Why do some people wait until the second ring to pick up the phone?

Question

I don't know why some people do; I'm just wondering.

Answer 1

When I was living in an extremely rural area I would wait until the second ring because sometimes power surges in the system would cause the phone to randomly ring once. It was frustrating to run for it and then have nobody answer.

Answer 2

Personally, I wait until the second (or sometimes even the third) ring when someone calls me on the cell phone because:

(1) I do not want to seem too eager to receive a person's call. This sounds sort of contradictory, right? Shouldn't we indicate that we are happy and excited when a friend or family member calls us? Yes, but picking up the phone too soon appears hasty and might indicate some sort of obsessive closeness to your cell phone. By not picking up on the first ring suggests you don't always have your cell phone in your hand. It's just sort of a nasty social habit these days to have your hand glued to your cell.

(2) If you're using your home telephone or don't have caller ID, picking up on the second or third ring gives the caller the chance to hang up if he/she has accidentally dialed the wrong number. It also gives the caller a chance to right themselves and take a moment to figure out what they want to say.

Answer 3

Most phones have call display, and it usually takes until the second ring for the caller's name and number to show up on the phone. Or perhaps to imply to the caller that the person on the other end wasn't sitting next to the phone waiting a long time for someone to call.

Answer 4

Well, one reason is because some people will call, then realize the number is wrong and hang up. Another reason, when using a house phone, is that they are waiting to see who's name will show up on the caller ID. Another reason I could think of is that they don't want people to think they they are no bodies, and sit by the phone all day and wait on someone to call.

Answer 5

I never answer the phone at home until the the answering machine picks up after the 4th ring, if it is someone that i want to talk to , I will pick up the phone. The reason that I am home is that I want to be alone and not be bothered by the outside world...

Answer 6

Well...sometimes the caller id doesn't register until after a ring & a half...

of course, some people don't want the caller to think they're just waiting by the phone or dont have a life.

Answer 7

Wow, I feel like a slacker.

I'm lucky to get to or even find the phone in 4 rings.

At work, I use the first ring to give my mind a chance to stop what I was doing, and switch gears.

Answer 8

With some people it takes a moment or two to realize that the ringing is their phone.

Answer 9

I can only speak for myself, so here goes. I wait until the Caller ID shows up so I can decide whether I want to quickly answer or first hear their message before actually talking with the caller. Before I had Caller ID, I think I waited to give myself a moment to take a breath and psychologically prepare for a conversation.

Answer 10

At work, sometimes if I answer on the first ring, there is noone there. I get a dial tone. So I wait till the second ring to answer.