Ban mobile phones

[nioka]

I hate mobile phones. I especially dislike all the attached functions that go along with them. I want a phone that is just that, a phone.

I'm doing a construction job and ALL the workers were continually stopping work to answer phones. Gives me the pips. They get upset when I ask them to turn them off and concentrate on the job they are getting paid to do.

Then there was the young female (typed "lady" but decided to change it) in a supermarket today that I saw shopping with one hand while telling everyone around her all her current activities. She ended up in front of me at the checkout still talking and using one hand to slowly put her goods up for scanning. She never stopped talking as she retrieved her purchases, paid by credit card ( which was presented after all her goods were in the trolley) using the one free hand. The last I saw of her was in the car park, still chatting away while loading the goods into a Pitt St tractor. I didnt wait to see if she put the phone away when she drove off. I doubt that she did.

Then there is texts. I dont use them nor do I want that facility on my phone.If someone leaves one on my phone then it will not be read. I get annoyed when someone breaks off a discussion with me to answer their phone. I let it show too.

All that then you get the bill. The biggest part of my phone bill is "calls to mobiles".

WAR on mobile phones.... please.

Give me the good old days when a phone was a phone, not a camera or a media centre.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

I hate mobile phones. I especially dislike all the attached functions that go along with them. I want a phone that is just that, a phone.

I'm doing a construction job and ALL the workers were continually stopping work to answer phones. Gives me the pips. They get upset when I ask them to turn them off and concentrate on the job they are getting paid to do.

Then there was the young female (typed "lady" but decided to change it) in a supermarket today that I saw shopping with one hand while telling everyone around her all her current activities. She ended up in front of me at the checkout still talking and using one hand to slowly put her goods up for scanning. She never stopped talking as she retrieved her purchases, paid by credit card ( which was presented after all her goods were in the trolley) using the one free hand. The last I saw of her was in the car park, still chatting away while loading the goods into a Pitt St tractor. I didnt wait to see if she put the phone away when she drove off. I doubt that she did.

Then there is texts. I dont use them nor do I want that facility on my phone.If someone leaves one on my phone then it will not be read. I get annoyed when someone breaks off a discussion with me to answer their phone. I let it show too.

All that then you get the bill. The biggest part of my phone bill is "calls to mobiles".

WAR on mobile phones.... please.

Give me the good old days when a phone was a phone, not a camera or a media centre.

Agree, am going with "slow" atm, and more productive for it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_Movement


gg

 

[DB008]

I use the good old tin-string-tin method...

Then there is texts. I dont use them nor do I want that facility on my phone.If someone leaves one on my phone then it will not be read. I get annoyed when someone breaks off a discussion with me to answer their phone. I let it show too.

Seriously, are you in the stone age???

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

I use the good old tin-string-tin method...

Seriously, are you in the stone age???

Stoned is good.

gg

 

[nioka]

Seriously, are you in the stone age???

YES. If that IS what it takes

 

[wayneL]

Without mobiles and texts my business would not function in the modern world, but I do agree with what you are saying to some extent.

When I am with a client, the phone/text does not get answered, I phone/text them back later... often not til late evening or the next morning.

I have all my clients trained, if they want my services, they wait for when I want to contact them back.

(The joys of being in demand )

 

[matty77]

I have started leaving my phone in the car when visiting clients, friends, or appointments (like DR).

I hate phones, but essential for work, I would be lost without it (and my ipad & laptop) lol

 

[PinguPingu]

I must admit I am one of those Gen-Y's with a Smartphone that I'm almost always using, depending on CONTEXT.

I turn it off in class, lectures and at work. I don't particularly like texting either but I see its uses in sending messages that do not need to be answered immediately. Messages you can think about and edit, -mobile emailing if you will. What I despise, however, is texting while in conversation with a person. If it's urgent, be polite and tell the person that you need to reply or give context as to what you are replying to - give some sought of information to the person so they don't feel that quasi-ostracism.

The other uses of smartphones are fantastic. Internet banking, share trading, looking up news, various apps..facebooking (this I'm very guilty of).

So I think its use depends a lot on context. I work in retail as a casual and people on the phone while I'm trying to serve them is the worst. I'll just leave them to do their thing and come back to check on them when their conversation is finished.

 

[Smurf1976]

I've never actually owned a mobile phone (true). To be perfectly honest, the last thing I want when I'm at the supermarket or going for a walk is for someone to call me. That said, I do conceed there are benefits and I've actually been thinking of buying one recently.

But practical reality is that I'm paid by the hour (24 hours a day) to carry and answer a work mobile phone and so that's what I do. Restaurants? Cinema? I put it on silent of course and would simply leave the cinema (and not return as that is just too annoying to others) if it rings, but it's either leave it on or simply don't go to restaurants or cinemas. As you might have guessed, I'm on-call for emergency work.

That said, for the 90% of people who are NOT on-call after hours then I can see no justification for answering the damn thing in a place where it will annoy others (eg on public transport, restaurants etc).

One thing I just don't get is those people who make calls to the effect of "I'm on the bus... the bus is moving... we're stopped at the lights...". I mean really, who cares? Why not just say you're on the bus and will be home etc in 20 minutes and leave it at that?

 

[Julia]

One thing I just don't get is those people who make calls to the effect of "I'm on the bus... the bus is moving... we're stopped at the lights...". I mean really, who cares? Why not just say you're on the bus and will be home etc in 20 minutes and leave it at that?

Couldn't agree more. Shopping is a miserable enough experience. To have it made worse by being unable to escape people telling everyone in their vicinity about the pathetically boring little details of their lives is beyond awful.
Add to this that soon we will be further assaulted by the inescapable and quite horrible sounds of ersazt Christmas carols in all the supermarkets and I'm about ready to engage in online shopping, even for fresh foods.

Somehow, life managed to take place before the majority of the population felt obliged to discuss the minutiae of their lives in public.

 

[drsmith]

The best thing to do with a mobile phone is to turn it off when not using it.

 

[Glen48]

Read were a woman in USA was on her ph in the movies and the person behind tapped her on the shoulder and she now on an assault charge

 

[moXJO]

Just join up with Vodaphone, its where your smart phone becomes a paperweight

 

[kimcasablancas]

I don't think the problem is phones, but rather phone etiquette.

 

[Smurf1976]

I don't think the problem is phones, but rather phone etiquette.

Hit. Nail. On. Head.

 

[Logique]

I own a mobile phone, but it's mostly turned off.

I agree the technology has run far ahead of the necessary user etiquette. Still, it helps weeds out the d---heads and scatterbrains, you can tell a lot from how a person uses their phone.

 

[explod]

I use the good old tin-string-tin method...

Seriously, are you in the stone age???

Wonder if it works with the modern plastic string, must give it a go with my Grandson.

 

[jbocker]

Read were a woman in USA was on her ph in the movies and the person behind tapped her on the shoulder and she now on an assault charge

I sort of can believe it, being that it was in the USA, also wouldnt surprise me if that the tapping was done with a baseball bat or a hand gun.

Etiquette acknowledging earlier mentioned comments, should be printed on the first page of the how to use manual.

As far as technology goes, it is amazing, deadset amazing. Took a photo with my son the other day with the phone that has left me speechless. I now cherish the phone for what it provided.
The technology is difficult for me (yep i am from THAT generation ) consequently is frustrating, and at times crave for the simplicity of not having a phone and therefore not having to contend with my own incapability.
but I am learning I need to be patient with myself and not begrudge the technology that has come into (complicated) my life and those (sometimes i call 'em bloody smartarses) who can use it.

 

[matty77]

The other day, set up a meeting with a client, had to drive ac cross to the other side of the city to get there, probably close to an hour. So get there and client isn't there, he is running late. FFS we have had this meeting organized for over a week. So he rocks up 20 minutes late, doesnt apologise either.

So we start the meeting which goes for about 20 minutes, in that time he answered his mobile 5 times, and spent probably 15 of the 20 minutes on his phone while I sat there and twiddled my thumbs...

So annoying, so rude. Why cant people turn off their damn phone if they are in a meeting? grrr

 

[jbocker]

The other day, set up a meeting with a client, had to drive ac cross to the other side of the city to get there, probably close to an hour. So get there and client isn't there, he is running late. FFS we have had this meeting organized for over a week. So he rocks up 20 minutes late, doesnt apologise either.

So we start the meeting which goes for about 20 minutes, in that time he answered his mobile 5 times, and spent probably 15 of the 20 minutes on his phone while I sat there and twiddled my thumbs...

So annoying, so rude. Why cant people turn off their damn phone if they are in a meeting? grrr

Hi Matty77 - I too have suffered this and vow to do what i suggest here.
You can make a difference. Ring him up and tell him how annoyed you were - him being late, and taking calls during the meeting.
Tell him why you were annoyed probably feel that you werent good / important enough for him to give you his attention. Tell him you will no longer value his integrity and professionalism and potentially him as a client.
Till someone tells him then he will continue to get away with it, and we 'accept' these ignorant dh's behaviour.
Like to know how it pans out.

Then the next time it should happen (with the next person) get up and walk out. You will get the message across.