2007-12-02 01:17:59 · 9 answers · asked by claire 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Hi Claire,
Why only those two choices - rude or ignorant? Do other conversations you hear when you are out in public bother you too, or just the ones where you only hear one side of the conversation?
Personally, I don't have a problem with people talking on their cell phones as long as their voice is in the same volume they would use to speak to anyone else around them, and as long as it's not in a location where any form of talking would be discouraged (i.e. movie theater, church, library, etc.)
I realize it's been open season on cellphone users lately. Consider how the situation would be any different if the person on the phone were saying the exact same things only to a live person sitting next to them. Would others around them still feel at liberty to chime in with their opinions of their conversations?
The person who owns the phone paid for it, as well as for the minutes to use it. People have a right to speak in public.
julie j
not against cell phone use
2007-12-02 01:31:12 · answer #1 · answered by julie j 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think most people who are guilty of this don't even realise that it might be annoying to other people, so it's probably ignorance rather than deliberate rudeness. The very least they can do in the situation is use their cellphone for brief essential conversations and talk at a reasonable volume, not yell.
In the UK, most trains now have "Quiet Carriages" where you're not supposed to use cellphones at all. I saw a horrible incident in one of these where an elderly lady very politely asked a young man who was having a very long and very loud cellphone conversation to keep the noise down. The torrent of verbal abuse she received was appalling: he said it was his "right" to use his cellphone wherever he wanted and she should "mind her own ****ing business". It ended with him threatening to harm her. That's definitely rudeness, not ignorance.
2007-12-02 09:48:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because all that radiation has melted their brains!
I think it is totally rude, inconsiderate and shows an unbelievable lack of intelligence for them to think anyone else is even slightly interested in their tawdry sad lives.
What is more irritating for me though, is when you are stuck on a train or other public transport and the person next/opposite/near to you plays music through through their cellphone for everyone to hear.
On my regular train journey from work there is always these two girls who do this every day and everyone is really p*ssed off with them.
The other day this bloke got so sick he grabbed their phone and turned it off. He then told them that if they wanted to be DJ's the local Radio Station was near the next stop, so why didn't they ring ahead and ask for an interview....The last few days they have been very quiet...total bliss!
2007-12-02 09:31:07 · answer #3 · answered by steve 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's rude AND ignorant. I often wonder if I'm the only person in the City of Atlanta who actually has a decent cell phone because I'm apparently the only person who doesn't have to scream into my phone to be heard...
2007-12-02 10:05:24 · answer #4 · answered by brevejunkie 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's rude but... some of the things I've heard! You'd think the person talking about having an affair would keep it down in public!
2007-12-02 11:19:12 · answer #5 · answered by Lili 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It is very rude talking on the cell in public places. Some people are very loud about it and it is so agravating. Tennis elbow is a common ailment, I think in the future it will be renamed cell phone elbow. Cell phones are great, but they have their place.
2007-12-02 09:30:17 · answer #6 · answered by canam 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Rude or Ignorant. Never both. They either don't realise that they are doing it or they simply don't care.
2007-12-02 09:51:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Oblivious.. rude and ignorant.
I was in Wendy's one day, with my 81 year old mother... We settled down for our lunch, when an older man, sat behind me... his cellphone rang, and he began talking loudly, about his COLONOSCOPY!!!! He began going into details, folks all around were grossed out, and rolling their eyes.. My mother got up, went over to him and said "no one in this restaurant want's to hear about your colon" ... he glared at her and she returned to her seat... he said "some old lady told me to "SHUT UP" .. and he kept on talking about his proceedure ... rude, disgusting and just plain stupid.
2007-12-02 09:30:09 · answer #8 · answered by Foggy Idea 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Horribly rude, they should keep their private conversations, private! I think it somehow makes them feel important.
2007-12-02 13:22:29 · answer #9 · answered by Angela C 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋