Cell phone calls and excessive texting in public/social occasions is getting seriously overdone! Am I the only one who feels like this?

Contributor: js250 js250
js250
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I own a business and am expected to take care of my customers when they walk in the door; until their cell phone rings or buzzes. Then guess who is put on hold? Yep, me. I have noticed this happening everywhere and it is seriously starting to really bother me. I realize that outside my business or home nothing will change, but I was wondering if anyone else felt the need to vent.
08/21/2011
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Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Venting is always cathartic. No shame in that.

I, myself have had instances where I wanted to tell someone where to go. I think we all have. But, you just have to let it slide off your back or tell your friends about it and then let it go.
08/21/2011
Contributor: Ghost Ghost
I usually just ignore those people until they get off the phone. If they get angry, I explain how rude their behavior is. If they get angrier, I ask them to leave.
08/21/2011
Contributor: Eva Schwaltz Eva Schwaltz
I lost count of how many people almost run into me just walking down the sidewalk. I don't bother changing sides if they are coming straight at me, not my fault they aren't paying attention.

There was a video somewhere on youtube where this girl was texting, and she fell right into a fountain. I'll try to find it again.

I think people have become too dependent on these stupid devices.
08/21/2011
Contributor: Jenyana Jenyana
I hate it when people can't ignore their phones for just a wlittle while. Personally, I keep it on silent, and check a couple of times a day for any missed calls or texts and return those that are important then.
08/21/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
I try super hard to not be on the phone if I'm going through a checkout and I'll ignore my texts when I get them while I'm in line. If I'm on the phone in line (I know it might be rude) I make every effort to pay more attention to the cashier than the person I'm on the phone with. This has been as simple as "hang on so and so, I'm in line at the grocery store and I'm trying to pay" or I've gotten off the phone. However I usually find for a conversation that has the potential to keep going that it's easier for me to just say "hang on" to whoever I'm on the phone with than go through the whole getting off the phone just to pay thing because it's easier for me to set the phone down on the counter, pay, then pick it back up than having to say goodbye, lock my phone, and find room for it in my purse really quick. I seem to have gone off on a bit of a tangent and I know I'm probably in the minority, but that's how I am.

As for being out in public in general with phone use, I'm pretty neutral. As long as I'm not being bothered, it doesn't really bother me. Talking/texting during a movie is going to irritate me, talking loudly on the train or bus is going to bug me, but just walking down the street I don't really care.
08/22/2011
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
I'm OK with people texting or talking on their cells as long as they don't bother me. The thing that irritates me is when they put their cells on speaker mode, that annoys the shit out of me, I don't want to listen in to their conversations!!!
Thank goodness that doesn't happen too much.
08/22/2011
Contributor: Elaira Elaira
I hate this. I've worked in several stores and there are customers who are on the phone the whole time which keeps me from asking them questions I need to. I've actually seen places like Subway put up signs asking customers to hang up before ordering.

Another part of public phone calls I hate is when people decide to have personal conversations at a loud volume while our shopping or running errands. I really don't feel the need to hear your business. I refuse to talk on the phone while in a public place, or driving.
08/22/2011
Contributor: married with children married with children
I run into that all the time at work. You are trying to have a meeting with the project managers, or the general; to get info about the job or get paper work signed, and they are always on the phone. Or they interrupt me to answer a call, that I know is not as important as a company charging $100 a hour to do a job that is being held up by personal calls.
08/23/2011
Contributor: mandiegk mandiegk
I have clients take personal calls during our meetings all the time. My firm bills them $150 an hour for my time and they still sit there and chat away for long periods of time. My boss has us bill them for the time they are on the phone because I am in the conference room with them and I can't work on anything else. If they want to pay $2.50/minute to argue with their spouse that is fine with me.
08/23/2011
Contributor: One of Five One of Five
I hate it whenever I see a person who is non stop texting. My step sibling's mother is like that. I had to go out with them once and their mother was with them at the family outing and she never once looked up and talked to anyone- too busy texting her boy-toy she met online.

I don't mind the occasional text at a dinner table, but ffs, when its non stop and it starts affecting conversation its time to turn the phone off.
08/23/2011