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Cell Phone Jamming Devices Enjoy an Increase In Popularity

rullywowr writes "A story run by local new NBC10 of Philadelphia last Friday illuminated the fact that this particular rider of the pubilc bus system is packing a cell phone jammer and is not afraid to use it. Going by the name of 'Eric,' whenever he sees someone being 'rude' on the bus and talking loudly on their cell phone, he screws the antenna on and flips the power switch. Regardless of the steep civil penalites levied by the FCC (up to $16,000 USD), many (such as 'Eric') are still interested by these devices which can be bought on the internet for $40 to over $1000. Opponents of these devices say that not only do they interfere with mobile phones, they often can interfere with 'behind the scenes' communication, Wi-Fi, etc. Despite being illegal, TFA points out that they are readily available on the internet (what else is new?). Do you have an instance where you experienced the positive (or negative) effects of a cell phone jammer?"

805 comments

  1. I approve by WillyWanker · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This guy is my new hero, even though he later backed down and said he wasn't going to use it anymore. I for one am fed up with the constant assault of cell phone conversations from people who have no idea how to be considerate to those around them.

    1. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because your good at judging who should be on the phone and who shouldn't.

    2. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This guy is my new hero, even though he later backed down and said he wasn't going to use it anymore. I for one am fed up with the constant assault of cell phone conversations from people who have no idea how to be considerate to those around them.

      I hope you buy one then, and get your dick slammed in the cop car's door as they arrest your silly ass.

      If your idea of "being considerate" is to break everyone else's communications infrastructure, buy a pair of earplugs. Or better yet, get a screwdriver and insert until the problem goes away...

    3. Re:I approve by Dunega · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Because his good at judging who should be on the phone and who shouldn't? Try that again in something resembling English please.

    4. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree. One can only hope a jammer will be in use when you or someone else on your behalf is calling 911 from a cellphone and you die from being unable to get emergency care in time.

    5. Re:I approve by danomac · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I generally don't use my cell phone where I think you shouldn't. This includes restaurants, theatres, public transit, etc.

      If it rings, I may look at it to see who is calling. I won't answer it and sometimes just leave the phone on vibrate.

      I don't understand why people think they must be able to talk on the phone everywhere. I find it more annoying now with a cell phone, as people pretty much expect you to answer it as they're calling you directly and not your house.

    6. Re:I approve by Uthic · · Score: 1

      Well assuming they are indeed talking too loud and he's not just being a dick about it. Nice passive aggressive way of dealing with it though, heh, on my bus routes telling them to pipe down could be indeed risky.

    7. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are you this much fun at parties? Or are you the stay at home and be fat and bitter type... I'ma guess the latter.

    8. Re:I approve by zrbyte · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think I need a jammar for you're bad grammar!

    9. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When people are talking really loud, my friends and I will begin a side conversation about whatever the person is talking about. If we can hear you clearly 15 feet away over background noise, you're too loud.

    10. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The problem comes in when there's no plan to deal with an emergency. Someone on the bus has a heart attack and he panics and forgets his jammer is on. I think there is an argument for the idea of having places where cell phones may be temporarily jammed or disabled. However, in doing so, you need to make that clear, so if I'm waiting to hear about my relative who's in the hospital, or trying to call my child's daycare, then I can step away. Otherwise, you're just being a different kind of dick.

    11. Re:I approve by DigiShaman · · Score: 4, Interesting

      My proposal for movie theaters and restaurants. By default, these facilities should have cell phone jamming technology enabled with a clear sign stating as such. Also, the sign will point to a red painted receiver designated for 911 use only. Think of the emergency concept of a fire extinguisher and apply that to wired phones and you get the idea.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    12. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Terribly unlikely, but possible. These jammers don't have ranges measured in miles.

      That said, it could happen, in very bizarre circumstances. Easy to mitigate (walk a few feet in one direction), or otherwise... that's not something anyone wants.

      So the question remains, "What do you do about shitbags using their phones when it's inappropriate?" Given that we've long ago decided that assholery is acceptable while confrontation is not, I'm not sure there's another working solution.

    13. Re:I approve by circletimessquare · · Score: 3, Insightful

      if everyone else is trying to sleep on the bus/ train and you are loudly using your cell phone about an obviously nonurgent matter (your sister's crazy marriage, your kid's report card, your dog's diet, etc.) then you deserve to be jammed, with my full support, and with the support of everyone else trying to get some shuteye

      --
      intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
    14. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're missing the comma before "please", and your user ID begins with an odd number, ergo your rebuttal is false and your face has an unusual smell.

    15. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd get in bigger trouble for "inserting" a screwdriver into the rude ass using a cell phone than for using a jammer.

    16. Re:I approve by trevorrowe · · Score: 0

      The parent post was making fun of its parent... "Because his good" is possessive, just like "Because your good". He was being absurd to make a point; You missed it.

    17. Re:I approve by Hentes · · Score: 3, Insightful

      But sadly that is only a partial solution. There are also jerks on the bus who dare to talk to each other. Sadly, in this case phone jamming doesn't work, you have to gag them individually. But that still isn't enough, most buses/subways have engines that are even louder than talking people. I still haven't figured out a way to stop those engines, but I'm working on it...

    18. Re:I approve by Desler · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Yeah and the side effect of it blocking the person trying to make a wireless 911 call. Who cares about the innocents caught in this, right?

    19. Re:I approve by pedrop357 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The other problem is that many times the person claims the jamming signal is confined solely within their property/building/domain, yet the jamming signal affects those outside of the jammer's property. That becomes a huge problem.

      Those who wish to stop cell phone use should first STOP installing indoor repeaters, then use some form of radio wave blocking paint/building materials. Whatever method they use should be passive and not directly interfere with other property's cell phone signals.

    20. Re:I approve by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      Great. Instead of teaching society to be considerate, you'd rather teach them that if they're a jerk it's technology's fault for not stopping them. And... we can reduce public safety, to boot!

      Brilliant.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    21. Re:I approve by duguk · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yeah and the side effect of it blocking the person trying to make a wireless 911 call. Who cares about the innocents caught in this, right?

      Why would anyone be making a private 911 call on a bus? Especially without any of the other passengers knowing?

      I mean, I'm not agreeing with this; but that's a ridiculous claim under this scenario.

    22. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Why does your right to sleep trump his right to talk? Both are acceptable activities on a bus or train, so why should everyone else be expected to bend to your will? How many people have to be sleeping before it's no longer acceptable to talk on a bus? Is it half? Is it required to conduct a survey before making a call? I get as annoyed as anyone when people talk too loud on their cell phones, but it's definitely a hazy line. You claim that it's not fair that someone elses talking interferes with your desire to sleep, but the implication of that is that it somehow would be fair for your sleeping to interfere with someone elses desire to talk.

    23. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So the question remains, "What do you do about shitbags using their phones when it's inappropriate?" Given that we've long ago decided that assholery is acceptable while confrontation is not, I'm not sure there's another working solution.

      http://www.devicemag.com/2012/03/06/now-a-speech-jammer-that-can-silence-humans-within-30-ft-without-killing-them/

    24. Re:I approve by tom17 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think someone has a 'whoosh' jammer switched on near you.

    25. Re:I approve by Desler · · Score: 1, Informative

      What you do is put in some earplugs and ignore them. Not act like a passive aggressive douche and block communication for everyone. This just in: you have no right to not be annoyed.

    26. Re:I approve by geminidomino · · Score: 2

      No, they have ranges measured in meters... say, the 10 meters from where the bus idling at a stop light to the cafe on the corner where OP is, hopefully, having a heart attack.

    27. Re:I approve by tlhIngan · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I generally don't use my cell phone where I think you shouldn't. This includes restaurants, theatres, public transit, etc.

      If it rings, I may look at it to see who is calling. I won't answer it and sometimes just leave the phone on vibrate.

      I don't understand why people think they must be able to talk on the phone everywhere. I find it more annoying now with a cell phone, as people pretty much expect you to answer it as they're calling you directly and not your house.

      I do it in degrees. If it's a casual group of my friends, I will excuse myself and leave the group to take the call outside, so I don't subject them to my conversation, then return back when I'm done.

      If it's a more formal event, phone's on vibrate and only in dire emergencies would I answer. And even then I'd politely excuse myself from the group.

      And texting/emailing is a no-no unless there's a very good reason - all live conversations have priority over a texted one except in emergencies. Surfing the web is limited to only if it's something the group requires (e.g., resolving an argument or looking something up).

      And no, I don't have voicemail.

      Anyhow, yes it's illegal, but if you do it right, it can be hard to detect (the only way to track a jammer is to triangulate its position - there's no magic CSI GPS beacon). Perhaps when the bus reaches a certain intersection implying a dead spot for signals, and never more than neessary to break the connection (should just be a few seconds).

      I suppose the bigger question is - why have manners deteriorated to the point that the general public feels it's necessary to take technological measures to fix social problems? The purchase and use of jammers is just a symptom of an underlying societal problem

    28. Re:I approve by darronb · · Score: 1

      Oh yeah... turning on a jamming device that probably interferes with devices well outside your immediate area, has likely unpredictable effects on other wireless equipment, and is produced by an unscrupulous person with questionable skills to get it right is SO considerate.

      Why not just go with an EMP cannon? "Stoopid iPhone guy, I'll show you for bothering me with your... conversation with someone else. Oh, sorry pops... didn't know you had a pacemaker"

    29. Re:I approve by Almandine · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The peeple making the emergency calls may not necessarily be on the bus, just within range of the jammer. For example, maybe the bus is stuck in traffic due to an accident and people outside are trying to make emergency cals.

    30. Re:I approve by stanlyb · · Score: 1

      You forgot to mention the kids. Who does not wanna to kick the baby!!!

    31. Re:I approve by ElmoGonzo · · Score: 1

      I'm in the same frame of mind. I almost always remember to silence it in public places. Besides, when it's in my pocket or anyplace but in my hand, it generally goes to the voice mail (that I didn't want) because there's no option to configure the time before it goes to voice mail and it takes me forever to get it out of the pocket it's carried in which is zipped so it won't slip out.

    32. Re:I approve by Johann+Lau · · Score: 1

      "This guy is my new hero"

      Yeah, asking people if they can keep it down is totally for whimps... instead make them think their connection is breakingm that will surely teach them. It's what a hero would do.

    33. Re:I approve by Desler · · Score: 2

      Because someone gets assaulted, someone has a seizure, etc and police/ems are needed? And why did you construct this "private 911 call" nonsense? Who said anything about it being private?

    34. Re:I approve by DigiShaman · · Score: 2

      I contend that as public etiquette is concerned, we've already reached rock bottom. Anything else would be an improvement.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    35. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 5, Insightful

      There may be other urgent calls a person would like to be able to receive. Business calls, family emergency, but who knows now right? Because this selfish asshole has decided that nobody on the bus should be able to make any calls because he can't deal with the reality of living around other people in the 21st century.

      I hope all these morons get caught and have the book thrown at them.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    36. Re:I approve by Richard_at_work · · Score: 1

      And if one of those people sleeping starts snoring loudly, do they deserve to get thwacked around the back of the head to make them shut the fuck up?

    37. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seems to me that using a jammer is just as rude, if not more rude, than talking on a cell phone loudly.

      Just because you can use a jammer quietly doesn't mean you're a champion of good manners. That's like saying that running around the bus putting duct tape on people's mouths because you find them annoying is perfectly acceptable behavior just because you can do it silently.

    38. Re:I approve by Johann+Lau · · Score: 1

      No, actually there's no penalty for suicide if you're successful. If they can't catch you, they can't punish you.

    39. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Umm have you read over the summaries, who cares about grammar on slahdot? And English, is that any better than another language?

    40. Re:I approve by Christopher_G_Lewis · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Actually, in Chicago it's against the law to sleep on public transportation, but not illegal to talk on a cell phone (at a resonable volume).

      Best quote I ever heard on the train: "Honey, I've got to hang up - everyone's looking at me like I'm 'That Guy' ". Got quite a laugh out of the other riders.

    41. Re:I approve by Johann+Lau · · Score: 1

      Given that we've long ago decided that assholery is acceptable while confrontation is not

      Oh really, did "we"? Never got that memo.

    42. Re:I approve by SiChemist · · Score: 1

      Except that lighting that cigarette on the bus is likely illegal. If you want to change the law, please, make every effort to do so. But to intentionally infringe on others LEGAL activities to suit some selfish whim is the height of dickishness.

    43. Re:I approve by Volante3192 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Because that person couldn't hear the call anyway because Aunt Bessie's corgi has asthma and she had to take it to the vet and it cut into her bridge game and she was about to win against that impossible skank Dolores the Applebee's manager who refused a refund on some disgustingly awful soup I think it was minestrone but maybe it was chicken noodle, but anyway, we're not going back to that Applebee's and we also called the regional office to tell them how awful Dolores is not that they'll do anything, I bet she sleeps with her boss, the skank, anyway the corgi is...hold on, will you shut up about your chest pains and difficulty breathing?! Can't you see I'm on a VERY IMPORTANT call?! The world doesn't revolve around you!!...so the corgi is fine now, but they have to take her in next month as a check up and I'm worried, damnit...No, I will not be quiet so you can talk to some "dispatcher!" This is a free country and I can talk as loud as I want!... God, some people are so RUDE!

    44. Re:I approve by gstoddart · · Score: 2

      My proposal for movie theaters and restaurants. By default, these facilities should have cell phone jamming technology enabled with a clear sign stating as such.

      My biggest fear of this would be interfering with some implanted medical devices.

      Make some poor bastards pacemaker stop working, and you're gonna be in for a world of hurt when the lawyers show up.

      I think the unintended consequences of this needs to be better understood before we just go deploying these things around to make people stop using their phones.

      Of course, in a movie theatre the MPAA will probably argue that it could be used to record some of the movie and therefore their rights take precedence and you can't come to a movie with a pacemaker. But, again, I can't see an entire group of people being told they're not allowed to go see a movie is going to be well received either.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    45. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the only problem is by law doctors have to have their phone on so that they can be reached

    46. Re:I approve by yodleboy · · Score: 1

      Smoking on most buses is not permitted and clearly marked in signage. Talking on the phone IS permitted.

    47. Re:I approve by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 3, Informative

      I don't understand why people think they must be able to talk on the phone everywhere.

      The worst place is in a public restroom. I've seen people sit down in one of the stalls and carry on a conversation all the while they're vacating themselves, complete with grunts, groans and other bodily noises. Another time, a guy was singing along with his music that he was playing over his phone speakers.

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    48. Re:I approve by SiChemist · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And Mr. Wanker lives up to his slashdot handle. It's ironic that you say,

      I for one am fed up with the constant assault of cell phone conversations from people who have no idea how to be considerate to those around them.

      when its obvious that you "have no idea how to be considerate to those around them" if you advocate disrupting everyone else's communication devices. The guy sitting next to you quietly streaming pandora over his mobile device and listening via headphones should not have his communications interrupted by an inconsiderate asshole like yourself.

    49. Re:I approve by Chibi+Merrow · · Score: 1

      Or you could just post a "no cellphones" sign and enforce it, instead of being a ginormous self-centered asshole and possibly interfering with legitimate (and possibly emergency) communications.

      --
      Maxim: People cannot follow directions.
      Increases in truth directly with the length of time spent explaining them
    50. Re:I approve by ohnocitizen · · Score: 0

      This. I think of someone sitting there feeling quite satisfied with having blocked annoying cell conversations, passing by a 911 call in progress and causing a dropped call. Its pretty sick when you think about it, how our actions are driven by the pleasure we get for seeing people suffer for their transgressions, regardless of the actual consequences.

    51. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 3, Insightful

      So jam the phones of innocent bystanders because some asshole is using one.

      Who's the bigger asshole?

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    52. Re:I approve by Talderas · · Score: 3, Funny

      That would be an awesome superpower.

      I am the Stealth Duct Taper. I can duct tape anything without you knowing. Having sex with your wife? How'd that duct tape get plastered across her vagina?

      --
      "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
    53. Re:I approve by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Actually, sleeping on a bus may not be entirely legal. Some places have anti-vagrancy laws.

    54. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good job parroting back the same conclusion, in a more annoying way.

      Let me guess, you're that guy.

    55. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or "your bad grammar"

    56. Re:I approve by celle · · Score: 0

      "if everyone else is trying to sleep on the bus/ train and you are loudly using your cell phone about an obviously nonurgent matter (your sister's crazy marriage, your kid's report card, your dog's diet, etc.) then you deserve to be jammed, with my full support, and with the support of everyone else trying to get some shuteye"

          An who the hell are you to determine when someone can use their phone? Buses/trains are not bedrooms, sleep in your bed, not on the bus. Don't like someone talking, wear earplugs. If you haven't noticed buses/trains are not the quietest places and phone feedback makes it easy to think your not speaking loud enough. Buses and trains are public congregation points like any other and people have the freedom to speak/entertain themselves as they please. Don't like it, drive your own car. Personally, I hope these jamming pricks run into people with detectors, and forget jail just a good ass whipping should do and then a technology ban.

    57. Re:I approve by tkrotchko · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think he was leaping ahead by assuming that if someone was assaulted, had a seizure, needed a cop or paramedic, it wouldn't be secret information.

      The guy jamming the signal would know about it as well and shut off his jammer.

      --
      You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
    58. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      God YES!!

    59. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nice blatant strawman, but try actually reading next time. As I explicitly stated, both sleeping and talking are acceptable activities on a bus or train. Smoking is not an acceptable activity on a bus or train. It's pretty easy to distinguish, since buses and trains are covered in signs that say "no smoking" but very rarely in signs that say "no talking" or "no sleeping".

      Also, since I guess it's time we're making stupid, irrelevant arguments, I'm a pack a day smoker, so no, I wouldn't give a fuck if someone lit up next to me.

    60. Re:I approve by Rufus+Firefly · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You only need to turn the jammer on long enough for the douche to drop carrier.

    61. Re:I approve by Volante3192 · · Score: 1

      It'll be as enforced as well as those carry-on templates in airports...

    62. Re:I approve by unrtst · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Many buses disallow cell phone calls (ex. express bus service in NYC). Many trains have "quiet cars" where cell phone calls are not permitted. They're not absolutely strict on that stuff, but it's certainly unacceptable.

      Loud and obnoxious activities (because really, the cell phone itself isn't at issue) are never socially acceptable around a group of quiet people. To think otherwise is ignorant. Act otherwise and you're just an asshole.

    63. Re:I approve by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure he'd notice if there was a 911 situation in the same train car as himself and not use his jammer. Plus the range on the handheld models is very small.

      --
      It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
    64. Re:I approve by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Even blocking radio waves with painted walls causes a "shadow" area behind the building where reception of the cell tower on the other side of it is poor. This actually happened to me. I used to get low but usable signal from T-Mobile, then someone did some building work near their tower and I lost the signal in my house.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    65. Re:I approve by Jason+Levine · · Score: 2

      What's the average range of these jammers? Could someone on the bus jamming Mr. Loud Talker also jam a 911 call from an apartment building the bus is driving by? Could someone stopping a movie theater talker be hampering a call outside of the theater?

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    66. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 3, Informative

      I still haven't figured out a way to stop those engines, but I'm working on it...

      Sodium silicate in the engine oil before you leave. The access panel's at the back and usually just has a couple of unsecured latches.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    67. Re:I approve by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 1

      I've known people at work who have dialed into meetings while sitting on the toilet. They were talking too so I know it wasn't simply on mute. Classy!

      --
      It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
    68. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Until the first time a baby sitter tries to call the parents because their child is in the ER. There are good reasons why one might want to receive a phone call in a theater and I'd hate to be the dick who says we have to block potential emergency calls because some other dick might talk on the phone.

      Where are you guys going to movies anyway?? I can't think of a single instance where a movie I've been to was interrupted by someone on a cell phone.

    69. Re:I approve by ganjadude · · Score: 5, Insightful

      30 years ago no one had cell phones... things havent gotten THAT much more important in 30 years

      --
      have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    70. Re:I approve by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1

      If someone is talking loud enough for everyone to hear, you walk over to them and start talking to them loudly. When they give you the "WTF are you doing?" look you just explain that they were talking loud enough that you thought everyone here was supposed to be included in on the conversation.

    71. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bet you'd get along with my neighbor who thinks she should be entitled to blast her music at all hours. Why should I spoil her "fun" by wanting to sleep, relax, or concentrate in my own dwelling... it's all about her... yeah I forgot.

    72. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You, sir, have obviously never tried to board a flight in China. Otherwise you'd see how much further we have to slide.

    73. Re:I approve by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 2

      If a cell phone jammer can penetrate into your pacemaker and interfere with it then they need to design them better. Why would a pacemaker be responsive to cell phone frequencies anyway? There are plenty of other sources of radio noise already too.

      --
      It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
    74. Re:I approve by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 2

      Why does it have to be active? You can certainly design buildings such that all signals die. There are probably cheaper alternatives out there than a copper mesh.

    75. Re:I approve by g0bshiTe · · Score: 2

      Bazinga!~

      --
      I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
    76. Re:I approve by g0bshiTe · · Score: 2

      Why would you need to dial 911 while on the bus? There is still a CB radio on the bus that the driver can use, and I imagine a driver calling via cb to dispatch would get you an emergency vehicle to your location quicker than your 911 call.

      --
      I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
    77. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It would be no more likely to interfere than the targeted cell phone which is also emitting radio signals and is strong enough to contact a tower.

    78. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, in Chicago it's against the law to sleep on public transportation, but not illegal to talk on a cell phone (at a resonable volume).

      I guess I break the law every day during my commute into town then.

    79. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The jammer will not be confined to the bus, and some of the people on the bus might be for example a doctor who needs to immediately receive the call to go do a vital operation. There can also be just less serious things going on in the bus, like someone playing a game that requires a constant connection. Disconnecting that person is no less rude than talking on the phone. If someone is bothering you, politely tell them that they are bothering you and that you'd like them to stop.

    80. Re:I approve by g0bshiTe · · Score: 1, Troll

      Why yes, cause apparently it was small enough for him to carry on his person which most likely the range is 10m or less that's about 32 feet.

      --
      I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
    81. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      About seven years ago John Kass ( Chicago Trib reporter ) wrote about a person who got ticketed for sleeping on a train. When he got to court the charges were dissmissed.

    82. Re:I approve by Pope · · Score: 1

      I heard people doing that at my last job, too. Mostly they sounded like they were talking to their wives.

      --
      It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
    83. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

      Instead of an active jammer, would it be possible to instead coat the theater with some kind of paint that blocks wireless signals?

      Active jammers will get the FCC upset with you, but I would think that a passive blocking of the signals would be OK, in conjunction with your marked emergency phone.

    84. Re:I approve by gstoddart · · Score: 1

      If a cell phone jammer can penetrate into your pacemaker and interfere with it then they need to design them better. Why would a pacemaker be responsive to cell phone frequencies anyway?

      It was more of a what-if scenario, but given that they have some with internet monitoring, it's not outside the realm of conceivable that jamming could have consequences beyond just phones.

      All I'm saying is one should know the ramifications of this before just deciding that restaurants and theaters should begin deploying these.

      You may well be right, and it's no danger ... but I'm far from the first person to wonder if this could cause problems for other devices.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    85. Re:I approve by Eponymous+Coward · · Score: 1

      Holy crap! My uncle has a PhD in History and he doesn't even have a cell phone. I'm going to let him know what the Slashdot legal experts have opined. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

      Problem is, I'm not going to see him until a couple of weeks from now. With my luck he'll get picked up before then. If only he carried a cell phone, I could call him and let him know.

    86. Re:I approve by RobertLTux · · Score: 1

      That could be solved by the small matter of notifying the Ushers that you are "On Call" (so they can give you a seat that you can slip out of as needed and grab you as needed).

      --
      Any person using FTFY or editing my postings agrees to a US$50.00 charge
    87. Re:I approve by tobych · · Score: 3, Informative

      Funnily enough, I did actually make a private 911 call on a bus once, with the intention that at least the bus driver wouldn't know: I was calling the police to tell them the bus driver had just busted a red light, had mounted the sidewalk earlier and seemed to be incompetent, tired or otherwise incapacitated.

    88. Re:I approve by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      Boy are you hilariously wrong about that. If you think we're at rock bottom right now, don't go out on Black Friday. Of course, even if you do, you won't see anything. You'll just read about a smattering of events across the whole country.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    89. Re:I approve by demonbug · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yeah and the side effect of it blocking the person trying to make a wireless 911 call. Who cares about the innocents caught in this, right?

      Not to mention the five people quietly texting away, or browsing the web, emailing, etc. Basically, the idiot vigilante is screwing everyone over because of one loudmouth. And lets not forget the cell-based position reporting of the bus/train/whatever, or the GPS that his $40 jammer is also screwing with, and so on. Yes, the guy talking loudly on his phone is an asshat; the guy jamming everybody is even worse.

    90. Re:I approve by amicusNYCL · · Score: 2

      There may be other urgent calls a person would like to be able to receive. Business calls, family emergency, but who knows now right?

      The question isn't "who knows", it's "who cares". They get a voice mail when they get off the bus, big deal. You don't need to be connected 24/7. It's the same as being out of range of a tower, you get back in range, check your voicemail, call and apologize that you were out of range. Not a big deal.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    91. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When you assume, you make an ass out of U and your mom.

    92. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When I was in college, I was constantly bugged by loud ass talkers on their phones in quiet study areas like the student union and the library. It was CONSTANT. I posted a comment on here asking opinions and guidance about building a cell blocker (at the time they weren't everywhere. times have changed) and, while very few people understood why I'd have issues with it, it was pretty clear that such a device would cause more harm than good. I was unaware that the frequency is in the same range as wifi routers and pacemakers. I'd hate to inturrupt someone's pacemaker on a random chance proximity. More realistically, inturrupting the university's wifi network seemed to be unfair to everyone else.

    93. Re:I approve by medcalf · · Score: 1

      So what you are saying is that you arrogate to yourself and those who share your preferences the privilege of determining how public space may be used, and of enforcing that determination. Judge, jury and executioner all in one. Yet another would-be tyrant self-identifies.

      --
      -- Two men say they're Jesus. One of them must be wrong. - Dire Straits
    94. Re:I approve by Charliemopps · · Score: 3, Informative

      It would be more effective and have less side effects if they just constructed the room with materials that naturally turned it into a Faraday cage. I think it would be relatively trivial to invent wallpaper that was made with a sheet of conductive metal film. Overlap them, connect them to a ground (any plumbing fixture would do) and cellphones would stop working inside that room. You don't have all of the problems that jammers cause or any legal issues with the FCC.

      You would still need a clear sign indicating that cellphones will not work in the theater... and people like me wouldn't be able to go (I'm on call 24/7and have my phone on vibrate)

      A less intrusive solution would be to have a friendly bluetooth or wifi signal that indicated that "This area is a vibrate only area" and get the cellphone manufacturers on-board. Then the theater could set your phone to vibrate for you if you let them. This would let people like me, who HAVE to have their phone with them at all times, still go to the movies.

    95. Re:I approve by Oligonicella · · Score: 1

      "And English, is that any better than another language?"

      Esperanto.

    96. Re:I approve by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      And if one of those people sleeping starts snoring loudly, do they deserve to get thwacked around the back of the head to make them shut the fuck up?

      If they're stopping everyone else from sleeping, then yeah, they kind of do deserve that.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    97. Re:I approve by mswope · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Or, install an indoor repeater with a dummy load on the outdoor antenna port. The signal from the cell phone will be "captured" by the repeater, but the user won't be able to get a channel to place a call.

    98. Re:I approve by asliarun · · Score: 4, Insightful

      An who the hell are you to determine when someone can use their phone? Buses/trains are not bedrooms, sleep in your bed, not on the bus. Don't like someone talking, wear earplugs. If you haven't noticed buses/trains are not the quietest places and phone feedback makes it easy to think your not speaking loud enough. Buses and trains are public congregation points like any other and people have the freedom to speak/entertain themselves as they please. Don't like it, drive your own car. Personally, I hope these jamming pricks run into people with detectors, and forget jail just a good ass whipping should do and then a technology ban.

      Aggressive in-your-face "i do what i want" behavior only works if you manage to pull it off without being a jerk to others. What if a guy sitting next to you was coming back from a soccer game and blew a compressed air 120db horn next to your ear? What if someone on the train spat in your face when talking to their neighbor or dropped mustard in your lap while eating a sandwitch and didn't even apologize?

      Don't like it? Drive your own damn car. It's easy to have a tough attitude about personal liberty. Difficult when you are facing the brunt of it.

      And yes, someone talking for a few minutes on the phone and trying to keep their voice low in a crowded train is one thing. Someone talking very loudly for a couple of hours in a crowded train is completely another thing. There's no rule book for this - the assumption is that as a citizen of society, you would be considerate to others and learn how to co-exist without getting into a fistfight every day. Unfortunately, so many people nowadays are so self-absorbed and grow up with a sense of entitlement, they're forgotten how to be a gentle human being (without necessarily being a pushover). Or they turn their nose at the concept.

    99. Re:I approve by madison_hotel · · Score: 1

      Probably a straw man argument, but I understand the direction you're going with this. Maybe a better example would be: "So you would not mind if he gets on the bus playing reggaeton at full volume on his cellphone, right?" It's indeed legal, and annoying, and most likely a dickish selfish action prone to make everybody else feel the urge to take the phone off his hands and throw it out the window.

    100. Re:I approve by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      My biggest fear of this would be interfering with some implanted medical devices.

      Make some poor bastards pacemaker stop working, and you're gonna be in for a world of hurt when the lawyers show up.

      Considering the fact that a jammer works by sending out a signal on the same frequency that cell phones use, if someone has a medical device that shuts down when in the presence of a cell phone signal then that's a problem that isn't the fault of the jammer.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    101. Re:I approve by Oligonicella · · Score: 1, Funny

      "busted a red light, had mounted the sidewalk earlier"

      So it wasn't urgent.

    102. Re:I approve by meerling · · Score: 1

      Grammar is a lost mystical art.
      Is English better? For me, ABSOLUTELY!
      Whether I like it or not, English is the only language I am fluent in, and guess what, everyone I know and have met can also converse in English fluently. Isn't that bloody convenient?
      Now if this was in China I wouldn't expect that, but it isn't. :)

    103. Re:I approve by L1mewater · · Score: 1

      Where are you guys going to movies anyway?? I can't think of a single instance where a movie I've been to was interrupted by someone on a cell phone.

      I can't think of a single instance I've been to a movie in the past five years that didn't feature at LEAST the distraction of someone's bright phone screen while they were texting in the theater.

    104. Re:I approve by Culture20 · · Score: 0

      If a doctor is on a bus, he's not getting to that vital operation quickly anyway.

    105. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      See this post RE take-us-back-in-time argument:

      http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2710361&cid=39263785

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    106. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      20-30 feet. Not even enough to cover the whole theater.

    107. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The dingo ate your baby! (seinfeld)

    108. Re:I approve by mhajicek · · Score: 1

      When I first started reading the summary I was thinking someone was using it to prevent people from calling for help, so they could rob, assault, whatever.

    109. Re:I approve by ColdWetDog · · Score: 4, Funny

      30 years ago no one had cell phones... things havent gotten THAT much more important in 30 years

      Are you kidding! We have terrorists now! And child molesters! And child molesting terrorists! Think of the children! If you're against everyone calling 911 you must be a communist! I bet they don't have 911 in Communistic countries! USA! USA!

      I'd even bet that thirty years ago they didn't even have italics!

      You must be a pervert.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    110. Re:I approve by AliasMarlowe · · Score: 2

      What's the average range of these jammers? Could someone on the bus jamming Mr. Loud Talker also jam a 911 call from an apartment building the bus is driving by? Could someone stopping a movie theater talker be hampering a call outside of the theater?

      Wikipedia is sometimes your friend. Quoting the most relevant bits:
      "Smaller handheld models block all bands from 800MHz to 1900MHz within a 30-foot range (9 meters)."
      "The radius of cell phone jammers can range from a dozen feet for pocket models to kilometers for more dedicated units."
      The larger models which interfere with a tower or cover several tens or hundreds of meters are unlikely to be hand-held due to their power consumption. So pocket-sized models are effective over about 4-9 meters, which would extend outside a bus, but not very far outside. The risk of interfering with a 911 call or other emergency situation is very low, but if there are enough jammers in use around the world then it is bound to happen. Interference with 911 calls would be much more likely with the large jamming units employed by police and other government agencies, or by simply switching off cellphone towers (to prevent any call being made).

      --
      Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
    111. Re:I approve by geekoid · · Score: 1

      And I am constantly fed up by people telling my I can't have a conversation in my phone in public spaces.

      Talking to someone on the phone isn't being inconsiderate. Maybe you should consider how considerate you are being by trying to force everyone to sit in silence on the bus. You damn control freak.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    112. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Calm down, please. It's a prank, like stealing a road sign. Of course it's wrong, but sometimes it's funny.

    113. Re:I approve by digitalsolo · · Score: 3, Insightful

      How is this insightful? Are we all Luddites today? This whole argument is akin to saying "people drive like assholes in front of my house, so I jackhammered a hole in the road so that the road is not usable". I'm surprised the government doesn't endorse this, it's very bureaucratic to attempt to resolve one problem by creating another.

      --
      Just another ignorant American.
    114. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I don't use Facebook. I barely use my phone actually, so you'd think I'd be in the bitter neckbeard camp, but I'm not a horrible selfish sociopath.

      Also I guess your dad is rich so you've never had to hunt for a job. One missed call CAN fuck you up.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    115. Re:I approve by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      CB radio on a bus?

      No, don't explain.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    116. Re:I approve by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Esperanto estas horora.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    117. Re:I approve by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Why is the the cell phones users problem you are trying to use public transportation as a motel?
      Not my fucking problem you don't sleep at home.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    118. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      And the act of blocking everyone from communicating is less selfish and less wrong than a person talking loudly on the phone?

      "Who cares?" that sounds horrendously self-centered. "Who cares about all your rights to communicate, I wanna sleep bitches!"

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    119. Re:I approve by 1_brown_mouse · · Score: 1

      Its not the size of the dick, but the power behind it.

    120. Re:I approve by hobarrera · · Score: 1

      I heard an excelent argument as to why this shouldn't be used in banks/schools, etc. In case of emergency (think "the bus crashes and the user of this device is unconcious), calling an ambulance/police/etc become imposible.
      If the bus crashed, and someone dies because it's imposible to call an ambulance thanks to his ilegal usage of a device... I really wouldn't want to be in this guy's shoes.

    121. Re:I approve by mvdwege · · Score: 2

      If both they and the one making the call are in public, then yes, he is a good judge of who should be on the phone or not: the ones able to keep a conversation brief, or of sufficiently low volume that they don't bother anyone.

      --
      "I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
    122. Re:I approve by geekoid · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yes, they have. Also, people are expected to have a more immediate response.

      Welcome to the future, asshole.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    123. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      Why would anyone be making a private 911 call on a bus?.

      I don't know, maybe some guy on the bus pulling out an unknown device and connecting an antenna to it.

    124. Re:I approve by geekoid · · Score: 1

      And if he is stopped next to the bus at a traffic light?

      Of course that assume ONE user ins ONE place. What about jammers in other cars, other buses other people?

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    125. Re:I approve by hobarrera · · Score: 1

      I disagree. People need to be taught to be respectfull and to behave, not caged or forced into not-behaving badly.
      You don't chain a 12 year old to avoid his going outside through the window when he shouldn't. You *teach* him when he can, and when he can't.

    126. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      By your comment, I take it you just LOVE yelling into your phone in quiet confined places like elevators, trains, and grocery store lines. Do you also laugh really loud too?

      I surmise, you construe the glares people send in your direction as engaged? If so, think again.

      Anyway, the guy you responded to was probably venting his frustration about a growing trend in our culture that everyone seems to hate... Unless it is them screaming into their phones.

    127. Re:I approve by geekoid · · Score: 5, Funny

      I take it that was your fist time on a bus~

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    128. Re:I approve by meerling · · Score: 4, Insightful

      More than enough to mess with the cars on the road beside you, people on the sidewalks, and in some places it can interfere with the homes. Even if it has a 'range' of about 10m, that's it's effective range of jamming, there is no magical sudden stop for radio waves, it just gets weaker but can still interfere.
      Here's a bizarre bit of info, the centrifuge devices they use at my local bloodbank get messed up by cell signals. They don't know why, and I haven't found an explanation for it, but it does happen, that's why they ban cell phones there. And remember, that jammer is stronger than a cell phone signal, if one was used on the road just outside, it could really screw things up.

      I'd love to use an emp generator on that douchebag music hater that drives by at 3am with his car vibrating so loudly you can't even guess what the beat is much less the 'music' he's blasting. I can get the parts for a one-shot device, and place it in range of where his car will be. But I don't because there will be a lot of collateral damage, much of which I can't predict before hand.

      Shutting down the scum and douches, great. Getting anyone else in your blanket attack, you're worse than they are.
      So tell you what, next time someone is too loud on their phone, find where you left your dick, show a slight amount of courage, and tell them "Hey loudmouth, show a little consideration to the other people here and keep it down!". If you can do that instead of being a weaselly coward, make sure you do it loud enough so that not only can he hear ot, but whomever he is talking to can as well. (It's a much bigger deterrent if the person on the other end knows he's being a jerk than if he does himself.)

    129. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You must not have children.

    130. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Who thinks it's funny? Not the victims, not most other people. It is wrong though, I'll give you that.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    131. Re:I approve by ctsupafly · · Score: 1

      Yes, as a matter of fact, they do.

    132. Re:I approve by mvdwege · · Score: 2, Interesting

      An who the hell are you to determine when someone can use their phone?

      I'm a member of the public who doesn't want to spend his entire time in a public space listening to someone else's noise. A short, or low-volume conversation is one thing, but you are in public, among other people, and your right to do stops at their right to not be bothered by you.

      Personally, I hope you run into someone with a short temper who rams that cellphone up your nostrils.

      Mart

      --
      "I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
    133. Re:I approve by gorzek · · Score: 2

      Clearly, some people's solution to rudeness is to be passive-aggressive assholes. No thanks.

      If I have a problem with someone chatting on their cell in an inappropriate venue (or talking way too loud, as is most often the case), I am happy to say so.

    134. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seriously, if I found you or anyone else jamming my service you would earn a free beat-down or at least a lawsuit. Who the hell are you to end my phone conference, an update from my doctor or any other business I'm conducting legally on my phone?

    135. Re:I approve by s73v3r · · Score: 1, Insightful

      This just in: you have no right to not be annoyed.

      You also don't have a right to use the phone on the bus.

    136. Re:I approve by BitwiseX · · Score: 0

      if everyone else is trying to sleep on the bus/ train and you are loudly using your cell phone about an obviously nonurgent matter (your sister's crazy marriage, your kid's report card, your dog's diet, etc.) then you deserve to be jammed, with my full support, and with the support of everyone else trying to get some shuteye

      I'm sorry, but if you have the need to sleep on public transportation, don't expect others to respect that. I do feel bad for you, and wish you could make some life changes that would give you the opportunity to sleep in a soft warm bed, but this is public transportation. Public. If I have no other opportunity to discuss my sister's crazy marriage, my kid's report card, or my dog's diet than on public transportation, than I have that right. If people are being to loud for me to have my conversation, as rude as that may be, I realize that I AM in public . I have just as much right to try and talk on the phone, as you do to try and have your siesta. Don't mistake what I'm saying, I wish the world was a better place and people gave others more respect no matter where they are, but no. That does NOT give you the right to interfere with everyone on that bus. The guy sitting 5 seats away from you tweeting OTA with his tablet not bothering you doesn't deserve that either, nor do folks walking down the street that get "jammed" at the stoplight.

      It's selfish. You chose that lifestyle.

    137. Re:I approve by jank1887 · · Score: 1

      that would be one mean gramma' jamma'.

    138. Re:I approve by erroneus · · Score: 1

      Really? Can you tell when a wife who is trying to escape her abusive husband is making a 9-11 call when she leaves the house for her protection?

    139. Re:I approve by Windwraith · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I doubt the jammer device would be considerate enough to restrict its area of effect to the bus. There might be people you don't see being affected by the jammer, people using their phones silently, people using their phones for actual important stuff.

      Someone with a jammer is just a little delinquent with too much self-entitlement. Pretty much the radio equivalent of a script kid.

    140. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah and we didn't have the internet before either, doesn't mean I'm gonna jam anyone who uses youtube on the bus just cause. You don't NEED to become a massive moron to everyone around you because they use devices you don't own or don't like.

    141. Re:I approve by duguk · · Score: 2

      I think he was leaping ahead by assuming that if someone was assaulted, had a seizure, needed a cop or paramedic, it wouldn't be secret information.

      The guy jamming the signal would know about it as well and shut off his jammer.

      Thank you for being the only person who replied who got this! It seems very few people read the thread anymore.

      I personally think jammers are a terrible idea under any circumstance, but some of the scenarios people are using for justification against them are insane.
      There's plenty of reasons to ban them; but because "someone might need to make a 911 call on a bus"?... bloody hell.

    142. Re:I approve by yurtinus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Who cares? One person is being loud and because you're too passive-aggressive to politely ask them to quiet down, you're going to block *everybody* from using the service - including those quietly streaming music, surfing, or messaging? Why is it suddenly your place to enforce your will upon everybody on the bus?

      --
      +1 Disagree
    143. Re:I approve by supremebob · · Score: 2

      The problem isn't that you're blocking the obnoxious caller on the bus with the jammer, but that you're probably also blocking half a dozen other people who are trying to check their e-mail or read Facebook on their smartphones. They're not doing anything wrong, so there is no reason to punish them.

      There is a reason these things are illegal, ya know.

    144. Re:I approve by digitalchinky · · Score: 1

      Cell phones transmit very low power, about half a watt or less, it'd be trivially simple to block out coverage over far more than 10 meters with something pocket sized running off a couple of AA batteries. High powered pocket sized jammers (relative to cell phones) are already available on line.

    145. Re:I approve by geekoid · · Score: 2

      again, no they shoudl not.
      How about we deal with it correctly.
      If you are being too loud, you are asked to quite down or leave? The response depending on the circumstance. I have no problem with an usher tossing out someone without giving them a warning.
      This solve the situation short term, and give a clear indication of expect phone use in the future.

      There are far more emergency then just 911.
      Sitter may have a problem, school may be calling you, nursing home, the infrastructure at you're work may have gone down and so on.

      Sometime people have to RECEIVE an unexpected emergency call.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    146. Re:I approve by darronb · · Score: 2

      Uh, no... it's a jammer... it's screwing up everything in the entire band and probably beyond it. It's the difference between a single person talking into a tube pointed at someone else listening with a tube (roughly equivalent to the limited channel use and directionality modern cellphones and towers have with phase array antennas) and someone screaming "F YOU F YOU F YOU F YOU" so loud nobody in the room can hear at all.

      Cell phones are required to demonstrate they do not interfere with other equipment on licensed bands. Unlicensed band products (like Part 15 devices) MAY be affected, but that's rare. This is probably due to the fact that those are relatively narrow bands compared to the entire spectrum of licensed frequencies and if the phones are not interfering with any of the licensed bands it's very likely they're not interfering with the unlicensed ones either.

      An illegal device like a jammer is not tested, and could EASILY inject harmful noise broadly over wide parts of the spectrum. It's very unlikely the device was designed and constructed by someone competent enough to do it correctly.

      It's EASY to construct a device that makes horribly loud screeches to prevent anyone from talking. It's much harder to construct a device to silence just people speaking at a certain pitch without harming anyone else's conversation.

    147. Re:I approve by geekoid · · Score: 1

      OMG. Go to some 3rd world countries. We are no where near the bottom.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    148. Re:I approve by waives · · Score: 1

      Maybe get a clue about cell technology and physics before your next post.

    149. Re:I approve by yurtinus · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No mod points, but this is really the argument we should focus on. Sure, it could interfere with an emergency but that is rare and anecdotal. What is very real is that this asshat is interrupting all sorts of other people due to one asshat being loud. It is simply not his place to decide what the people around him should and should not be allowed to do. Some adjectives to describe a person like that: self important, sociopath, passive aggressive... asshat... I'm sure you can chime in with more.

      --
      +1 Disagree
    150. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      True, but jamming communication lines is similar to mining a roadway. It doesn't discriminate between things that should be let through and things that should not. How exactly would you react if the story was about someone putting spike strips in front of his house because "no one really needs to drive through here."

      In general, random jerkwads, are not the people you want deciding when it is justified to jam open frequencies.

    151. Re:I approve by ganjadude · · Score: 1

      well played sir

      --
      have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    152. Re:I approve by s73v3r · · Score: 1

      Do you have any evidence of this actually happening? Of a jammer interfering with a pacemaker?

    153. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Esperanto is a whore?

    154. Re:I approve by duguk · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The peeple making the emergency calls may not necessarily be on the bus, just within range of the jammer. For example, maybe the bus is stuck in traffic due to an accident and people outside are trying to make emergency cals.

      So your best reason against cellphone jammers is that there "might be someone near a bus who needs to make a call"?

      I'm not singling you out personally here, but you've entirely missed the point and just replied blindly without reading the parent comments.
      I said I personally think jammers are a terrible idea under any circumstance, but some of the scenarios people are using for justification against them are insane. There's far better arguments against them.

      There's plenty of reasons to ban them; but no-one seems to be following the thread and instead arguing that they should be banned just because
      "someone might need to make a 911 call while someone drives past with a jammer switched on who might be a part time vet who needs to visit a Corgi with a chest infection"?

      I don't think that's a very substantial argument.

    155. Re:I approve by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      I don't understand why it has to be a thwack upside the head - why can't it be a poke in the arm? Same with the cell phones. Why does it have to be a jammer? Why can't you simply *ask* them to talk quieter?

      --
      +1 Disagree
    156. Re:I approve by ganjadude · · Score: 1

      where did I make a distinction one way or the other on which side I believe is right? using the jammer or not using the jammer, I simply pointed out that 30 years ago, we didnt have cell phones. I do like how everybody ASSUMED that I would be for jamming the signal, but you would be wrong, That is just as big a dick thing to do

      in the end, Using technology that involves sound for self reasons in a public, confined area is just a dick thing to do

      --
      have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
    157. Re:I approve by Duhavid · · Score: 1

      You are assuming the guy jamming would know about it.

      If he/she/it were sitting in the front of the bus, facing forward, and someone was having a (nice quiet) heart attack in the back of the bus, he/she/it might not know. There are other scenarios possible as well. Person needing to talk to their kid about where to meet ( so the kid is safe while waiting ), etc, etc
      And the person trying to dial out would just be getting signal problems, he/she/it would not necessarily know it was due to the jamming device being in operation.

      Also, might not the jamming device be on accidentally?

      --
      emt 377 emt 4
    158. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Who cares? I'm sick of this attitude that people NEED TO HAVE CELLPHONE ALL THE TIME! People survived a hundred years without a cell phone. If there is an emergency someone can find a land line, just like the good old days.;

    159. Re:I approve by sjames · · Score: 1

      Of course not, just shove their sholder and tell them next stop Cuba. For a brief moment, they may take your statement at face value and the look on their face is priceless (yes, I'm kidding).

    160. Re:I approve by 19thNervousBreakdown · · Score: 1

      Why does this bother people? It's so strange. Do you really expect to hear a pin drop on the bus? I can't imagine the noise is your complaint, there's so much noise out in public as it is. Is this an extrovert thing? Is hearing half a phone conversation more irritating than hearing a full in-person conversation? Is hearing a full in-person conversation irritating as well? I believe in minding my own business, so I tune out other people's conversations whenever possible. And how does privacy come into it? If they're not worried about people overhearing their conversation, why are you worried about it?

      I really, truly do not understand, at all, why this is a bother to anyone.

      --
      <xml><I><am><so><damn>Web 2.0</damn></so></am></I></xml>
    161. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Restaurants? Why restaurants? People talks in there without using phones, all the time, at many volumes and levels of decency. It's a restaurant, you go there for food, or to share with a person or group of persons, who you will be probably talking to, and perhaps bothering other nitpicky customers like yourself without even thinking about it. A restaurant is not a library.

      Theaters, however, are about watching a movie, so... indeed, that's a completely different situation that might justify this stuff. However I don't see why I cannot use 3G before the movie starts or during a boring scene (like if you are forced into a chick flick). You might say "the glow of your phone screen bothers me", and I say "you are in a room with a light cannon blasting a silver screen, my economy mode brightness screen should not bother you. Look at the screen, not at me".

    162. Re:I approve by booyoh · · Score: 2

      30 years ago no one had cell phones... things havent gotten THAT much more important in 30 years

      I agree, but then again 30 years ago you could easily find a payphone.

    163. Re:I approve by sjames · · Score: 1

      Because if you don't snore, you can sleep without anyone else even noticing. Shouting into the cellphone disturbs everyone else. It even prevents others from having a phone call at a reasonable volume.

    164. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      because maybe there's someone in a building that the bus is passing by who might need to dial 911.

    165. Re:I approve by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      I suppose the bigger question is - why have manners deteriorated to the point that the general public feels it's necessary to take technological measures to fix social problems? The purchase and use of jammers is just a symptom of an underlying societal problem

      Good point. After all, when did people get so passive aggressive that they can no longer politely ask somebody to speak quieter and fin it necessary to sit in a corner and anonymously flip a kill switch? Show somebody the respect of a polite request and you'll find that most often not only will they listen to you, but they'll keep it in mind during future conversations. Flip a switch on a jammer and all you'll get is some yelling at the phone wondering why it doesn't work.

      --
      +1 Disagree
    166. Re:I approve by Idbar · · Score: 1

      I agree, and I'd use them in every emergency, because there's nothing worse than gossip and people spreading bad news!
      sarcasm aside, who am I to analyze and judge others without any insight of their situations? And who's going to rule me out because they think I'm being rude?

    167. Re:I approve by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      Oh, I have. Boarding an SSS flight is interesting. Doubly so for getting on/off a bus or subway. But at least they're not rude or have an attitude about it.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    168. Re:I approve by darkcougar2001 · · Score: 1

      A better solution is to just ask the guy to talk more softly. I imagine more than half of riders would talk mor softly afterwards. Illegal jamming is not only illegal, but at least just as rude, in my opinion.

    169. Re:I approve by Rich0 · · Score: 1

      How is a cell phone conversation on a bus/train any different from ordinary conversation, other than contributing half as much noise to the environment?

    170. Re:I approve by yurtinus · · Score: 2

      Hah - I have no problem with people using the phone in the restroom. It's disgusting and tacky and hilarious. It just makes another story to tell when I get out: "Oh man, Larry was totally just taking a s#it while talking to his wife!"

      The trick is to always get a few toilet flushes in the background so whoever they are talking to knows it and can mock them accordingly.

      --
      +1 Disagree
    171. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Couldn't he have spent that $40 on noise canceling headphones instead of a cell jammer?

    172. Re:I approve by Ihmhi · · Score: 1

      I believe the next paragraph starts with something like "All I wanted was a Pepsi, mom."

    173. Re:I approve by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      I don't know, I haven't seen anybody using a cell phone in a theater in recent memory. A lot of effort has been spent to make sure people know it's rude and unacceptable. Who knows though, could be a regional thing...

      --
      +1 Disagree
    174. Re:I approve by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      The problem is behavioral. Even if you could control the phone's ring or vibrate controls externally, that doesn't stop the person from answering the phone and yap away inside a theater while the movie is playing.

      When coming up with a solution, we must first address the root problem to be solved. Any other approach is just a game of Whac-a-Mole with a seemingly endless supply of solutions thrown around.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    175. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My proposal for movie theaters and restaurants. By default, these facilities should have cell phone jamming technology enabled with a clear sign stating as such. Also, the sign will point to a red painted receiver designated for 911 use only. Think of the emergency concept of a fire extinguisher and apply that to wired phones and you get the idea.

      Disagree!!!! I leave my cell phone on in silent mode in theaters and restaurants. But I need to be available for work (as a physician on call) or for family emergency. If my phone vibrates, I step out and handle the call. So don't throw out the baby with the bathwater here...

      On the other hand, I would be tempted (if I had a jammer) to switch it on *briefly* each time a loud rude caller on a bus or train became unbearable until s/he give up on their conversation.

    176. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and terrorist molesting children - think of the terrorists

    177. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      exactly, a jammer on the bus is all fun and games until some starts shooting, good luck trying to turn off the jammer when hot lead is flying, not to mention waiting for a signal to call 911.

      but, maybe this will cause buses to get gunshot detectors

    178. Re:I approve by dougmc · · Score: 1

      By default, these facilities should have cell phone jamming technology enabled with a clear sign stating as such.

      OK, but current law does not allow this. INTENTIONALLY JAMMING SIGNALS IS ILLEGAL IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF CASES (and for good reason.)

      (The actual law is a whole lot more complicated than that, but be aware that if you buy a cell phone jammer and use it, you're breaking the law. Even the government itself doesn't get to do this in the vast majority of cases.)

      The government will *not* be changing these laws to allow you to jam cell phones. Period, end of story. (The only thing that they might change is to allow the government or it's agents to do it in more situations -- for example, to allow it to happen at a prison or a secure base, to allow the police to jam cell phones during a crime, etc. They certainly will never let you do it.)

      Now, what the places could do legally is block the signal rather than jam it. It's hard to do for a building, but if you can make sure that every gap larger than about a quarter of the wavelength of the signal you're trying to stop is covered by metal or a metal mesh (with holes smaller than 1/4 wavelength), you can prevent these signals from getting through. But as I said -- it's hard, and even then, blocking cell phones entirely isn't a good plan either.

    179. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you TRIED this in a big city? I did, several times, in San Francisco, and had a knife pulled on me once and the other times was screamed at 10x louder to "mind my own business" by the other people.

      That's when I started walking as much as I could.

    180. Re:I approve by Imrik · · Score: 4, Insightful

      He may know about it, but if he's the one that needs help he may not be able to turn it off.

    181. Re:I approve by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      Esperanto - Latin with all the grammar taked out.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    182. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why would anyone be making a private 911 call on a bus? Especially without any of the other passengers knowing?

      For that kind of reason

    183. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm wondering why use a jammer at all. Just get an iphone. Not only do they srop calls like crazy, but if you get enough of them in one place (hipster bars, starbucks, art showings) it becomes a cell phone black hole.

    184. Re:I approve by Imrik · · Score: 1

      When someone is talking loudly on the phone in such a situation it's most likely because they don't realize how loud they are rather than because they are doing it intentionally. Ask them to be quieter and you might be surprised at how often it works.

    185. Re:I approve by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Loud and obnoxious activities (because really, the cell phone itself isn't at issue) are never socially acceptable around a group of quiet people. To think otherwise is ignorant. Act otherwise and you're just an asshole.

      Being loud and obnoxious is part of being an American. Why do you think we're called "ugly Americans" whenever we visit foreign countries? We're mostly a bunch of assholes. Note that I'm saying it's right to be loud and obnoxious, just that it's largely considered normal among us Americans. Even though not all of us, by any stretch, are like this, enough of us are that it's (rightfully) given all of us a bad reputation. And what's more, it's considered not socially acceptable to call out anyone who is being loud and obnoxious (if you do, you'll probably end up getting into a fight), so the loud and obnoxious ones are tolerated by the rest of us, further reinforcing the stereotype.

    186. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good. I know exactly where to kill you now. While you're dialing 911 in your stall while my axe is chopping it down you'll get "Sorry no signal, have a nice life."

    187. Re:I approve by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      So are you someone who's for or against public transportation? Because if you're one of the people who advocates more public transportation and less use of private cars for commuting, but then you say that people should just "put up with" loud and obnoxious behavior, you're not exactly helping your cause any.

    188. Re:I approve by butchersong · · Score: 1

      Yes I do. Many people like me are no longer tethered to the office but are responsible for serious production impacting stuff. It doesn't really matter though what my reason might be for being on the phone. You have no more right to jam my phone signal than you do to accost me because I'm having a conversation with another person physically present. I consider myself to be a pretty considerate person. i always walk out of restaurants etc to take a call but if I saw someone pulling one of these out to kill my conversation I would not respond well.

    189. Re:I approve by krept · · Score: 1

      BEHOLD! Four passengers must to combine forces with their special keys to unlock the mighty Cellular Jammer of Peace!

      --
      None of us know everything. Therefore we're all naïve.
    190. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They didn't weigh in on the callers, just the fucktard jammer. If you decide to take a pair of dykes to your complexes power supply I don't give a shit how loud your neighbor's music was, you are still the bigest fucktard in the complex.

    191. Re:I approve by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 2

      Not really. A hole is pretty permanent and needs to be fixed. A jammer can be switched off again, leaving the spectrum as it was.

    192. Re:I approve by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Given that we've long ago decided that assholery is acceptable while confrontation is not,

      Personally I think this is one of the reasons American society is completely falling apart. In healthier societies, people who get out of line are brought back into line with social norms by strong peer pressure (such as people berating them in public for being assholes), so society ends up being much more cohesive, and people don't avoid going out into society for fear they'll run into a bunch of obnoxious assholes who'll ruin their experience and instead just stay at home. But here in America, anything goes, and it's considered wrong to criticize someone for being an asshole (or you may just be assaulted; the assholes usually already have felony records so they don't care), so going out in public can be a very bad experience unless you go someplace where membership is highly restricted (e.g. a private resort or golf club or similar).

    193. Re:I approve by arose · · Score: 1

      If you don't want cell phone use in your facility, shield it. The moment your jammer bleeds a milimeter out of your property lines, and it will, I'd prefer the relevant regulator to take you appart. You never know what you're fucking with, e.g. a misconfigured, but otherwise legal, wireless link can interfere with doppler radar. Shield, warn, move on, but never, ever broadcast for no good reason.

      --
      Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
    194. Re:I approve by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      How exactly do you propose to teach society to be considerate? If we were allowed to teach that to kids in school, it'd be great, but apparently we're not.

    195. Re:I approve by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Subways don't have engines, they use electric motors, so they're pretty quiet. The noise you hear is from the wheels on the steel tracks, which can get pretty noisy when going around a curve.

    196. Re:I approve by Rich0 · · Score: 1

      I'm fine with banning cell phones in restaurants as long as you ban conversation as well.

      I don't get why cell phones get classified differently than anything else...

    197. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think he'd be able to hear her.

    198. Re:I approve by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      For starters, bitching about it helps. It'd help more if they were bitched at while it was happening, but until then at least sitting here and complaining about how inconsiderate people are will make the people who read this reconsider their own behaviour.

      The problem with using jammers is suppose they have a device that isn't susceptible to it? What about an iPod? Gameboy? The next generation of 'smart watches'? Those people reading the complaints right now, they know these devices are annoying just by reading this. The people who were trained that it's okay until you're stopped? Hah.

      You don't want to jam communications just because some people are annoying. If you still want to hit the reply button, just stop and think about this: If store owners can jam signals, think about who else can, too.

      You don't want to do it, and you already know this. Everybody here knows that you don't jam communications, it's just being temporarily forgotten because there are asshats in the world.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    199. Re:I approve by GuldKalle · · Score: 1

      No, but people have gotten new freedoms because of the cellphone. If you were expecting an important call, you used to be locked at home.

      Saying nobody is allowed to make cell phone calls is at least as inconsiderate as talking loudly in one. Sure, it's slightly annoying to listen to, but on the list of bad things that can happen to you, having to listen to other people ranks pretty low.

      --
      What?
    200. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      But perhaps we have gotten that much better at dealing with things, like urgent problems, in 30 years? Some folks have mentioned 911. Not every place had 911 thirty years ago...

    201. Re:I approve by wreakyhavoc · · Score: 1

      Methinks you don't spend a lot of time on a bus. I have. I have rarely - no, make that never - heard an important cell phone call on the bus.

      They usually go along the lines of:
      "Aw damn, no you didn't."
      "...and then she.... And then she did, again!"
      "I'm so sick of your shit. Listen to me. (louder) Listen to me!"

      It's always just inane crap. They're just trying to amuse themselves. Obnoxiously. It's amusing only to themselves.

    202. Re:I approve by jimbolauski · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Here is a simple test to determine if you are being rude talking in a public setting.
      Movies, Plays, Recitals, Conferences, ... no cell phone use unless it is so important that you must leave the area and have no plans on returning.
      Public Transit, quiet talking for a short period of time if you are sitting next to someone, otherwise no time limit on the length of conversation just keep the conversation suitable for a public setting and use your indoor voice.
      Restaurants unless you want to convey that the phone conversation you are having is more important then the company you keep, keep it short.
      Sidewalks, streets, ... use a normal voice and keep the conversation suitable for the public.
      These are simple rules to follow, and anyone that is too ignorant or rude to follow them should be subjected to jamming of their call. The only thing that Eric did that was wrong was his jammer was omnidirectional so anyone using their cell phone in a proper manor could have been cut off.

      --
      Knowledge = Power
      P= W/t
      t=Money
      Money = Work/Knowledge so the less you know the more you make
    203. Re:I approve by jimbolauski · · Score: 1

      Your noise pollution is no different then the RF noise a jammer creates. If you choose to be rude don't be shocked when others respond in kind.

      --
      Knowledge = Power
      P= W/t
      t=Money
      Money = Work/Knowledge so the less you know the more you make
    204. Re:I approve by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      For starters, bitching about it helps.

      We're talking public transportation here. Bitching about it to the rude assholes will likely get you put in the hospital and needing maxiofacial surgery to repair your broken facial bones.

      The problem with using jammers is suppose they have a device that isn't susceptible to it? What about an iPod? Gameboy?

      I've never seen Gameboys that are very loud, or iPods unless you hook up a giant external speaker. Even the assholes these days seem to use headphones/earbuds with their iPods (or music-playing smartphones), probably mainly because of the portability factor. Kids playing gameboys are not annoying.

    205. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Here's a bizarre bit of info, the centrifuge devices they use at my local bloodbank get messed up by cell signals. They don't know why, and I haven't found an explanation for it, but it does happen, that's why they ban cell phones there"

      So why haven't they done the more sensible thing and shielded the centrifuge from outside interference?

    206. Re:I approve by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      We're talking public transportation here. Bitching about it to the rude assholes will likely get you put in the hospital and needing maxiofacial surgery to repair your broken facial bones.

      Then it'd probably be better if they were distracted then, huh. Besides, if they're being that annoying, you've got a whole group of people there to stand up to him.

      Kids playing gameboys are not annoying.

      Right, their parents taught them to behave. Go fig.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    207. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, and you're one of them

    208. Re:I approve by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Then it'd probably be better if they were distracted then, huh. Besides, if they're being that annoying, you've got a whole group of people there to stand up to him.

      Good luck getting anyone else in public to stand up to a bully with you. Read about the Bystander Effect:
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Kitty_Genovese

    209. Re:I approve by foetusinc · · Score: 1

      This is why I take my horse to work.

    210. Re:I approve by kqs · · Score: 1

      I suppose the bigger question is - why have manners deteriorated to the point that the general public feels it's necessary to take technological measures to fix social problems? The purchase and use of jammers is just a symptom of an underlying societal problem

      I don't think manners have changed at all. People have always felt that "good manners" allows them to decide how others should behave. A woman wearing "inappropriate" clothing on a bus will often be hassled by Those Who Decide, whether it's an exposed ankle years ago or a see-thru top now. We all know how people felt the need to keep people of inappropriate color from sitting in inappropriate seats on the bus. If there was a technological way to keep a pierced and mohawked goth from getting on the bus, you know people would try to use it.

      I myself have often wished for a baby jammer, to shut up the kids whose parents tune out their loud antics. But sadly, it's a public bus, so all I can to is use my noise-isolating headphones to play an audiobook a bit louder.

      Using technological means to control your interaction with others? Good. Using technological means to control others actions? Bad.

    211. Re:I approve by GuldKalle · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Ok, so it's like blocking off the road with concrete blocks, then. It's only temporary, and only when you're trying to sleep. And if someone really needs to use the road, they can just ask you. Then you can judge them and see if they are likely to annoy you.

      --
      What?
    212. Re:I approve by DerekLyons · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You don't need to be connected 24/7.

      That's my choice to make - not your decision to make for me.
       

      It's the same as being out of range of a tower, you get back in range, check your voicemail, call and apologize that you were out of range. Not a big deal.

      No, it's not the same. Unless you live out in the boonies, you're rarely out of range of a tower. Even if you are out of range/communication, as the vehicle moves - you eventually move back into range/communication. In the case of a jerk with a jammer, you remain unable to communicate until he chooses to stop using the jammer.

    213. Re:I approve by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      Uh huh. I remember one time a dude brought a laser pointer to a movie and shined it on the screen during the slideshow. A man stood up and said "If I see that dot on the screen during the movie I'm going to break your arm" Everybody applauded, we saw no laser during the movie.

      Meanwhile, your approach is to inconvenience him with one avenue at attack. He learns nothing. Nobody can use those devices, even the ones that do behave. A danger to public safety is created. And, in the end, he meets no resistance to his ass-hatitude.

      Neither solution works, come up with another alternative.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    214. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Even worse, we now have terrorist-molesting children!

    215. Re:I approve by digitalsolo · · Score: 1

      What about speaking to a friend or simply fellow patron on the bus? I'm at a loss as to why it is more bothersome to a stranger that a conversation is one way.

      I fully agree that being overly loud is annoying regardless, but since you're speaking in absolutes, I figure I might as well join in.

      --
      Just another ignorant American.
    216. Re:I approve by GuldKalle · · Score: 1

      So as long as YOU are not annoyed, things are fine. You need to look yourself in the mirror, sir. Because your inflated sense of entitlement is the problem in a nutshell.
      If everyone bought into this "solution", the cellphone network would be unusable. Even your voicemail solution would be of limited use, as you'd almost never be free from jamming.
      Because the society has spoken, and they would rather have inconsiderate sound wave banter than inconsiderate radio wave jammers (seeing as one thing is legal and the other is not).
      If you don't want people around you doing things you consider inconsiderate, you are free to move away from the city and live by yourself in northern Canada.

      --
      What?
    217. Re:I approve by butchersong · · Score: 1

      And how is this different from two people having a conversation? I know many here are rather socially retarded but a human voice an normal conversational volume does not constitute noise pollution.

    218. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've always found people who can't tolerate cellphones on public transport to be bigger douchebags than people who talk loudly on public transport.

    219. Re:I approve by kqs · · Score: 1

      It was once the height of politeness to treat people of inappropriate religions or skin colors as if they were simpleminded or disgusting. It was once appropriate to treat women like property. No, public (and private) etiquette could be far worse.

    220. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I found earplugs to work perfectly

    221. Re:I approve by Tom · · Score: 1

      There has been interesting psychological research a few years ago showing that we actually find a conversation considerably more distracting/annoying if we only hear one side of it.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    222. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ... and then go to the hospital fixing ones nose?

      You as everybody else here knows that considered people talk with a normal volume, while dumb and fast punching idiots are those blabering in public about exactly that stuff that isn't urgent enough to annoy others.

    223. Re:I approve by pedrop357 · · Score: 1

      There won't be a signal at the output if the input antenna loses its connection to the carrier.

      We dealt with this recently at my job. The antenna outside our building to Carrier A became misaligned and we began having a lot of problems with cell phones for carrier A. At various points in the building, your phone would only have a weak connection to a tower outside our building, OR it would roam to Carrier B (who had also picocells at all the same places as carriers A,C, and D).

      Without a signal at our input side, the outputs in our building didn't broadcast any signal. It wasn't an unmodulated carrier or anything along those lines, there just wasn't anything there as confirmed by a spectrum analyzer and near field detector. Once the outside antenna was fixed, we could see signals on the frequencies for carrier A and our phones stopped dropping and/or roaming.

      I shouldn't have said repeater, as the picocell heads are a lot like wireless access points that are centrally controlled. Wiki article on picocells.

      In any case, the point about repeaters (picocells) is that many larger businesses get companies to install picocells in their building. That is a de facto denial of permission to jam. If they didn't want cell phones usable in their building, they wouldn't have gone to the extra trouble to have extra equipment installed inside to facilitate it.

      The same goes for nearly all subways and underground trains. The chances of their being picocells all over the place is very high. The authority in charge of that area CHOSE to have cell phone coverage extended down there and went to some kind of effort to get a company to install them. This too should be treated as a denial of permission to jam.

    224. Re:I approve by bug1 · · Score: 1

      Using a jammer is a technical solution to a social problem, this always leads to problems.

      Instead of usign a jammer, why not, ask the person nicely if they could be quiet, try and get the transport company to introduce 'quiet time' or 'quiet zones' and put signs up.

    225. Re:I approve by Tom · · Score: 1

      You would still need a clear sign indicating that cellphones will not work in the theater... and people like me wouldn't be able to go (I'm on call 24/7and have my phone on vibrate)

      The japanese have a very elegant solution for this - they are very polite as you may know. I once spoke at a conference in Tokyo. It is quite common for meetings and conferences to deposit your cell phone outside, with the receptionist, who will handle the phones much like coats, but also pick them up when they ring, ask the caller if it is important and if it is, quietly fetch you.

      I don't see why that would not work for theatres.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    226. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have rarely - no, make that never - heard an important cell phone call on the bus.

      That's because no one with anything important to do rides the bus.

    227. Re:I approve by aevan · · Score: 1

      This is true, but this would also be karma :D

      More worrisome would be if he was ONE of the ones that needed help and couldn't turn it off e.g. a bus flips on an empty road, jammer dies though the device is intact, and no survivor can crawl out of the jamming range to call out.

    228. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's modded insightful because it's true. It has nothing to do with being (or not being) a Luddite.

      You see, IMO it's the same fear-based marketing that brought us the TSA has brought us the belief that it's somehow dangerous to be without a cell-phone.

      Fear is fear.

    229. Re:I approve by Matt_Bennett · · Score: 1

      Building a shielded room is a simple idea, but unattainable in practice. An effective Faraday cage is much, much, harder to build than just lining the walls with metal- in particular, the doors would need special seals, and any effect would be negated once you open a door. You need ventilation too, right? Wires to get power into the room...

      NB: Grounding won't make a difference with respect to RF, particularly at the frequencies modern communication devices run.

    230. Re:I approve by GuldKalle · · Score: 1

      Maybe the bus crashed and the driver (who is the only one aware of the jammer) is unconscious.
      An unlikely scenario, but far from impossible.

      --
      What?
    231. Re:I approve by mk1004 · · Score: 1

      Don't forget cell phone use in restrooms.

      --
      I can mend the break of day, heal a broken heart, and provide temporary relief to nymphomaniacs.
    232. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 0

      If you are trying to sleep in a public place and are not smart enough to buy a $0.30 pair of earplugs, the problem is not the person on the phone. It is you.

    233. Re:I approve by mkremer · · Score: 1

      Or listening to streaming music or watching streaming video or playing a multi-player game ...

      Lots of things to do now days that do not involve a phone call that jammer would mess up.

    234. Re:I approve by markdavis · · Score: 1

      >"This guy is my new hero, even though he later backed down and said he wasn't going to use it anymore. I for one am fed up with the constant assault of cell phone conversations from people who have no idea how to be considerate to those around them."

      And yet if he flips that on, then he is also potentially disrupting the signal for all the other people are are SILENTLY and perhaps CONSIDERATELY using their mobile devices to check email, browse the web, stream radio, or whatever.

      I am just as pissed at rude phone users as anyone else, but disconnecting everyone else around you just because of one or a few bad apples is just as "wrong" if not more so. It is just as selfish and even more malicious.

    235. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      The 911 argument is not a good one, but thinking that the jammer would get turned off in an emergency is not valid either. People forget about small battery operated electronics being on all the time. This effect would be enhanced if something exciting happened.

      A better argument is that public places can be noisy. People like to have conversations, and there is nothing wrong with that. If you want to be in public and don't want to hear anyone else, then get ear plugs. They are cheap and effective. Trying to turn public places into your private place is both rude and futile.

    236. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      No, they are jamming the phones of innocent bystanders because they themselves were too big of assholes to get a pair of ear plugs for their public quite time.

    237. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      That comment becomes completely invalid once you take the effect of many jammers into account.

    238. Re:I approve by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      You make a good point. I'll go back to my old method of disrupting their rude cell phone talking by using a wooden mallet.

    239. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      Correction...

      "Who cares about your rights to communicate, I wanna sleep in public and I am too stupid to buy a $0.30 pair of ear plugs bitches!"

    240. Re:I approve by markdavis · · Score: 1

      >"I found earplugs to work perfectly"

      +1

      Exactly. It is sad, but I now carry earplugs and/or earphones everywhere with me. If I am assaulted with noise I don't want to hear, I can turn it off. A $1 fix that has proven to be priceless. I just wish it could stop those damn ultra-bass boom box cars (those just need to be targeted with missiles).

    241. Re:I approve by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      What happened in the days before cell phones? Can't the same sort of thing happen now without society ending in collapse?

    242. Re:I approve by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      It is simply not his place to decide what the people around him should and should not be allowed to do.

      No, it's the bus company's. As someone who's traveled on buses in many countries, and through linguistic curiosity and lack of other entertainment read the signs, I'll tell you that most have a posted regulation against disturbing other passengers.

      He's merely enforcing what the driver is too lazy or cowardly to do. Most of them are unionized and cannot be fired even for failing to do their job.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    243. Re:I approve by MikeBabcock · · Score: 1

      I love a good strawman -- next time there's a major gas crisis, remind me to point out that nobody had cars a couple hundred years ago and things haven't gotten that much more important.

      With changes in available technology come changes in expectations, reasonable or not.

      Many people would be not just shunned but fired without a cellphone available all day. Sure, we lived differently fifty years ago, but many people can't live that way anymore and remain part of the society they're a part of.

      --
      - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
    244. Re:I approve by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      If the potential for incoming emergency calls on buses is really that important, then all buses should have a rule that no one is allowed to talk, either on cell phone or not. Must keep quiet and well behaved at all times so that we don't accidentally miss an important incoming emergency cell phone call! Just enforce that rule and no one will be tempted to bring a cell phone jammer along.

    245. Re:I approve by Ouchie · · Score: 1

      A doctor won't be getting to a vital operation very quickly on a bus. The range on these things is rather short, I had one and it would work at a stoplight but only if the car was in a lane next to me. Then again, maybe that was just mine.

      --
      "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." ~Ozzy Osborne
    246. Re:I approve by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      There are people who have never once been out of range of a cell phone tower since the day they were born. They are completely unable to handle themselves well when this unexpected situation arises. I swear these people sometimes actually go to remote wilderness locations unprepared and die because they didn't realize they couldn't just call for a helicopter to rescue them (and I am not making this up).

    247. Re:I approve by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      How about if we frame this as a form of civil disobedience? Then instead of being the jerk who disrupts phone calls he instead is now this heroic vigilante standing up to the man?

    248. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      Or if they are stopping other people from using their phones? Yep. Seriously. Don't these people have homes to sleep in?

    249. Re:I approve by slashDoug · · Score: 1

      If it hasn't been said already, jammer users turn it on long enough to drop the annoying cellular caller, then they turn the jammer off. Freeing up those important Dr. and police officer calls to come in.

      If the loud talker continues to persist and redials, turn it back on and off.

      I have seen this work many times, but the perfect example was in a small restaurant where a loud talker nextell'ed their entire conversation (yelling into his phone basically on speaker mode) while he was eating. The entire restaurant was annoyed. It took about five drops before he figured out that someone wasn't going to let him finish his conversation.

      Even Pavlov's dog learned......

    250. Re:I approve by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1, Insightful

      because you're too passive-aggressive to politely ask them to quiet down

      No, because they're too actually aggressive to acquiesce to any polite request, especially one that asks them to change their behavior (where complying with the request would imply an admission of bad behavior on their part, and a perceived challenge from myself). Put simply, if they're going to be rude and inconsiderate to the requests of other people, then I'm going to be rude and inconsiderate to them. Preferably in a stealthy manner.

      Why is it suddenly your place to enforce your will upon everybody on the bus?

      I guess because I'm having their conversation forced upon me. But I agree, a directional antenna would be far superior.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    251. Re:I approve by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      "Normal conversational volume" is never the problem.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    252. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 0

      It bothers me to have people like you in my presence. Since you are not a hypocrite, you will now stop going out in public, right?

    253. Re:I approve by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      I was at a premier of a Star Wars movie when someone started talking on the phone. A few boos in the packed audience broke out before the guy said "Sorry, I have to go, I'm in the middle of a movie".

      Now a jammer in a theater makes sense. Theater is large enough you don't accidentally interfere with others, not even those in the lobby or hallway). Emergency calls just go to voice mail until movie is over (and you were _supposed_ to turn the phone off anyway, jerk). If you're an important surgeon then your beeper goes off instead.

    254. Re:I approve by Rakarra · · Score: 1

      30 years ago no one had cell phones... things havent gotten THAT much more important in 30 years

      Times change. Society progresses. The limitations of yesteryear are not necessarily acceptible today.

    255. Re:I approve by mcl630 · · Score: 1

      For that matter, if he was the one committing the assault...

    256. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Enough to mess with the gprs modem the bus uses to coordinate transit schedules. Jamming is illegal for a reason. Noise cancelling headphones were invented for a reason. You're in the bus, you want "peace and quiet" wear them.

    257. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Victims? It's not like the guy stabbed people who had cell phones. The phones just got jammed. Big deal.

    258. Re:I approve by mk1004 · · Score: 1

      On some buses phone use may be prohibited. Otherwise, conversations with other people on the bus is generally acceptable, so what makes a conversation where one of the parties is remote different? In both cases, talking too loud is annoying, and that may be prohibited under the same rule as no boom boxes, etcetera. If the phone conversation is carried out such that it would be considered acceptable by most if it were a face-to-face conversation, I don't see why one would be OK and not the other. Or are you saying that person to person conversations on a bus is not a right?

      --
      I can mend the break of day, heal a broken heart, and provide temporary relief to nymphomaniacs.
    259. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      I will up your proposal, and suggest that the cell phone manufacturers agree on a common "Request for silence" signal that all of their phones can receive. Let the phones behavior be set by the phone owners as to what should happen when the signal is received. This would not cause any kind of interference for anyone around the venue, it wouldn't prevent any emergency calls. It would be very inexpensive once the implementation got going. It could use a frequency that doesn't pass through walls well or go very far. It would leave the venues to treat people with audible phone usage the same way they treat everyone else who is making noise.

      I know that I would consider this kind of thing a service. I have no interest in receiving cell phone calls when I am in a theater, but I can also admit that I have forgotten to silence mine on entering.

    260. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I take it that was your fist time on a bus~

      Ouch.

    261. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      I agree. I would consider it a service if there was a standard "Request for silence" signal that was low power, didn't penetrate walls well, my phone could receive, and that I could set my phone to respond as I see fit. I would always mute my phone on entering a theater if I always remembered. Being human, I can sometimes forget things like that. That doesn't mean we should be blocking signals.

    262. Re:I approve by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      ...then I'm going to be rude and inconsiderate to them. Preferably in a stealthy manner.

      So... you're too passive-aggressive to politely ask them to quiet down then? Another poster put this pretty eloquently, so I won't repost, but worth keeping in mind how differently we feel about restricting somebody else's access to a service when *we* have the button instead of somebody else: http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2710361&cid=39263155

      --
      +1 Disagree
    263. Re:I approve by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      No, enforcing what the driver is too lazy or cowardly to do would be asking the guy to talk quietly or hang up. What he's doing is engaging in vigilante justice with widespread collateral damage. That, and he's only doing it because he knows it is very unlikely he's going to be caught.

      --
      +1 Disagree
    264. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, they haven't.

      Now I'm going to get a jammer just to fuck with self-important pricks like you.

    265. Re:I approve by Rakarra · · Score: 1

      Many buses disallow cell phone calls (ex. express bus service in NYC). Many trains have "quiet cars" where cell phone calls are not permitted. They're not absolutely strict on that stuff, but it's certainly unacceptable.

      Loud and obnoxious activities (because really, the cell phone itself isn't at issue) are never socially acceptable around a group of quiet people. To think otherwise is ignorant. Act otherwise and you're just an asshole.

      Unforuntely, just like staff doesn't harass people who text and talk on the phone in movie theaters, there's little enforcement of that sort of thing when truly obnoxious people talk on "quiet cars."

    266. Re:I approve by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      We have a major gas crisis just about every evening here. One of our cats is notably flatulent.

      Anybody who would get fired for not having a cellphone... well... it's sort of neighborly to help someone escape that shitty a job.

    267. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      That was my point.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    268. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Sure why not. And let's get rid of cars too, people misuse those all the time and we lived fine without them for centuries:

      http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2710361&cid=39263785

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    269. Re:I approve by cyber-vandal · · Score: 1

      Yeh that'll work. I've done that on many occasions. The best response is a sullen glare and a grudging obedience. Then there's the ones that glare at you then carry on, and finally the ones that abuse and/or threaten you. I'm 6ft 2 and 210 pounds so I'm not easily intimidated. A lot of people are afraid to confront the public transport dicks due to the potential consequences.

    270. Re:I approve by cyber-vandal · · Score: 1

      In the UK it's illegal to smoke on the bus. It's also illegal to play music on the bus. Guess how often those laws are enforced.

    271. Re:I approve by Matheus · · Score: 1

      As I recall a bunch of theaters tried to install jammers and were bitch slapped by the FCC. Their response was mostly "We're the only ones who have a right to do that so get off our lawn!" but in the conversation a variety of other issues crept up such as: Medical emergency in the theater. Patrons try to call 911 with their cells (all the while not spending time trying to find some wired form of communication) and get blocked. Family of victim sues theater out of existence for blocking "potentially life saving" calls.

      That's not even getting into what happens when the blocker's range exceeds its purvey. Either way the FCC said "No you can't do that" and didn't seem to give any indication that they had any "maybe" in that decree.

    272. Re:I approve by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      I just need to add that it goes beyond just jamming innocent cell phones, but was doing it when their was a non-destructive, legal way to do the same thing. We agree.

    273. Re:I approve by weapon · · Score: 1

      These jammers do not only affect mobile phone users (people), but any equipment that uses the 2G/3G mobile phone network for communication. A bus may have a 3G connection for the ticketing system, for monitoring the location and/or 'vital signs' of the bus. Devices on the side of the road may be affected by the jammer - that big electronic sign may be controlled via a 3G connection. Or their might be equipment around that runs on a neighbouring licenced band. The 2G and 3G networks are not just used for mobile phone calls.

      This is why we have laws like this, it is for the benefit of the public that these frequencies cannot be blocked by anybody.

    274. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      so you are considerate when you affect dozens to hundreds of people because one guy annoys you?
      the guy in the article (and you) are dicks.

    275. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Every solution resolves one problem at the expense of another.

    276. Re:I approve by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      In this case I would have to call it a draw but, if 'I' am not using a phone at that time and that one sided conversation was loud, devoid of any meaning and a particular annoying vocal tone, hmm, then go jammer.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    277. Re:I approve by z0idberg · · Score: 1

      Thats a great plan. Except that excludes:
      on-call doctors
      obstetricians
      other emergency services workers
      IT out of hours on-call people
      expecting fathers/mothers
      parents with kids at home being babysat
      anyone with dependents at all who might need to receive a phone call
      etc. etc.

      from being able to go to a restaurant or movie theatre. Just because some people are rude and disrupting on their phone you want to take telecommunications away from anyone and everyone that genuinely depends on it whether they are disruptive or not.

      If you want to not be disturbed by mobile phones go and live with the Amish.

    278. Re:I approve by izomiac · · Score: 1

      Two things make cell phone conversations more annoying that either of your examples. First, we only hear one half of the conversation, so we naturally assume the unanswered interjections and such directed toward us until we consciously realize it's the cell phone user (which makes them far more distracting and annoying). Second, people using cell phones in noisy places tend to shout because they can barely hear the other party, and assume the other party can barely hear them.

    279. Re:I approve by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      So every time we have an advance, we MUST allow anything that advance enables. Otherwise it's doom! No one can contact the doctor because someone used a jammer for 10 seconds, or they got into a fight on the bus, or the doctor forgot to charge his battery, or there's a citywide power outage, or... It's just a stupid cell phone and the world won't end if someone uses a jammer for a brief period of time. It's against the law anyway so it's not really worth arguing about. But the idea that someone terrible and awful would happen just because someone can't use a cell phone for a brief period of time is ludicrous.

      As for your example, sure we can live without cars for brief periods of time. Sometimes the roads are closed, you run out of gas, someone runs into the street waving their arms for you to stop, etc. I don't see automobile lovers freak out about those situations, so why does temporary loss of service cause such angst in technophiles?

    280. Re:I approve by jamesh · · Score: 1

      30 years ago no one had cell phones...

      But if they did have cell phones, people would be just as rude as they are now.

    281. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      YOU are what's wrong with the world.

      Poor bus driver probably worked three 12-hour shifts straight, dealing with assholes on the road blocking him off left, right and center yet you know the difficulties of driving 14 tonne vehicle full of passive aggressive assholes far better and want this guy to lose his livelihood because he went through a red-light THUS GETTING YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION ON TIME!?!?!?!?!

      I would love to shit on your face.

    282. Re:I approve by aphelion_rock · · Score: 1

      And Mr. Wanker lives up to his slashdot handle. It's ironic that you say,

      I for one am fed up with the constant assault of cell phone conversations from people who have no idea how to be considerate to those around them.

      when its obvious that you "have no idea how to be considerate to those around them" if you advocate disrupting everyone else's communication devices. The guy sitting next to you quietly streaming pandora over his mobile device and listening via headphones should not have his communications interrupted by an inconsiderate asshole like yourself.

      I think that you are missing the point here, there is a difference between someone quietly talking into their cellphone and someone yelling into it at the top of their voice, hence the word 'assault'.

    283. Re:I approve by dfghjk · · Score: 1

      "I suppose the bigger question is - why have manners deteriorated to the point that the general public feels it's necessary to take technological measures to fix social problems? The purchase and use of jammers is just a symptom of an underlying societal problem"

      Which is that some people feel entitled to judge and police other people's social behavior and do damage as they see fit. There's a lot of theft in the world, too, but it's not a matter of the general public feeling it necessary to redistribute wealth, it's a matter that there are a-holes looking to take advantage to their own ends.

    284. Re:I approve by TubeSteak · · Score: 2

      and because you're too passive-aggressive to politely ask them to quiet down,

      Confronting someone on public transportation is a dicey proposition.
      You literally do not know who you're dealing with.
      The type of person who does not respect the public space they are in is much more likely to get stabby than your average citizen.

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    285. Re:I approve by onepoint · · Score: 1

      Funny as it may sound, I see a guy pulling out an antenna to attach a device, I am going to ask that person what it is and stop. I've learned enough in my history and from family members doing tours in the hostile middle east that it's a device set to send out a signal ( and if it was a government agent, he just blew his cover ). so my only objective is to get that thing away from him, have someone pounce on him, and let the cops sort it out. by the time they show up, someone else will be the hero and I will have walked away un-noticed ( I hope )

      --
      if you see me, smile and say hello.
    286. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Public bus, right? No eating, smoking, or listening to 'loud music' generally are the rules. So how about a rule banning cell phone use if someone complains, under threat of being kicked off the bus before that offender's stop?

      Not that cell use on buses is a bad thing. Keeping the conversation short and to the point. Like calling someone to pick you up, calling a taxi service, letting someone know when you're going to arrive. Long and loud conversations just seem rude.

    287. Re:I approve by Dan541 · · Score: 1

      People will just talk even louder "HELLO, HELLO...... CAN YOU HEAR ME......?"

      (posting lower caps to bypass filter)

      --
      An SQL query goes to a bar, walks up to a table and asks, "Mind if I join you?"
    288. Re:I approve by MikeBabcock · · Score: 1

      Thank God you're not my doctor when my son was in ICU.

      She texted me the moment there was an update, and was available on-call full-time to us as a family.

      When my cell phone rings from a customer and I ignore it, I'm going to get a lot of flak and probably lose that customer -- sure, I bill them triple-time rates for calling after-hours, but I answer my phone for my customers, and I keep them.

      Peoples' expectations have changed in many fields and/or regions, and there's nothing more wrong with that than expecting a flush toilet in a city.

      --
      - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
    289. Re:I approve by ohnocitizen · · Score: 1

      What the hell is wrong with people? My post was modded flamebait? erroneus is 100% correct. If you are on a bus with closed windows in traffic, do you think you'd be able to hear someone making a 911 call? Does slashdot imagine all 911 calls involve loud voices? Even if the call was loud enough to be heard, how close would the bus have to get to have an impact? Do I even have to address the assumption that the 911 call would be on the bus? Even if it was on the bus, the reaction time between realizing someone was trying to make a 911 call and turning off the device could cost vital seconds.

    290. Re:I approve by TheTurtlesMoves · · Score: 1

      This is true. We could use our cell phones in a Faraday cage we built on the 6th floor at a physics department. In the end we used the local "FCC" facility that is underground. It was the only way they could the local background EM noise down to acceptable limits for testing.

      --
      The Grey Goo disaster happened 3 billion years ago. This rock is covered in self replicating machines!
    291. Re:I approve by Chibi+Merrow · · Score: 1

      Then grow a pair and enforce them. Don't install a halon system on the bus to extinguish any cigarettes that might be burning.

      --
      Maxim: People cannot follow directions.
      Increases in truth directly with the length of time spent explaining them
    292. Re:I approve by meowris · · Score: 1

      Agreed. No solution is better than a direct one.

    293. Re:I approve by Politburo · · Score: 1

      That might work if the rules were enforced. But the bus drivers don't want to start shit with people (I don't blame em), and can't physically remove anyone from the bus. If the cops have to get called it delays the whole bus which pisses everyone off.

    294. Re:I approve by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      So... you're too passive-aggressive to politely ask them to quiet down then?

      You suggest that as a solution like it would actually solve the problem. Turns out some people don't want to be told what to do, even when they're being dicks. I'm not trying to get into a confrontation with someone, if they're going to be disrespectful enough to use their phone in an obnoxious manner then they aren't going to give a shit what I say to them.

      I agree that a jammer that affects an area is overkill and needlessly punishes people who aren't doing anything wrong, that's without question. But a directional jammer that can block just that one guy I think is completely acceptable.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    295. Re:I approve by s73v3r · · Score: 1

      Otherwise, conversations with other people on the bus is generally acceptable, so what makes a conversation where one of the parties is remote different?

      The volume. If you're talking on your phone quietly, then there's no problem. But if your conversation can be heard from the other end of the bus, it's you who's in the wrong.

      If the phone conversation is carried out such that it would be considered acceptable by most if it were a face-to-face conversation, I don't see why one would be OK and not the other

      I don't see why you mentioned this in the first fucking place, as the whole point of the fucking article is people who talk TOO LOUDLY.

    296. Re:I approve by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      I suppose we're just going to disagree here - even if you can rig a directional jammer. My opinion is that while it is wrong for somebody to be loud and obnoxious in public, it is more wrong for somebody back in the shadows to play judge jury and executioner on that person's ability to use their phone. I won't say it's a good idea to ask *everybody* to quiet down, you need to perform your own risk assessment on each case. What I am saying is that if you aren't willing to have a discussion with the person on the matter, then what gives you the right to end their conversation with no chance for appeal?

      --
      +1 Disagree
    297. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Child-molesting communists!" Reminds me of Arlo Guthrie's line about "Father stabbers, mother rapers, father rapers" But some people won't see the sarcasm and they'll "all move away from you on the Group W bench."

    298. Re:I approve by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      it is more wrong for somebody back in the shadows to play judge jury and executioner on that person's ability to use their phone

      I would agree with that statement if using a cell phone in public was a right. It's not a right, it's a privilege. I don't have any more of a right or authority to take away someone's privilege than anyone else, but I frankly don't care about that. I'm just kind of a dick that way. I don't see major problems with individual citizens seeking to correct offensive behavior of other citizens, even if indirectly. In fact, I think that self-policing mentality is necessary in any civilized society. I'm a nice guy as long as people are behaving reasonably. If someone is being unreasonable then I reserve the privilege to be unreasonable towards them. And I expect other people to treat me the same way.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    299. Re:I approve by Idbar · · Score: 1

      Given it's an unlicensed, unapproved and illegal device, the guy jamming the signal may not even know the peace maker from the guy next to him may have the desired consequences.

      Causing an interesting loop: The jammer causes injuries in someone else, the lovely jerk using the jammer may react quickly to allow 911 calls, without even knowing he caused the issue for buying noisy unlicensed electronic devices.

      I don't know about peace makers, but think about any health support device for that matter, or worse, activating the !@# device in a hospital.

    300. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This guy is my new hero, even though he later backed down and said he wasn't going to use it anymore. I for one am fed up with the constant assault of cell phone conversations from people who have no idea how to be considerate to those around them.

      Then why dont u just go over and tell those people how u feel and ask them to stop being so rude?

      Why are u so afraid to confront things? I think it is more rude to force others to do wat u want while u hide in the corner giggling after flipping a switch.

      I dont have a cell phone. I am not defending any behaviour, but I think it is pretty rude to force the public to behave in one way... your way... in public. The public is free and if u dont like it, then all u can do is go home to ur own privacy or engage to make a change. Forcing ur conditions on others in public IS RUDE.

      When someone uses this product, they do not understand the full consequences of their actions. It is not targetted and likely interrupts far more then their intended target. Using this device is an attack on the public freedoms of others. I believe we should have more public freedom, not less... and it is up to us to make the public what we want through social interaction.

    301. Re:I approve by SiChemist · · Score: 1

      I don't think I'm missing the point at all. Mr. Wanker doesn't mind disrupting ALL communication devices around him (even those that are quietly streaming audio through earbuds or those essential for the safe operation of the transport) because he's annoyed with a single person. No one gets to disrupt everyone else's legal activities in a fit of pique at one individual. That's even less considerate than the person "yelling" into his phone.

    302. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then perhaps a complaint against the bus driver is in order, seriously.

      It's bad enough when bus drivers let people stand in front of the yellow line or perhaps sit on the stars right by the front door.

    303. Re:I approve by madhi19 · · Score: 1

      9 meters range where can I get that gizmo? It perfect you don't mess with too many peoples and you get mister or miss loud mouth to either move away from you or shut the hell up! Hell at this range that technology should not even be illegal everybody should have the right to a 9 meters cone of silence!

    304. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      or dropped mustard in your lap while eating a sandwitch and didn't even apologize?

      Is eating a sandwitch something vaguely resembling giving head to a mudgolem?

    305. Re:I approve by rhalstead · · Score: 1

      Any driver on the phone should be fair game. OTOH these devices are a hazard to aircraft and instrument landing systems.

    306. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thanks for such a insightful addition to the conversation Miss Manners, I don't know what I'd do without you to remind me how to be a decent human being.

    307. Re:I approve by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      As for your example, sure we can live without cars for brief periods of time. Sometimes the roads are closed, you run out of gas, someone runs into the street waving their arms for you to stop, etc. I don't see automobile lovers freak out about those situations, so why does temporary loss of service cause such angst in technophiles?

      A natural, normal and unavoidable event is different from selfish sabotage. If you used an EMP to shut down all the cars on your block because the noise disturbed you, people would be pissed.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    308. Re:I approve by Morty · · Score: 1

      30 years ago, people weren't expected to be reachable. Now, IT folks, doctors, managers, and others are expected to reachable on their cell phones. Parents are expected to be reachable by their kids' schools.

    309. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You think you got it bad here? try China where the farmer at the other end of the bus is screaming at full throttle about his hemorroids. It makes perfect sense to him, when he was talking to this person in real life he was screaming at them in another paddy andso he is just replicating that experience in the bus. Obviously the people you are talking about are the reincarnation of Chinese farmers with hemorroids. Did that image make you smile?

    310. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm *super* glad that I own a car.

    311. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What about normal drop-outs that occur anyway, my phone only works half the time due to my carrier (one of the two largest in the country) being a bit crap. Think of the children!!!, then. Fat chance of getting a 911 then too.

      Gawd i'd use a jammer in a heartbeat. Only for a moment, rarely, only when the loudest idiot is trying to get a signal. After a few times he might give it a rest.

      Oh- speaking of heartbeats... how about pacemakers, by the way, are they affected by jammers?

    312. Re:I approve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How about "normal". Its normal to want some freakin peace n quiet. Its NOT normal to be a rude shouting butthead yelling on a phone in public about things that are private. Its just not.

      You think everyone should just put up with noise pollution wherever they are just cos they're on a public bus? How about it everybody on that public bus was making all the noise they wanted, farting all they felt like, eating food & dropping it everywhere, putting their feet on the seats, having a spit, or a pee, throwing rubbish about. Its all the same sort of thing, its pollution. Straight out. And while people do do all these things on the public bus, each activity makes that public bus more miserable to ride in.

  2. Find them, hit them with the $16k fine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...problem solved. Low resolution spectrum analyzers can be inexpensive and the jammer signature is easy to identify.

    1. Re:Find them, hit them with the $16k fine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In the UK, shortwave - the only means of truly free peer-to-peer worldwide communication - is being jammed by regulator Ofcom's allowing the ex-telecoms-monopoly BT, and other providers, to sell "Ethernet over powerline" devices which turn house mains wiring into a massive unshielded antenna. What the USSR did with dedicated jamming stations and a ~$500,000,000/year budget, the UK does via a cheaper abuse much harder to rein in.

      As long as this happens, I see no moral problem with citizens fighting back and doing the same. Either everyone is licenced his spectrum and respects his allocations, or those with less power must be stopped from being squeezed out by those with greater power.

      It's not as if the authorities wouldn't jam cellphone signals if the interests of the powerful demanded it, is it?

    2. Re:Find them, hit them with the $16k fine by pla · · Score: 1

      ...problem solved. Low resolution spectrum analyzers can be inexpensive and the jammer signature is easy to identify.

      And it takes only a few seconds to triangulate the source of the signal...

      Except, you can cause calls to drop with just a momentary burst of jamming goodness. You don't need to actively swamp out any signals whatsoever for the duration, you just need to click the button every time Joe Important tries to make a call. And if you count as a moving target yourself, the odds of getting caught reduce to the same as "oops, guess I shouldn't have brought a dime-bag to the courthouse".

    3. Re:Find them, hit them with the $16k fine by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Perhaps cell providers should have their towers log and report any sudden signal losses. This could help find where jammers were used and lead to the apprehension of the asshats using them.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    4. Re:Find them, hit them with the $16k fine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And while we're at all, let's spend billions trying to locate jaywalkers...

      Mountain out of a molehill, mountain out of a molehill...

    5. Re:Find them, hit them with the $16k fine by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Spend billions? All they have to do is write a script for their cell towers, or maybe the central log server already in place.

      I hope they do it.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  3. Jammin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do you have an instance where you experienced the positive (or negative) effects of a cell phone jammer?

    No, not that I can think of.

  4. Can we get something... by owenferguson · · Score: 1

    ...to jam first posters?

  5. A good jamming by moondo · · Score: 0

    Let's just say the last jamming my friend experienced was... unpleasant.

  6. They're illegal? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For everyone that is not a corporate entity or government agency or every everyone?
    Because I thought movie theaters used them.

    1. Re:They're illegal? by Desler · · Score: 2

      It's illegal for private use without a permit from the FCC and law enforcement can only use them in certain circumstances.

    2. Re:They're illegal? by Matt_Bennett · · Score: 2

      In the United States, jammers are illegal for everyone.

    3. Re:They're illegal? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not true the military currently uses them for active/passive jamming in Psy Ops.

  7. I wish they'd put them in theatres by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Films, concerts, hell even live performances it seems like there's always some knob on the phone.

    If something is an emergency go to the lobby, if you're just bored LEAVE.

    I support any technology that enforces this particular basic common courtesy.

    1. Re:I wish they'd put them in theatres by pedrop357 · · Score: 2

      I support removing and barring a person who talks during one of these performances, regardless of how they're doing it.

    2. Re:I wish they'd put them in theatres by Jawnn · · Score: 1

      I agree with the sentiment, but not the extreme response of installing jammers. Far better to publicly humiliate the inconsiderate fuck and toss his ass out the door. That's why I patronize The Alamo Draft House cinemas exclusively now. They don't tolerate rude behavior.

    3. Re:I wish they'd put them in theatres by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      That's why I not only set my phone to silent in a theater, I set the brightness to minimum, so that if I do want to look at the screen it won't light the whole place up.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    4. Re:I wish they'd put them in theatres by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      a business would rather have 1000 annoyed (but not annoyed enough to stop doing business) customers than to ban 1 customer

      your proposed solution will not work.

    5. Re:I wish they'd put them in theatres by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are a lot better reasons to frequent the Drafthouse, that's just one.

    6. Re:I wish they'd put them in theatres by jdgeorge · · Score: 1

      Where I live, there are doctors who get contacted in case of emergencies. I understand that some of these doctors frequent theaters for "films", concerts, and live performances.

    7. Re:I wish they'd put them in theatres by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Do they have bouncers there? That's the only way you're going to effectively deal with people like that. But bouncers cost extra money, and most companies don't want to pay to have big burly guys sitting around waiting to bodily throw people out of a place.

  8. I use my iPad on the train by darjen · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If someone was doing this while I commute to work, and I wasn't able to use my 3g connection, I would be pissed.

    1. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Hnice · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yeah -- I mean, this is the problem. Like, frequently -- most of the time -- I sort of wish that talkers would, you know, die, but there's lots of unobtrusive usage that's nobody's business.

      I'll tell you what I really think is going to happen: I think in 10 or 15 years, we're going to look back on this time period, and be sort of aghast at how people behaved with regards to their phones. I don't accept that things are moving in a more-talk-is-OK direction, I think that there's the possibility that this is a manners-haven't-caught-up-to-tech blip. There's going to be a certain amount of soul-searching as we deal with the driving issue, and I'm hoping that what will come out of that will be, 'Wait -- is what I have to say really important enough to need saying, now, in these circumstances?'

      And I'm not generally optimistic about human nature. But cell phone usage, I just don't see how this can go on very much longer as it is -- I mean, it's raw uncut assholishness, all the time, and everyone KNOWS it, but for now, they all DO IT anyway.

      My fingers are crossed for what alcoholics refer to as a 'moment of clarity'.

      --

      god is just pretend.

    2. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You see manners getting BETTER in the future!?

    3. Re:I use my iPad on the train by darjen · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Hopefully when you graduate and get a real job, you will become a little more mature. Until then, go back to your mom's basement and please shut the hell up.

    4. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How is talking on the phone more rude than talking to a travelling companion? Is not loudness the real nuiscance?

    5. Re:I use my iPad on the train by foo1752 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I mean, it's raw uncut assholishness, all the time, and everyone KNOWS it, but for now, they all DO IT anyway.

      Actually, the point is that the assholes don't think what they're doing is assholish at all. This will never change.

    6. Re:I use my iPad on the train by meloneg · · Score: 1

      Um, you should perhaps not attend classes with so many meth-heads?

    7. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You must still be stuck trying to browse on your blackberry. I'd be bitter too.

    8. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Great, another zit-faced nerd being an internet tough guy.

      You act like that in real life and it'll be you who gets smacked in the mouth.

    9. Re:I use my iPad on the train by interval1066 · · Score: 1

      RIGHT on point. As for the jammer, put me down for one. If you're using a 3G connection on your tablet, don't sit near a talker. Just sayin'.

      --
      Python: 'And then suddenly you have a language which says "we're all stuck with whatever the whiniest coder wants".'
    10. Re:I use my iPad on the train by jo_ham · · Score: 2

      Your mom says you're grounded and she's also taking the batteries out of your Xbox 360 controllers.

    11. Re:I use my iPad on the train by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 1

      And I'm not generally optimistic about human nature. But cell phone usage, I just don't see how this can go on very much longer as it is -- I mean, it's raw uncut assholishness, all the time, and everyone KNOWS it, but for now, they all DO IT anyway.

      Well, not quite everyone. I, for one, have never felt that it's raw uncut assholishness. I've never experienced a conversation on a mobile phone that I've actually found obtrusive (although I'm sure they could be made so if someone put in a concerted effort). I guess I've never thought that we are entitled to peace and quiet in public places, certainly not at the expense of our entitlement to communication, so I've never felt that it was rude.

      --
      You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
    12. Re:I use my iPad on the train by halcyon1234 · · Score: 1

      And I'm not generally optimistic about human nature. But cell phone usage, I just don't see how this can go on very much longer as it is -- I mean, it's raw uncut assholishness, all the time, and everyone KNOWS it, but for now, they all DO IT anyway.

      I wish I could believe, brother-- but for fuck's sake, look at cars. We've had over a hundred years for manners to catch up. Every single person on the road right now was born into and steeped in a culture of cars. and the road is still filled with assholes. Never mind a peaceful bus ride, that's when LIVES are at stake.

    13. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does the concept of subjectivity elude you?

    14. Re:I use my iPad on the train by SiChemist · · Score: 1

      ...don't sit near a talker.

      Or next to some obnoxious antisocial asshole who thinks that whatever he wants trumps everyone else's rights.

    15. Re:I use my iPad on the train by interval1066 · · Score: 1

      ...like a talker.

      --
      Python: 'And then suddenly you have a language which says "we're all stuck with whatever the whiniest coder wants".'
    16. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      You're insane if you think manners are going to get better in the future. The assholishness with cellphones isn't restricted to cellphones, that's just the latest place where we're seeing bad behavior from Americans. They were assholes before cellphones came along, but they've gotten worse, and society has gotten less and less able to curtail their bad behavior. Things aren't going to get better, they're going to just get even worse.

    17. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, the point is that the assholes don't think

      There... fixed that for you.

    18. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 1

      If I can't download my latest ebook on my iPhone, I'll probably start talking to the other passengers. Beware the Law of Unintended Consequences.

      --
      Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
    19. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Tom · · Score: 1

      I'll tell you what I really think is going to happen: I think in 10 or 15 years, we're going to look back on this time period, and be sort of aghast at how people behaved with regards to their phones.

      I thought that 10 years ago.

      It's a cultural thing, not a question of time. I spent a week in Tokyo a couple years ago and used the subway for most travel needs. During the entire week, I heard two cell phones ring, despite every japanese man, woman, child and probably dog having one. Both phones belonged to foreigners.

      But in the west? It has improved slightly ever since everyone has a mobile phone and they're not a status symbol anymore that seem fucks need to show off by using them so everyone notices. But aside from that, I don't notice a positive trend.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    20. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Hnice · · Score: 1

      You think that's true? I'm not -- I think that the issue is that they really don't realize exactly how assholish it is. I think that the fact that we're JUST NOW in 2012 getting stories about people who are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore is an indication of the fact that really, most people simply haven't thought about it very hard.

      At least that's what I hope. And like I said, I'm not an optimist when it comes to human nature, but I really do think that we're still at the 'ignorant of exactly how much it makes people want to kill you' stage.

      --

      god is just pretend.

    21. Re:I use my iPad on the train by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 1

      I'll tell you what I really think is going to happen: I think in 10 or 15 years, we're going to look back on this time period, and be sort of aghast at how people behaved with regards to their phones. I don't accept that things are moving in a more-talk-is-OK direction, I think that there's the possibility that this is a manners-haven't-caught-up-to-tech blip.

      15-10 years ago, cell phone etiquette was pretty good. I remember people turning their phones off in restaurants, or even at lunch in the office. A cell phone ringing during meal time was cause for mild embarrasment. If a phone rang during a movie screening, it was because the owner forgot to switch it off, and again, embarrasment ensued. Phones during meetings were turned off as well.
      Flash forward to today, and people do not think twice to answer the phone during meals. These days, good etiquette seems to mean stepping away from the dinner table to answer calls, not clicking them off or god forbid switching the phone to silent mode. In cinemas, phones do not just ring, they get answered.

      I predict that manners are going to catch up with tech, just not in the way you might think. The behaviours will not change or only get worse; what will change is our perception of what is proper and what isn't. There's a generation growing up for whom carrying and using a cell phone is a natural act. They might look at us oldsters wondering why we're being so uptight about talking to friends on the phone in public.

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    22. Re:I use my iPad on the train by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Try watching Canada's Worst Driver (even if you're not Canadian; there's a US equivalent, but it's an entirely different, more terrible format). Everyone is convinced that they can drive. Even when they're shown otherwise, they're convinced that they should have the right to drive on a public road. They're not just assholes, they're dangerous assholes, but they don't care. They think they're entitled to be able to drive. It's scary.

  9. ladyada by AtomicAdam · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I saw designs on Limor fried's Site years ago that she made for her thesis I believe. It's a good read. Either way it's funny how long these things took to become popular http://www.ladyada.net/make/wavebubble/index.html TFL for anyone who can't google

    1. Re:ladyada by citizenr · · Score: 1

      I saw designs on Limor fried's Site years ago that she made for her thesis I believe. It's a good read. Either way it's funny how long these things took to become popular
      http://www.ladyada.net/make/wavebubble/index.html

      TFL for anyone who can't google

      Its funny YOU think they took that long to become popular, Jammers were readily available $100 on Dealextreme the day ladyada jammer project got posted (years ago).

      --
      Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
  10. As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by christoofar · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I can tell you with what joy it is to live in a city where listening to B-grade hip hop music on tinny cell phone speakers is the norm. That you can't stop, but when I have to be subjected to a very lengthy screaming match between baby-momma and her baby-daddy, with a push of a button I can cut that nonsense out. If you want to do that nonsense, then get off the train at the next stop and have your bitch fest there.

    I can't do much about the panhandlers that pass through the trains hocking bootleg DVDs, scented oils or begging for quarters, but I CAN do something about the chaff of society who can't keep their Jerry Springer drama to themselves, and so I shut them down with a jammer. If an emergency crops up, I turn the device off.

    1. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by ceoyoyo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If you've got an issue with a particular person talking on her phone, sit down beside her and make snarky remarks until she shuts up or hits you. Don't interfere with everyone else in the area just for your personal convenience. Hey... that's what you're mad at baby mamma for doing isn't it?

    2. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's public transit. Deal with it, or find private transportation - you don't have the right to a bitch-free ride on SEPTA. Anyone using a jammer is just being an asshat, not to mention breaking the law which exists for a good reason.

    3. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, you mean an emergency on the train. Do you have a method to detect other emergencies, such as the emergency room of a hospital trying to get in touch with a family member WHO HAPPENS TO BE ON YOUR TRAIN?

    4. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by SJester · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I ride the infamous A train in NYC and my jammer is a relief. I experience much the same - hellfire preachers, drunks pissing on the floor, and stoned thugs arguing about which court they're supposed to be in today. The train is held at the station about once a month for police to search it. My ride is nearly two hours and a jammer makes it a bit quieter. I don't even turn it on for most of the ride; why would I interfere with Words with Friends or a quiet phone call? But when someone starts screaming into their phone they discover there's no service anymore.

    5. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What a jerk you are. If you don't like it go get a car and you won't have to put up with it. Why does everyone else need to put up with what you want in a public space? Get over yourself, jerkweed.

    6. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by pedrop357 · · Score: 1

      The music issue won't be stopped by a jammer.

    7. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Drunks stop pissing on the floor when they can't get a signal?

    8. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 1

      So how's that Chamber of Commerce gig working out, then?

    9. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Nimey · · Score: 1

      Ringtones. Streaming music. Those will be dealt with by a jammer.

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    10. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by QuasiSteve · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I can tell you with what joy it is to live in a city where listening to B-grade hip hop music on tinny cell phone speakers is the norm. That you can't stop

      You can't, or you won't?

      but when I have to be subjected to a very lengthy screaming match between baby-momma and her baby-daddy, with a push of a button I can cut that nonsense out.

      I see...

      I can't do much about the panhandlers that pass through the trains hocking bootleg DVDs, scented oils or begging for quarters,

      really? you can't? hmm

      but I CAN do something about the chaff of society who can't keep their Jerry Springer drama to themselves, and so I shut them down with a jammer

      Oh okay, I see what you're saying now.

      If you could turn off all the B-grade hip hop music with the push of a button, you would.
      If you could shut the panhandlers down with a jammer, you would.

      In essence, if you could do something about X in practical anonymity with an easily concealed device with little to no chance of getting caught, you would.

      Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling you chickenshit. Certainly it's much better to avoid conflict with the baby-momma and her posse by just letting her call drop instead of confronting her in person.

      Unfortunately, however, it also means you're affecting the person just quietly talking, the person just doing some texting, the person just browsing the web, and - provided that the bus isn't a magic faraday cage for your outgoing jammer signal - anybody in the vicinity of the bus.

      Not to mention that...

      If an emergency crops up, I turn the device off.

      ...it's impossible for you to determine that. For one thing, you can't magically know about remote emergencies that require a person to be called.

      For another, what if you are the emergency? You're on the highway, you get a heart attack, you fall down, your jammer's still on - nobody can call it in.. they flag down another driver, their phone doesn't work either, they figure it must just be reception there, so (rather than asking another drive to call from somewhere where they can get a signal) they drive the bus further to get a signal again, but still nothing.

      I know, society survived without cellphones, I'm sure it will when somebody misses, or can't place, an important call just as well.

      But please do choose your jamming moments wisely, and consider the unintended consequences - be that your own untimely demise (I <3 my contrived example!) or somebody's casual game of Wordfeud being cut short.

    11. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, what, like twenty years ago when approximately zero of those riders would have had cellular telephones there was then some magical method for detecting these "other emergencies"?

    12. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 0

      You're obviously a classist buffoon whom God has seen fit to punish by never granting enough financial success to rise above the public transit and utilities whose users you (falsely, laughably) believe are beneath you.

    13. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by yodleboy · · Score: 2

      so basically you're saying your response to a rude public asshole is to be a rude secret asshole? Public transportation pal, if you can't tolerate other people, get some noise cancelling headphones, or better yet get a car. I rode the bus and train for many years before telecommuting and I agree these loud talkers are annoying, but they are legal. You on the other hand are breaking the law to enforce your little cone of silence. Tell you what, next time you're talking to someone how would you like it if some jerk slapped a strip of duct tape over your mouth?

    14. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by christoofar · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Considering how many people in Philadelphia have criminal convictions, I don't feel like playing therapist to baby-momma-drama. It's easier to just shut them down. If you want your bars back, then step off the subway and talk on the platform and get on the next train.

    15. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Beyond_GoodandEvil · · Score: 1

      so I shut them down with a jammer. If an emergency crops up, I turn the device off.
      So how long before there's a device that locates your jamming signal, and then a crowd of angry people decide to beat you to death(it is Killadelphia after all) b/c you didn't want some person talking to loudly?Will it be worth it then? Or will the jammer/anti jammer arms races spiral out of control?

      --
      I laughed at the weak who considered themselves good because they lacked claws.
    16. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by christoofar · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Good luck searching the train to find out who has the jammer.

    17. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Johann+Lau · · Score: 0

      yeah, wtf was that even. what an idiot..

    18. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by robmv · · Score: 1

      ...it's impossible for you to determine that. For one thing, you can't magically know about remote emergencies that require a person to be called.

      Or he can not predict when someone/something hit him on the head, how will he deactivate the jammer when people is calling because he needs assistance?

    19. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by RobertLTux · · Score: 1

      easy to do if you have friends.

      each one of you needs to have a cell phone "receiver" with a semi directional antenna (just needs to be able to detect the freqs not decode).

      you just sit on opposite ends of the bus and sweep for the strongest signal (third to Nth person just finds decent seats)
      when you lock on to the signal do the math.

      after you find the jammer your actions are "an exercise left to the student".

      --
      Any person using FTFY or editing my postings agrees to a US$50.00 charge
    20. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by jittles · · Score: 1

      I don't even turn it on for most of the ride; why would I interfere with Words with Friends or a quiet phone call? But when someone starts screaming into their phone they discover there's no service anymore.

      I see... So you're allowed to use the phone but those around you are not? I know that some people don't know how to control their volume, and that it would be far politer to not talk on the phone at all, but this seems a bit hypocritical to me. And your jammer doesn't do anything about the piss, or anything else. It's not your place to police the transit line. If you want to do that, I am sure the city is looking for transit authority officers. Otherwise, just learn to deal with it. Perhaps ear plugs would be a better investment?

    21. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by jo_ham · · Score: 1

      You're just as bad as the inconsiderate cell phone users, but go on thinking you're superior and have a right to shut them down. Don't even think about collateral damage. I'm not even talking about the hyperbole regarding blocking emergency calls, just the plain fact that you're blocking signal for *everyone else* too.

      Is it ok if they complain about some dickhead jamming their cellular reception so they can't browse the net, send text messages, listen to internet radio etc? Or if they "want to do that nonsense" they can do it out of range of you, eh?

    22. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by ceoyoyo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      And I'm sure that annoying cell phone user would tell you that if you want peace and quiet, stay home.

      You're acting illegally, without regard to others because you're somewhat annoyed by the behaviour of a few people and going over and you don't "feel like" going over and telling them so. I take it back. You're WAY more selfish and inconsiderate than baby momma.

      Someone else used the phrase "passive-agressive nerd rage." It fits you pretty well.

    23. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      No, I disagree. If someone is talking loudly about his or her personal life in public, he's sharing that information with the world. You can listen, ask him to keep it down, or make amusing commentary. You are exercising your freedom of speech, not hurting anyone, and peer pressure is how acceptable public behaviour is enforced.

      Jamming his cell phone (and everyone else's) is another matter.

    24. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Pope · · Score: 0

      You and this "Eric" are 2 cunts in a pod.

      --
      It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
    25. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    26. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by coinreturn · · Score: 1

      easy to do if you have friends.

      each one of you needs to have a cell phone "receiver" with a semi directional antenna (just needs to be able to detect the freqs not decode).

      you just sit on opposite ends of the bus and sweep for the strongest signal (third to Nth person just finds decent seats) when you lock on to the signal do the math.

      after you find the jammer your actions are "an exercise left to the student".

      I imagine that anyone using a jammer wouldn't be dumb enough to leave it on for too long; I'd keep it on just long enough for loudmouth to give up on his call. There's no point in making it easy for the feds to find you.

    27. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know what would piss me off? If I was a doctor on-call who couldn't get a page because you didn't know an emergency had cropped up at the hospital. Or if my wife couldn't reach me to tell me that one of the kids was in an accident. No one likes listening to jerks talk too loud on their cell phones, but that is part of the price you pay to take public transportation.

    28. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by QuasiSteve · · Score: 1

      I think I covered that! ... although, having him be hit over the head is a lot more plausible than the heart attack thing, I suppose. Let's go with your suggestion! :D

    29. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by slew · · Score: 1

      Uhm, I don't know where you live, but at least in my part of the universe, ringtones are generally not streamed...

    30. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by swb · · Score: 1

      Is the A train that bad in Manhattan?

      I generally only use the 5 or 6 when I am in Manhattan, but need to go someplace on the A on my next trip. I could take a 1/2/3 but I'd have to walk a little further, but would consider it if the A was that bad.

    31. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Nimey · · Score: 1

      /facepalm

      If you can't receive a call on account of the jammer, your ringtone won't play.

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    32. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by zuzulo · · Score: 1

      Is it wrong that my first response to this post was 'i bet you could make a cell phone jammer detection app'? The idea of the cell phone arms race spiraling out of control intrigues me. ;-)

      --
      "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    33. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by virtualXTC · · Score: 1

      Indeed, the proper thing to do is use a voice jammer not a cell phone jammer.

    34. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Considering how many people in Philadelphia have criminal convictions
       
      I hope you're one of these people soon. You're a self centered jerk. Don't like dealing with the public? Avoid the public. They shouldn't have to suffer for a little cry baby like you.

    35. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      Easy - it's going to be the antisocial nerd sitting back in the corner avoiding eye contact with everybody.

      --
      +1 Disagree
    36. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      Easy - it'll be the antisocial nerd in the corner who doesn't make eye contact with anybody.

      --
      +1 Disagree
    37. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by SleazyRidr · · Score: 1

      I don't even turn it on for most of the ride; why would I interfere with Words with Friends or a quiet phone call? But when someone starts screaming into their phone they discover there's no service anymore.

      Had you bolded one more word, you may have discovered the point.

    38. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bet you're so going to be screaming on the phone about this on your commute home tonight!

    39. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by jittles · · Score: 1

      The fact that you believe you are quiet on the phone does not make it any less hypocritical. Perhaps someone next to you does not think you are a quiet as you think you are? It's all relative. And no one has the right to jam other peoples phone calls, no matter how rude they seem to be acting. My point is that even if they were not on the phone, they could find some other way to bother you anyway. If you jam all cell traffic then you are far more rude than they are. You're also opening yourself up to civil liability if someone can prove that you unlawfully jammed their call and caused them harm. Why stoop to a lower level than these people, instead of buying ear plugs? It's beyond reason.

    40. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by xevioso · · Score: 1

      People keep saying this. "Just ask them nicely to stop talking so loudly." Have you ever actually tried this? There are certain people who will be happy to assault you or spit in your face for daring to be so rude to THEM by asking this. It happens all the time; there are assaults all the time on buses in my city (san francisco). Asking some jerk who is being loud to quiet down can get you punched or shot. This is in the real world.

    41. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by arose · · Score: 1

      Ah, see he's silently interfering with everyone, so it's totally ok.

      --
      Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
    42. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by RyoShin · · Score: 1

      I'm not calling you chickenshit.

      I am.

      Society these days is far too much about 'respect' for those who have none. I don't know how it was in the "old days", because it seems to have been this way as long as I can remember, but almost no one is willing to just go to someone and politely ask that they lower their voice/music/movie, take their call somewhere else, etc. It's amazing how willing people are to oblige to simple, respectful requests, but instead everyone acts in fear of being sued for assault (or being assaulted themselves), so the assholes of the world get away with it. True, there are many times it's unwise to approach someone, but on a bus or train just asking someone to lower their voice will cause a ruckus only from the most stubborn of selfish people, and at that point you're very likely to have someone stand up and agree with you (spurred on by your apparent courage.)

      But instead people try to "game" society so we get assholes (but of a different type than the loud ones) like the guy in the article who inadvertently ruin everyone's phone call in a certain area, or scratch up paint/slash tires on someone's car for parking in an annoying (but not obstructive) manner, and pass blanket laws that ruin things for everyone instead of going after the actual incidence or individual.

    43. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by markdavis · · Score: 1

      I am NOT proposing ANYONE should use a jammer. But if they did, it would make sense for it to have a momentary-only switch that activated only as long as a button was being held.

      It should only take a few seconds to force calls to drop and there would be no reason to keep it on. And when they try to call back, press it for a few seconds again. I bet it wouldn't take that many tries before they give up- and if not, it is at least entertaining.

      Meanwhile, other data connections around you would probably survive or retry.

    44. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Rakarra · · Score: 1

      This why a lot of people don't use public transit.

    45. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Rakarra · · Score: 1

      Some people like their ringtones so much they like to cycle through them and play them all while trying to figure out which ringtone to make the default for the day. Yeah, that's fun.

    46. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Rakarra · · Score: 1

      In essence, if you could do something about X in practical anonymity with an easily concealed device with little to no chance of getting caught, you would.

      Yes. When you're dealing with a thug mentality, that's only reasonably safe method for fixing the problem.

    47. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Then move. People rarely talk loudly on their phones on busses where I live, and never get assaulted. If you're too much of a coward to ask someone to be quieter then sit down and suffer, go somewhere else, go to the gym and bulk up or lobby for sane gun control laws. Interfering with everyone else is it a solution.

    48. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Johann+Lau · · Score: 1

      Aha, the moderator poll is in! Result: An idiot with a button to press is still just an idiot. And I don't see anyone *saying* otherwise, so that's that ^^

    49. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For another, what if you are the emergency? You're on the highway, you get a heart attack, you fall down, your jammer's still on - nobody can call it in.. they flag down another driver, their phone doesn't work either, they figure it must just be reception there, so (rather than asking another drive to call from somewhere where they can get a signal) they drive the bus further to get a signal again, but still nothing.

      That's why I have Dead Man's Switch on my jammer

    50. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      I agree. It would be pretty douchey if the jammer was turned on constantly as opposed to only being switched on briefly to disrupt a very obnoxious person.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    51. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      Public transportation pal, if you can't tolerate other people

      So in your mind, it's okay to tolerate very loud and clearly obnoxious people, but not okay to tolerate someone who is being potentially obnoxious while restoring the peace for most individuals.

      Sorry, but in my mind, if you can tolerate the loud and obnoxious, you can tolerate the cell phone jammers.

      ...legal...

      The fact you base your argument over what is legal as opposed to an argument about the real ethics of what is right and wrong is disturbing to me. This is an indicator to me that your ethical argument is relatively weak which is why you don't use it.

      Tell you what, next time you're talking to someone how would you like it if some jerk slapped a strip of duct tape over your mouth?

      I don't know what public transporation you ride on, but here there is actually stickers that asks you not to be loud and annoying to other passengers on the transportation. Sadly, nobody enforces it, but it most certainly isn't considered acceptable behaviour to be loud and annoying to other passengers and I for one don't mind the idea of duct tape being applied to people's mouths who violate this ettiquete, including myself.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    52. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      What a jerk you are. If you don't like it go get a car and you won't have to put up with it. Why does everyone else need to put up with what you want in a public space? Get over yourself, jerkweed.

      Same argument could be used against those who don't like cell phone jammers on 'public spaces'.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    53. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Ash-Fox · · Score: 2

      Sounds like you're getting annoyed over someone quietly being inconsiderate to others as opposed to being loudly inconsiderate to others. Considering that most public transporation these days (at least here) have stickers that tell you not to be loud and annoying to other passsengers - I'm not really convinced on the ethical stand point that the cell phone jammer is 'more wrong'.

      I don't think very highly of someone who turns a blind eye to some ettiquete/rules and comes down on another that in retrospect, is at most, as bad in comparison.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    54. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      My very first message suggested doing something about a loud and annoying passenger, but NOT jamming EVERYONE's cell phone (including bystanders outside). The jammer solution is like throwing everyone off a bus because one person is behaving badly, and not telling anyone why. It punishes everyone indiscriminately and it doesn't apply any pressure on the actual offender to change his or her ways.

    55. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by yodleboy · · Score: 1

      "So in your mind, it's okay to tolerate very loud and clearly obnoxious people, but not okay to tolerate someone who is being potentially obnoxious while restoring the peace for most individuals."

      Your potentially obnoxious person has an inflated sense of entitlement (this is MY bus) and instead of asking someone to talk quietly, they resort to passive-aggressive behavior that impacts everyone on the bus just so they can enjoy their quiet and conflict free bubble.

      "The fact you base your argument over what is legal"

      Really? You want to tell me that someone using a banned device to interrupt everyone on a bus is somehow morally superior? Ends justify the means? How about if the person just gassed everyone on the bus? No less illegal, is that moral? This all sounds like a vigilante trying to justify their actions to me.

      "...stickers that asks you not to be loud and annoying to other passengers..."

      Look, if you want to be the public transportation politeness enforcer, get a job as a bus driver or transit cop.

      The funny thing here, is your sense of entitlement is the same as the loud, obnoxious person. You both want to be the center of your little world no matter who is impacted.

    56. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by V.+P.+Winterbuttocks · · Score: 1

      People rarely talk loudly on their phones on busses where I live, and never get assaulted.

      You're lying. I don't even need to argue. I don't even need to know where you live, or bother checking the public records to find out the number of assaults committed there in the last year.

      go to the gym and bulk up

      Right: violence, or the perceived threat of violence, is the solution. That asshole will definitely back down when faced with the threat of escalating the confrontation to physical violence.

      or lobby for sane gun control laws

      Right: interfering with everyone else's right to own a gun is definitely going to fix the problem. Also, interfering with everyone's right to own a gun will be much less assholish than jamming a handful of people's cell phones because they were too cowardly to stand up in union against the asshole.

      If someone is being a loud asshole on the bus, the ideal solution is 6 people standing up, not one guy with a ripped 6-pack standing up and trying to be a hero. Strength in numbers beats machoism.

      --
      I'm the real Vorokrytin P. Winterbuttocks.
    57. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      Your potentially obnoxious person has an inflated sense of entitlement (this is MY bus) and instead of asking someone to talk quietly

      I have a hard time believing your story that they think it is their property. Your view point seems heavily distorted to me as I can't really grasp what angle you're taking this from. The absolute worst I can come up with based on the proposed scenarios is vigilantism (ignoring mentally ill issues).

      they resort to passive-aggressive behavior that impacts everyone on the bus just so they can enjoy their quiet and conflict free bubble.

      As opposed to the person being loud and obnoxious also impacting everyone on the bus. Alternatively, starting a fight by just trying to tell someone if they could be quiet also is impacting everyone on the bus.

      You want to tell me that someone using a banned device to interrupt everyone on a bus is somehow morally superior?

      Numerous laws have cropped up regarding preserving the peace, yet enforcement is sporadic at best. Not to mention that public transport these days (or at least they do here), telling you to avoid disturbing other passengers etc.

      I don't have a hard time discerning what is more 'wrong' in this instance. Someone who is loudly and obnoxiously disturbing everyone or someone who is causing a short localized disruption to break the call of this particular individual for the benefit of everyone else.

      It might be illegal, but so was using American CB radio bands in the UK - Look what happened there. Law is not black and white.

      Ends justify the means? How about if the person just gassed everyone on the bus? No less illegal, is that moral?

      Really deluded view you got there, guy.

      This all sounds like a vigilante trying to justify their actions to me.

      Too bad I've never owned a jammer then, right? Your arguments are pretty weak to me.

      The funny thing here, is your sense of entitlement is the same as the loud, obnoxious person. You both want to be the center of your little world no matter who is impacted.

      You sound pretty mad, guy.

      But, you can take a chill pill now. I have never owned a cell phone jammer, nor intend to jam people's communications because I am one of those people on the bus that doesn't give a shit if the person is talking or getting jammed. I'm one of those people who 'tolerates' the noise and I'd 'tolerate' people jamming the people making the noise too (probably be easier technically, since I probably wouldn't be any the wiser that the obnoxious loud dude was really getting jammed and without him, there isn't really much left to 'tolerate').

      What I do care about is fights starting on the bus because that puts me in the middle of harm's way. Direct confrontational stuff? I've seen that lead to fights enough times already.

      Also, being the 'third party tolerater' here, this is why I don't buy your tolerate argument.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    58. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by yodleboy · · Score: 1

      who's mad? just trying to figure out if you're serious. you are sitting there saying that it's perfectly ok for some random person to appoint themselves as the courtesy patrol in a public location and to use an illegal device to do so. Whether it SHOULD be legal or not is not the point. It is illegal, and until you get the law changed you have no ground to stand on. Go on out and cut your neighbor's power line because they play loud music. See how far you get with the judge arguing that the law is not black and white and that it is your intent that matters.

      "I have a hard time believing your story that they think it is their property."

      Come on. Treating public transportation as if it's your private vehicle and you get to dictate what goes on inside sounds like a sense of entitlement. Why else would they be doing this? As a public service? Run for the local transportation board if you want to do that.

      "Really deluded view you got there, guy."

      Not really, it's just that you're implying that anything goes as long as "peace" is maintained. Just wondered if you had a limit on "anything". Apparently things do go black and white at some point.

      If you're willing to tolerate anyone, then why did you reply to my post? It was specifically a reply to the OP who DOES use a jammer. By replying and arguing that the jammer is ok then suddenly saying, oh not me bro, I don't care about anything, you sound like a troll. Mad? Not really, but certainly frustrated by passive-aggressive types that won't just talk to other people to avoid any conflict. Anyway, I'm done. Either you're trolling or we just have such opposite viewpoints that it doesn't matter what's said.

    59. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by SJester · · Score: 1

      Old thread but worth the reply. Read my entire post. I'm not referring to my own phone calls. I'm referring to everyone's. We all go about our normal business. People call, play games on their phones, read, or put on makeup. (Not me.) But there is often an abusive asshole who begins screaming into their phone. Then I turn on a jammer. It would help if you understood the nature of the A train's riders. The train line begins in a very high crime neighborhood, passes through a few more, and terminates in Harlem. It's also the only Metrocard train line to service Far Rockaway and it's environs, so if you work in Manhattan, the Bronx, or parts of Brooklyn it is the only way to get there. The LIRR runs a similar route, but the price difference is around $16 daily. During the regular commuting hours, the composition of riders is mostly working professionals, blue or white collar. And there are also thugs. Real thugs, not suburbanites who listen to rap. I've enjoyed conversations involving the different types of knife wounds, the difficulty in finding a good parole officer, and how it's hard to find decent crack nowadays. Most people use their phone the way you probably do; to call someone. But sometimes it's to threaten a "bitch," to arrange a delivery, or just to tell a friend how stoned they are and how shitty their bitch is. Think of what I do as a public service. It's self-serving, but I promise you that no one is put out by those calls getting snuffed except a person whom frankly I don't care if I'm stepping on his civil rights or freedom of speech. The jammer is on long enough for the thug to find something else to do. It's usually two or three minutes. I don't travel in a bubble of blessed silence. It might also help for you to realize that the jammer works for about ten feet in any direction. Posters, upset much like yourself, have been imagining the jammer shutting down emergency calls in the distance as the train or bus sweeps past. It doesn't happen.

    60. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by SJester · · Score: 1

      I should probably point out that I AM wearing earplugs. I really do think you should ride the A sometime; it would be illuminating. I envy your posh commute but it might be bracing for you to broaden your experiences and discover how the rest of us live.

    61. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      Come on. Treating public transportation as if it's your private vehicle and you get to dictate what goes on inside sounds like a sense of entitlement.

      Except when you follow what people have been saying on /. - it appears to be more of case of vigilantism not someone claiming ownership.

      If you're willing to tolerate anyone, then why did you reply to my post?

      Initial reason was to see how you'd react and see if my assumptions about you were correct, now it's just out of courtesy.

      It was specifically a reply to the OP who DOES use a jammer.

      This is an open forum, I have never known any netiquette on Slashdot regarding not responding to anything but a troll.

      you sound like a troll.

      You sound pretty mad to me, hence the suggestions for a chill pill.

      Anyway, I'm done.

      Ok, peace out.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    62. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just because it's illegal doesn't mean that it's wrong.

    63. Re:As a Philadelphian who rides SEPTA Daily... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In the area I live in, that annoying cell phone user would probably wait until you got off the train, follow you to your car and stab you for having the nerve to question them at all.

  11. Da Bomb by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You know in the movies when the bad guy has a cell phone trigger to his remote bomb attached to "enter hero's name here".... yeah those times.

  12. Need to be used in certain places. by JustAnotherIdiot · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Movie theaters come to mind at first, granted I don't go all that often, but still.
    They always have that announcement that everyone ignores to turn off your phone
    This way they don't have to ask, they just stop working.
    If there's some sort of emergency, I'm sure the theaters have a wired phone somewhere they can use quickly.

    --
    What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
    1. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If there's some sort of emergency, I'm sure the theaters have a wired phone somewhere they can use quickly.

      Well, as long as a random internet commenter is sure, it must be A-OK.

    2. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by VortexCortex · · Score: 1

      What if there's a fire? You can't just alert the person near the "wired phone somewhere" by yelling "Fire", that's illegal in theaters... What if the jammer kills grandpa's pace-maker, and thus grandpa? Or what if he just passes out and I dial 911 on my cell, but it's jammed... Oh, what if, instead, the phone uses GPS and just turns itself off when you're in a movie theatre or police station, or at stop lights in bad neighbour hoods?

    3. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by X0563511 · · Score: 1

      What if the jammer kills grandpa's pace-maker, and thus grandpa?

      That's either a fucked up jammer or a fucked up pace-maker.

      --
      For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    4. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by TheSpoom · · Score: 1

      You can't just alert the person near the "wired phone somewhere" by yelling "Fire", that's illegal in theaters...

      What the hell are you talking about? It's illegal to cause a panic like that if there's no actual fire. If there's a fire, you should sure as hell yell for help!

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
    5. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Um, it's not illegal to yell "Fire!" if there actually IS a fire.

    6. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by tepples · · Score: 1

      Oh, what if, instead, the phone uses GPS and just turns itself off when you're in a movie theatre or police station

      Such self-disabling features, even if required by law, would probably exempt 9-1-1 calls.

    7. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by WastedMeat · · Score: 1

      This can be done passively by building a Faraday cage into the walls of the theater. You would almost have to do that anyway to containing the jamming signal. The only reasons for active jamming are subversive or oppressive.

    8. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The issue here is what if there's an emergency coming from the outside? I never turn off my cell phone when I'm in a movie theater but put it on vibrate and am very alert as to when it vibrates so I "stop it" before the 2nd or third "brmmmmm" as to not bother anyone else. I don't pick up my phone, however if I see someone called 4 times within a one minute period I know it's an emergency and I'll slowly go out of the room and call back to see what's up. I don't have friends or family that "blow up" my phone unless it's something really important. I don't bug anyone with it but I do want to be connected in case waiting until the movie ends is "not enough time". Not sure if that makes sense to anyone else. The problem seems to be that a lot of people don't have acquaintances that know blowing up a phone for "hey did you know bla bla hooked up?" is not ok...

    9. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It isn't illegal to yell fire if there is a fire.

    10. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Matt_Bennett · · Score: 1

      A Faraday cage that big (and effective) is extraordinarily expensive. RF is very effective at making its way through tiny holes. It is even more difficult once you start including doors that open and close frequently. And your microwave's RF seal is not nearly as effective as you think.

    11. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by ekgringo · · Score: 1

      Then of course you would get someone with a hacked phone that disables that "feature" because they don't want to be inconvenienced by not being able to be an obnoxious asshat when they so choose.

    12. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by L1mewater · · Score: 1

      That "brmmmmmm" is annoying as hell during a quiet scene in a movie theater.

    13. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by spire3661 · · Score: 1

      It is not illegal to yell fire in a theater if there is an actual fire.

      --
      Good-bye
    14. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by SiChemist · · Score: 1

      Doctors and Surgeons occasionally go to the movies, even when they're on call. Are you willing to accept responsibility for risking another person's life for an uninterrupted movie?

    15. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by JustAnotherIdiot · · Score: 1

      I've seen a few good arguments to my statement, this however, is not one.
      These people would know the risk going in, it would fall on their own shoulders for being unavailable to receive calls.
      Should I blame the battery company too if their battery dies when they need to receive a call concerning their patients?

      --
      What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
    16. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by SiChemist · · Score: 1

      How would they "know the risk going in" when you're illegally jamming their phone signals without notice?

      Should I blame the battery company too if their battery dies when they need to receive a call concerning their patients?

      That makes no sense whatsoever. The battery company isn't actively trying to shut off their phone.

    17. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And contrary to popular myth, it isn't even illegal to yell fire if there isn't a fire. You may be responsible for any resulting damages, but that's not the same thing.

    18. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by JustAnotherIdiot · · Score: 1

      I'm talking about a hypothetical situation where this would be implemented by movie theaters legally. (I didn't say my scenario was realistic)
      And it makes plenty of sense, they have to be aware of the status of their phones at all times.
      Both a dead battery and a blocked signal would prevent calls, and if they're on call, they need to avoid these situations.

      --
      What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
    19. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by celle · · Score: 1

      "This way they don't have to ask, they just stop working."

          And what about babysitters calling the parents about their kids medical level accident, sister/brother/parents injury and need for blood donation or permission for care. Just because it's not an emergency to the theater or public doesn't mean it isn't one. Those people also paid good money for full-time phone access. What right does it give the theater to remove it. The simple fix is to not to go to the theater and let them loose out on the income from people that would otherwise go. Of course I also mean no public money(grants, tax breaks, loans, supports) of any kind either.

    20. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Doctors and Surgeons occasionally go to the movies, even when they're on call. Are you willing to accept responsibility for risking another person's life for an uninterrupted movie?

      Sorry, but this is an hysterical, bullshit argument for those with delusions of grandeur, caused by having over 100 Twitter followers. Believe it or not, before cellphones (what?! They didn't ALWAYS exist?!!?!) somehow society was able to function. In some inconceivable manner, people would drift out of instantaneous contact for minutes or EVEN hours at a time! And we didn't all collectively shit bricks at that reality.

      All these dumb problems could easily be solved by having something like a coat check for cell phones at the theater/opera/etc. for very, very important people to get critical messages. Theaters could let it be known that cellphone coverage inside the theater won't work. People would just have to accept that --hell, they blindly accept all the stupid TSA theater and magical reasons they can't use cellphones on planes (seriously, if it was going to knock you out of the sky, would they let you keep it during the flight?).

      Besides, if you are really THAT important, the hospital/president/NATO will be given the number of the theater you'll be visiting. Perhaps a good friend can constantly update your Twitter feed while you're inside?

    21. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Could you perhaps think before you post?

      1. Yelling fire is perfectly fine if there's a fire. You shouldn't do it when there's not to create panic. If there's a fire, saying as such verbally is probably a good idea.
      2. This jams cell signals, it's not an emp cannon, grandpa will be fine.
      3. As someone mentioned, a labelled wired phone in theaters will do the trick for such rare occasions. Or ideally, someone should be monitoring the theater already... when someone shouts 'fire' or 'i need 911', they hit the switch to disable the jammer.
      4. not sure where you're going with this. If your gps turns your phone off, that sounds like a bad idea in general. if it does it at an intersection in a bad neighbourhood, it doesn't immediately drain your gas tank. perhaps keep driving until said cellphone comes back on, or you're out of said neighbourhood.

    22. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Building a faraday cage into an existing theater isn't exactly a trivial proposition. It's not that hard to do if the theater is currently under construction, but once it's built, you're talking about tearing out all the walls.

      Building a faraday cage into a bus might not even be feasible. The walls of the bus are metal of course, but the windows are not. Perhaps one of those metallic tint films might do the job; I'm not sure. If that worked, then it'd be pretty easy to retrofit a bus to block (or highly attenuate) cellular signals, but if not, then it won't work; you can't legally cover up the windows with aluminum foil.

    23. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's not illegal to yell "FIRE" in a crowded theater if there actually is a fire.

    24. Re:Need to be used in certain places. by antdude · · Score: 1

      Just use it in each theater room. They can use the phones outside of them like in the hallways, lobbies, etc.

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  13. negative effect by girlintraining · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do you have an instance where you experienced the positive (or negative) effects of a cell phone jammer?"

    Yeah. I was having a stroke and nobody could understand why I was flopping about with half my face looking like it was ready to melt off. I reached for my phone, dialed 911... and nothing happened. Then I died. I had to submit this as a ghost because nobody thinks about what blocking a communications medium does to innocent people, they just want to get at the one asshole amongst the dozens or so in the area abusing it.

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    1. Re:negative effect by janeuner · · Score: 4, Informative

      In fictional settings, people retain enough dexterity to dial a phone while having a stroke.

    2. Re:negative effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In fictional settings, people retain enough dexterity to dial a phone while having a stroke.

      Unless it's necessary for the plot, then all bets are off. I wonder why the poster is whining about it on slashdot though, instead of going and haunting the shit out of the guy with the jammer. That's what I'd do!

    3. Re:negative effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can't understand how people survived only 15 years ago...it must have been a horrific state of affairs.

    4. Re:negative effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The jammer didn't change anything. Even if you could have made the call, your inability to speak would have prevented you from being asking for help.

    5. Re:negative effect by Thiez · · Score: 2

      That would depend entirely on the area of the brain that is affected.

    6. Re:negative effect by gknoy · · Score: 1

      We had cell phones 15 years ago.

    7. Re:negative effect by k6mfw · · Score: 1

      I can't understand how people survived only 15 years ago...it must have been a horrific state of affairs.

      People were a lot tougher back then, especially those 50 years ago. They were able to function without internet, computers, cable tv, microwave ovens...

      --
      mfwright@batnet.com
    8. Re:negative effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And in reality.

      The first symptoms can be something other than total paralysis - like slurred speech. Strangers might just think the victim is intoxicated and ignore him.

      TV Weatherman Mark McEwen recounts his own similar situation: http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SS_MAG_nd2006_feature_mcewen

    9. Re:negative effect by xs4some · · Score: 2

      Before mobile phones, people just died all over the place if they were within arm's reach of a landline phone. It's amazing we got this far without any phones at all, so many unanswered questions. How did we coordinate coming down from the trees? How did we find our way out of africa without a GPS? How did we communicate with anyone at all??

    10. Re:negative effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That is not really relevant to the point now is it?

    11. Re:negative effect by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

      Those people 50 years ago were pussies. 300 years ago there was barely any medical care, the water wasn't exactly clean - heck, indoor plumbing was for rich people - and the fastest form of communication was a dude on a horse carrying a letter. But people lived. Well, a lot of them did.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    12. Re:negative effect by girlintraining · · Score: 1

      That would depend entirely on the area of the brain that is affected.

      Stop trying to use logic on people. That never gets modded up on slashdot. Sweeping generalizations and attacking the person's sexuality are way better. I mean look at the people replying to my posts lately. :)

      --
      #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    13. Re:negative effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I lol'd.

    14. Re:negative effect by arose · · Score: 1

      I know a doctor who lost his ability to write and went numb on one side of the body. Odly enough his response was to pick up the phone and get help. I must be fictional too.

      --
      Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
    15. Re:negative effect by arose · · Score: 1

      Well, they did. Pretending people didn't die in situations they wouldn't today, because they can get help, is kinda ignorant. How did we survive without vaccines, penicilin and aspirin? Just like we survived without cell phone: by not being the ones who died, doesn't mean others didn't.

      --
      Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
    16. Re:negative effect by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 2

      They sure did! All the way up to the ripe old age of forty or so. What has medicine ever done for us, anyway?

      --
      Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
    17. Re:negative effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do you really think he wouldn't turn off the jammer if he saw someone having a stroke?

    18. Re:negative effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Try reading your own source.

      Part of the reason for such a low figure is that many children died at a very young age, pulling down the average life expectancy. Those who didn’t die young had a good chance of surviving to what we now call “middle age”.

      The majority of those who survived through childhood made it well beyond 40 (the beginning of what we'd consider "middle age").

    19. Re:negative effect by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 1

      An engineer, a physicist, and a statistician go out hunting together. They spot a deer, and take turns shooting. The physicist does a quick bit of mental math to anticipate the trajectory of the bullet and fires, but his shot falls five metres short because he failed to account for wind resistance. The engineer tries next, adding in a fudge factor to compensate, but her bullet lands five metres too long. The statistician declares: "We got it!"

      (You're right, but the high infant mortality rate still essentially supports the argument that things are significantly better.)

      --
      Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
    20. Re:negative effect by k6mfw · · Score: 1

      An engineer, a physicist, and a statistician go out hunting together.

      Samantha, you forgot the car analogy!!! I like the story though.

      --
      mfwright@batnet.com
    21. Re:negative effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then those are quite reaslistic settings. In the real world people often retain their dexterity, it depends on which parts of the brain are affected. For example my dad walked 5 minutes to the hospital after one of his strokes.

    22. Re:negative effect by xs4some · · Score: 1

      you are comparing medicin with cellphones. It's not like comparing medicin with post-its but it's getting close.

    23. Re:negative effect by arose · · Score: 1

      Neither post-its nor medicine will do you a damn good if you trapped in a flipped car in a ditch obscured by bushes. Or if you miss the effective window of stroke drugs. Or if you bleed to death a minute before the ambulance arrives because you buddy went hunting for a phone. Of course it doesn't affect humanity at large, but I personally don't want to be fucked over because someone has the overwhelming urge to be a passive aggressive bastard. You might disagree but stay within the fact when arguing the position.

      --
      Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
  14. Right to not be annoyed? by John+Napkintosh · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Audio pollution isn't something you get to have control over. Feel free to tell someone they're being annoying, but sometimes you're just going to have to deal with someone talking on their phone in a way that annoys you. If it's not that, it will be someone talking loudly to the person standing next to them. Or a person honking their horn to much or for no reason. Or someone with their cell phone's speaker turned on as they listen to MP3s. Or jackhammers or machinery or the buzz of a refrigerator. How are you going to jam that?

    --

    Long signatures suck.
    1. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Audio pollution isn't something you get to have control over. /.../ How are you going to jam that?

      With this ?

    2. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by Jawnn · · Score: 4, Interesting

      True, we do not have the right to not be annoyed, in public places. The bus/train arguably qualifies as "public", but I will never understand why, for example, restaurants and movie theaters (most of them) tolerate behavior this is, to say the least, boorish and disruptive to the experience of the other customers. Just once, I'd love to see the dumb-ass at the next table have her meal removed and shown the door, with the explanation that manners count and those without them are unwelcome.

    3. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just take to carrying around a Drum, or trumpet, or any other (Loud) instrument that you Don't know how to play well (Key part).
      If someone is being a pest, feel free to "Practice" loud enough to drown them out (Ideally so they can't hear on their mobile device either!)
      When they get out of range, then you can stop, probably to loud applause....

      What's the difference? FCC doesn't disturb this, and I find a bad drum player less irritating than some of the "Conversations" I get to experience. And it only takes one or two doing this to settle down an entire "Bus/Stadium/Auditorium"

      Bonus points for being: Able to physically defend yourself (Cause they are going to know it's you, unlike the jammer)
      Negative points for: Being able to really play/sing

    4. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by tom17 · · Score: 1

      With my refrigerator jammer!

    5. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by Xaide · · Score: 1

      How are you going to jam that?

      Earplugs have shown to be cheap and effective for years now.

      --
      No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it!
    6. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by mvdwege · · Score: 1

      Actually, we do have the right not to be annoyed in public places. Even though we've given up a whole lot of it, we still have a modicum of private space that no-one gets to intrude on.

      Conversations at a level and a duration that are easy to ignore fall outside of this private space; but I don't think these are the kind of conversations we are talking about in this thread.

      And if you're arguing that we have zero private space while out in public, mind if I go stand on your toes? After all, we're both in public, and I have every right to stand where I want, don't I?

      Mart

      --
      "I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
    7. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by AlKaMo · · Score: 1

      I will never understand why, for example, restaurants and movie theaters (most of them) tolerate behavior this is, to say the least, boorish and disruptive to the experience of the other customers

      As someone that's done it, I guarantee that evicting someone from a movie theater will be far more distracting than their cell phone. If they're obnoxious enough that theater management is involved, then they're probably also not going to politely get up and leave when someone asks them to. At that point, the management has two choices: let them remain or call the police. This won't be considered a particularly high priority, so you can expect a half-hour wait for the police. One they get there, they''ll want the house lights brought up (at a minimum; they may ask that the movie be stopped as well) before they escort the person off the premises.

      That said, I have seen a "patron" carried out of a movie theater after being pepper-sprayed. It's a bad idea to lay your hands on a police officer when they ask you to leave...

    8. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by xevioso · · Score: 1

      So I don't understand this.

      Freedom of speech is guaranteed by the government, in that the government cannot abridge it.

      But I can, or at least I should be able to, legally. You have a right to speak...and if I can use a method to stop you from speaking that is legal, there is no reason why I shouldn't be able to.

    9. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by Tom · · Score: 1

      The word "tolerance" comes from a latin word meaning roughly "to endure".

      There are limits to what one can reasonably be expected to endure. Someone talking on the phone next to me in a normal voice? Yeah, I might find it annoying, but I can tolerate that. Or I can move two seats away.

      Someone talking on the phone so loud that the entire waggon can clearly hear everything, despite train noises? Sorry, I don't have to take that. And no, I don't have to tell him that he's an asshole and that he needs to stop - that is the same argument as we all roundly reject when it comes to spam.

      Just like there is a reasonable amount of annoyance I should tolerate, there is also a reasonable amount of annoyance in others that I can create. The two probably overlap, so there's a grey area inbetween where someone who feels annoyed should tell the other party about it. But there's also a clear "you are an asshole" area where I shouldn't have to tell someone that he's annoying me, because if he'd care the least bit, he'd already know that.

      When your neighbours have the music on a little louder than usual, you go there and ask nicely if they could turn it down. If they open up on 11 at 3 o'clock on a workday morning, you call the police. Because one of these things they will remember the next time they want to party.
      (of course that is an example, your mileage may vary, especially depending on your relationship with your neighbours, some assembly required, small parts can be swallowed by children, not a toy, limited offer)

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    10. Re:Right to not be annoyed? by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      Earplugs have shown to be cheap and effective for years now.

      When on underground, sometimes your only que is the overhead speaker telling you what stop you're at as the 'stops' sign is not visible/working and unable to discern one station from another depending on your location in the train. This can be even further confusing when you're not sure if you're on a train that stops on alternating stops.

      In such circumstances earplugs don't help and usually a loud person on the phone doesn't help either. Amusingly, it's the underground services that made the situation worse by adding cell phone relays in these tunnels to make mobile services accessible.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
  15. Here is what I believe... by wbr1 · · Score: 1, Funny

    (Posting from android) For my part I think that this may actually be aW%W$%%#$^&CARRIER LOST

    --
    Silence is a state of mime.
    1. Re:Here is what I believe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1990 called, they want their joke back. Noone that's not in a wheel chair today is even going to understand what the NO CARRIER means.

    2. Re:Here is what I believe... by oodaloop · · Score: 3, Funny

      1990 called

      OMG, did you warn them about the '93 World Trade Center attack, '95 Oklahoma City Bombing, or Sir Mixalot?

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    3. Re:Here is what I believe... by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Anyone living in a rural area will know it well.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    4. Re:Here is what I believe... by nman64 · · Score: 1

      No, but I did warn them about World War III starting in 1997, just before some asshole turned on his cell phone jammer and cut me off.

  16. Charming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Stalking someone who might panic and ring a relative or the police? With a cell phone jammer you can stop worrying and get down to the business of assaulting your victim, safe in the knowledge that they can't possibly raise the alarm, joy!

    1. Re:Charming by moondo · · Score: 1

      I agree. That's why it's a jam for the ladies and the superstars.

  17. Effect on rude driving by Matt_Bennett · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've seen the effect upon drivers talking on their phones while driving. While talking on the phone, their speed is erratic and inconsistent, they wander around their lane. Once in range of such a device, they look at their phone for a second or two, put the phone down, and start to pay attention to the machine that they are controlling. Once their conversation ends, they have become much more responsible drivers, aware of those that are sharing the road with them.

    Just an observation. I understand that jammers are illegal for very good reasons, and their abuse can lead to much more harm than good.

    1. Re:Effect on rude driving by Ferzerp · · Score: 2

      No. Not abuse. Their *use* leads to much more harm than good. The only place that "use" is not abuse is turning them on in a private faraday cage on your own property.

      There is no use case for these devices that do not run afoul of extremely well reasoned laws. In fact, the laws prohibiting the use of these things are one of the few sane laws that we do have.

    2. Re:Effect on rude driving by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Yeah right. Because talking on the phone is so much more distracting than constantly dialling, trying to get a connection.

    3. Re:Effect on rude driving by Matt_Bennett · · Score: 1

      My (3rd party observation, of course I wouldn't do this) is that the drivers look at their phone for a second and put the phone down. My supposition is that they realize that their conversation is not so important-- it can wait until they are no longer driving. Using a jammer is passive agressive to be sure, illegal in many jurisdictions, and can be very rude. The user of such a device must be prepared to accept the consequences. A better solution would be that people pay appropriate attention while driving.

    4. Re:Effect on rude driving by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      My third party observation is that most people, driving or not, who have a call dropped get angry and spend a considerable amount of time trying to re-establish it, usually getting more agitated (and more distracted) the longer it takes.

    5. Re:Effect on rude driving by rullywowr · · Score: 1

      This is especially true for cops who use their hand held mobile phones while driving. It's ironic and sad that many cops do this and then turn around and issue tickets for the same offense in those states which have laws prohibiting the use of handheld phones while driving.

  18. Up the penalties by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Obviously the potential penalties are not high enough. This is naked vigilanteism and should be stopped cold and hard.

    YOU don't have RIGHT to interfere in MY liberty. If I'm being an asshole and talking loudly on the bus, then call a cop. That's how law and order works.

    What's next, you firing an EMP gun at my house because my lights are interfering with your desire to stargaze?

    Are you going to poison my dog because he barks too much or shits too much?

    This one's a real slippery slope people.

    1. Re:Up the penalties by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Obviously the potential penalties are not high enough. This is naked vigilanteism and should be stopped cold and hard.

      YOU don't have RIGHT to interfere in MY liberty. If I'm being an asshole and talking loudly on the bus, then call a cop. That's how law and order works.

      What's next, you firing an EMP gun at my house because my lights are interfering with your desire to stargaze?

      Are you going to poison my dog because he barks too much or shits too much?

      This one's a real slippery slope people.

      Your excessively loud behavior in a cramped public space is assholish behavior. Obviously the penalties are not high enough. In the meantime, you should be stopped cold and hard. YOU don't have the RIGHT to interfere with MY liberty (or peace).

    2. Re:Up the penalties by Macthorpe · · Score: 1

      You don't have a human right to a quiet bus ride.

      --
      "It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - Tolkien
    3. Re:Up the penalties by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Liberty? Seriously?

      Look, anything that is as heavily regulated as wireless spectrum is not going to endow you with rights and is not a source of your liberty. Unless you think AT&T killing all-you-can-eat data also interferes with your fundamental liberty, in which case that word doesn't mean what you think it means.

      Arguably, the interference with your liberty is the existence of the FCC in the first place. Real liberty would be having no regulation at all. But that's messy, which is why you forfeit liberty for order and accept regulation. Law doesn't create liberty. It takes it away by common consensus. Once you've accepted that technocrats in Washington are going to slice and dice wireless spectrum into millions of licenses and sublicenses, conversations about "liberty" are frivolous. Proscribing jammers does not increase liberty. It takes liberty away, presumably for the government good.

      Christ, I know that and I'm not even a libertarian.

    4. Re:Up the penalties by goose-incarnated · · Score: 2

      Conversely, you don't have a right to cell signal. This isn't about rights, it's about whats legal and what's not. It's legal to be an asshole in public.

      Nonetheless, expect to see more passive-aggressive behaviour towards assholes in the future as the technology matures to the point of being cheap enough. I'm divided as to whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand, I don't buy the emergency arguments - we don't behave in anticipation of statistical outliers (which is what the emergency arguments amount to - there is a greater chance of getting struck by lightening than needing to use the phone for an emergency in a public place). Quickly and quietly shutting down an asshole is a good thing - confronting someone who already parades their assholery in public will not end well.

      On the other hand, there is a lot of collateral damage to the non-asshole phone-users by using a jamming device. The airwaves are regulated for a reason, after all, and it's so that we can all use them. Performing what amounts to a DoS won't end well either.

      The best thing, I think, is to crowdsource the jamming. Equip all passengers with a button (say by placing them at regular intervals in the bus) that will, when a certain threshold of buttons are pushed, enable the jamming device for a few seconds. Make these buttons large and visible, so that everyone can see when anyone pushes it. If the majority of buttons are pushed, not only will the phone call drop, but the asshole will understand that the rest of the passengers are, in the large, against him/her. Making sure that said asshole can see more and more people reaching for their nearest button will go some way towards making them end their call without the threshold ever getting reached.

      That's the best solution, all round, I think, as these things aren't going to go away and are impossible to police anyway, so may as well put one well-regulated jammer on the bus so that no one feels compelled to buy their own and operate it indiscriminately.

      --
      I'm a minority race. Save your vitriol for white people.
    5. Re:Up the penalties by Macthorpe · · Score: 1

      This isn't about rights, it's about whats legal and what's not

      I was responding to his assertion that being an asshole in his general area was infringing his "liberty", which is just silly.

      The best thing, I think, is to crowdsource the jamming

      A good idea, except when you introduce the critical failure point - people. Someone will hoard devices and then press the button on all of them :)

      --
      "It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - Tolkien
    6. Re:Up the penalties by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      Are you going to poison my dog because he barks too much or shits too much?

      Quite possibly, esp. if it is my yard that he is shitting in, or if his constant barking is interfering with my enjoyment of my property. Depends on the kind of dog though. If it is something like a lab, or St. Bernard, then probably not. But if it is one of those little worthless yapping dogs, like a cocker spaniel or sheltie or other such thing, you can count on it.

    7. Re:Up the penalties by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      What if I pushed alot of the buttons?

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    8. Re:Up the penalties by goose-incarnated · · Score: 1

      This isn't about rights, it's about whats legal and what's not

      I was responding to his assertion that being an asshole in his general area was infringing his "liberty", which is just silly.

      The best thing, I think, is to crowdsource the jamming

      A good idea, except when you introduce the critical failure point - people. Someone will hoard devices and then press the button on all of them :)

      Hard to hoard them if they are fixed at periodic intervals within the bus. The buses here all have buttons along the length of the interior to notify the bus-driver. Besides, the requirement that the act of pushing a button must be a highly visible procedure means more passive-aggressive behaviour - it's simply aggressive :) (Humans have tolerated belligerent assholes for centuries because there was no easy way of shutting them up. Now that there is, expect to see it used. The best way would be to ensure that it gets used appropriately would be to make it a democratic thing :))

      --
      I'm a minority race. Save your vitriol for white people.
    9. Re:Up the penalties by goose-incarnated · · Score: 1

      Then you won't be the invisible passive-aggressive asshole who is shutting down the belligerent asshole, you'll be the highly visible aggressive asshole shutting down the belligerent asshole (This is why I required that the act of button-pushing be a visible one).

      Either way, the commuters win, 'cos then they get to accost you directly if they see you doing it.

      --
      I'm a minority race. Save your vitriol for white people.
    10. Re:Up the penalties by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      Then you won't be the invisible passive-aggressive asshole who is shutting down the belligerent asshole, you'll be the highly visible aggressive asshole shutting down the belligerent asshole (This is why I required that the act of button-pushing be a visible one).

      Exactly, I'm convinced this is going to cause more problems. You think it's bad with non-confrontation method? A clearly provoked confrontation is likely going to break out in a fight in some cities.

      Either way, the commuters win, 'cos then they get to accost you directly if they see you doing it.

      No, they get to have a broken jaw or nose when one of the individuals gets punched or kicked and ends up falling back on someone with great force.

      The situation is already made tense with loud obnoxious people, then you're baiting the obnoxious person by having someone who is really fedup just hitting the buttons (because you will always have one person like this) - This seems like you're intentionally setting up a situation so a fight is far more likely.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
  19. Oh, I get it now by radiumsoup · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Problem - I'm slightly annoyed. Solution - Interfere with someone else's right to liberty. Gotcha. I'll have to remember that the next time I see someone wearing a t-shirt in public of a band I don't like. I'll just spray paint over their shirt, and I won't be slightly annoyed any more. Perfect solution to the problem.

    1. Re:Oh, I get it now by Volante3192 · · Score: 1

      When did we start confusing 'liberty' for 'bad manners'?

    2. Re:Oh, I get it now by ctsupafly · · Score: 1

      Somewhere around the time someone said, "I may not agree with what you're saying, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

  20. Jammin' by Kenja · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ooh, yeah! All right! We're jammin': I wanna jam it wid you. We're jammin', jammin', And I hope you like jammin', too. Ain't no rules, ain't no vow, we can do it anyhow: I'n'I will see you through, 'Cos everyday we pay the price with a little sacrifice, Jammin' till the jam is through.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
    1. Re:Jammin' by JamJam · · Score: 1

      Did someone call for JamJam?

  21. Inadvertent jamming by Cytotoxic · · Score: 2

    I haven't run into a cell phone jammer - as far as I know - but I do have a pirate radio station nearby that is pretty annoying. They are some kind of Hatian radio station that moves around the area. Their transmitter is low power, so it only covers a few square miles - but it is extremely noisy, so it stomps all over 3-4 stations when you are in the area. Missing the end of an interesting story on NPR because I'm driving through their broadcast zone is more annoying than I would have thought.

    I can only imagine that getting knocked off of my phone would be even more annoying. Heck, I've considered firing an anti-radiation (HARM) missile at the Hatians, and I only missed out on hearing the end of "This American Life".... Cut off my wife and who knows what might happen?

    1. Re:Inadvertent jamming by X0563511 · · Score: 1

      Hell you'd do a service by finding them and telling them their shit's broken.

      You should probably complain to your local FCC field office. They can and do hunt those kinds of people down.

      --
      For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    2. Re:Inadvertent jamming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You should notify the NPR station and the FCC. They take pirates seriously when interfering with commercial broadcasters.

    3. Re:Inadvertent jamming by Almandine · · Score: 1

      That sounds like a good story for TAL...

    4. Re:Inadvertent jamming by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      "I've considered firing an anti-radiation (HARM) missile at the Hatians"

      I think that was a mission in the latest Grand Theft Auto.

    5. Re:Inadvertent jamming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Build yourself an RDF rig (just a car radio with a loop antenna), find the direction from three or four locations (and plot them on a map).

      Next, you have an option -- I have a soft spot for pirate radio, so I'd be inclined to show up on-site, tell them they're splattering, and you don't want to go to the FCC, but they need to stop splattering. (If they refuse to fix their shit, though, they'll know who called the man, and there could be repercussions.) The other, safer option, is to immediately report it to the FCC and all the local broadcasters it's interfering with. FCC may or may not listen to you -- odds are good they will, if you've gone to the trouble to do the DF work, but if the licensed broadcasters complain, I guarantee they'll get on top of it.

      Once the FCC is involved, it's likely the bastards will just get their equipment grabbed the first time, and fined $10k if they do it again.

    6. Re:Inadvertent jamming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "interesting story on NPR "
      Those words don't belong in the same sentence.

    7. Re:Inadvertent jamming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cut off my wife.... please. Save my wallet, my ear, and my marriage.

    8. Re:Inadvertent jamming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why not call the FCC or local police and let them know about it?

  22. Jammed? by darkpixel2k · · Score: 2

    Do you have an instance where you experienced the positive (or negative) effects of a cell phone jammer?

    The problem is bigger than you realize. I'm constantly dropping calls. If anyone is actually able to complete a call, tell AT&T their network is constantly being jammed.

    (Maybe tell Blackberry their service is frequently jammed for days on end too)

    --
    There's no place like ::1 (I've completed my transition to IPv6)
    1. Re:Jammed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Damn AT&T network specific jammers! They are almost everywhere I go to!!!

  23. Coward's way of (not) saying "SHUT UP" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You accomplish nothing with this, the person will assume a malfunction and resume ASAP. You're simply sweeping dirt under the carpet and avoiding human contact.

  24. A policy issue, not a hardware issue. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Most public transit systems ban food, liquids, and music without earphones. Many long-haul trains have "quiet cars". The challenge in this case is to convince the transit system that use of cell phones for non-emergencies is a public nuisance like food, liquids, and music. Given the relative ease of gathering interested parties via the internet, perhaps you should start a petition for your local transit system. You can probably get some nice news coverage once you hit a few hundred supporters.

    Now, I do think that a useful hardware solution would be to standardize the broadcast of "quiet zone" signal over bluetooth or the like. Phones receiving said signal would automatically turn off their ringers (vibrate is okay), and perhaps refuse to accept calls until you leave the area. Really smart phones could send audio to the caller indicating that you are in a quiet zone, and will be on the line in a moment or can't take the call. That would work nicely for theaters and the like.

    One more thought: IANAL, but it strikes me that the speech silencer at a distance technology might be more appropriate and legal. They attack you with a phone call, you attack them with a speech silencer. Stand-off ensues. Works better for you if you've gotten that policy through first, though.

    1. Re:A policy issue, not a hardware issue. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > One more thought: IANAL, but it strikes me that the speech silencer at a distance technology might be more appropriate and legal. They attack you with a phone call, you attack them with a speech silencer. Stand-off ensues. Works better for you if you've gotten that policy through first, though.

      Having a phone call is not an attack. If you are in an area where having a conversation with someone is appropriate, then surely having a phone call in that area would also be appropriate? Would you use a 'speech silencer' when two people are talking in a train?

  25. Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 0, Insightful

    If the caller is speaking too loud, you get up, go over to him, and politely ask him to tone it down. When I do that, the caller is inevitably embarrassed, apologizes, and more often than not, hangs up promptly thereafter.

    Stop living in Nerdly Passive-Aggressive Panties-in-a-Wad Anxiety and join the Human Race.

    1. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Funny

      You must take classier buses than some of us...

    2. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      My experience is that asking some to tone down their over the top loud I don't care who hears me, gets you a punch in the face

    3. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      Then you punch them back in self defence and/or have them charged with assault.

    4. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then you punch them back in self defence and/or have them charged with assault.

      Ohh! What a big deterrent to a felon!

    5. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    6. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If the caller is speaking too loud, you get up, go over to him, and politely ask him to tone it down. When I do that, the caller is inevitably embarrassed, apologizes, and more often than not, hangs up promptly thereafter.

      Stop living in Nerdly Passive-Aggressive Panties-in-a-Wad Anxiety and join the Human Race.

      I'd like to see you try this on a bus that goes through North Philadelphia. I don't think you'd get the expected results.

      To spell it out: in many parts of the country, trashy people tend to be the ones who ride the bus the most. Trashy people tend to have poor impulse control, low tolerance for threats to their ego, and an overinflated sense of self. That translates to a high potential for violent responses to innocuous requests. (And that's not even considering the racial dynamics that are potentially involved.)

    7. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by jockm · · Score: 1

      Live in a big, public transportation, friendly cities. I was born and raised in one, and now live in another. You would be shocked by the people you meet on the bus.

      --

      What do you know I wrote a novel
    8. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      If you punch them back, you'll go to jail for assault. Or, the cops will say "it's a fair fight" and refuse to do anything (speaking from personal experience).

    9. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by CharlieMurphy · · Score: 1

      sounds much easier and more convenient than pressing a button on a cell phone jammer to make their call drop!

    10. Re:Illegal Toys for Passive-Aggressive Cowards by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure if they catch you doing that you'll get more than a punch in the face. Personally I'd be quite happy to hold you until the cops get there to administer your $16,000 fine.

      But yes, inconsiderate people frequently value their own convenience over everything else. Loud talkers on cell phones, people with jammers who block them. Same bird, different feathers.

  26. "Should Be Banned" by djdbass · · Score: 2

    I like the comments at the end of the article. There are people who recognise this may block someone's 911 call and say it's just collateral damage and the people talking on the phone should be blamed. Holy shit - blame the law abiding people, not the law-breaking?

    The closest thing I saw to common sense was a comment that said "These things should be banned." I agree. So does the FCC. Which is why they are banned, ie illegal to own, sell or use!

    I want the people in my office to shut-up, but I don't get to tell them to. I just put in ear buds. Duh.

    1. Re:"Should Be Banned" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I want the people in my office to shut-up, but I don't get to tell them to.

      Sure you can, you just can't remove their ability to speak.

  27. People are just a-holes by DnemoniX · · Score: 1

    I cannot count the number of times I wish that I had a cell jammer. Obnoxious folks who are so self important that they have no regard for those around them are everywhere. They are in line at the airport, the table next to you at dinner, oh and lets not forget in the movies! Some days I would just love to flip that switch and drop that call. On the other hand I would also be disabling the ability of anyone within range to call 911 in case of an emergency. Or to receive a truly important call or text message, maybe somebodies significant other goes into labor. Any number of things could potentially be disrupted. OK, so maybe flipping that switch isn't such a great idea. I mean don't get me wrong, I am a total a-hole myself, I realize that, but I don't think I would feel very good if I were causing a disruption and something legitimately bad happened and nobody could get a call through. Now if I had a jammer with a momentary switch that would only allow jamming for a couple of seconds, just long enough to drop a call, and it was on a timer so I couldn't mash the button....hmmmm Yup still an a-hole.

  28. They shouldn't be banned. by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

    It shouldn't be illegal to own a jammer- or to use one. It should be illegal to operate without the permission of the owner of the property you are on (or that is affected).

    If I run a cinema or entertainment venue- I should be allowed to block cell phone signals. If on my private property I want to block cell signals on my private proerty I should be allowed.

    The problem is when such devices are used in public- or on private property of someone who did not give you permission. Yes, people talking loudly in public places is annoying- but everyone should be allowed to communicate in public places.

    The guy who hasn't bathed in a week is annoying.
    The goth- folk look annoying.
    The redneck muffin-top girl showing her flabby belly to the world is annoying.
    The couple making out on the sidewalk are annoying
    The college girls talking too loud- squealing and being obnoxious are annoying.

    Everyone is annoying at some point in their life out in public. Deal with it. YOU, mr signal blocker have no doubt been rude or annoying. By blocking the loud talker on the bus- you may be blocking the daddy on a business trip trying to call his little girl to wish her luck on her recital he is unable to make. He may be blocking someone calling their wife who unexpectedly went into labour three months early while he was out of town. He may be blocking the executive who has to make an important call now.

    You do not have the right to not be annoyed by rude people in public- you do not have the right to interfere with their speach or disrupt others pursuit of happiness and possibly work.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    1. Re:They shouldn't be banned. by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      "If I run a cinema or entertainment venue- I should be allowed to block cell phone signals. If on my private property I want to block cell signals on my private proerty I should be allowed."

      Sure. Just make sure you engineer your walls so the jamming signal stays inside. Oh, right, if you did that (which is entirely within your rights as a property owner), you wouldn't need the jammer.

    2. Re:They shouldn't be banned. by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      We're talking about blocking on private property- if the jammer extended beyond that- that would violate the rules I set out.

      A cinema need not install a high power device to wipe out the town- just enough to cover the area they wish to cover. Should be simple with a low power device located centrally in their property. If it extends beyond their property that's a problem.

      Seems a simple enough concept to me.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    3. Re:They shouldn't be banned. by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      The funny thing about radio waves... if you don't specifically block them, they just keep going. If you specifically block them, then there's no need for a jammer.

      Restricting the negative effects of a jammer to a particular piece of property is NOT simple.

    4. Re:They shouldn't be banned. by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      Yet, here I am on the East Coast and I don't hear California radio stations.

      After a certain distance they lose potency to still cause problems. "Eric" on the bus was unlikely to be able to block people more than a few meter from himself. He was a nuisance to those on the bus - not to those a city block over.

      If your jamming does not cause disruptions outside your property then there is no foul.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    5. Re:They shouldn't be banned. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > If I run a cinema or entertainment venue- I should be allowed to block cell phone signals.

      Im not even sure I agree with that - not when it comes to 'public' venues, like shops, malls and cinemas - but I am willing to concede the point. I AM sure however, that the lawyers will have field day if ever someone has a heart attack in such a vanue and there are a few minutes of delay and confusion while people try to dial 911 and can't get through.

      Also would be great if those jammers stop dead at propery borders, but just like I can 'see' my neighbours wifi signal, I'm sure him having a jammer on his property would affect me as well.

    6. Re:They shouldn't be banned. by AlKaMo · · Score: 1

      Yet, here I am on the East Coast and I don't hear California radio stations.

      Coast-to-coast no. However, it's not uncommon to be able to tune to a station 500 miles away (assuming an AM station and the right weather conditions). If you want to talk about interference, rather than reception, it goes much further. It's not uncommon for AM stations on the West coast to see interference from Asia.

      After a certain distance they lose potency to still cause problems.

      The distance at which the cause problems is significantly greater than the distance at which they block a signal entirely. You couldn't effectively block signals within a single building without also causing interference in the surrounding area.

    7. Re:They shouldn't be banned. by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      We're not talking about coast to coast. We're talking about on your property vs off it, a very short distance, and the jamming has to go from effective to nil in that short distance.

    8. Re:They shouldn't be banned. by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      No, but you could block signals within your building with MINIMAL interference beyond it.

      Do you think Eric on the bus would cause any problems for Sue on the sidewalk talking to her beau? At absolute worst she would hear a slight bit of static.

      The ability of these things to work dramatically tapers off with distance.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  29. Who neeeds cell phone jammers... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When the signal is effectively blocked in most areas anyway? Seriously, the Verizon network out here around Denver is full of holes.

  30. Cell phone call on the bus by tepples · · Score: 1

    I generally don't use my cell phone where I think you shouldn't. This includes restaurants, theatres, public transit, etc.

    When I'm visiting a relative who doesn't live near a bus stop, I occasionally take the bus halfway and have the relative pick me up and drive me the rest of the way. In order to coordinate this, I need to make a cell phone call: "I have boarded the bus. In fifteen minutes, I will be at the bus stop where we agreed that you can pick me up." The rest of the conversation waits until I'm picked up. Would the majority consider this use of a cell phone impolite, and if so, how should I arrange these rides more politely?

    1. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by gknoy · · Score: 1

      I can't imagine what sort of lack of compassion would cause someone to consider that impolite.

    2. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by peragrin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Thaat depends
      Are you talking loud enough to be clearly heard the length of said bus. It is about volume more thann anything. Talk softly and no one is likely to care.

      For me i would put a jammer with a momentary switch so it only jams while being depressed. 5 seconds is enough to cut a call. And it looks like the provider dropped it.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    3. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by Volante3192 · · Score: 1

      I'd HOPE the majority doesn't consider that impolite. You'd likely be off the phone well before people realize you were even on it.

    4. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by danomac · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't consider that impolite. But then again, you could always send a text...

    5. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are you talking loud enough to be clearly heard the length of said bus. It is about volume more thann anything. Talk softly and no one is likely to care.

      That's a subjective measurement. A common complaint to me is that my normal speaking volume (with or without cellphone) is too loud, yet to me (having used it my entire life) it seems perfectly normal. The perception and projection of voice volume varies considerably from person to person.

      OTOH, I don't place or receive calls on cell phones in public places for exactly this reason.

    6. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Sending a text depends on 2 things:
      A) the receiver had a way to read a text
      b) You don't mind sending people a bill for a dime.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    7. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by s73v3r · · Score: 1

      Would the majority consider this use of a cell phone impolite, and if so, how should I arrange these rides more politely?

      Are you shouting while doing so? Then no. The thing that people are getting pissed off about is when you're on one end of the bus, and everyone throughout can hear exactly what you're saying, like you're shouting in their ear.

      If you're that concerned, there's also text messaging.

    8. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by s73v3r · · Score: 1

      Someone who's sleepy, who's having to endure someone talking so loudly it's like they're shouting in his ear.

    9. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by danomac · · Score: 1

      Sending a text depends on 2 things:
      A) the receiver had a way to read a text

      I just discovered accidentally the other day you can send texts to landlines. Dunno how that works though.

      b) You don't mind sending people a bill for a dime.

      Versus calling them and costing them minutes/air time? :shrug: Text is more than likely cheaper. Oh, you could always find a provider that doesn't charge for incoming texts. That's what I did. I don't get charged for outgoing texts either...

      When it comes to short messages like "I'll be there in 15" it's easier to text. Trying to carry on a conversation via texting is dumb though.

    10. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      Texts don't provide receipt of message confirmation that a phone call does. Point is, a short call or even a long *quiet* conversation on the bus is not impolite to most normal people, but I don't know if people on trains or buses using phone jammers are normal.

      --
      +1 Disagree
    11. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

      Are you talking loud enough to be clearly heard the length of said bus. It is about volume more thann anything. Talk softly and no one is likely to care.

      Many people think because the other person is so far away that they can't see them, they have to shout. On the other hand, even cheap phones are excellent at filtering out environmental noise, so even when you talk very quietly in a loud bus, you will be understood. It may be hard to understand the person you are talking to, but shouting won't help with that.

    12. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by dkuntz · · Score: 1

      Most would consider that use impolite if you were shouting into the phone as if it were still an analog cellphone where you had to shout to be heard over the static... which is what the guy in the article was complaining about. People who dont use a cellphone at the same volume as they'd speak to a person next to them, but instead use a volume more suited to talking to someone across the Grand Canyon.

      --
      OMG... I have a sig?
    13. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by tepples · · Score: 1

      I just discovered accidentally the other day you can send texts to landlines.

      Probably a robot voice reading the text aloud to the party receiving the call.

      Versus calling them and costing them minutes/air time?

      Incoming calls to a land line are unmetered. So are incoming calls to a cell phone customer who I know in advance pays for a plan including unmetered calls, unmetered weekend calls, or unmetered incoming calls.

      Oh, you could always find a provider that doesn't charge for incoming texts.

      Do these tend to be prepaid or contract plans?

      When it comes to short messages like "I'll be there in 15" it's easier to text.

      Provided the device has a keyboard. My Audiovox 8610 has only a number pad.

    14. Re:Cell phone call on the bus by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      You're not the kind of person the people angered by cellphone conversations are angry about, unless your conversation with your relative is carried on at a ridiculous volume that the entire bus can hear clearly. For some reason, a lot of assholes think they have to almost yell on the phone, so that everyone around them can hear their conversation, because they think they're so important. You don't sound like this at all.

      The people the jamming-people are targeting are most likely the jerks who carry on very loud, very long-winded conversations about utterly inane topics, frequently involving a lot of foul language and sexual references; i.e. things you really don't want your small children to overhear. These kind of people are very common in places where lower-class people congregate.

  31. Asshat behavior does not transcend asshat behavior by j-turkey · · Score: 1

    In my opinion, there is little difference between silencing a cell phone conversation using signal jamming and snatching the phone out of someone's hands and terminating the call. Either way, I view this this as socially unacceptable behavior, worse than having to listen to one side of a cell phone conversation. I too have been inconvenienced by people talking loudly in inappropriate places. On public transit, we are free to walk away and sit somewhere else. In a restaurant, the right thing to do is engage a loud-talking patron and let them know that they are behaving inappropriately. There are no guarantees of a positive response, but that's part of the deal with being a social creature. If you can't deal with people, either suck it up and deal with the loud conversation or don't go outside.

    --

    -Turkey

  32. Being Rude? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "whenever he sees someone being 'rude' on the bus"

    Who's to decide what being rude is? It's a public bus, why does he get to decide that someone talking loudly is rude? Get over yourself and buy some better headphones.

  33. Cell jamming = not OK... GPS jamming hell yes by rtkluttz · · Score: 1

    Cell jamming is not OK. People wielding cell jammers just do not have insight to know what is going on that persons life. Someone may be at a point in their life where they have to do what they have to do. No one else has the right to make that decision for someone just because they are offended by loud speech. YES, it is annoying. YES, 99% is unnecessary and pure disregard for others, but people with cell phone jammers simply DO NOT have the authority to make that decision for someone.

    GPS on the other hand should be jammable at all times. People should have 100% control at all times over who has access to location sensitive data about them up to and including jamming signal picked up by devices they don't have control of. Rental cars and cell phones for example.

    --
    Digital is, by definition, imperfect. Analog is the way to go.
    1. Re:Cell jamming = not OK... GPS jamming hell yes by Sarten-X · · Score: 1

      That ambulance shouldn't need navigation assistance, anyway!

      --
      You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
    2. Re:Cell jamming = not OK... GPS jamming hell yes by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      "GPS on the other hand should be jammable at all times."

      Ah. Good thing you don't make decisions. GPS is used for all sorts of things you wouldn't expect. Apparently banking systems, including ATMs depend on the time signals. Cell phone towers. Parts of the electrical grid. Air navigation systems.

    3. Re:Cell jamming = not OK... GPS jamming hell yes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Kind of reminds me of the argument of a habitual speeder "but officer if I'm late for work again I will be fired!" why should issues in that persons life that are most likely their own dumb fault be cause for everyone around them being drawn into their stupid drama.

    4. Re:Cell jamming = not OK... GPS jamming hell yes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      GPS on the other hand should be jammable at all times. People should have 100% control at all times over who has access to location sensitive data about them up to and including jamming signal picked up by devices they don't have control of. Rental cars and cell phones for example.

      As someone with a poor direction sense who relies on a GPS to get practically anywhere, FUCK. YOU.
      Just what gives you the right to fuck over everyone around you out of your own self-indulgent paranoia?

    5. Re:Cell jamming = not OK... GPS jamming hell yes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And don't forget how GPS was designed to be used despite enemy military forces actively attempting to jam the signals - civilian receivers might be susceptible but anything military spec should be relatively immune to jamming.

      All this would do is cause GPS receiver manufacturers to improve their devices, then what are you going to do? Also - heaven help you if the military decides your jamming is some form of hostile action or a prelude to an assault.

    6. Re:Cell jamming = not OK... GPS jamming hell yes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cell jamming is not OK. People wielding cell jammers just do not have insight to know what is going on that persons life. Someone may be at a point in their life where they have to do what they have to do. No one else has the right to make that decision for someone just because they are offended by loud speech.

      I'm at a point in my life where I need to jam you. No one else has the right to tell me "no".

      YES, it is annoying. YES, 99% is unnecessary and pure disregard for others, but people with cell phone jammers simply DO NOT have the authority to make that decision for someone.

      GPS on the other hand should be jammable at all times. People should have 100% control at all times over who has access to location sensitive data about them up to and including jamming signal picked up by devices they don't have control of. Rental cars and cell phones for example.

    7. Re:Cell jamming = not OK... GPS jamming hell yes by Dan541 · · Score: 1

      No they shouldn't. I'd rather have ambulance drivers with a clue.

      --
      An SQL query goes to a bar, walks up to a table and asks, "Mind if I join you?"
  34. Nice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I love how all of the espoused freedom lovers here on /. are all about stifling free speech when it annoys them. Asses.

    1. Re:Nice by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      I know, I'm surprised at how many people on here support this selfish, disruptive asshole behavior that dwarfs the act of talking loudly on a cell phone.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  35. Jammer Schmammer by lewko · · Score: 1

    I don't need a jammer.

    I just take Larry David with me on the bus.

    --
    Do you or your partner snore? - Visit www.snoring.com.au
    1. Re:Jammer Schmammer by lewko · · Score: 2
      --
      Do you or your partner snore? - Visit www.snoring.com.au
  36. Get over yourself jammer guy by nilbog · · Score: 0

    "I'm a loser with no friends and no one to talk to. Now you can't talk to anyone either."

    --
    or else!
    1. Re:Get over yourself jammer guy by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      or, "I'm not a loser who yacks endlessly about nothing in a loud and obnoxious manner. . Now you are not either."

  37. Is conversation in general a public nuisance? by tepples · · Score: 1

    The challenge in this case is to convince the transit system that use of cell phones for non-emergencies is a public nuisance like food, liquids, and music.

    Is conversation with other passengers likewise a public nuisance? If not, I don't see how a two-minute call at a reasonable volume to let someone know when I'll be home is a public nuisance.

    1. Re:Is conversation in general a public nuisance? by fish+waffle · · Score: 1

      I don't see how a two-minute call at a reasonable volume to let someone know when I'll be home is a public nuisance.

      Except "reasonable volume" is a judgement call, and one which is apparently quite tricky when using a phone. Many cell-phone users tend to talk much louder than is actually required, due to a variety of misperceptions, including the need to hear their own voice and the feeling that they have to drown out other local noises, as well as that thick-skinned social bubble that forms around cell-phone users as they become engrossed in conversation and oblivious to the world actually around them.

      Note that it is not that it is impossible to be a non-nuisance with a cell-phone. I visited Japan, admittedly a long time ago: cell-phone use was rampant, but there was also strong social pressure to not be annoying to others in a public space. Audible rings were almost never heard, and those speaking into cell-phones did so discretely and quietly. It was not annoying in the least. In contrast, in the US people yell into their phones and ignore the impact on everyone around them.

    2. Re:Is conversation in general a public nuisance? by sjames · · Score: 1

      If it was really a 2 minute call at reasonable volume, that would be great. Alas, some passengers have more like a 45 minute call so loud you can't hear the person next to you speaking at normal volume.

    3. Re:Is conversation in general a public nuisance? by tepples · · Score: 1

      due to a variety of misperceptions, including the need to hear their own voice

      Yeah, unlike land lines, cell phones don't have that feedback.

      and the feeling that they have to drown out other local noises

      Such as the engine of the bus. But at least I try to cup my hand around my mouth and the microphone when I make such a call so that I can keep a reasonable volume despite local noises.

      Audible rings were almost never heard

      I leave the ringer on because I can't always feel the vibration when my phone is in my coat pocket. But that's one reason that I use a traditional ring as my ringtone rather than bad rap music.

  38. God says by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    2:5 He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk;
    they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be
    prepared.

    2:6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be
    dissolved.

    2:7 And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and
    her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon
    their breasts.

    2:8 But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee
    away.

  39. Difference between smoke and conversation by tepples · · Score: 2

    Secondhand smoke is clinically proven to increase the occurrence of lung cancer. A short cell phone call at a reasonable volume is not.

    1. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by hazah · · Score: 1, Troll

      No it has not.

    2. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by onkelonkel · · Score: 3, Informative

      "A short cell phone call at a reasonable volume is not."

      I agree, short cell call at reasonable volume is not a problem. What is a problem is 45 minutes of someone shouting into their phone. Which I get about twice a week on my commute.

      --
      None of them can see the clouds; The polished wings don't care.
    3. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      In any case, it stinks and irritates the lungs. If someone was setting off stinkbombs because they enjoyed it I don't think bystanders would find it acceptable.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    4. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Now if only they could invent a jammer for people who have their headphones cranked up to 11 until I swear their ears must be bleeding. If it is loud for me sitting next to you I can only imagine what must be left of your hearing.

      --
      It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
    5. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, you must have some kind of huge cancerous growth due to those calls....

    6. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by amicusNYCL · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Secondhand smoke is clinically proven to increase the occurrence of lung cancer. A short cell phone call at a reasonable volume is not.

      "A short cell phone call at a reasonable volume" is not the problem that people who use jammers are trying to solve.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    7. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unless you specifically refer to the use of the word clinically as opposed to scientifically, then yes, yes it has. Many many times.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_hand_smoke#Evidence and the many studies linked there.

    8. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by s73v3r · · Score: 1

      A short cell phone call at a reasonable volume is not.

      The entire point is that we're NOT talking about reasonable volume.

    9. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by geekoid · · Score: 2

      Yes it has. Jesus Christ the tobaccos campaign is still seeding its way through culture even though they have stopped trying to hide that particular truth.

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22383660 - Not LC, but still killing people

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22217548

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21925188

      and so on.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    10. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by geekoid · · Score: 1

      SO your problem isn't cell phones, it's people being loud.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    11. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by geekoid · · Score: 1

      But they are people that get impacted. And since most people are reasonable on their cell phone, it's a bad solution.

      Maybe if they don't like outside noise they shoudl get ear plugs or a noise cancelling headphone?

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    12. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by yurtinus · · Score: 2

      Why do you think it's up so loud?

      --
      +1 Disagree
    13. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by Ihmhi · · Score: 1

      There's an easy way to solve this. Stand next to the person and listen in on their conversation.

      "Oh man, your daughter has herpes? Oh, that sucks dude. I know what that's like, hey hey! Oh, what? You're trying to have a private conversation? Sorry, I figured you were talking to me since you're being so fucking loud."

    14. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      Like I said elsewhere, I agree that a directional antenna is the far superior choice.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    15. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They do... it's called "Scissors".

    16. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by Matheus · · Score: 1

      They do... it's called "scissors".

    17. Re:Difference between smoke and conversation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Clinically proven... please, give us your proof. I know at least two doctors who would tell you that while they "believe" it's harmful, it's never actually been proven.

  40. Meh, not the right approch. by DarthVain · · Score: 2

    Talking loudly isn't limited to cell phones. Trying to modify behavior by limiting technology isn't the answer. The answer is modifying behavior by establishing consequences.

    Example: Loud Cell Phone User in Theater. This actually happened to me a year or so ago, where not only was someone rude and stupid enough to leave their phone on during the movie (which of course got a call), but to actually answer the call, and not only just answer the call and exit to talk, but to sit there in the middle of the movie, talking loudly. I couldn't believe it, I was stunned to the point of not doing anything about it. Fortunately some actually got up, walked down to the guys isle, and actually shouted at him "SHUT YOUR DAMN PHONE OFF", to which got cheers from the crowd.

    Anyway, go to Theater manager and demand your money back... for having your viewing entertainment ruined. If the theater has a problem with that, perhaps then they should then try to recoup (sue) the individual who was at fault, and let them pay for the entire crowd.

    I am sure one bill of 15$ x 100 people will be enough to stop any individual from doing something like that again. Behavior changed. Also when others hear of this, you can bet that they will be extra careful to turn off their phones, etc...

    I mean how hard is it to put it on vibrate, and if it is important call to, go outside to answer it.

  41. Who needs a jammer? by SierraQ · · Score: 1

    I don't have to worry about being jammed by someone else. I already have AT&T for that.

  42. Not toys by jjp9999 · · Score: 1

    For $1,000 you could build a jammer powerful enough to knock out cell and wi-fi signals in a whole city - even radio signals could be taken out. It's pretty serious stuff, actually. Imagine if airports couldn't communicate with airliners, emergency services couldn't talk over radio. Still, these devices are pretty easy to hone in on - it wouldn't last long.

    1. Re:Not toys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      STOP! GRAMMAR TIME!

      It's "home". You "home in". Like homing pigeons, or homing torpedoes. That's the analogy you are making.

  43. ALong highways and interstates by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Whenever someone does something really stupid on the road, it's almost always because they're yacking on their phones.

    I finally got my wife to stop calling me on the road to just bullshit. It was hard to talk to her because she didn't hear me because her eyes where watching someone on the road, or she'd get distracted and not hear me, or get into listening to me and not pay attention.

    I got her to stop by saying, "Honey concentrate on driving because I want you home in one peice. See you soon."

    Then I'd hang up on her.

    ANd if she really needs to talk to me, she waits until she's parked to ask if we need milk.

  44. Cell Phone jammer not really a NEW thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Doesn't anyone remember the movie 'Enough' with JLo?? She used a cell phone jammer to prevent her abuser/attacker from calling the cops while she dealt with him. In that instance I think it was a VERY good thing. In fact I wish I had one when I was dealing with my abusive ex.. But no matter the point is this. I agree that the jammer shouldnt be used for just anything but in extreme cases I do belive that it should be allowed without penalties

    1. Re:Cell Phone jammer not really a NEW thing by Skidborg · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Seriously think that through. What happens if the tables are turned and the abuser is the one with the cellphone jammer? What happens if a person delusionally believes that they are entitled to extreme revenge over a minor slight? If you are going into a situation and want to prevent your target calling the police for any reason, you are on very, very dangerous ground.

      --
      Supporter of the +1 Over Dramatic mod option. In memory of apk.
    2. Re:Cell Phone jammer not really a NEW thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This hypothetical over wrought answer isn't helpful

  45. Unfortunate the device is easy to get by medv4380 · · Score: 1

    It's only a matter of time before these start to be used in real crimes. If you want to shut down the ability to call for help quickly this would be a very effective method. There was a time where pay phones where everywhere, but now most if not all have been ripped out in my local area. Land lines are becoming increasingly rare so It'll eventually come to a point where one of these devices would practically grantee no one can communicate with the Police while it's turned on. I don't so much care about someone causing an annoying call to be dropped, but it is the same tech that would help ensure someones getaway.

    1. Re:Unfortunate the device is easy to get by Mal-2 · · Score: 1

      Landlines may be uncommon (though I suspect they're not as uncommon as you think -- just in the under-30 set are they as rare as record players), but there are plenty of people with VoIP lines. Even if you attack their WiFi so that their netbooks don't make the call, the wired-LAN computers still will, as will the dedicated VoIP system of any business.

      --
      How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
  46. "Eric" is an asshole. by bistromath007 · · Score: 1

    He's wasting other people's money, and may be interfering with their job, preventing them from dealing with personal crises, or even putting them in danger, all because he insists on holding on to a definition of courtesy that hasn't adapted to the realities of ubiquitous communication. The fact that cell phones are often used for unimportant things doesn't mean that they are unimportant.

  47. Welcome to the land by Shivetya · · Score: 1

    of entitled jerks. It ain't to change in ten odd years, if anything it will get worse. Too many people want to have no responsibility for their actions and unless your an authority; in some cases that won't matter; they certainly aren't going to care what you think.

    We are living through a generation where people are told its not their fault, its not their responsibility, we will take care of you, we will take of that, and so on. That does beat down one's self worth and you lose your self respect you soon won't respect others

    --
    * Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
  48. What's a pay phone? by tepples · · Score: 1

    Twenty years ago there were coin-operated phones at pretty much every major bus stop. The availability of cell phones on basic voice plans under $10/mo has caused most pay phones to become unprofitable.

    1. Re:What's a pay phone? by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Also GP wants to knock us back 20 years.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  49. Ass clowns by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Suddenly people are looking to buy jammers, the use of which is illegal in the US. What a bunch of fucktards. Gee, I'm going to get online and try to buy something illegal. Great idea, Chet. After that, you can employ them in public. You do realize of course, that as these things become more popular, (as is claimed) more law enforcement will be carrying devices to detect jammers, (which should be trivial, since jammers basic function is to put out a large amount of radio frequency interference in the band in which the phones normally operate.

    Putting out this massive carrier wave will make the device, and therefore the owner, really easy to spot with the right equipment. Once they spot you, they arrest you, and you end up wishing that you'd just put up with the annoying noise coming from nearby.

    1. Re:Ass clowns by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      You do realize of course, that as these things become more popular, (as is claimed) more law enforcement will be carrying devices to detect jammers, (which should be trivial, since jammers basic function is to put out a large amount of radio frequency interference in the band in which the phones normally operate.

      Only takes a few seconds to drop a call. It would take much longer to narrow down the source of a jamming signal. You'd probably notice someone moving around with a device used to detect jammers on top of that.

      therefore the owner, really easy to spot with the right equipment.

      If they keep it running, yes. But I don't think your prediction will have much effect if it does happen.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
  50. Drivers by fluffythedestroyer · · Score: 1

    I see lots of bad mojo with this device but I for one would like to see this device implemented in cars. Sure its a very small percentage but the numbers are there ( risk of an accident with a cell phone or other distracting devices). If this jammer is used in a car, no more cell phone, no more blackberry. That means your 100% concentrated on the road and not partly on your cell phone. I don't know about cell phone usage everywhere in the world but here in Québec this is getting very problematic, even police officers are using a cell phone in their car.

    1. Re:Drivers by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      I've been to Quebec and they don't all drive single-seater cars there.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    2. Re:Drivers by fluffythedestroyer · · Score: 1

      Unless theres a technology or something which detects whos calling; driver or passenger, then our best bet to to use that jammer in a car unfortunately. Sometimes drastic measures are the best ones until a better alternative can be found.

  51. Umm how about .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Installing these in cars unless your hands free is being used? Sitting at a 4 way stop seeing those people with their hand next to their face causes them to block 30-40 percent of their view, nevermind their attention span to know when to go.

    Drives me fscking crazy!

  52. Don't be silly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If there was an obvious emergency, the guy would just switch his jammer off.

    1. Re:Don't be silly by CodeHxr · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If there was an obvious emergency, the guy *should* just switch his jammer off.

      FTFY. I don't trust that someone with that level of a superiority complex would be that considerate of others. Sure there might be some that will, but there will also be those that won't and it's those people that cause me concern.

      Besides, being annoying on a cell call is *not* a crime. Deciding what is law and what is not, passing judgement of guilt, then applying a sentence is not the job of one person alone. When did people start getting such thin skin? "OMG, this person is annoying/offending me - they must be silenced!". Seriously... people need to learn some toleration.

      /rant off

    2. Re:Don't be silly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's exactly right. I heard that Hitler used a cell phone jammer, and that he blocked all 911 calls.

  53. Censorship? by Veggiesama · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Folks, this is Slashdot, so I expect some more consistency in in your positions. Here we are supposed to be proponents of network neutrality, ardent supporters of anti-censorship methods, and unrepetent voices in support of freedom of information all over the world. We don't like governments mucking with DNS servers, and we hate the publishing companies trying to tell us how we should and shouldn't use our media.

    Yet, here is a guy who passes swift judgment on others and renders their expensive cell phones inoperable for the sole reason that a single individual personally annoys him. He does this anonymously in public spaces, and the victims of his jammer have no recourse to repair their device. The loud, obnoxious caller suffers the same fate that the quiet girl chatting to her mother from three seats back does: everyone is silenced indiscriminately.

    For some bizarre reason, the hivemind of Slashdot holds this one-man censorship czar in high esteem, but they would probably object to a public school, library, or hospital prohibiting cell phone use via means of a jammer for the same reasons he uses.

    1. Re:Censorship? by syrinx · · Score: 1

      we are supposed to be proponents of network neutrality

      We don't like governments mucking with DNS servers

      Self-awareness just complete eludes "net neutrality" supporters, doesn't it?

      --
      Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
    2. Re:Censorship? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      There is no "hivemind", you worthless goddamned idiot. There are dozens of highly-rated posts arguing eloquently AGAINST the use of the jammers. You know this, and pretending otherwise makes you a liar.

      You are not projecting the iconoclastic image you want to think you are. And you never will.

    3. Re:Censorship? by yurtinus · · Score: 1

      Already posted... have no mod points anyway... but good lord did you hit the nail on the head with this one!

      --
      +1 Disagree
  54. Classroom examinations by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I worked at a state university in engineering for a little less than a decade. During this run I noticed (and discussed with other professors who noticed) that students will use any available technology to cheat if that is the direction they are intent on heading. Smart phones have become more popular towards this end with the ability to maintain a constant internet connection. I talked with professors who (after being ‘fed up’ with cheating students) may or may not have used cheap limited range cell jammers in their classrooms during exams.

    This follows the obvious escalation of technology paradigm, but what of the ethics of the situation? Does this practice just bread a better cheater?

  55. An Alternative (Re:I approve) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Rather than placing cellphone-jamming technology into theatres and restaurants (and other places where cellphone use should be discouraged), how about placing microcells and/or nanocells there.

    The patron still has cellphone service, but to a limited number of targets (courtesy of the filtering that you can institute within the micro/nano cell site) like 911. The micro/nano cell could block incoming calls except for calls from a limited number of sources (think police, theatre management, etc)

    So, the FCC should be satisfied, as there's no "jamming" going on. Patrons should be happy; most cell calls would be disconnected/disrupted. And there's no security/public safety issue.

  56. Places / Times that should be respected by realsilly · · Score: 1

    In no particular order:

    Churches, Court Rooms, Hospitals ( in certain parts.), Doctor's offices, Movie Theaters, Concerts, Funerals, Weddings, Restaurants, any packed mass transportation (if sparse populace, I think quiet conversations are OK), any Shopping Store, Classrooms, Conferences

    Any meal with a family regardless of location, any family conversation.

    I'm sure that there are lots of other places and times, feel free to add.

    If you're in one of those places or time situations, graciously excuse yourself and step outside, or just don't take / make the call. It's simple courtesy to our fellow man. Same thing with music headsets, turn them down so they don't make that tiny music noise, show some respect to others, it sometimes only takes a small act of kindness for people to be forgiving and more flexible.

    --
    Life takes interesting turns, but the most interest is when you're off the beaten path.
  57. You are not more important than others. by SuperBanana · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I for one am fed up with the constant assault of cell phone conversations from people who have no idea how to be considerate to those around them.

    While you're sitting there like a fat little smug antisocial nerd who thinks the world revolves around him and reading his Ayn Rand in peace and quiet, the psychologist three seats in front of you is desperately hoping that none of his patients are feeling suicidal at that particular moment.

    I have friends who are doctors, some of them psychologists. They're on call a great deal of the time, and people don't call their psychologist to talk about the weather. They call with things like "I'm having suicidal thoughts."

    I have a friend who is an eye surgeon. When she's on-call, she sometimes gets patients who have hours or less before they could permanently lose their eyesight from an injury or complications from an earlier surgery.

    I'm not saying THEY are more important. I'm saying their PATIENTS are. You have not seen panic until you've seen a psychologist who has a private practice and discovers her cell phone ran out of battery at some point, and she's an hour from a charger...

    I've actually seen a psych emergency unfold, too - the psychologist-friend working with 911 operators and the police and EMS to find the patient and get them to a hospital. That can't happen unless they can reach their doctor to ask for help. Too bad for them some fat asshole nerd is sitting there giggling with his cell phone jammer.

    1. Re:You are not more important than others. by WillyWanker · · Score: 1

      I guess they never, ever go on a subway? Or airplane? Or in an elevator? Or the out to the country? Or any other place they may not get a cell signal? I'd think I'd be more concerned to learn my my doctor, surgeon or psychologist rides a bus.

    2. Re:You are not more important than others. by Eponymous+Coward · · Score: 2

      "Start an I.V. and tell the patient to remain calm, I'm on my way. I just have to transfer to the red-line bus on 43rd then it's only about a 20 minute ride from there.!"

    3. Re:You are not more important than others. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, this. We're talking about a *bus* here; already these people aren't especially successful in life. Your doctor is not taking a bus.

    4. Re:You are not more important than others. by SiChemist · · Score: 1

      Maybe they're in a car driving next to the bus.

    5. Re:You are not more important than others. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's not like this herd could use a bit of thinning anyway...

    6. Re:You are not more important than others. by imidan · · Score: 0

      You know, your whole post would have been a lot better without the first paragraph, which was mostly just pointless name-calling. Why did you do that? Did you think it would make your point more persuasively if you prefaced it by calling the rest of us "fat little smug antisocial nerds" and concluded your post with "fat asshole nerds?" I understand that you feel strongly, but get a grip.

      Anyhow. I don't think most of us are unhappy because your eye surgeon friend gets a phone call telling her that she needs to go in to work. We're unhappy because some guy who believes that his time is more valuable than anyone else's refuses to stop talking on his cell phone while the entire rest of the airplane waits on him so we can push back from the gate. We're unhappy because people sitting in cinemas apparently believe that they should be entitled to take phone calls for the duration of the film (I don't care what your profession is, if you get a phone call that's so important that you need to take it at the cinema, or the theatre, or the symphony, or wherever, then you get up and leave the room to take your call). We're unhappy because people feel the need to SHOUT on the phone, and they like to sit next to us on the train and discuss the family's latest medical situation or other drama.

      You accuse us of believing that the world revolves around us, but such are exactly the people who aggravate us the most. Nobody begrudges the use of cell phones during emergencies. But even during emergencies, it is polite to attempt to remove yourself from the midst of a group of people who don't want to listen to your phone conversation. Those who advocate for jammers are responding to a persistent frustration with inconsiderate people. Jamming is clearly not the best solution. But repeatedly calling people names doesn't really do much for the situation, either.

    7. Re:You are not more important than others. by WillyWanker · · Score: 1

      Or maybe they just drove into a tunnel?

    8. Re:You are not more important than others. by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      I'd think I'd be more concerned to learn my my doctor, surgeon or psychologist rides a bus.

      What's wrong with riding the bus? Is it because it exudes "low-class" to you?

      I would be happier to know they ride the bus... at least they're not trying to treat me because they're behind on their Porche payments.

      Not that taking the bus is proof of lack of greed or needing of money, it just eliminates one source.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
    9. Re:You are not more important than others. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Too bad natural selection is going to happen. No harm done that wouldn't have happened before the cell era anyway.

      In all seriousness --

      Don't like a jammed cellphone -- get a landline. Get a satphone. Get four redunant SIP servers dual homed on different continents and routed over three internet connections to your house, place of business, answering service, admin. assistant, and colleague. Not because his right to jam you takes priority -- but because sooner or later jamming is inevitable, even if 'by accident' in a malfunctioning phone.

      Cell is not and was never intended as a reliable technology. If you or a friend is using it for life-critical tech as anything but a convenience, YOU are the idiot.

      Yes, the jammer disrupts what wouldn't have been disrupted otherwise, but relying on cell for life-critical anything is not mere folly of ignorance -- it's folly of malfeasance.

      If your patient is that important, you shouldn't be relying on the cell. Or an SMS based pager.

      I'm not saying "because it's a 'mere' convenience your needs aren't legitimate'. I am saying -- if you use this for a service where its reasonably anticipated failure is likely to result in loss of life or limb -- you're criminally negligent and should be thrown in jail.

      Failure WILL happen. Not having a suitable alternative in place is by your own definition unnacceptable.

    10. Re:You are not more important than others. by WillyWanker · · Score: 0

      "What's wrong with riding the bus? Is it because it exudes 'low-class' to you?"

      Yup. Exactamundo. Not something I want to see in my medical professionals. I like to think they're at least successful enough to own a car or afford car service.

    11. Re:You are not more important than others. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      His argument was real, and daily. Your argument is hypothetical and rare. Also you're so incredibly rude in your response that I would not be surprised if you turned out to be one of the cellphone assholes who needs to be jammed regularly because you don't know how to use one ethically.

    12. Re:You are not more important than others. by afabbro · · Score: 0

      I have friends who are doctors, some of them psychologists. I have a friend who is an eye surgeon.

      Oh you do not. Give us a break.

      --
      Advice: on VPS providers
    13. Re:You are not more important than others. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If your life depends on cell phones working, you've lost already. Don't go there. Use a more secure form of communication if a few minutes outage means death. Cell phones fail in various ways all the time. It is meant to be convenient, not super-reliable. Certainly not something you entrust with lives. The psychologists you talk about shouldn't be on the bus, but in an office with a landline and the cellphone as a backup. They can't be in office around the clock, so have another shift come on. Don't depend on taking calls on the bus - such calls may fail anyway due to the loudmouth next to you, or the pickpockets stealing fancy phones.

    14. Re:You are not more important than others. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not when they're on call.

    15. Re:You are not more important than others. by kwalker · · Score: 1

      Or (god help them) happens to be sitting in their car NEXT to a bus.

      --
      ... And so it comes to this.
    16. Re:You are not more important than others. by WillyWanker · · Score: 1

      Or (god help them) happen to be sitting in their car in a cell-signal dead zone! I mean, like, cause that never happens, amirite?

      Not to mention these things aren't powerful enough to penetrate metal or glass, so they won't affect anything outside the bus. Physics is silly like that.

    17. Re:You are not more important than others. by kwalker · · Score: 1

      Really? You're going to compare a dead zone to a moving interference source? And you know it won't penetrate? You've tested this? What's the transmit power? If it's knocking cell phones off the network it can't be THAT much, right? And glass? Of course signals can't pass through glass. And besides, cars and busses don't have a lot of glass lining the passenger compartments.

      Look, I reckon you'd rather sit there and snicker to yourself while passive-agressively using an illegal device causing who knows that unintended consequences rather than (politely?) asking the loud-talker to tone it down and maybe earning some kudos from other riders.

      And people wonder why modern society has no manners.

      --
      ... And so it comes to this.
    18. Re:You are not more important than others. by WillyWanker · · Score: 1

      Yes, I'm going to make that comparison because in most cases a moving interference source, y'know, *moves*, and doesn't stay put and therefore won't be around you for very long.

      Transmit power for the low cost devices is less than 1 watt and they have a range of no more than 10 meters at best. And yes, it doesn't pass thru metal or glass, which means it's not getting out of the bus.

      I dunno where you live and what kind of buses you've been on, but nicely asking someone to be quiet is rarely ever met with peaceful compliance. More likely you're going to get an earful of profanity hurled at you and possibly even a physical altercation.

      True story: I was recently on a Trailways bus. And the driver made it very clear that if you must use your cell phone it needs to be quiet and brief. Yet one asshat decided the rules didn't apply to him and halfway thru the trip he just started loudly yakking away. The driver told him once to end the call. Then again to end the call. And then a third time. Finally the driver stopped the bus and told the guy either he STFU or he's gonna toss him off the bus. The guy finally got off the cell phone, and then proceeded to bitch and moan like a petulant child for the remainder of the trip, and even had the gall to make snarky remarks to the driver when he called dispatch using a cell phone.

      So I'm sorry, but no, politely asking the loud-talker to tone it down rarely ever works. If they're so arrogant to not care about disturbing others while on the phone what makes you think they'll suddenly care when you ask them nicely to hush up? I mean, you see these responses right here in this thread -- "if you don't like it use earplugs", or "what gives you the right to tell me I can't talk on the phone". What makes you think you're going to get a different response in person?

    19. Re:You are not more important than others. by kwalker · · Score: 1

      If you're happy with that comparison, then let me ask you this: Have you ever been stuck in traffic and noticed that the cars around you are pretty much the same cars around you for the entire time? No? Well then next time, have a look. Now imagine that one of them is radiating enough EM interference to knock your cell phone (With a range of what, two miles?) off the air.

      Sure, politely asking them to tone it down may not work, but that's where you start, and that doesn't harm anyone else. If they are enough of a douche to not take the hint, then you have some fun with them. I've driven people off the bus before, just by smiling at them in the "right" way. Generally I don't have to resort to much more than getting a few people around them to actually turn around and LOOK.

      How are the replies here any different than asking someone (Perhaps not so politely) to tone it down?

      And have you ever had a discussion in person that has gone the same way as one on the Internet? You are aware of John Gabriel's Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory, right?

      --
      ... And so it comes to this.
    20. Re:You are not more important than others. by WillyWanker · · Score: 1

      OK, now you're just being ridiculous. Or did you miss the part about how these things have, at best, a 10 meter range and can't pass thru metal and glass?

    21. Re:You are not more important than others. by kwalker · · Score: 1

      I read your unsupported assertation as to their range and signal characteristics, I even asked you to support it, and frankly I don't believe your claims. It makes me wonder if you know anything about radio.

      These jammers are not low-power devices doing the equivalent of telling the phone: "please disconnect from the tower now." They are the EM equivalent of shouting down the phone, and phones have anti-intterference trchniques built-in, so these jammers have to 1) shout loudly, and 2) shout over the entire spectrum the phone uses. And phone signals do pass through glass quite easily, and have a range of more than 10 meters. Now I'll grant that their EM screech will drop below a level sufficient to stop a phone from communicating at a shorter range than the phone has, but claiming it has a 10 meter range or will not leave the bus sounds like justification and wishful thinking.

      But of course, I'm the one who is being ridiculous.

      --
      ... And so it comes to this.
    22. Re:You are not more important than others. by WillyWanker · · Score: 1

      Yes, you are. Learn how to use Google. It's not my job to educate you, and I really don't care if you believe me or not. While there are models of jammers that can go long distances and pass thru structures they are not the small pocket models being discussed here.

    23. Re:You are not more important than others. by RussellSHarris · · Score: 1

      These jammers are not low-power devices doing the equivalent of telling the phone: "please disconnect from the tower now." They are the EM equivalent of shouting down the phone

      No, they are the EM equivalent of shouting down the tower. They are low-power devices doing the equivalent of telling the phone: "the tower is nowhere to be found. Good luck finding another one." The phone then drops the call all by itself.

      You have two devices, a tower and a phone. The tower has a lot of power, but it is far away and its signal is very weak. The phone has less power, but it has to have enough power to reach the tower - it is effectively already "shouting". Both must be able to talk to the other, or the call will drop. To jam the connection, the weaker one is the one you obviously want to drown out. The tower's signal is weaker, so that's what you jam. And since your broadcast power is low, it only affects a small area.

      Think about it for a minute: The phone is already transmitting with enough power to reach the tower. If you wanted to drown out the phone's signal, you'd have to also drown out every phone's signal going to the tower. You'd have to DOS the entire tower.

      That is obviously not what a jammer is doing: it creates a small, localized area where the tower's signal (not the phone's signal) is drowned out by noise. As a result, phones close to the jammer will drop their connections to the tower.

    24. Re:You are not more important than others. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can't assume all doctors drive. I have friends are doctors in downtown city hospitals and they live in the city. They don't have cars because they don't need them and traffic downtown is horrible. They may ride a bus or subway to work. If it's an odd hour they may take a cab back to the hospital for an emergency.

        I'm an emergency service administrator, on-call 24/7. I had tickets for a game in town and I took public transit to the stadium. The 35 minute ride on the high-speed rail and $3 ticket beats 75 minutes of sitting in traffic and $20 for parking.

  58. He who jams, is an asshole! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sorry, but if you're in public, anything goes. People have the right to be annoying on their cell phones. You may hate it, and I probably hate it more than you do, and why I carry ear plugs with me at all times, but it's part of that thing called freedom. In this case, freedom to be an asshole in public.

    The ONLY exceptions that come to mind are hospitals, courtrooms, performance venues and movie theatres. All of these, of course, have the penalty of removal from location, and possibly jail-time.

    Do I do it? No. I rarely ever talk on the cell phone in public. That's just me. Other people? I've seen a woman stop in the middle of side-walk mid-day and start yelling at her cellphone, and at the other conversator, at the top of her lungs. People come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and volumes.

    "Hell is other people." This quote is especially apt, when dealing with the public and the use of cell phones.

    p.s. This didn't say if they were jamming 3G, which both my voice (validated this) and data go through so, why would they kill my data feed when I'm not talking on it, but some other noisy citizen is using theirs? Why should I be collateral damage?

    1. Re:He who jams, is an asshole! by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      Sorry, but if you're in public, anything goes.

      Congratulations, you just justified cell phone jamming too.

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
  59. disapprove... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Because the jackass who wrote it, is using a technology he could not possibly have invented on his own. He misuses the technology -- after all, as indicated earlier, he's a jackass -- and then complains when someone prevents him from doing so. Cell phone jammers MUST be made legal.

  60. Would you jam this call? by BetaDays · · Score: 0
    --
    Paul: Father... father, the sleeper has awakened! - Dune
  61. Possible jamming sighted - large tech conference by phoebus1553 · · Score: 1

    I was at a conference in Vegas last August for a certain industry leading virtualization vendor. While in one of the keynotes, I was happily using my corporate IM and citrix on my tablet. As soon as they got to the 'future products' section of the CEO's presentation, I lost wi-fi on the tablet. As it had been flaky all day, I tried to tether to my phone. I tethered to it just fine, but then found I had no cell signal. As soon as that section of the talk was over my cell and wi-fi signal magically came back to full signal.

    Seemed rather coincidental, and also rather irresponsible. Large room with several thousand people in it... and depending on how large and/or directional this 'outage' was, could have been hitting a good chunk of the highway out back of the hotel too.

    --
    ----- - The beatings will continue until morale improves
  62. The very definition of a dick move. by zerofoo · · Score: 1

    In his quest for peace and quiet (in a public location no less) he is going to knock out all the QUIET data connections going on around him to punish one person.

    This guy is a dick, and I hope the FCC and law enforcement catches him.

    -ted

  63. Headline has nothing to do with the story by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What increase in popularity?

  64. Obligatory: Why Cell Conversations Are Distracting by JoeDuncan · · Score: 4, Interesting
  65. What ever happened to... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...good-old-fashioned verbal communication? "Sir, you're being rude, please stop or I'll jam your phone with my fist."

  66. He's a Fruit Loop! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just look at him. ;-). How hard would it be for him to get off of the bus if his Jammer was "Jammed"? (if you know what I mean).

  67. Re:buy jammers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    dealextreme.com

  68. passive aggressive much? by Ameryll · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You're also jamming the receipt of said important calls, which the jammer has no knowledge of. For instance, what if there's a doctor on the bus who doesn't get the call saying he's needed in emergency surgery, or there's an undercover cop on the bus watching for trouble (we have undercover cops in Boston for instance) who doesn't get a call saying that he's needed for something.

    Why is the right answer to jam them and everyone around them? Why not walk up to them and ask them to bring the volume down? Why must we resort to under-handed/passive aggressive techniques that affect others that aren't violating the social rules?

    1. Re:passive aggressive much? by s73v3r · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I'm sorry, but neither one of those situation is even remotely likely.

      Why not walk up to them and ask them to bring the volume down?

      You ever try to do this before? The person will likely start yelling and bitching at you for listening in on *their* phone call.

    2. Re:passive aggressive much? by yurtinus · · Score: 2

      As a matter of fact, I have. Politely ask somebody to quiet down and they will most likely apologize and comply. Sure, some will be rude and beligerent, but that is rare (I've actually never had it happen). I don't know when everybody got so terrified of talking to other people, but it really is not that bad.

      --
      +1 Disagree
    3. Re:passive aggressive much? by 19thNervousBreakdown · · Score: 2

      And? They're right! People are allowed to talk, or make whatever noise they want to in public. Which includes buses. Sorry bub, but if you're too timid to ask someone to keep it down, you're going to find that people don't whisper all the time on the off chance that it might irritate somebody. You know what happens if you ask somebody to be quiet who's bothering everybody around and they yell at you? The other people who were bothered will probably speak up at that time. If that doesn't happen, chances are fair that it's you that's being an asshole.

      Is there some "right to sleep in public" I'm unaware of? What if your snoring annoys the everloving shit out of me? (it does) Can I blast an air horn every time you drift off and start cutting wood? Or does your right to sleep in public outweigh everybody else's rights?

      Here's a hint: There's no right to stop anything just because it annoys you. If there were, me alone exercising my rights would depopulate the earth, and dingbats who think they own the commons would be the first to go. Lucky for you, I'm not allowed to do that.

      --
      <xml><I><am><so><damn>Web 2.0</damn></so></am></I></xml>
    4. Re:passive aggressive much? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What is a cop who would get an important emergency call doing on the bus? "Bus Driver, STEP ON IT!" .. "Sorry dude, I have a schedule to maintain"

    5. Re:passive aggressive much? by T.E.D. · · Score: 1

      You're also jamming the receipt of said important calls, which the jammer has no knowledge of.

      OK...good argument start...

      For instance, what if there's a doctor on the bus who ...

      Raaaazzz! Thanks for playing...

    6. Re:passive aggressive much? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      People are allowed to talk, or make whatever noise they want to in public.

      No they aren't. If it's excessive it's a breach of the peace.

      Which includes buses.

      No it doesn't. Despite the fact that they're called "public transport" they're legally more like a bar or shopping mall, in so much as you're only allowed on them with the consent of the operator and under certain conditions. Usually there's a clause about not disturbing other passengers.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    7. Re:passive aggressive much? by Whorhay · · Score: 1

      I find it more effective to just butt in on their conversations than to try and ask them to turn down the volume. I suppose if they really irritated me I could just break into some loud horrible rendition of a song. After all if someone has the right to shout on a cell phone in public the rest of us have the right to sing loudly for sure.

    8. Re:passive aggressive much? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did you just insinuate physicians ride the bus? How quaint! There's no freaking way. And if he/she's on the bus ANYWAYS, then they wouldn't need to receive it till they got off the bus. Also most physicians use pagers that will be able to work when you get off the bus, and the messages will come through just a bit delayed. They're on the bus anyways, so that's not going to change anything. And it's not like the bus will divert their path because you need to do 'emergency surgery'

    9. Re:passive aggressive much? by Tom · · Score: 1

      Why not walk up to them and ask them to bring the volume down?

      Because we already know the person is an antisocial asshole who couldn't care less about anyone else, or he wouldn't scream like that.

      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    10. Re:passive aggressive much? by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      Not to mention that if the public sleepers were smart enough, (or not so self centered) they could buy a pair of $0.30 ear plugs and enjoy their blissful silence. The people complaining about public conversations are not upset that they are hearing noise. They are are upset that someone else is making noise.

    11. Re:passive aggressive much? by 19thNervousBreakdown · · Score: 1

      Good for you. I bet everybody will thank you for loudly and horribly singing over that guy having a phone conversation. I mean, the almighty gall of that guy. Talking! In public! Ugh.

      --
      <xml><I><am><so><damn>Web 2.0</damn></so></am></I></xml>
    12. Re:passive aggressive much? by jamesh · · Score: 1

      As a matter of fact, I have. Politely ask somebody to quiet down and they will most likely apologize and comply. Sure, some will be rude and beligerent, but that is rare (I've actually never had it happen). I don't know when everybody got so terrified of talking to other people, but it really is not that bad.

      Confrontation? Do people still do that??

    13. Re:passive aggressive much? by TubeSteak · · Score: 1

      For instance, what if there's a doctor on the bus who doesn't get the call saying he's needed in emergency surgery,

      This argument has been trotted out for years and complete crap.
      Any doctor who is on emergency call will have a backup.
      And if they are a surgeon, the hospital probably requires them to remain on-site.
      If not, there is a backup on call.

      Don't take my word for it.
      Ask your doctor next time you see them.
      When there is an emergency, someone gets dragged out of bed to deal with it.

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    14. Re:passive aggressive much? by Kazymyr · · Score: 1

      Lots of doctors ride buses in big metropolitan areas like NYC, Mr. know-it-all. And they carry pagers that work on the cell networks. My wife for one.

      --
      I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world until I started using the Internet -Stanislaw Lem
    15. Re:passive aggressive much? by s73v3r · · Score: 1

      So you're calling somebody speaking on the cell phone a breach of the peace? Man, I thought I excessively used hyperbole.

      No, we're talking about people being excessively loud, dumbass. The whole fucking point of this article.

      All those people, talking to each other, sometimes when they're not even physically next to each other! The nerve!

      Go fuck yourself, asshole. I don't care if you have the right to talk on your cell phone, you don't have the right to do loudly.

    16. Re:passive aggressive much? by s73v3r · · Score: 1

      What's with all your fake indignation? We're not talking about people just talking on the phone. We're talking about those that insist on doing so loudly, and annoyingly.

      If your phone conversation can be heard from the other side of the bus, then you're talking too loudly, and should stop. End of Story.

    17. Re:passive aggressive much? by Whorhay · · Score: 1

      I doubt it, my singing is pretty bad.

    18. Re:passive aggressive much? by T.E.D. · · Score: 1

      I took public transit in Phily (where TFA is set) for years. Some doctors may take the trains out to the main line (if they aren't on call), but no, doctors are not riding the busses there.

    19. Re:passive aggressive much? by madhi19 · · Score: 1

      You don't exactly need to keep it on all the time. Just long enough to get the annoying bastard to shut up!

    20. Re:passive aggressive much? by Hittman · · Score: 1

      I've done it, but with a gesture - just catch their eye and slowly lower your palm. They usually apologize and get quieter.

      I picked this up when it was done to me. I wasn't being intentionally obnoxious, I just didn't realize how loud I was being.

    21. Re:passive aggressive much? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1. Doctors being called for emergency surgery don't ride the bus. They probably drive their Porsche.

      2. Undercover cops (where I live anyway) generally drive very expensive, very souped up sports cars. Their job would be kind of moot on a bus that makes a stop every 500 ft or so where uniformed police are stationed anyway.

  69. I got a video of a guy jammin' in public by tkrotchko · · Score: 1
    --
    You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
  70. Vulcan neck pinches are better by peter303 · · Score: 1

    Star Trek IV scene in S.F. bus

  71. thats a design problem by RobertLTux · · Score: 1

    if an Implanted Medical Device can't handle cell phone signals then it is defective. Now having it unable to be "updated" is a different matter entirely but then again 95% of the time you should be in a Doctors Office anyway (and they could have a Faraday Cage setup for use in these cases)

    --
    Any person using FTFY or editing my postings agrees to a US$50.00 charge
  72. Logic... by Usefull+Idiot · · Score: 1

    I understand to motive is self-righteous vigilantism and not logic, but lets give it a go. Person A is annoying by talking on their phone. Person B does not like it, so therefore they decide that all people within X radius of them are screwed if they happen to be using a wireless or Wi-Fi device. Perhaps I would rather ignore Person A and use my wireless/Wi-Fi device for something important, but hey Person B could care less. So, Person A is wrapped up in their issue and could care less about how it affects other people, Person B is wrapped up in their issue and could care less about how it affects other people. How is Person B any different from Person A (sans the loud mouth)?

  73. Cut all the crap by PremiumCarrion · · Score: 1

    Just tell me what the best deals are on phone and GPS jammers.

    I don't see why that jerk should be having all the fun, when I can potentially worsen the fates of people in emergencies.

  74. Where did he buy a jammer ? by JacksterD · · Score: 1

    Look at this article: http://www.philebrity.com/2012/03/06/we-be-cell-phone-jamming-mon/, It seems that he bough the jammer from this website: http://www.jammer-store.com/

  75. bad language by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There is a lot of vulgar language used in some of these so-called grown people,s comments,, Kids read these too. But you do,nt care, do you?

  76. Risk Avoidance by Gim+Tom · · Score: 1

    It may be just my impression, but it seemed that people on public transportation in this state got a little bit more considerate of each other when it was ruled that Concealed Carry Permit holders could carry on public transportation. You just never know anymore.

  77. Twisted people on slashdot today.... fools! by mrops · · Score: 2

    Most of these jammers can easily interfere 40 ft or more. There are cars around, they could be trying to call 911.

    Police cars use cellular data connection all the time.

    I use my phone GPS which is using a data connection too. I would break a guys head myself if he jams my cell phone while i am trying to navigate.

    Where I live, one suburbs even has buses equipped with GPS enabled cellular data devices and you can track a bus while waiting on a bus stop.

    I don't like people using cell phone either, but using a jammer is just as or more selfish than the person talking on the phone.

    At the end of the day, get a car and pay for it if cell phones are annoying enough. Stay at home, don't go screwing around and justifying it.

    1. Re:Twisted people on slashdot today.... fools! by erroneus · · Score: 1

      You only need to jam long enough to get them to drop the call. It's not like it's on for any amount of time.

      Yeah, I believe I have fallen victim to a jammer once. It was my GPS that would go wonky when a certain car on the interstate was close. Once I figured out which car it was, I slowed down and made sure it was far enough ahead that my GPS resumed normal operation. I was a long way from "breaking his head off" angry and I doubt I ever would be in a case like that. It's definitely annoying. But at the end of the day, we have to deal with all sorts of annoying and rude behavior. The people seeking to remedy rudeness themselves run the risk of being rude themselves. (I have a neighbor below me who thinks it's perfectly okay to pound walls and the ceiling to complain about noise.)

      When there comes an opportunity to make a choice about how to deal with the rudeness of others, I hope you make a choice where the solution is more rudeness or worse... like head-breaking.

    2. Re:Twisted people on slashdot today.... fools! by wierd_w · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Cellphone jamming does not have to be dickish to everyone else around it.

      Here is how I personally would make a cellphone jammer:

      Take an ordinary quad band cellphone, preferably an android one with a well documented radio, with a rear facing camera, and a custom rom image running with root.

      On the phone is the "jam this bastard!" Application, which I will have written myself. What it does is put the phone into promiscuous mode to capture datagrams not directed at it, and take signal to noise ratio measurements, along with a camera distance estimate from the rear facing camera. Using some inverse cube rule math, and some fuzzy metrics from the camera, it identifies the "bastard" you are aiming the phone at. You simply pretend you are texting away.

      Once it identifies the "bastard", and their uuid (iemi, ssid, mac, whatever the network uses), and the tower+protocol used, it starts spoofing RST datagrams from the tower, sent as unicasts over the cellular band being used by the "bastard", with headers indicating that it is for the bastard's handset. The rate of injection is configurable.

      This causes the "bastard" to lose connection with the tower as his handset obeys the connection reset command. A combination of this and some clever and fast spoofing on the part of the jamming phone to impersonate the jammed handset to send the "hang up" signal to the tower, will force a targetted dropped calls. At least in theory.

      It would not impact any other cellular users, since it would use spoofed unicasts.

      In the event that it can't directly interface with the target network, it would use the camera for range finding, and look for "noise".
      It would then use a combination of the internal antennas broadcasting raw bit patterns to poison a specific noise source. (Say, using a multiplexed 2.4ghz wifi signal with an 800mhz signal to create a psuedo-broadcast at some other frequency via partial wave reinforcement, done using timed broadcasts of a user data pattern.)

      The partial wave reinforcement to create the false effective signal would have a radically short range. It might interfere with other nearby devices, but would be quickly and effectively attenuated by environmental obstacles.

      (Basically, you create a "beat" frequency emission using two frequencies on either side of the target frequency. The overlap of the two signals creates a 'false', or "beat" frequency in the desired band. If either of the source emissions falls off or gets deflected/reflected, the resulting beat freq will not be in the target band.)

      This means the signal would still not leave the bus.

      This might not force a disconnect, but would degrade QoS, and might improve the chances of a natural disconnect, especially if the bus is moving, since it could disrupt tower handoff.

      (The second method is for, eg, a verizon smartphone using "bastard", and a quadband T-mo using jammer. The jammer cannot see the raw data traffic on verizon's spectrum, since the phone antenna is not able to pick it up. No radio emission is completely discrete, especially with multipath interferences and other randomizing sources of attenuation, so communications on that foreign band should be detectable as noise on the native band from the local environmental attenuation. This is similar to an att gsm phone making a home stereo buzz. The phone is not really broadcasting on such a low frequency, the signal just attenuates there/causes a signal induction, creating noise.)

      In europe, where practically everyone uses gsm, the android smartphone based jamming app would be surgical and effective. In NA, where there is cdma and gsm, the dirty second option is needed.

      Granted, very few handsets have radios with such capabilities, or are sufficiently well documented publicly to bastardize them for this purpose.

      In the first case, anybody else on the bus will be totally unimpacted by the DoS exploit.

      In the second case, some nearby (within maybe 2 to 5 meters) people might be effected, but only if th

    3. Re:Twisted people on slashdot today.... fools! by quintin3265 · · Score: 1

      A very interesting proposal, and one that might work - but I see two problems with it.

      First, you are annoying everyone else by holding the bright, large device up and texting away, oblivious to everything going on around you. That's just as bad as conducting a loud conversation.

      Second, it is simple to track down the device initiating the attack. This isn't a huge DDOS attack where there are thousands of computers participating; there is one device, and it is associated with your full name and address in the carrier's database.

    4. Re:Twisted people on slashdot today.... fools! by wierd_w · · Score: 1

      The first one is unavoidable. You need to use the camera for range finding metrics, which means you have to hold the phone up. Texting on the bus is oibnoxious, but much less so than Mavis talking about her shitzu and its bathroom habbits on 150 decibels.

      The latter is easy. Use of a gsm quadband phone is assumed for maximum world coverage of the app, purchase a prepaid gsm sim, and use a non-subsidised handset. Buy both with cash, or with a greendot reloadable visa.

      (I assume the buyer is a "nerd", who knows what he/she wants, and knows which handset to get for maximum utility.)

      Also, re #2: we are putting the phone in raw mode, and unregistering from the tower so that we can enter promiscuous mode. After that we stop broadcasting anything, and collect several seconds of raw datagrams from the local area for metric analysis. Gsm is encrypted (though the encryption has been broken by researchers), and we don't care about that portion of the data feed. We are interested only in the headers, and in the snr.

      We gather the information to uniquely identify which tower, and which subscriber we are going to screw with. There is no need to deeply inspect the packets, so this process should take only a few seconds, and shouldn't run afoul of privacy laws. While still in raw/promiscuous mode, we send out the false radio packets claiming to be from the tower. These should be unencrypted, and unstamped by the device's sim or unique id. You are directly impersonating the tower, sending unencrypted unicasts. These are 'pulsed' at a configurable rate, so that you can still listen. When the bastard goes silent, you falsify a "hangup" signal directed at the tower. This keeps the tower from trying to keep the connection hot.

      At no time during the jamming do you broadcast your own sim or your own uuid.

      This is also why a custom rom with root is needed, besides for the obvious kernel driver hooks to pull this off, since many carriers monitor what applications you install, run, and use, for "quality improvement." This means you need a reliably sanitized environment that has been completely cleansed of this, including google's sync utility.

      (You don't want to be narking on yourself that you have a jamming app installed. Especially to a soulless corporation, like a wireless carrier or google.)

  78. No. by AdamJS · · Score: 1

    If someone is being annoying, confront them. This is nothing but an easy way out with far more potential negatives than positives.

    If the transit system thought cell phone usage was inappropriate, they would ban it themselves.

    Hell, there's another project for all those stallwart full capitalists on /.

    1. Re:No. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What's wrong with the easy way out?

      Say you want to confront me. I (ignore you | give you the finger) and turn my back. You tap me on the shoulder. Assault charge.
      From the comments, it seems the 75% cell users here are of the 'whatever... I do what I want' crowd.

      What are you worried about? The jammer only needs to be activated for 3-5 seconds to shutdown a dumbass.

      You do NOT have a right to communicate as loud as you want, everywhere.
      You do NOT have a right to confront someone who is being 'annoying'.

      The jammers are illegal NOW; cue civil disobedience and all that.

  79. Cell phone addicts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I love how all the cell phone addicts are all up-in-arms about how they may be out of contact for a short period of time while near someone's jammer. HAHAHA! Jezuz people. Cell phones suck and so do the people who are on them all the time. Some of you may be surprised to know that people lived for CENTURIES without cell phone access. Surely you can go for a few moments.

  80. All together now. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So some jerk starts talking on her cell phone on a bus. Then you see twenty people taking out there jammers.
    Too bad there isn't a device that allows you to send an EMP her way.

  81. Cell Phone Addicts by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

    I love how all the cell phone addicts are all up-in-arms about how they may be out of contact for a short period of time while near someone's jammer. HAHAHA! Jezuz people. Cell phones suck and so do the people who are on them all the time. Some of you may be surprised to know that people lived for CENTURIES without cell phone access. Surely you can go for a few moments. I can't wait to get a jammer. Been thinking about it for a long time - this article has convinced me to put out the money and just do it.

  82. Build on for under $5 by SuperTechnoNerd · · Score: 1

    A CMOS 555 timer running about 1 Mhz with a high pass filter to get the upper harmonics, and a small antenna. It works only up to about 50 though.

    1. Re:Build on for under $5 by SuperTechnoNerd · · Score: 1

      Sorry -- 50 feet

  83. it's not rocket surgery by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just carry earplugs. It's legal (so far), and solves a whole range of social problems.

  84. There is no such law... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I call BS. There is no such law on the books. That is a myth promulgated by doctors that want to believe they are special people.

    If there was such an always accessible requirement, they would need special always-accessible communication radios (like first responder radios or old style pager radios), as standard cell phone towers have no way of knowing if it is a doctor's cell phone connection they are dropping to match their backhaul bandwidth or the 12yo yapping to her BFF...

  85. All fun and games... by dunezone · · Score: 1

    Its all fun and games until someone needs to make an emergency call or take an emergency call.

  86. I can't get enough of this! by BetaDays · · Score: 0
    --
    Paul: Father... father, the sleeper has awakened! - Dune
  87. Spoken like a true phone junkie by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...or is it phone-zombie?

    If your idea of "being considerate" is to break everyone else's communications infrastructure, buy a pair of earplugs. Or better yet, get a screwdriver and insert until the problem goes away...

    You are with little doubt one of these fuckers who insist on yabbing on their phone at the top of their lungs for hours on end, hoping to impress the rest of us with your cool life and how important you are, with no regard for our desire for a little peace and quiet while we travel. You probably haven't yet figured out that every Tom, Dick, and Harry has a cell phone, and still think you're "important" talking on one.

    I hope he (or someone near you) buys a similar device and jams your sorry ass signal for days on end. Or better yet, someone just gets sick of your psychophantic yammering to your boss or boyfriend and caps you in the head. Fucker.

  88. My father does this all the time... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In the "silence" first-class carriage of the train, whenever someone takes his cell phone out and makes a lot of noise... I personally approve 100% since it is written all over the windows that this is THE place to be quiet in the train -.-

  89. Seriously, though by slew · · Score: 1

    Often if you dial 911 on a cell phone you get routed all over the place before they can either talk to you to determine where you are (sometimes state patrol in a far off county). If you dial 911 from a land line, you get the nearest dispatch center.

    Just the other day at my office, some was having a seizure. Several people immediatly dialed 911 on their cell phones, but most got no connection, and the only one that got through rerouted to Sacramento (we were in Santa clara about 120 miles away). Someone ran over to an cube, picked up a land line dialed 911 and immediatly got emergency dispatch w/o any delay.

    Most of the people that tried to dial 911 on their cell phones also had the latest phones w/ GPS and other location devices, but even the supposed e911 network didn't know what to do with them. That incident convinced me to not give up my land line at home until they fix this situation.

    1. Re:Seriously, though by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      Just the other day at my office, some was having a seizure. Several people immediatly dialed 911 on their cell phones, but most got no connection, and the only one that got through rerouted to Sacramento (we were in Santa clara about 120 miles away).

      Maybe they should have dialed 112 instead?

      Dialing numbers like 911 on a mobile phone is not considered by design on mobile networks and mobile phones to be an emergency call and won't grant access to certain emergency capabilities.

      Why is the eduction on an emergency number for mobile phones so poor in the United States?

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
  90. 875 by slew · · Score: 1

    875

  91. Saving Lives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What about people using cell phones while driving and swearving in traffic?

  92. Join in by sjames · · Score: 1

    Since the talker CLEARLY wishes to include everyone on the bus in the conversation, throw your two cents in. The dirty looks are priceless!

  93. cell phones are overrated by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I wonder what people have that is so important to discuss. I don't even always answer the phone when I'm at home. Everyoen and their dog now has a cellphone. I see everyone talking all the time everywhere...bored of waiting for the bus? talk on cell bored in the bus? talk on cell. waiting in line at the grocery store? vaccum cleaning lady in the building with her bluetooth stuck in traffic? just cruising? I see families in the restaurant eating, mom picks up a call, then proceeds to talk for 5 minutes, kids flick out theirs, and talk/game...then dad follows. WTF are all these people talking about!?

  94. you can gain a lot from loud cell conversations by Deano252 · · Score: 1

    I've noticed that with the popularity and availability of mobile devices that people tend to forget that they are talking out in a public place where other people can hear their conversation. One case in point (and I over heard conversations like these on multiple occasions.) I was on a train back from Boston and te person next to me decided that it would be the perfect time to call his Credit card company to dispute a charge. giving a little deduction I could of easily pwn'ed this guy. Here is how the one sided conversation that I heard went (editied of course) "Hi This is John Doe, I have a fraudulent chage on my Visa card" "Yes its XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX" ( The credit card number) "XX-XX" The expiration date "XXX" (Most likely the 3 digit code on the back of the card for "Additional" security) "XXXX" (Probably the last 4 digits of his soc #) Then he went into details of the charge which turned out to be an annual fee (I know because he said "Oh so I'll get charged that fee every year") No wonder Identity theft is on the rise. You don't have to have killer Computer skills to hack someones identity. You just need to pay attention to cell conversations.

  95. No-one mentioned the Japanese audio device by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    attention span, people

  96. Not the best analogy. by rykin · · Score: 2

    That happened in my neighborhood, so they added speed bumps in the road.

  97. Perhaps this is a better solution... by ToastedSpider · · Score: 1

    Japan has developed a speech jammer. So instead of zapping all the cell phone threads in range (what is the typical effective radius?), just stop the person from talking for a bit. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/309140/20120305/japanese-speech-jammer-ways-used.htm

    1. Re:Perhaps this is a better solution... by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      If I could get that function built into my cell phone jammer, it would be awesome.

  98. Re:I approve - not by jte · · Score: 2

    I have a 92 year old parent that lives alone and needs to call often - she's also hard of hearing. I'm as conscious of others need for space as my own and don't wan't to disturb it, but in some situations I have to.

  99. This is a classic example of entitlement by AdrianKemp · · Score: 1

    Don't like people talking on their cellphones? Deal with it, the person beside you probably doesn't appreciate your snoring either.

    Stop being an asshat and thinking you're more deserving than everyone else, you aren't.

    I think the punishment for being found to use one of these devices should be sterilization, get that ignorance out of the gene pool.

    1. Re:This is a classic example of entitlement by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      The guy IS dealing with it. By jamming. Don't like people jamming your cell phone? Then get off your cell phone. It works both ways.

    2. Re:This is a classic example of entitlement by Spy+Handler · · Score: 1

      yes, it's a classic example of entitlement. Some asshole always thinks he's entitled to yak away loudly on his cellphone whenever I'm in a movie theater. Even worse is while playing golf. Some asshat's cellphone will always go off during my backswing. Usually with the default Verizon ringtone set at max volume.

    3. Re:This is a classic example of entitlement by AdrianKemp · · Score: 1

      Both of those places are very clear on phone use policy.

      It isn't up to you to set companies policies for them...

      In small words you might grasp: You are the problem. You are too stupid.

    4. Re:This is a classic example of entitlement by AdrianKemp · · Score: 1

      No, you're just too stupid to understand why you're wrong

      Don't like getting killed? Stay out of the way of bullets.

      Don't like police brutality? Stay away from the police!

      Or you could get a brain.

  100. Free, legal alternative.. by twotacocombo · · Score: 1

    Remember that scene in Dumb & Dumber.. "wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?". Sit within earshot of the offending cell phone gabber, and fire away until they're no longer able to continue their call. Sure, there's going to be some collateral damage, but still...

  101. Help me find one Google-fu by Uteck · · Score: 1

    My wife has been looking for one these to use at the university library. People hang out there talking loudly on their phones and since the 'librarians' are just other students they won't stop it, and the real ones don't care.

    --
    no .sig found Please restart your browser.
  102. Don't be an idiot. by subreality · · Score: 1

    Plan A: Do something very illegal, make some jerk with a cellphone annoyed because his technology isn't working.

    Plan B: Simply ask him to talk quieter, and have him possibly learn that he's being annoying to people around him, and stop doing it even when you're not around to jam him. Costs less, more effective, not illegal.

  103. Solution: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bottom line - there are multiple reasons jammers are illegal.

    My solution - that has worked 100% of the time so far - make eye contact with the person and in your best "talking to a child" tone, say something to the effect of "Let's try to use our *inside voice*... Okay?" Every time I've done that the person has stopped, stuttered and either began speaking much softer or gotten off the phone all together.

    Sometimes people just need to have someone point it out when they are acting like an asshat.

  104. "don't jam _me_" by Onymous+Coward · · Score: 1

    I get the impression that most of the anti-jamming sentiment here is founded on anger at the idea of personally being forcibly denied cell service. Or, more plainly, just being coerced. And I can certainly understand that. The idea of being denied something what was normally in my power because someone else just decided I shouldn't have it brings out my bully-hating reflex.

    But one couldn't really argue the issue on just "don't jam me" because that would sound weak and whiny and selfish. And I think as people respond to this topic they either know this intellectually or they have the realization on a subconscious level, and so they employ less personal and more persuasive arguments, like claiming that 911 and other emergency calls are endangered, and they attack the pro-jammers' character.

    1. Re:"don't jam _me_" by DeadCatX2 · · Score: 1

      I get the impression that most of the pro-jamming sentiment around here is founded on anger at the idea of personally being forced to listen to someone else's conversation while in a public space. Or, more plainly, just being forced to listen to others.

      >.>

      Certainly you realize that you're just trying to justify the pro-jamming argument by libeling the character of those who make an argument against jamming, instead of legitimately addressing the concerns they raise (also known as an ad-hominem logical fallacy). Many of these anti-jamming posts quote very valid concerns that have nothing to do with "don't jam _me_" (among them being that it's illegal to broadcast in the electromagnetic spectrum in a manner inconsistent with FCC licensing).

      If you have a problem with someone's conversation, how about being an adult and asking them to please quiet down? Or being a juvenile and inserting yourself into their conversation? Or perhaps you should bring some ear plugs or headphones? Those are much nicer alternatives to rudely and anti-socially attacking everyone who dared sit too close to you on public transportation, most of whom likely have done nothing to you to deserve being treated that way.

      --
      :(){ :|:& };:
    2. Re:"don't jam _me_" by Onymous+Coward · · Score: 1

      Certainly you realize that you're just trying to justify the pro-jamming argument

      No It was in fact not my intention to bolster the pro-jamming argument. I can understand someone having an expectation of this, but if you think it through, casting aspersions on one party does not improve the argument of the other. At best my statement could only be anti anti-jammer, not pro pro-jammer.

      And, also, it is not my intention, per se, to undermine the argument of anti-jammers, though I admit that my current leanings are in opposition to anti-jammers and that if my earlier comment were indeed to undermine the arguments of anti-jammers, I would not be put out. But note that neither do I hold contempt for anti-jammers.

      I was responding in part to the viciousness of the anti-jamming contingent, rising above the typical timber of online head-butting, and was wondering what was involved in that. What I've said seems to me the truth. Regardless of how it bears on the broader issue of whether jamming is good. Delving into the motivation was my main point and so that's what I covered in my post. I find emotions in argument to be a very interesting thing.

      Take for example this comment: "If you have a problem with someone's conversation, how about being an adult and asking them to please quiet down?" I rather like the idea of civility and mutual consideration abounding in society such that this tack could be effective. But note at the same time you say "how about being an adult" which is an implied maliciously disparaging remark about the maturity of your opposition. So you at once make an suggestion that works only when there's civility and simultaneously act uncivil in delivering it, ironically making in effect your own ad hominem proof against your own argument.

      What's more, I see that I'm gratifying the personal emotional urge to fight you, to contradict you. It doesn't matter that I'm right about several ways in which you're being unreasonable or mistaken. What am I really trying to accomplish? Certainly not your persuasion. It's evident to me that you're stuck in your thinking and not amenable to reason. Am I just trying to champion a more reasonable perspective? Maybe in part, but if I thought about it long enough I'd realize that putting in the effort to point out logic and reason in this matter will likely do next to nothing for its cause. And so here we are. Nevermind.

  105. Maybe ask that person to be less noisy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Using a jammer is just levelling down to the person making the noisy conversation. You scream louder, but with a jammer.

    I know, maybe this Eric couldn't think of the idea to ask the person making a call to be less noisy. Too difficult? Too scared? Too little social skills?

    I also do not like people shouting their mouths off in a bus or wherever, but I disrespect the jammer-bully much more.

  106. Burst by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 1

    Would a properly formatted burst at the right frequency make the call drop? There might be no need for extended jam sessions.

  107. The best jammer is just speaking up by bjdevil66 · · Score: 1

    Instead of being passive aggressive with a jammer, just tell the person they're being really loud, and if really necessary to turn it down a bit. Sometimes they'll be total dicks in return, but other times they simply don't realize they're being that way and will change their behavior, and not be so loud next time they use the phone. If everyone did this, without fear and within reason, the problem would solve itself.

    OTOH - If people are too afraid to speak up like that, then alternatives that have much worse side effects (like these jammers) will take their place. Just jamming everyone is the lazy, potentially dangerous - and quite frankly, the bush league - way to deal with the problem.

  108. Someone is going to be very unhappy by roc97007 · · Score: 2

    I've had two emergency texts from my daughter in the five years she's owned a cell phone, both involving a firearm on campus. (Two different schools.) Both times I found through local law enforcement that someone inside the school had called 911 just seconds before I did. On a cell phone.

    If someone thinks its clever to jam cell phones because he finds them annoying, he will find himself in a heap of trouble the first time he blocks the transmission or reception of an emergency call. Then he can enjoy a different kind of cell while the people involved take away everything he owns in civil court. This is not civil disobedience, it's a criminal act.

    I totally understand that people often misuse their cell phones, and I get just as pissed off as the next guy. But the first time a disgruntled geek jams an emergency call, his life will effectively be over. Is it worth it?

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    1. Re:Someone is going to be very unhappy by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      I've had two emergency texts from my daughter in the five years she's owned a cell phone

      So, in other words, the whole "emergency thing" doesn't come up very much, does it?

    2. Re:Someone is going to be very unhappy by roc97007 · · Score: 1

      I've had two emergency texts from my daughter in the five years she's owned a cell phone

      So, in other words, the whole "emergency thing" doesn't come up very much, does it?

      Not for me. Others' mileage may vary. But when it does, it's, like, an emergency.

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    3. Re:Someone is going to be very unhappy by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 1

      In four words . . .

      Yes, it's worth it.

      Everyone uses the same damned excuse every time this topic comes up. OMG what if a doctor is at the movie and he gets an emergency phone call and has to jump right up and go perform BRAIN SURGERY right away . . . . and . . . and your jammer prevents him from getting the call and . . and . . someone DIES. . . .

      Yeah. SHUT UP. Hospitals have f*cking SHIFTS and the GD hospital is FULL of more doctors at any given moment than all of us combined even know. Stupid fucking argument. The whole, omg the emergency folks can't do their job argument is really getting old.

      Show me an establishment within a reasonable distance of the civilized world and I can guarantee you they have land line systems for emergencies. Likely several. Why ? Because cell phones are unreliable that's why. . . . .

      Solution: Set aside a small part of spectrum designed for emergency personnel if you really think the above argument is a valid one. Their phones will run on this frequency only. Hand it out to all the folks that qualify as emergency personnel and done. Since jammers work on specific frequency bands, no one will bother making one for this frequency as too few folks will actually use it. Kinda like writing viruses for Linux systems. Yeah you can, but why ?

      Cell phones aren't reliable to begin with. Signal strength comes and goes, calls get dropped constantly. The damn service is so bad you wouldn't know if it was your shitty service that's dropping the call or some one with an active jammer. This is a moot argument until cell phones actually provide a reliable service.

      There are three means to deal with an asshole talking on a phone where they shouldn't be.

      1) Hope they realize their error and STFU on their own. Unlikely as most who are guilty of this behavior are too damn stupid to realize what they're doing is annoying the shit out of everyone around them. This is a by-product of a world without consequences. They talk and act like assholes because no one will do anything to stop them out of litigation fears.

      2) Run a jammer. This effectively removes the problem since . . . ( see number 3 )

      3) Talk to them about it. This is pointless and will likely start a damn fight. Folks get quite pissy when you ask them to put the phone down or refrain from talking at 110db. Ask me how I know this . . . . :|

      All that being said let me say this:

      These devices are a godsend in certain scenarios. The portable ones typically have a 10m range and are easy to use. Push a button for a temporary 30 second disruption ( all phones will show " No Signal " ) or a flip switch for a continuous cone of glorious cell-free silence. Movie theaters, quiet restaurants, live performances, libraries, church, hospitals, you know. . . all the places where Common Sense would dictate " Hey, maybe this is a bad time to have my Lady Gaga ringtone fire up at max volume for the thirty seconds it's going to take me to dig through my purse to find my phone " all perfect examples of where jamming comes in handy.

      Trust me, you'll get nowhere trying to teach them why they are in the wrong here. Unless you enjoy fighting, it's far, FAR easier just to deal with it discreetly because establishment management surely isn't going to do anything about it.

      Now, I wouldn't have to resort to such measures if the management of any of the aforementioned establishments removed them from the premises for blatantly annoying the rest of the patrons. Since the world is a litigation-happy place, no one would dare say anything to anyone. Welcome to reality.

      Thus, the jammers popularity.

      Ever consider these little devices probably wouldn't sell so well if folks didn't believe there to be a problem worth purchasing one to begin with ?

      Tip: ( from experience )

      Don't use these on the bus or near roads / motorways. As driver X is blasting down the road with phone glued to her ear she is already distrac

    4. Re:Someone is going to be very unhappy by roc97007 · · Score: 1

      In four words . . .

      Yes, it's worth it.

      Everyone uses the same damned excuse every time this topic comes up. OMG what if a doctor is at the movie and he gets an emergency phone call and has to jump right up and go perform BRAIN SURGERY right away . . . . and . . . and your jammer prevents him from getting the call and . . and . . someone DIES. . . .

      Yeah. SHUT UP. Hospitals have f*cking SHIFTS and the GD hospital is FULL of more doctors at any given moment than all of us combined even know. Stupid fucking argument. The whole, omg the emergency folks can't do their job argument is really getting old.

      Show me an establishment within a reasonable distance of the civilized world and I can guarantee you they have land line systems for emergencies. Likely several. Why ? Because cell phones are unreliable that's why. . . . .

      I did not use that argument. That would make this a... let me think... oh yeah. Straw man.

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    5. Re:Someone is going to be very unhappy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know, I was just ranting. The comment wasn't directed at you, but rather the same folks who use that particular argument anytime this subject is beought up :D

  109. Re:I approve, fix by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The problem is with 80% certainty that the GSM signal(2g is especially dirty, you can hear it over your amp speakers on your desktop computer) induces enough current when initiating or making a call or polling the network to trick the turn counter, the same effect hits cycle computers and plenty of other gadgets with analogue counting systems.

  110. Loud vs. Not Loud by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

    In my office, I notice two kinds of phone calls (on both cell phones and land lines). Type 1: People are just as LOUD and obnoxious as they could possibly be, and then some. These are business calls, and I swear to god, it is as if they want everyone in the cube farm to know who they are talking to and what they are talking about. Type 2: People are whisper quiet, so much so that it is as if they are abused spouses, trying to call 9-1-1 before their abuser finds them, and doing everything they can do to avoid detection. These are personal calls. It is very clear that people can choose to talk on the phone quietly when it suits them. If they choose not to, they bring whatever response from others that may result completely on themselves. As for the "innocent third parties" that get jammed - well, hey, like the military says, "collateral damage." Maybe if THEY took the risk of asking the loud-talkers to be quiet (and possibly getting beat up, or stabbed or shot or whatever), the jamming wouldn't be necessary.

  111. Do it during construction. by brunes69 · · Score: 1

    Theatres, restaurants, and other such buildings could easily solve this problem without jammers, simply by incorporating wire mesh into the walls of the theatre when they are built. This will block all radio signals in and out of that area without being illegal and without any jammers.

    Add a well-marked emergency wired phone on the wall, and you are all set.

  112. What's the best model? by Lashat · · Score: 1

    I want one that works well at a decent price and most importantly won't give me testicular torsion.

    --
    For every benefit you receive a tax is levied. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
  113. Shitty headphones. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Often times it seems that you can go spend $50-100 on a pair of headphones to get wonderful devices that will supply excellent sound quality to everyone around you, but not you.

  114. sign me up by Tom · · Score: 0

    When I was still riding the train twice daily, I wanted to do exactly what this guy is doing. And I would've, if there had been a jammer easily available to purchase.

    Assholes simply don't understand any other language. I've tried to calmly and friendly talk to people quite often. There is a small minority where it works. Most will tell you to fuck off, some will be more rude or more physical than that.

    So pressing a button and killing their call really is a great alternative. Yeah, it'll also cut off other, innocent people. Sorry for that. Give me a way to cut off just the asshole and I'll use it immediately.

    --
    Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
    1. Re:sign me up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      If you cut off the other, innocent people, you're a bigger asshole than the one you targeted, and you deserve to have your stupid little toy jammed violently up your self-righteous ass.

  115. We've been down this road before with smokers by Powercntrl · · Score: 1

    No one goes around spraying smokers with water because we find their smoke offensive. We've simply established places where it's okay to smoke and politely ask that smokers do their smoking in those designated areas. If it bothers you so much that some people are yelling into their cell phones, find some like-minded individuals who feel the same way and go through the proper channels to have rules established regarding areas where voice calls aren't allowed (except in emergencies).

    The fact remains, it's presently perfectly legal to have a shouting match with your cell phone in a public place and if you have a problem with that - you need to bring up the issue the same way you would if you felt the speed limit in your residential neighborhood was too high. If you feel the problem is one of enforcement of existing laws (perhaps you believe it falls under "disturbing the peace"), feel free to pursue a career in law enforcement - chances are you might even learn why vigilante justice is wrong.

    --

    ---
    DRM is like antifreeze, to the MPAA/RIAA it's sweet, to the consumers it's poison.
  116. Cover your mouth with your hand? by dtmancom · · Score: 2

    I don't understand why more people don't do this. If I am at a restaurant or something and get a support call, I just put the phone to my mouth, and cover the entire talking area with my other hand. I can speak low and the soundwaves from my vocal chords get funneled to the phone receiver, my user can hear me loud and clear, and the people at my own table can't even hear what I am saying. I put cell phone jammer people in the same category as the people who turn off the TVs in the airport with their universal remotes, and the people who buy the little device to disable the seat recline of the person in front of them: Cowardly self-important weasel scumbags pieces of shit. :-D

  117. High School Bought These by RobCull · · Score: 1

    One of the three high schools in my home school district (of which I graduated) called Central Bucks School District, located 30-50 miles north-ish of Philadelphia, purchased a whole buttload of these jammers a few year back. Central Bucks South, the school in question, is relatively new and spent a huge portion of it's budget on cell phone jammers. Their hopes were to employ them in a per-classroom basis, or even permanently across the whole building.

    After receiving the products, they realized how screwed they'd be if they actually used them. Now they sit in a storage closet.

  118. Yup, at work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I bought one after a new guy came at work. He spent most of his time on his mobile phone, being very loud and preventing our whole open space from concentrating. After a month of me, and others, asking him to tune it down, I finally bought one of these very cheap jammers (20$ i think) on dealextreme. Best spent 20$ in my life. Guy ended up getting a new phone... which 'broke' too. He then concluded that the building was doing something wrong with cell phones.

  119. Dad died in a movie theater, no 911 access by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My dad died in a movie theater because it took so long to get to a working phone to call 911 for his heart attack. We have a lawsuit pending over it, since it was the movie theater that deployed the illegal jammer.

    He literally died in my mother's arms as she begged him not to leave her, with dozens of people frantically trying to call 911 on their phones to no avail.

    Seconds count in a medical emergency, and anyone who uses one of these devices should be held criminally liable for any injuries that occur as the result of their use.

    1. Re:Dad died in a movie theater, no 911 access by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What a coincidence! My dad also died in a movie theater. He was enjoying a nice quiet movie with his wife on their 30th wedding anniversary, when a guy whipped out his cell phone and started talking to his female friend. Loudly. Using lots of F-words and sexually explicit ghetto-talk. My dad politely asked him to put away his cell phone, seeing as how this is a movie theater. The guy pulled out a knife and stabbed him.

      He literally died in my mother's arms as she begged him not to leave her, while the cellphone-using hoodlum walked away and not one person in the theater stopped him.

      We have a lawsuit pending over it, since it was the movie theater that refused to enforce their no-cellphone policy.

    2. Re:Dad died in a movie theater, no 911 access by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      trying to call 911 on their phones to no avail.

      Why not 112?

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    3. Re:Dad died in a movie theater, no 911 access by Politburo · · Score: 1

      If he died that quickly it wouldn't have made a difference.. or are you really expecting us to believe that all the people in the theater just stared at their phones and not one thought to get the AED or alert the theater which could use a landline (or be outside the jammed area)?

      I know, I know.. IHBT.

  120. Passive Aggressive is Passé by BadPirate · · Score: 1

    Seems to me it wouldn't be too hard to put a directional antenna on one of these jammers with a really narrow beam. Then you could just blast the obnoxious social retard, and leave the Doctors and the Undercover cops okay to make and receive calls just fine. Short side here is that it might be a little obvious when you stand up and point a ray gun at the jerk...

    --
    - Holy crap, I've got MOD points! Who thought that was a good idea.
  121. Nothing is new by doombob · · Score: 1

    Since before there were cell phones, a subset of people have generally been rude and uncaring about their behavior in regards to those around them. As I now have an infant to care for, I am acutely aware of those around me and do not wish my child to disrupt anyone's dinner at the local sit down eatery, or wherever. There are people who don't care how loud their child screams and/or causes a scene, and this was the case before mobile phone were ubiquitous. I usually pick up the child and move him away from those enjoying their dinner or activity if there is a period of fussiness and/or noisiness. I treat my mobile as gingerly as a child, apologizing for any noise or disruption and excusing myself if something is pressing. However, the use of a jamming device is an even higher level of rudeness, and I see it as the equivalent of someone else attempting to discipline my child for me. Regardless of how poor I may be at it, it's still my responsibility. It's difficult to go around smacking everyone in this world that you may find rude or insulting without recourse. And there's still such a thing as asking someone politely to knock it off.

    1. Re:Nothing is new by registrations_suck · · Score: 1

      Regardless of how poor I may be at it, it's still my responsibility.

      If someone fails to meet their responsibilities, it shouldn't be too surprising if someone else does it for them.

  122. Its not just cars. by publiclurker · · Score: 1

    the bus I ride in goes through the main part of town. that's 25-30 blocks of highrise office buildings, stores, restaurants and pedestrians. One of these jammers would disrupt anyone trying to use their phone when our bus went by.

  123. Why not by publiclurker · · Score: 1

    I like ancient history.

  124. I'm fairly certain by publiclurker · · Score: 1

    that you do not have any right no not be bothered, offended, etc. Despite delusions to the contrary.

    1. Re:I'm fairly certain by mvdwege · · Score: 1

      Well, since I have the right to go wherever I like in a public space, I'm sure you don't mind if I stand on your toes or push you aside, now then?

      --
      "I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
  125. I like mine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I bought a couple of small ones on ebay and they are spotty at best and strangly take about 30 seconds after they are on to work. But funny in certain situations.

  126. Cell Phone Jammers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Any company caught selling such devices should be fined and the owner jailed.

  127. On balance, it was worth it by Walt+Dismal · · Score: 1

    I will always regret that day that I caused a nuclear holocaust because my cell phone jammer cut off the President's phone while he was assuring Russia we were not attacked them, it was only meteors. I will have the deaths of 50 million people on my head forever. However, at least I still don't have to listen to assholes shouting in my ear while I'm stuck on this bus. It was worth it.

  128. Audio-Jam the Speaker, not the phone by billstewart · · Score: 1

    SpeechJammer interferes with your target's ability to speak by playing back their speech with a ~200ms delay, enough to be really distracting. The hack that's described in that article uses a reasonably directional speaker and mike, so it can use less power and mainly bother the speaker. It's still rude, but less dangerous, and doesn't interfere with people you're not aiming at, like the person making the 911 call or using a headset with a good mike so they don't need to yell.)

    (Or you could just yell at the person that you think using a cellphone is rude, if you like that sort of thing.)

    --

    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
  129. Jammers are terrible idea for one reason: by MtViewGuy · · Score: 1

    If the jammer is operating too close to a cellphone tower installation, there is a chance--though small--that it could take down the operation of the tower itself.

    In fact, active jamming of cellphones is EXTREMELY illegal, and according to what I've read, the fines is actually over US$100,000 _per_ incident. The guy who built that portable jammer faces not only prison time, but also a huge fine.

  130. Easy Rule For Mobile Phone Users by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If the people around you can't easily walk away from your conversation (public transportation, restaurant, movie theatre, etc ), it is RUDE.

    More power to the people in those situations that have jammers.

  131. Next generation - deferred by ka9dgx · · Score: 1

    With all of the talk of the Police shutting down everyone's phones and internet over half of Chicago for the G8 summit... I figured someone would get pissed off and return fire, taking down all of the tac-comms for everyone in retaliation.

    I'm glad it doesn't have to come to that now.

    So why did they pull out of Chicago all the sudden, anyhow? Did the dates conflict with the surprise invasion of Pakistan?

    1. Re:Next generation - deferred by ka9dgx · · Score: 1

      My mistake... it's not really a surprise, and it's Balochistan which we're going to invade, which is only 1/4 of Pakistan. (In exchange, India is going to buy a lot of weapons from us for a while).

  132. I have a cell jammer by Tolvor · · Score: 1

    I bought it about 6 months ago and keep in it a fanny pack (yes, one of those ultra-non-cool mini-backpacks). The device weights about 2 or 3 pounds (fairly heavy), pumps out 2 mW of interference, and usually jams phones within about 20 feet (more on this later). Cell phone jammers are just too big to constantly lug around in a pants pocket and certainly are noticeable with the antennas sticking out.

    That was the problem of the person on the bus. First he was keeping it in plain view. Second he did not hide the fact that he was jamming (in the video he looks at the cameraman he is jamming). The third mistake is that he was constantly keeping it on rather that on-wait 5 secs to burst-kill everything-off.

    I'm very careful. I don't look at the person. I reach into my bag, turn it on, and then take out a package of tic-tacs candy and take one, chomp on it for about 5 or 10 seconds while listening to people say WTF around me and then put the tic-tacs back in the bag and shut off the jammer. Anyone looking at me (which is often) sees that I'm sneaking a snack.

    My greatest fear is cell-jammer-detectors/trackers which are surprisingly cheap. However I doubt that someone with a tracker can isolate me in 10 second of surprise use. Given that the tracker have to move around holding the device looking at the signal indicators means that I doubt that one can sneak up to me.

    I most often have to use it while waiting to check out in shopping centers. People talk talk talk on their phone and never consider the people around them, erupting to gales of laughter. Second most often is in traffic seeing the driver in the car beside me yakking away and not paying attention. Jamming in a car is more difficult and less range but it does still work well. Third most common is at work seeing people that should be WORKING aren't. All these people find that suddenly they don't have phone reception anymore. It usually takes a few applications of jamming but eventually people give up and get back to what they should be doing.

    The devise I use says 5-20 meters, but my real-world estimate is 20-30 feet (6-10 meters). In my local wall-to-wall mega-store using the device at the checkout lines causes WTF's from about 5 lines away, and occasionally all the way to the entryway / cart-storage with people stopped dead in their tracks looking with puzzled looks at their phones.

    Yes I do know that the legality of the device is problematic and I'm prepared to fight it in court if need be. I only once came close when I was speeding and got pulled over by the police. The officer looked my car over and while talking to me asked what was in the black bag on the passenger seat. I replied that I respectfully refuse to answer any further questions and will exercise my constitutional right to remain silent. The cop dropped being friendly and became all business (not hostile but very imposing). He then wanted to search my car. "No". He goes back to his car for a long time with my license. A second police car shows up and while one is talking to me, the other is looking at my car through every window with special attention to the zipped fanny pack. They walk off a bit to talk it over and eventually after about 30 minutes from being stopped they let me go with a large speeding ticket (no traffic warning for me). Probable cause and fruit of the poison tree for the win.

    I'd like to get a car-powered one that is supposed to jam 3G, 4G, GPS up to 50m away but there is no way that could be concealed. I have little fear that I will be caught short of becoming over-confident and careless. In short I am going to continue using my device to thwart the terrible talkers and telephone abusers.

  133. Disruption of service. by havana9 · · Score: 1

    In Italy there is the new SIS system that controls the bus routes and scheduling. http://www.tramditorino.it/sis_apparati_nuovi.htm The newer version uses a GPS, and a GPRS modem to report the bus position and problems and of course to permit the driver to make and receive emergency or service phone calls. A cell phone jammer will make the bus invisible to the system, so if the bus is going late the driver doesn't see the "hurry up" icon or if it's early the "slow down" icon does not appear. If the bus breaks the engines no replacement bus will arrive. If you're on some high speed train that are using ects level2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETCS a disruption of the GSM-R signal will make the train slow down to 60 km/h, and disrupting the rail service is a criminal offense.

  134. Well by xenobyte · · Score: 1

    Regular cell phone chatter don't really annoy me, except for those morons that YELLS into their phone. Quite often this also happens to be foreigners or immigrants speaking an annoying and not understandable language, adding to the annoyance factor. One should think they would know that with all the yelling they could save the call and just yell back and forth from tall buildings or similar... :)

    What really annoys me are those morons with super-loud 'music' in crappy headphones. I quote 'music' here because it always seems to be the worst no-talent hip-hop they play (you can hear it clearly far away) and that doesn't qualify as music in my humble opinion... Now if someone sold a small portable EMP-generator that could kill the players of those morons, I'd line up to buy one...

    --
    "For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken (1880-1956) --
  135. Schools by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am a teacher, and a recently retired colleague of mine had one. I was jealous and asked him for it when he retired. He turned me down for plans to use it as he traveled around in his retirement. Cell phones are a huge distraction in the classroom and confiscation is a liability for schools. I've considered building a faraday cage on the inside of my room to get the same effect. The fact that I am soon to be a father will stop that idea however.

  136. not part of the solution == part of the problem by V.+P.+Winterbuttocks · · Score: 1

    They're not innocent. They're meekly sitting there and allowing the asshole to continue being an asshole, and it's quite obvious that they would also meekly sit there and watch you get beaten to a bloody pulp if you actually tried confronting the asshole and found that he's not only a loud asshole but a violent asshole too. Therefore, it's justifiable collateral damage if a few of their calls drop.

    --
    I'm the real Vorokrytin P. Winterbuttocks.
  137. Safety first! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A must own for motorcycle riders

  138. No excuse for jamming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think an aggressive responses towards others should be proportionate to their behavior.
    80% of problems will be resolved by a polite talk and creating a culture of consideration.
    The other 20% - suck it in or ask them to step outside. No excuse for jamming that's just selfish.

    1. Re:No excuse for jamming by lpq · · Score: 1

      Responses proportional to behavior?

      Come on -- they are following in our government's footsteps who charge $250K/song downloaded or more years behind bars for, not exploiting, but pointing out a security flaw, than someone would get for rape? (15-25 v. 5) or... (too many examples to think about)...

      Sadly government sets the example for society to follow... and you expect people to be reasonable or 'nice', or polite...?? It was worse when you had an openly mean, hostile and uncaring president in office...(not to mention the accurate comparisons of his sidekick to a characterization of evil: Darth Vader)...

      Bumper stickers went from 'Mean people suck' to 'Mean people rule, get over it'

      I don't **like** what the silencer does -- as he's become judge, jury and executioner - and he __could__ cost lives, but at the same time, I *somewhat*, laud people who take action in this time when government is not only, NOT protecting us from corporate misdeed, but is often a 'co-perp'.

  139. JAMMER by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well guess you ppl have pissed off the sun. i am sure this guy would be able to hear if the woman is talking about some tragic event that is going on .. or if it is some one just running on and on about nothing and the more they talk the louder they get its nuts go to the store hear insane shit loud rude ppl have had enuff also i am headed to ebay right now if i can find it the jamjam that is i'll be picking up 2 .. hope the sun knocks out all the cell towers and you ppl have to do without a cell phone for a few days .. oh my that would be the end huh ?

  140. I don't. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I shouldn't have to ask you're permission to talk to someone else, (see: 1st Amendment) including any case where the other person is not physically present, where I'm communicating by cell phone. God only help anyone using a jammer, IF IT IS I WHO AM MAKING A CALL nearby, if I happen to catch him. I'd teach him an alternate meaning for the word "jamming".

    As the popularity of these things rises, I'm sure someone will come out with a portable jamming detector, that can help the user to locate the person using the jammer, so that person can be dealt with, just as a person who walks around slapping tape over people's mouths would be dealt with.

    1. Re:I don't. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I shouldn't have to ask you're permission to talk to someone else, (see: 1st Amendment) including any case where the other person is not physically present, where I'm communicating by cell phone.

      Yeah, how dare they deal vigilante-style if they have a complaint with someone else.

      God only help anyone using a jammer, IF IT IS I WHO AM MAKING A CALL nearby, if I happen to catch him. I'd teach him an alternate meaning for the word "jamming".

      You, on the other hand... vigilante it up!

      Nice double standard.

      P.S. you're != your. Learn the difference before someone has to go vigilante on your ass.

  141. Good Luck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seems that you have never asked anyone to quiet down, who was using a cell phone. Those people are real jerks for talking loud on the cell, and even worse jerks. They will scream and curse at you!

  142. Re:"I approve," said the idiot by __aaltlg1547 · · Score: 1

    This guy is my new hero, even though he later backed down and said he wasn't going to use it anymore. I for one am fed up with the constant assault of cell phone conversations from people who have no idea how to be considerate to those around them.

    Yeah, it's just wonderful that there are narcissistic bastards out there who will interfere with others' right to communicate and may compromise public safety because it inconveniences them just a little bit.

  143. Bollocks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The mobile carriers have paid hundreds of milloions of dollars for their chunks of the radio spectrum, and these jammers are denying them the use of it. Far, far worse than an FCC fine would be a lawsuit from a phone company for damages. Then there is the situation where an emergency call is jammed and someone dies. Why do you assume that your right to peace on the bus is more important to his right to make a call? Why is talking on a phone more irritating than talking to a person next to you? It isn't.