NOS88

Kind of like posting on fourms?

Cycliste

A few years ago while experimenting early webcams and mikes for video-conferencing, one of my workmates joked: "look at all this parapharnelia on our desks, I can't wait for the day all this will be imbedded in my eyelashes" . I guess she was a visionary

WorldWind

Wouldn’t it just be a much nicer world if you could just force people to conform to your way?

Digital Gee

Indeed! Why didn't I think of that?

p8rider

I carry a cell phone in my seat pack, just for emergencies or if I know I am taking a long ride, I will stop and call my wife at the halfway point and let her know that all is safe. I can't say that I have ever seen anyone riding and speaking on the cell.
As for the comments about being on a plane and overhearing calls upon landing, I must admit I am guilty of this. The reason is simple, usually I have people meeting me in their cars. In todays airports with distant parking and drive up security etc. It is difficult for dirvers to hang around waiting on flights. So upon arrival I call the person I am meeting and let them know I have landed so figure 10 - 15 minutes until I am out in front on the roadway. They are ususally in a distant lot either a restuarant or hotel lot and can plan the time needed to reach the arrivals pick up spot just when I will be coming out.
Yes, there are alot of rude people on cell phones, I also hate being next to someone on the plane getting in his or her last words before the door closes especially as they all seem to have loud voices.
The cell phone is like any tool it can be used wisely or not, it all depends upon the user!

trackhub

Mine is almost always turned off. I got one about two years ago, after I realized that almost all of the pay phones I used to see on my regular riding routes have been removed. (side note: A verizon tech told me that the company is eventually going to remove all of them, except for the pay phones that are inside airports, movie theaters, and the like. Reason: They are simply too expensive to maintain, and keeping up with vandalism is damn near impossible. )

I keep wondering just what it is these people are talking about, what is it that is just so damned important. Better yet, how did some of these people ever survive twenty five years ago? (if they were around then)

I've seen the gizmos you wear in your ear. All I can think of is Lt. Uhura on Star trek.

What are some snippets of conversation you all have heard? My favorite is this one, heard in a grocery store: "I'm in the stewed tomatoes now. What? the sixteen ounce can? is that what we buy? The italian? No,, The sixteen ounce can?

I could almost feel that guy's I.Q. decreasing.

DnvrFox

I went for a nice ride yesterday and was to meet my wife for lunch in the middle of my ride.

My wife was coming from a MD's appt of unknown length, and our cell phones helped greatly in coordinating our meeting together at approximately the same time.

My wife and I use the CP quite a bit in meeting and coordinating times, and my son also has my number. I cherish the times I get to talk to him on the CP when he tells us exciting (and sometimes breaking) news about some aspect of his law practice and his more interesting cases.

During my heart stuff last year it was very handy to be able to talk with the MD's directly when they called, rather than having to play phone tag with the MD's.

So, I carry one and it is turned on. Very few folks have my number, and when it rings it is always someone I want to talk with. If I am bicycling, I pull over and answer it. If I am driving, I generally also pull over as soon as I can for always a BRIEF (30 seconds or less) conversation.

I also take a lot of pictures with it and share with you folks! ANd, if I want, I can email a picture to my son and daughter-in-law right from the phone - nice when you want to show them a picture of scenery on a trip, etc. I can (and do) also check my email when I want to.

I think they are very useful if not abused.

Digital Gee

I agree with you, Denver, but here's what frosts my hide...

Standing in the aisle on the plane, having some idiot standing DIRECTLY behind me, yacking away into MY ear because he's on HIS cell phone. And yes, he's saying, "We've landed."

Standing in line at Starbucks (or wherever) and waiting to pay for something, and having the line held up because the current customer is on her cell phone AND being attended to by the cashier, who is waiting for her to tell her what she wants.

Trying to enjoy my lunch in a restaurant somewhere, only to have three workers from a construction company with their walkie talkie cell phone blasting away two tables away. If you say anything, they think YOU are being rude.

Being behind someone's car who won't enter the intersection, or make a turn, or whatever, because the driver is on the cell phone and doesn't realize it's time to go.

Cell phones are just tools, and used responsibly I think they're wonderful. But increasingly common courtesy is simply a matter for nostalgic people, because it isn't common practice. I would think everyone would be courteous enough to turn their damn phones off in theatres, or in confined areas, or anywhere that other people might find them offensive, but no. WAY too many people just aren't like that, and their attitude towards people like me is: "Get with the program, this is the 21st century."

So now, along with our loss of privacy and civility and everything else, we have to adjust to the loss of manners.

Frosts my hide.

:::::Rant out::::::

DnvrFox

And you know what?

There is not a darn thing you(we) can do about it!

I read an article in the paper about text messaging in high school (during classes), and how one girl's parents only allowed her 1,500 text messages a month! Sad story.

ken cummings

Oh, there are lots of things to do about it but the FCC and Miss Manners would not approve. I have never seen anyone in any bike club I have ridden with use a cell phone. Once I saw a person in another club use a CP to call 911 when a granny left-hooked her car thru their group seriously injuring a rider. Just keep telling people that it is not cool. If someone in a restruant is celling and the manager stops them when you request it, tip the staff generously. Any other sugestions?

Redrom

I take my cellphone on every ride, and use it when I need to. Once I took a work call to make it seem like I was still at work. Mostly I talk to people about meeting up along the trail to ride together. A couple times I had to call the SAG wagon (wife) because a bike part fell off and I couldn't find the part, etc. I have the holder attached to the handlebars with speakerphone on, the wife can call and check on the boys, ask what we want for dinner.

Mostly cellphones are useful for people who have someone they need to talk to.

gear

it seems these days; concentrating on one thing at a time is a lost art, everyone wants to multitask. being alone with ones own thoughts, is passe; we have to bounce our thoughts off someone else, for validation. nature abhors a vacuum so along comes the perfect device for this age, the cell phone.

Velo Dog

Cell phone's a g*****n curse--I wish the things had never been invented. I have one (my daughter gave it to me when I refused by get one on my own), but it's rarely turned on and I don't think I've ever taken it on a bike ride. One of the reasons I ride, especially my mountain bike, is to get way from distractions and annoyances.
A couple of years ago I hiked from Yosemite Valley up to the top of Yosemite Falls, and all along the way we heard people trying to find cell service (there was none in the valley at that time, though I think there is now). You'd take a few steps, stop to look at the view and some moron would come up next to you shouting, "Hey, I've got service! No, I lost it. Do YOU have service?" Gaah.