drop_ _shit…_ _crunch_ _moo_ … “Hello, Troy, I need…”  
Troy: Ow.

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### Author: ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-people-who-zone-out-when-making-a-phone-call/219837/3 "2003-12-18T23:19:02Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by blowero \*  
> \*\*p.s. - I know a lot of times it’s telemarketers using an automated call-routing system, so if I don’t have to talk to them, so much the better. \*\*

I don’t know if they still exist but some pay phones do the same thing. Found that out when visiting one of my sisters.

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### Author: ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-peeve-people-who-zone-out-when-making-a-phone-call/219837/4 "2003-12-19T00:40:28Z")

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are they telemarketers?  
I thought it was just pranks.

Once I dialed my friends number,then suddenly forgot who I was calling!  
When her mother answered,I said “Is urhur there?”  
She recognized my voice and put her on.  
LOL