Cellphones - UNusual usage..........?

[kuhio98]

Here's my cell phone story (btw, I hate cell phones).

I was at a restaurant that had a salad bar. I grab my plate and start going around the bar. The guy ahead of me is talking on the cell phone. Since I hate cell phones, I have been trying very hard to tune out these intrusive conversation -- people I DON'T CARE to list to your inane, boring, pointless conversations -- Anyway, he's holding up the line while he makes his choices so I'm right next to him. I hear him say, "Do you want tomatoes? Some carrots? Crutons?" He's talking to someone in the restaurant and making a salad for them! Unless that person is disabled in some way, this is totally stupid. When he's done, he hangs up and walks to his table. No, he was not with a disabled person. She was walking around the table still talking on the phone (to someone else, I guess).

[Lady's Human]

The dumbest place I have ever seen a cell phone in use was at a secure military airstrip while a unit was boarding aircraft to go to Iraq.


In the entrance to the facility is a large sign "No cell phones, pagers or other electronic devices beyond this point"

At the beginning of their embarkation brief they are told repeatedly that after X time, no communications will be allowed with their family until a time TBD after they arrive safely in country.

After they have a catered meal, they are again told that there are to be no communications after the briefing which will begin in 5 minutes.

They are then briefed that the following brief is classified information, and unti l their arrival in country there will be no communications with anyone outside the unit.

After all these briefings, while walking out onto the tarmac to board the aircraft, a soldier pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, and called home to tell them he was getting onto the aircraft to go to Iraq.

(The cell phone was crushed in place, the flight schedule was changed to recover from the security breach, and I'm sure the soldier still regrets having his cell phone)

[Edwina's Secretary]

At the hairdressers? Okay...it was me... a client wanted a 15 minute conference call at the same time I had a long overdue hair appointment.....

My sister...who lives outside Chicago...did a phone interview while we were having lunch outside in SoCal....

and some of you know from where I conduct many telephone interviews.(Please ignore the splash...I fell off my raft....)

Why not take advantages of technology????

[Cataholic]

At the hairdressers? Okay...it was me... a client wanted a 15 minute conference call at the same time I had a long overdue hair appointment.....

My sister...who lives outside Chicago...did a phone interview while we were having lunch outside in SoCal....

and some of you know from where I conduct many telephone interviews.(Please ignore the splash...I fell off my raft....)

Why not take advantages of technology????

As usual, I simply stare in AWE! I couldn't agree more. WHY is it soooo different, or more offensive to talk on a cell phone than it is to carry on a conversation with the person standing right next to you? You only get 50% of the 'noise pollution'. I really don't understand the ire cell phones raise in people.

[sasvermont]

Cataholic, I think my concern is that so many people cannot think straight as it is and to add another distraction, especially while driving a car etc. is scarey. I know that cellphones are here to stay, I just want folks to know that computers, cellphones, IPODS are not "their family" and they don't need to take them every where they go....or should I say, use them to the point of distraction from the main event...i.e. vacation...shopping...movies...dinner...

I carry mine with me all the time. I just don't use it unless it is really important. I know that some folks use it differently....as in calling home to ask...."shall I get the Skippy Peanut Butter" or the "store brand".....hey, live life dangerously and get Skippy.

[Cataholic]

Cataholic, I think my concern is that so many people cannot think straight as it is and to add another distraction, especially while driving a car etc. is scarey. I know that cellphones are here to stay, I just want folks to know that computers, cellphones, IPODS are not "their family" and they don't need to take them every where they go....or should I say, use them to the point of distraction from the main event...i.e. vacation...shopping...movies...dinner...

I carry mine with me all the time. I just don't use it unless it is really important. I know that some folks use it differently....as in calling home to ask...."shall I get the Skippy Peanut Butter" or the "store brand".....hey, live life dangerously and get Skippy.

I know. I wasn't really including you in the 'ire'uppers' category. It was more just of a general comment, as cell phones REALLY seem to irritate people, and I just don't get it. Bothersome noise, be it loud talking, loud mufflers, public 'rows' (he he he), or loud music, is rude. It isn't just loud cell phone conversations, right? BUT, some people (not you, SAS) seem to be prejudiced (LOL) against cell phone usuage. To me, if you ain't paintin' it ALL with a wide brush, you shouldn't paint the cell user, either.

I use my cell phone for everything. In the car, in the house, in the street, etc. I don't have a home phone connected anymore (though, I do have a line into the home for internet). For me, my cell phone has come in handy WAY more than it has been a hinderance.

[sasvermont]

Listening to a one-sided conversation is frustrating at best. One can only "imagine" what the other person is asking/saying. In a way, it is "TOO MUCH INFORMATION'...... to listen to couples fighting or Mom's arranging rides, etc.. Who cares what they want at the store....etc. etc. I don't care to know that much about a complete stranger's life.

I suppose we will all become accustomed to it at some point and then they (hehehehehe) will come up with a new item of distraction.

I think it's called "the old fart syndrome"...... hehehehehehehe

[Pawsitive Thinking]

A memorable bus ride to work one morning.....woman having public row with hubby over the phone and he kept hanging up on her but every time the phone rang again she answered it and they carried on rowing......until...................... after 20 minutes of this...........I said "for crying out loud switch that ***** thing off " rather too loudly but to a round of applause from fellow passengers

[Laura's Babies]

Here's one for you! My DIL works part time at a newspaper the day the papers are printed. She works back there where they make/print them. It is so noisey that they have to wear ear protection...ear muffs. Her cell vibrates when she is working one day, she looks, it is her mother so she answers and puts the ear part under her protective ear muff which holds the phone, frees up her hands to continue working while she carries on a long phone conversation in a place that is so loud that nobody can tell she is talking on the phone!

[RedHedd]

In an elevator - GRRR At the grocery store, just standing there, yakking away, blocking traffic. Of course while driving, but the worst is while parallel parking or backing into/out of a parking spot - Yikes! Pay attention people!

People walking down the street yakking away, not paying attention to who they're running into or what color the light is - people, a RED light does NOT mean Walk! At least not on this planet!

[Alysser]

The stupidest place I have seen someone use their cellphone has to be in public bathrooms. They are pissing and talking on the phone. CAN'T IT WAIT! Seriously, what if they get up the phone falls in the tiolet??

Also, at a mall once I was washing my hands and a women was chnaging her babies diaper and talking on the phone. EWWWWW! There was stuff all over her hands and phone. Ew it was revolting.

Once my friends mom called her during class and she answered it and went outside to talk. WTF? lol your not supposed to use a cellphone in school. She got it taken away.

[wolflady]

Whatever did we do 15 years ago when cell phones were not as prevalent as they are now? Seriously, my peeve with cell phones is that I think they are used too excessively. I do have one, but I don't use it to the point that it's like an additional growth coming out of my head. I can get by without it, but it comes in handy if I need a quick answer or in an emergency. I also have it because of work.
I have a lot of pet peeves, and bad driving while talking on a cell phone ranks high at the top. If you can't talk and drive properly at the same time...don't! *sigh*
I swear, people are on their phones all of the time and everywhere. At the grocery, in the bathroom, in the movies (another peeve), in their cars, everywhere you can imagine!

I'm the type of person to make a call (if it's that urgent) before I leave home in the morning, or when I arrive in the office. I see people already on their phone when they're pulling out of their driveways in the mornings. Seriously...is it really THAT important? *snicker* I just find it amazing that people just have to yap on their phones at all times in all locations. Mind-blowing...*snicker*

[Edwina's Secretary]

At the recent wedding of some friends....my husband and I thought it would be amusing to call the cell phone of the groom during the ceremony....the bride disagreed....

(we were only kidding plus the ceremony was too short to dial all the numbers required..... )

[dragonfly]

He probably would have answered too.