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The Cell Phone Has Changed — New Etiquette Needed
CWmike writes to share a recent manners-rant that has some great gems about how not to be "that guy" on a cell phone. What rules of engagement are absolutely necessary and what social penalties should become standard practice for repeat offenders? "It's easy to be rude with a cell phone. A visitor from another planet might conclude that rudeness is a cell phone's main purpose. Random, annoying ring tones go off unexpectedly. People talk too loudly on cell phones in public because of the challenge of holding a conversation in a noisy environment with someone who's not present. Cell phones need their own rules of etiquette, or we'll descend into social barbarism."
Walking down the street laughing and talking to an invisible friend without holding anything up to their ear. It's just not right.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone, only to find out a few seconds later they were on a Bluetooth talking to someone else?
That happened to me the other day - saw an old friend from Highschool on the train, he was half facing the other way because it was crowded.
I somehow went 3 whole minutes of conversation seeming completely fluid and comprehensible, only to see him turn and be like "Wow I haven't seen you since High School!"
You can imagine my baffled reaction.
I've noticed that people needlessly talk very loud on celphones. People underestimate how well modern cel phones will isolate your voice from medium-noisy background pratter. People automatically compensate for the person not being in the room without even thinking about it.
WHATS THAT HONEY? YOU WANT ME TO PICK UP TAMPONS ON THE WAY HOME?
s/(I've noticed that people needlessly talk).+/$1./
I'm far more concerned with social crusaders who want to reward oversensitivity with new conventions, blah blah blah
Oh, the irony.
After all, I am strangely colored.
About the Japanese subway stations:
1. The queuing spots are marked (in most cases)
2. The queuing spots correlate to stop markers which the drivers manage to actually stop on
Where I live when people see a train roll into the station they all rush toward the doors as if it's simultaneously the first train they've ever seen AND the last they're likely to see. Meanwhile the people on board seem rather confused by their stop and linger in the doorways. The drivers are content to stop "in the vicinity" of the station.
I won't even talk about the people who sit next to their bags or leave a newspaper where they were sitting. I suspect they are the same people who enjoy pulling the heads off of small mammals.
crazy dynamite monkey
When talking into your blue-tooth headset, DO NOT make eye contact with people in the grocery store. I'm tired of strange people asking me if we need milk, damnit.
Unless you're a girl? Then you're all good.
I have been on a greyhound bus, I would put a couple of more caveats on that one....
Monstar L
According to studies, talking on a cellphone is far more distracting than talking on a car.
You know one of the advantages of talking on a car? Auto-dial.
The reaction probably prevented him from persisting!
If I were trying to rob someone, grabbed their phone, and all they did was non-chalantly - and without taking their eyes off the screen - pull it back and continue walking casually. I'd be very confused for a moment, then decide they were probably some sort of martial arts master and we're being polite enough not to kick my ass - count myself lucky and be on my way.
I can just picture the would-be thief: "Dear god, what kind of a badass doesn't even look up at his assailant - or turns their back to them and keeps walking?"