Originally Posted by
AlmostTrick
This is what I see way too often. People who are basically slaves to their phone. They can't go anywhere without out them, and can't seem to quit fiddling with them. Walking in the mall or walking the dog. Driving cars or riding bikes.
Sometimes this is true, but this is hardly the kind of thing that's limited to cell phones. Some people just won't stop talking and feel uncomfortable if there's silence for more than a couple of seconds. My dads girlfriend can be like that. Some people have nervous habits. If it's not a cell phone it's something else.
The real question is - why *shouldn't* they be one their cell phone while doing these things? Now sometimes there's a huge obvious reason, like biking while talking on their phone. But is walking your dog with one other person also "inappropriate"? How would that be different than talking to someone on your phone while walking your dog?
Originally Posted by
AlmostTrick
I watch coworkers driving in the parking lot at work on their cell phones, when they are (or were) just two minutes away from their desk phone. Why is this so necessary?
You're way off base here. There are several reasons why this is very considerate and necessary.
1. Because your coworkers have work to do, and you don't need to be distracting them with a 20 minute conversation about your kids ballgame, the groceries you need to get, and how Timmy is sleeping over at Susie's house.
Or how you got drunk this weekend and the party was totally awesome.
Or how proud you are of your son who just took his first poopy in the toilet.
Or how your date went this weekend...
Or calming down a crying, emotionally distraught family member. Is crying at your desk about your dad that died last week while on the phone to your sister really appropriate?
But these are things you have every reason to talk about with your friend, spouse, etc.
2. Because, though your employer might not like it, you can't talk to a recruiter about finding a new job from your desk.
3. And obviously some topics cross the line from "rude" to "possibly illegal, and could get you fired". Talking about how naughty your dirty little girlfriend is and how hot she makes you...probably not a good idea to do at your desk.
Having these discussions away from your desk is common courtesy towards your coworkers.
4. And for some people, you don't want to look like you're having a personal conversation and "goofing off" at your desk.
Originally Posted by
AlmostTrick
I know plenty of people who text / read emails / answer calls while in the middle of a face to face conversation with others. My wife does too. She often gets snubbed for a phone call while talking in person to a guy in the cube right next to her. Sometimes just she gives up, goes back to her desk and calls him! It's just crazy I tell you.
That is crazy, but hardly the fault of cell phones. My dad talked about plenty of times he would go into see a client, have a scheduled meeting in their office, and their phone would ring they would pick it up and talk on it for 10 minutes. He was like "wtf? I drove all the way over here to see you in person - the least you could do is be a tiny bit considerate of my time, not leave me sitting here for 10 minutes while you chat about your golf game". Of course he couldn't say that, but the point is cell phones haven't changed that at all.
Originally Posted by
AlmostTrick
I'm holding out on getting a cell phone for as long as possible, which may be forever. Honestly, I can't even recall an instance where I really wished I had one. If that ever changes, then I'll reconsider. Yeah, interesting thread for sure.
As I said, I find it far more freeing than it is restricting. I remember the days when if a girl said she was going to call I would have to sit at home and wait by the phone - being that girls haven't changed about that kind of thing, that totally sucked. Or when I'd try to meet someone at a restaurant neither of us had been to before - what a disaster. Or when I'd go to the Renaissance Festival - you couldn't just relax and enjoy yourself because if you got separated from the other people you were with, you were *screwed*, lol. You'd *never* find them again. With a cell it's far more relaxing - if I lose track of them and really want to find them, I call them. Someone calls me who's not in the group? I ignore it, I'll call them back after I leave. Is it a genuine emergency? They can text me, or call me 3 times in a row. Am I meeting someone somewhere and my car breaks down? I can call them and tell them - they don't need to wait for an hour wondering if I'm going to show up. And don't even get me started on how awesome gps is...
