# Turn off the fucking cell phone

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-off-the-fucking-cell-phone/103204>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [April 12, 2002, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-off-the-fucking-cell-phone/103204 "2002-04-12T11:04:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-off-the-fucking-cell-phone/103204/61 "2002-04-20T17:46:25Z")

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I was watching Fellowship of the Ring last night and a couple of times someone’s cell phone went off. Either I’m right in considering FOTR the greatest movie ever that casts a spell on the audience or those people were unusually considerate because each time the person _turned off the phone without answering it!_ :eek:

[This](http://somethingpositive.net/sp03272002.html) comic illustrates some of the dangers of allowing your phone to ring during plays.

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**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-off-the-fucking-cell-phone/103204/62 "2002-04-20T19:05:47Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SpazCat \*  
> \*\*[This](http://somethingpositive.net/sp03272002.html) comic illustrates some of the dangers of allowing your phone to ring during plays. \*\*

Perfect example. When I was living in Denver, it seemed as if most cell phone interruptions were “important” business calls by the “I offer robust, mission-critical e-business solutions to Global 2000 clients” crowd. No, cell phones aren’t cool by themselves, but using them to make lots of deals, and thus validate your worth as an important person – **that** was perceived as cool.

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**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2002, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-off-the-fucking-cell-phone/103204/63 "2002-04-21T08:08:45Z")

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Once, long ago, someone on this board gave, as an example of pointless phone use, calling home from the supermarket. Mr. Rilch and I do that, because the way he cooks and I bake, it’s important for me to ask him if white onions will do since leeks are not available, or for him to ask if I need a pint or half-pint of cream. Sound doesn’t travel well in supermarkets, what with the muzak and high shelves. And I, and other people I’ve seen do this, are usually making the calls, not receiving them. (Someone at home may call up to say, “By the way, ‘large turkey’ means 10 pounds.”)

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