# Text Messaging DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 24, 2012, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684 "2012-03-24T11:41:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/21 "2012-03-24T14:53:41Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Why don’t people have actual phone conversations? Some people do not like talking on the phone. Me for instance. I have no land-line, just a cellphone. I send/receive dozens of texts each day, but talk on the phone only as a last resort. My gf (we cohabit) has a land-line. Unless I know she is expecting an urgent call, I would never think to answer it when it rings. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/22 "2012-03-24T14:55:26Z")
Well, I can think of several reasons not to call - -barely enough reception to text, not enough to call (as suggested by the fact of her texts not sending) -not wanting a simple question to turn into a long diatribe (since they obviously are at daggers drawn) -texts cheaper than calls (that a seriously WAG, but you never know) -general avoidance behavior ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/23 "2012-03-24T14:59:00Z")
Yeah, I can understand texting only (I’m the same way with my husband), but in this case, because it was so urgent, I would have called. Although the OP was right about this texting issue, overall there are much bigger problems. Yikes! Good luck **FirstLoser**. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/24 "2012-03-24T15:00:33Z")
Not to make light of the OP’s situation, but if his life were a TV sitcom; I’d be that sitcom’s most avid fan. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/25 "2012-03-24T15:05:40Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Some people do not like talking on the phone. Me for instance. I have no land-line, just a cellphone. I send/receive dozens of texts each day, but talk on the phone only as a last resort. My gf (we cohabit) has a land-line. Unless I know she is expecting an urgent call, I would never think to answer it when it rings. Okay. I understand some people have phone problems. My boss, for example, stutters, so we usually just communicate at work through Google Chat. It makes sense in this case, and a full sized keyboard isn’t as painstaking as trying to type on a cellphone. But unless **FirstLoser** has a problem like that, he could have avoided this whole thing by simply having a conversation with another human being. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/26 "2012-03-24T15:10:45Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > he could have avoided this whole thing by simply having a conversation with another human being. I cannot imagine _wanting_ to have a conversation with this specific human being, though.😛 ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/27 "2012-03-24T15:20:10Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I cannot imagine _wanting_ to have a conversation with this specific human being, though.😛 But two hours and then another two hours? My reaction at that point (in fact before the first two hours even ended) would be to make a phone call. If that failed, then I would consider going to the ATM for cash. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/28 "2012-03-24T15:30:34Z")
I’m just glad to see a father getting booze and whores for his kids on his day to keep them. And they say dads don’t care these days. Lets see. Girlfriend misunderstands technology (thinking it works how she thinks it should work). Girlfriend gets mad making assumptions about what boyfriend is doing while boyfriend is actually just trying to take care of business. Girlfriend stays mad and then gets smug. Girlfriend refutes logic and evidence that even God’s lawyers couldn’t work around. News at 11. My condolences to the OP for undue pain and suffering. ---
**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:** [March 24, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/29 "2012-03-24T15:32:02Z")
That conversation is scarily like an ex of mine but she would have most likely backed down at the very end. [quote=davidm] But seriously, I HATE getting into an “energetic discussion” with someone who is certain they’re right and can’t be convinced otherwise; not because they’re right, but because they can’t grasp the technology.[/davidm] I’m an engineer. I can’t stand it when I try to explain basic technology or science to someone and they want to tell me that I’m wrong. If they don’t understand, that’s fine. Ask me to explain it better or ask why a certain thing is that way…or tell me that you don’t care and are bored and change the subject. Don’t fucking tell me that I’m wrong when I am an expert and your last science class was when your were half asleep in high school. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/30 "2012-03-24T15:38:04Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Not to make light of the OP’s situation, but if his life were a TV sitcom; I’d be that sitcom’s most avid fan. Not me. I’d be changing the channels so fast… in the middle of the texting episode, I’d think “_No one_ would put up with this crap in real life!” … _and, click_ … Oh, _Dick Van Dyke_! Much more realistic! (well, at least the characters like each other) ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/31 "2012-03-24T16:02:40Z")
Yeah, if I’m trying to get in touch with my wife via text and I’m not getting a reply and it’s important, I call her using the same device I have in my hand called a “phone.” Seems to me like there is a failure to understand how technology works with both of you. If you need to contact someone and it’s important and the same device that is failing you in one aspect can be used for another aspect, it shows a little lack of critical thinking on your part. And for people who don’t like to actually call people, then be able to accept all the little annoyances and ambiguities of texting. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/32 "2012-03-24T16:55:16Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > But unless **FirstLoser** has a problem like that, he could have avoided this whole thing by simply having a conversation with another human being. This is true. If FirstLoser had that conversation with another human being instead of person described in OP it would have gone much better. ---
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/33 "2012-03-24T17:01:30Z")
> [@Astroboy14](#): > > So… why you deleting her messages without reading them? Not to mention spending his wife’s money on booze and whores. For shame, OP. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/34 "2012-03-24T17:29:05Z")
Have you ever tried simply turning off the cellphone, sitting down with your girlfriend, and hitting her? ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/35 "2012-03-24T17:40:27Z")
Wait… She wasn’t joking about the booze and whores? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/36 "2012-03-24T17:51:43Z")
> [@emcee2k](#): > > Wait… She wasn’t joking about the booze and whores? No, but the part that pisses her off is he is using cash rather than a check. Using cash totally screws up her Quicken methodology. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/37 "2012-03-24T18:24:19Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Have you ever tried simply turning off the cellphone, sitting down with your girlfriend, and hitting her? I laughed ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/38 "2012-03-24T18:32:12Z")
Machete don’t text. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/39 "2012-03-24T18:52:02Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I laughed Stolen from Bender from Futurama, I must admit, though it is one of my favorite lines he ever said. Glad it got at least one laugh! For the record: I would never seriously encourage domestic abuse. Not even as a member of **F** olks **A** gainst **R** etarded **T** exting. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/40 "2012-03-24T18:54:25Z")
> [@FirstLoser](#): > > Thanks davidm…I don’t know how many times I said those words last night…“It doesn’t work like that!!!” Wait, so did I! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684.md?page=3)