Originally Posted by
PaulRivers
As I said, I find it far more freeing than it is restricting.
Many do not agree with you. Upon learning that I don't have one, I've had many envious cell owners tell me they wish they didn't "need to have one". (usually for work) It seems they despised the leash.
Others in this thread have noted how nice a cell free vacation can be, or how great it is that they can sometimes leave the things off... or in my case not ever be bother with one.
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.
The cell phone has allowed many to otherwise plan poorly. We've been meeting girls just fine, and splitting up / reuniting with friends at major events successfully for thousands of years now. (I'll meet you back here at 7:00 and such and such, or whatever) Many cell addicts would be / are now totally lost without their electronic crutch.
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...
My cars and bikes tend to not break down that often, so this wonderful feature alone hardly makes a cell phone essential.
Interesting as all this is, this thread is about whether or not a cell phone is essential for a bicycle commute. Of course it isn’t, but just look how many addicts said that it is.