CellPhone Etiquette – Doesn’t That Burn You Flat To The Core?
Has this happened to you: You're sitting in a restaurant when a CellPhone rings, they answer, talk and laugh and carry-on, oblivious to the disruption they are causing? How about talking to a coworker when their CellPhone rings and they simply LEAVE YOU THERE HANGING? My daughter even tried texting somebody during our conversation, ONE TIME! Doesn't that burns you flat to the core?
Don't take it personal. They didn't have CellPhones when Momma taught us manners, and CellPhone technology has evolved so rapidly that simple CellPhone etiquette has not been able to keep pace. But if someone were to write a book of CellPhone etiquette rules, please let me make some suggestions:
1. Never interrupt a classroom, seminar, or presentation:
Folks that attend class, seminar, and presentations are usually there to learn something; perhaps they paid good money to be there, or traveled to attend. Even if the event was free, those attending indicate, by the presents, that they would rather be there, listening, than anywhere else at that moment. Ringing CellPhones, talking, and texting is disruptive and disrespectful. If you must have your CellPhone on at all, place it on vibrate. And if you have to take that call, take it to another room.
2. Control your voice volume:
When in a crowd, even soft spoken people can get really loud, sometimes shouting so as to be heard. What we forget is that our mouth is only an inch or so from the CellPhone mouthpiece, which is capable of amplifying our voice sufficiently. But when you shout on a CellPhone, you could be needlessly disrupting those around you. You might be blasting the eardrums of the person you are trying to speak with, AND, your loud voice over the CellPhone might be disturbing those around the person you are talking to. So keep your voice at a moderate level, even in crowds. And if the person on the other end say "I Can't Hear You", up the volume a little, not a lot.
3. Don’t check your CellPhone in a darkened theater or presentation room:
Whilst in a darkened theater or classroom, it is best to leave your CellPhone off. Why? When CellPhones ring on vibrate, and even whilst texting, the CellPhone gives of light that might be disruptive to the rest of the audience. If you simply must leave that CellPhone on, be sure to cover the display as fast as you can, and take the call or text in another room.
4. Keep private conversations in private areas:
The bad sushi you ate last night, the nasty details of your neighbors divorce, and the antics at the office are probably not interesting to those that are around you. Your neighbor or your office friends may not appreciate their private stuff being aired in public. More often than not, someone listening could get word back to your neighbor or office friends, and your life could be over. Even worse, you could be caught talking trash about your boss, and your career could be over. So keep private CellPhone conversations private by taking them to a private place.
5. Don't interrupt a friendly conversation:
Ok, it happens, you're talking with your friend and the CellPhone rings. Do you take the call? You might if it is an emergency. If we were talking and somebody yelled "FIRE", you bet our conversation would change. But a casual call or text message interrupting our conversation? THAT'S RUDE. According to dictionary.com, rude means "discourteous, impolite, without culture, illiterate, rough in manners, unmannerly, crude, uncouth...." I'm sure you don't want to be any of those things. Finish your conversation and return the CellPhone call later.
See, that wasn't so bad. You probably thought of those things anyway. CellPhone etiquette is simply a matter of common sense, being polite, and using the golden rule. Happy CellPhoning To You!
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