# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/81 "2012-03-25T20:05:24Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I was countering the person stating that it is never suitable (“texting is NOT for important info”). > > People every day use all forms of communications for trivial and important info alike. And at the same time there are situations in which texting is not suitable, and phone calls are not suitable, even face to face communication may not be suitable sometimes. > > But to universally state that texting should not be used for important info is pretty odd. OK - understood (and I think we more or less agree). ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/82 "2012-03-25T20:06:37Z")
> [@digs](#): > > 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) Apparently, everyone on the “Dick Van Dyke Show” were bombed constantly. 🙂 > [@drewtwo99](#): > > 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!\ My favourite line stolen from a show is, “I see. And have you tried making sense?” It seems appropriate for this situation. > [@PlainJain](#): > > Booze and whores is the new hookers and blow. It’s because of the economy. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/83 "2012-03-25T20:44:40Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I don’t think my phone will do that, but some may and it’s admittedly technologically possible. But why talk to the phone when I can talk to Suzy? I enjoy human contact. Sure, I might end up talking to her voicemail, but at least it’s a human voice. Why add in the extra step of translating voice into text? Isn’t it getting a bit silly at that point? Depends on Suzy, I guess. She might be a delight to talk to on the phone, in which case call away! Then again, a 2-second data gathering question might require 10 minutes of smalltalk when you’re trying to catch a train. Time, place, person. Declaring an absolute is just silly. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/84 "2012-03-25T22:12:23Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > But the term “first wife” is only used to distinguish her from subsequent wives, making her de facto ex. > > Heh. Hey, show some respect. Maybe he loved the first wife dearly until she died when she got run over by that drunk cancer patient. ---
**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 25, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/85 "2012-03-25T22:15:45Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Hey, show some respect. Maybe he loved the first wife dearly until she died when she got run over by that drunk cancer patient. Apparently the driver was trying to read a text when the accident occurred. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/86 "2012-03-25T22:43:27Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > Agreed. > > Each of us will use whatever form of communication we feel works best. And we are all surviving. > > There does not need to be a universal standard that is arrived at by one person’s particular situation and experiences and then extrapolated to the entire planet because that’s the way it is for them. True, but if the method of communication you’re using is NOT working it’s not unreasonable to suggest you try another. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/87 "2012-03-25T22:50:48Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Apparently the driver was trying to read a text when the accident occurred. On MY phone, if I send a text and a big red X appears next to it, that means the recipient died in an auto accident while trying to read my text. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/88 "2012-03-25T23:04:21Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > True, but if the method of communication you’re using is NOT working it’s not unreasonable to suggest you try another. Yep, perfectly reasonable. But again, the issue was with a poster stating that it is never ok to text important info. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/89 "2012-03-25T23:09:42Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > But the term “first wife” is only used to distinguish her from subsequent wives, making her de facto ex. > > Heh. A widower may have a late first wife who was never his ex-wife. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/90 "2012-03-25T23:16:58Z")
A late wife who he pays child support to? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/91 "2012-03-25T23:24:48Z")
If you send me a text message you do so with full understanding that I will probably not read it. They are a waste of time and money for me. If I have something important to say I will call you and will be short and to the point. But that’s just me these days, I guess. Get off my lawn. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/92 "2012-03-26T02:05:56Z")
I had the texting function disabled on my phone. The only people who were sending me texts were spammers. ---
**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 26, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/93 "2012-03-26T02:15:36Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I had the texting function disabled on my phone. The only people who were sending me texts were spammers. Huh? Wow. I’ve had a cellphone pretty much since there _were_ cell phones. Never gotten a spam text. ---
**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 26, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/94 "2012-03-26T02:21:10Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Huh? Wow. I’ve had a cellphone pretty much since there _were_ cell phones. Never gotten a spam text. I get one every month or so. It’s always for loan refinancing. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/95 "2012-03-26T02:36:26Z")
I was getting about 5 spam texts a day, and I’m on a plan that doesn’t offer any free texts. I still get a telemarketing robocall a few times a week on my cell, and yes, that number IS on the DNC list. The telemarketers just don’t care. ---
**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 26, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/96 "2012-03-26T02:41:07Z")
I much prefer getting a text, because I don’t have to drop what I’m doing and answer right that second. If I’m at work, I can see if it’s important enough to interrupt everything without having to connect to voicemail and listen to a message. But if I texted you _“Hey, man-- fell off cliff. Hanging from tiny tree. Bring rope.”_ and didn’t get a reply _(“On the way, dude… tan rope ok?”)_ right away, I’d try calling. ---
**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 26, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/97 "2012-03-26T02:43:21Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I was getting about 5 spam texts a day, and I’m on a plan that doesn’t offer any free texts. I still get a telemarketing robocall a few times a week on my cell, and yes, that number IS on the DNC list. The telemarketers just don’t care. Given that you have no interest in texting anyway, I don’t blame you for just shutting it off. There is a way to report spam texts, at least on AT&T, by forwarding them to a certain code. I have no clue what good it does though. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/98 "2012-03-26T03:18:37Z")
it’s ridiculous that we can build _ **\** _ but we can’t filter spam. aren’t these phones supposed to be smart now? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/99 "2012-03-26T03:23:01Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > it’s ridiculous that we can build _ **\** _ but we can’t filter spam. aren’t these phones supposed to be smart now? It’s not the way that’s lacking, it’s the will - the people making the decisions in our world don’t want them stopped. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684/100 "2012-03-26T04:04:56Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Huh? Wow. I’ve had a cellphone pretty much since there _were_ cell phones. Never gotten a spam text. I just started getting spam texts about 6 months ago - claims that I won stuff and need to respond, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/text-messaging-doesnt-work-that-way/616684.md?page=6)