Cell Phones
 

Does everyone own a cell phone? I'm currently in college and it's just another 50 dollars out the door each month. Let me know if you guys currently have a cell phone or if you don't because I'm really thinking about canceling mine. Also, give me your toughts on my decision if you would.

I have one because my wife wanted me to have one.
I know how to answer it and dial out. Thats all. She needs hers and we
have a plan that calls between us are free but the total cost is still a rip to
me. I would get one but I would get one of those pay-per-call types...
No contract.

We have no landline. Cell phone only for me and my better half. IMO a landline is extra money out the door each month.

I don't have one. I don't want to pay the money. I suppose I could get one, but I am not willing to go without something else. It is getting harder and harder to go without one, however.

I don't have one. This is a great example of a niche market that exploded into a new lifestyle. Who needs one? I remember telling a salesman, "If people want to call me, they can call me at work or home. If I am on the toilet or in my car, I don't want to talk, anyhow."

My wife has one, but it is for "emergencies" and she just puts credit on it from calling cards, there is no monthly bill. That, I would think, would work for commuting and some days, at my wife's request, I carry it in my backpack, but never use it.

I don't own a cell phone. And nobody 'needs' cell phones. Well, maybe doctors, but no one else. They are just for varying levels of convenience. Of course, when all your friends have them, then they sure seem like something you 'need'.

I'd consider having a cell phone but no land line, but that is still a lot more expensive than my land line, and prone to a lot more types of failure.

Save the money, college is not the time of your life when you want to get into the debt/contract cycle that dominates many people's lives. Wait until you definately, absolutely, for sure have 50$ a month that goes to nothing else before getting the cell phone back.

People biked all over the world before cell phones, and will continue to do so without cell phones. Sure you can't call the wife to come pick you up when you get a flat tire, but hey, life is hard sometimes. ;)

peace,
sam

I have a TracFone pay as you go type. I originally got it with the $7.95/month plan because I drive a lot on the beach to go fishing and I don't want to take a chance on getting stuck below the high tide line in the middle of the night. Then I realized that I hardly ever use my land line so I got rid of that. Now I get the yearly plan for $150 and that seems to be enough for me.

Try and find a pay phone or emergency hi-way phone!!
They are all gone ............of going!!!!!

i have a cell phone. i keep it turned off unless i am expecting a call or making a call. nobody ever interrupts me.

I got a cell phone...

It was fun for awhile. I fiddled with the gadgetry and changed the setup until I liked it. I mastered all the games. I talked and instant messaged my friends.


But it got old...and gradually I stopped using it. If I wanted to talk, I used my land line. If Iw anted to message, I used AOL. If I wanted to email, I used Email.



It's occured to me a time or two that it might be nice to have a cell phone for my pack, incase of emergency, but I rode in West Knoxville (Baby slums) at all hours of the day and night without a problem, and I've decided that if I get into any sort of trouble that I'm going to need a cell phone to get out of, there's going to be a police officer there in a few minutes anyway.

This is what I've decided however...and I doubt it has any bearing on your issues.

I have a cell phone and no land line. I've had my service through a couple companies changing hands/names/takeovers (whatever), and still have my original cheap plan with free time (eves/weekends).

It works for me, as the ringer on my home line was allways turned off anyways-I'd just check messages twice/day. Long distance costs the same, and local is cheaper (free)-when I usually use it (eves). I also use it for work though (when on-call away from work), and at work when I'm out of my department&there's an emergency I just get called back. I find it a lot more convenient than a pager. I do switch it over to voice mail when I'm sleeping, at the movies or on a fun ride/hike (and not on call).

Mine is just a small regular no frills one-no camera, e-mail or games. I do have to get a new one that has caller ID (or see if I can't add it to this one), as work keeps calling when I'm not on call!

I have one. I really would want to have my cell phone on me in the case of an emergency. Besides that, I get the free nights and weekends, and the rollover minutes, and I also don't have my own phone, so it works for me.

I wouldn't cancel mine. No way!

Koffee

No cell phone. No way, no how. Most annoying little buggers to ever come down the technology pipe. Doesn't matter where you go....movies, concerts, dinner with friends in a quiet restaurant....somebody's phone is going to ring and you'll be stuck trying not to overhear a one sided conversation. Incidentally, some poll recently ranked the cell phone as number one in convenience most hated but would not live without.
I still get amused at the responses when I am matter of factly asked for my cell phone number, and I say I don't have one. Wife does, however. Almost came to blows with the in-laws last weekend when I went on a short overnight bike tour and absolutely and resolutely refused to carry her cell phone with me. I go on bike rides/trips to get away from phones, not have one pasted to my hip.
Having said all that, I fully understand why many cyclists like to have one available.

I think a lot of the vitriol aimed at cell-phones would be better aimed at inconsiderate *users* of cell phones. Inconsiderate jerks, are gonna be inconsiderate jerks regardless of whether they have a cell phone.

That said, I don't have a land-line so my cell phone is my only phone. Wouldn't want to give it up. Internet comes through cable (Though that extra $15/mo. surcharge they stick you with if you don't also subscribe to cable tv never ceases to piss me off.), so I see no need for a redundant phone line. Don't use it in the car, if it rings while I'm on the bike I pull over and answer it. It gets switched to silent mode in restaurants/movies/museums/etc. I also rarely answer it if I'm in a face-to-face conversation with someone. I think that's kind of insulting. It's like saying "Hey, this other person that's not even here right now, whatever it is they have to say is more important to me than our conversation."

-Trevor

I always said I would never have a cell phone but now I have a prepaid one. I hardly ever talk on the phone so its not worth it for me to get some $50 cell plan.

Cancel and go prepaid. ATT's gophone offers ~600min for 1 year at ~$96. So as long as you don't use your phone that much you'll see a lot of savings.

I had a $50 a month cell fone and realized I was hardly using it, and when I did, local calls. And furthermore, most of the time I was right near a payfone! So, I got rid of it, that's $600 a year I'd rather put into ham radio gear or bike stuff.

I have two roommates... we each have cellphones, no home line... we have cable for internet. I use my cellphone an absolute TON (6000 min/month at times). I've had one for so long that I don't think I'd do too well not having one. My phone even has bluetooth and I have a bluetooth headset so I don't have to hold the phone up to my ear. Yes, I even hold conversations on occasion while cycling, though not very often. I'm a tech-geek, though. On average, I go through 2-3 phones a year as I get bored of my existing one and upgrade to the newest and best I can afford. ;)

Last year I rode the MS150. My wife was supposed to pick me up at noon on the last day. She never showed. I waited 4 hours and figured WTF, got tired of waiting and headed home. (another 60 mi). She finally came out but was too late. Everyone had gone home and I was no where to be found (blissfully cruising the back roads home).

She freaked and called the police. Before she found me, I saw two police cars and a police helecopter.

Of course it was my fault for not waiting. I picked up two cell phones the following week. I don't like carrying a cell phone but there are some small advantages.

I'm very independent and a cheap @ss. I hate spending the money. It does, however, help keep some peace in the family. :D

Well about the cell phone dilemma. My mother decided to get one since my parents are elderly and need the quick access to 911 at the most unexpected times as well as the disappearance of pay phones. I like the idea of cell phones when they are used responsibly. Otherwise, I find them a waste of money and annoying.

I've got a prepaid phone with $100 in minutes on it. If it ever ran out, I'd just buy another $20-50 for it. I keep it in my bag, strictly for emergencies, etc. I've never actually had to use it other than the setup and first minute to verify it works. I just keep recharging the battery.

You also do not need to have an active phone for 911 if I recall correctly. Its mandatory that it be left on a phone, regardless if its an 'active' account/phone or not.

I almost always have my cell phone with me. The best part about cell phones, however; is the caller ID and voice mail. I don't answer it about 3/4 of the time, but I make plenty of calls with it....it's a matter of convenience for me.

Also, my company provides me with the phone and pays all the bill, so it's easier for me to feel good about the (non-existent) expense! <grin>

the cell phone came in pretty handy for me when i did this to my head (see my picture) without it, i would have had to go knocking on strangers doors... and the way i looked that morning, I wouldn't have even opened the door to help!

Virgin Mobile. Pay-as-you-go, $10 every 90 days (about $3.33 per month). Can't get much cheaper than that if you're not a big talker.

I have a prepaid tracfone. I never get calls on it and have only made one call on it, to 911 when I slipped on some wet leaves and broke my femur early on a Sunday morning on a deserted bike trail. The 911 operator stayed on the phone with me till the paramedics arrived. Without the phone, I would have died, as I went into shock well before the medics arrived, and I had severe blood loss.
In short, I'd sooner forget the helmet than forget the cell phone. It truly saved my life.