Phone Etiquette?

Question

If you cell phone rings during a gather such as in the middle of a wedding, or anywhere where a ringing phone is considered rude. How can you politely excuse yourself? Is there a way?

For me, I hung up on the first rang during the middle of a wedding, but recieved dagger looks from a lot of people afterwards

Answer 1

Hang up, turn off
anything less is RUDE.

Unless you are a doctor,or its an emergancy... there is not valid reason for this lack of respect.

Weddings, Church, Therapy, Children's theater show, a DATE, a dinner with friends, the movies....come on..who needs to make calls during an event!

If it happens, say Oops so sorry forgot to turn it off. Mistakes happen. If you need to make a call urgently, then get up and excuse yourself and leave the table/ seat and step outside. That is the polite way to handle it.

I was highly offended on a "date" when he kept taking calls from friends, and even other girls.... it was a lack of respect and a sad reflection on his lack of etiquette at a dinner table.
That date ended soon, since I was not going to sit through a movie with a phone a holic.

Good Q!

Answer 2

There is no way to excuse cell phone ringing during times like a wedding. You should make the ring silent or completely turn it off at times like that. If you can't devote 30 min of your time for something like a wedding, or equally important where cell phones are extremely rude, you should give your regrets and NOT go.

Answer 3

personally, i think that if u're in the middle of a wedding or other such gathering like that, the polite thing would have been to turn off the cell phone before the ceremony started or put it on silent and deal with it once the ceremony is over.

Answer 4

I never have my cell phone on with an audible ring during an event such as a wedding.

Answer 5

keep it on on vibrate and excuse yourself . You'll the only one who will know it's going off, for the most part. Also, unless it's an emergency or you absolutely need it on turn it off. For example, if I'm at a wedding and my kids are bein watched by someone, I will leave it on but on vibrate because my kids come before anyone...I'm just like that..I' don't care when it comes to them. But, like i said unless you need it on, turn it off..just until it is considered alright to be on without being considered rude.

Answer 6

Of course I assume in future you will have the phone off, or on vibrate. But should you forget, then what you did was fine except add a sheepish grin and mouth I'm sorry to the people giving you dagger looks. Slumping low in your seat as though you wish you could disappear is also good.

Answer 7

I try and let the person that phoned me first end the conversation. The gender of that person does not matter in this case. If the person that called talks too long and you do have to hang up first, just explain that you have to go and let them know you will call back as soon as you are able to.

Answer 8

You should have thought of that BEFORE the wedding so that the ringing NEVER HAPPENS in the first place.

It probably wasn't dagger looks as opposed to looks of complete imbecility. Really, how moronically stupid do you have to be to not turn off your phone before a wedding?

Answer 9

the dagger looks were because you should have turned off the ringer and left it on vibrate or silent then left the room at the appropriate time to return the call

Answer 10

You should have had it on VIBRATE or OFF.

There is no way to politely excuse yourself if you have your cell phone on ringer during a wedding.

Answer 11

u don't excuse yourself right then cause you will get a dirty look but u just silence it for the moment then excuse yourself when you have and opening but if the phone call is important the who cares what they think and get up and take it