Graz, Austria Considering Banning Cell Phone Use on Public Transportation

Do You Talk on Your Cell Phone in Public Places?

April 18, 2008

I am so self-conscious about talking on my cell phone on any form of public transportation. I just know that everyone, else, sitting quietly is eavesdropping. Am I narcissistic? No — I just know because I totally eavesdrop! What? Everybody does it.

So I'm actually in pretty much total support of Austria's cracking down on cell phone use on the bus — they want to make it so that cell phone use of any kind is prohibited on the public trans. How much would this affect you? Do you regularly talk on your phone on the bus, train, or any other overtly public place?

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avienndha 5 years 4 weeks

I just can't handle people talking loud on the train. I'm on it for an hour each way, and love to use the time to read, play my video game, whatever. It's so distracting when you're trying to relax and end up in someone else's conversation, you know? I'm hoping not for a ban outright, but for the start of "quiet cars" like they have in some other countries. THAT would rock.

avienndha 5 years 4 weeks

jessy777 5 years 4 weeks

I try not to take calls in public places. I do not take calls in bookstores, call me weird but I consider all places with books a library, but the other day I was trying to browse and this woman was standing next to me going on and on about the weird growth on her boyfriends intimate area. Gross. How can people discuss such things in public? I once had someone ask me to stop discussing politics with a friend because they thought it was rude. What! I can't talk about the upcoming election but you can describe you most recent conquest in graphic detail? Privacy is lost and I so miss it.

monday 5 years 4 weeks

i absolutely hate people who take calls and yell into their phones so much that everyone within 5 meters can hear him or her. i take calls only when i have to. i keep my voice down and i keep the calls short - unless i'm lost and asking for directions. i absolutely don't take calls in the cinema, at church, in public restrooms and as much as possible while i'm commuting (although this last one is avoided more in fear of being mugged or missing my stop)

wiciltd 5 years 4 weeks

Talking on your cell phone while driving? That's the kind of thing that screams "HEY I WANNA RUN PEOPLE OVER" And yet those who talk on the phone will argue that of course they're fully payin attention.. I've put a few dents in the side of ppls cars with this selfish single minded attitude And I doubt they want you to pray, I think they want you to offer other people courtesy and respect not to subject them to the drivel of your daily lives. At a loud decibel that makes people want to stab others

EvilDorkGirl 5 years 4 weeks

My commute is the only time of my day when I actually have time to make calls. Usually it's to make plans and the calls are quick and quiet. There's no way I'm giving that up!

jennifer76 5 years 4 weeks

Hey, when in Rome...perhaps you noticed the hyperbole throughout the thread? Some examples... "This chick was on her Razr the entire time. I think I know more about her than I do my friends." "I LOATHE CELL PHONES and chronic selfish twats who are constant cellphone users" "too many people are so self absorbed their cell phone use intrudes upon *MY* life" "no matter where you are or at what volume you talk, it's ALWAYS annoying to people around you" "your capacity for hyperbole is truly astonishing." Of course, if I was really going to go with the "when in Rome" thing, I guess I'd have to get all annoyed and start ranting. Really not my style... :D

Ultress 5 years 4 weeks

your capacity for hyperbole is truly astonishing.rock on, jennifer.

Ultress 5 years 4 weeks

your capacity for hyperbole is truly astonishing. rock on, jennifer.

jennifer76 5 years 4 weeks

Oh dang, you're right! It would be much better to walk around pissed off than to laugh off minor annoyances. I better work on that...

jennifer76 5 years 4 weeks

Oh dang, you're right! It would be much better to walk around pissed off than to laugh off minor annoyances. I better work on that...

Ultress 5 years 4 weeks

jennifer76 not only do you have a talent for hyperbole, you utterly miss the point. if you don't see that there's a difference between a senior citizen who moves slowly due to arthritis or age and someone who's too self absorbed to put a pointless conversation on hold in order to pay & get out of the way at the front of the line, then go ahead & keep laughing.

Ultress 5 years 4 weeks

jennifer76 5 years 4 weeks

This thread is cracking me up! People who talk on cell phones don't realize that the world isn't all about them. It's all about me! And how I think things should be! And a.) I don't want to hear the sound of human voices, b.) it skeeves me out to realize the people around me are people! with personal lives! not robots! damn them! and c.) everybody should get the hell out of my way so that I can hurry, hurry, hurry because it's all about me! me! me! :rotfl: :rotfl:The funniest thing of all is that I bet some of the outraged posters here are some of the same people who get all annoyed when they can't get a hold of somebody! But, damn anybody else who answers their phone. :rotfl:Every once in a while I'll get all annoyed with somebody in say the grocery store who is dawdling along on their cell phone and I have to wait to move forward. But, then I have to stop and think why is that any more annoying than getting stuck behind an old lady who just can't move very fast? Or two people having a face to face conversation and not paying attention to the world around them? And I have to admit that there isn't any particular reason why that should be more annoying. And frankly getting all annoyed because someone else isn't making sure that I! can do everything I! want as fast as I! want to is just not how I'd like to live life. Live and let live, y'all.

jennifer76 5 years 4 weeks

This thread is cracking me up! People who talk on cell phones don't realize that the world isn't all about them. It's all about me! And how I think things should be! And a.) I don't want to hear the sound of human voices, b.) it skeeves me out to realize the people around me are people! with personal lives! not robots! damn them! and c.) everybody should get the hell out of my way so that I can hurry, hurry, hurry because it's all about me! me! me! :rotfl: :rotfl: The funniest thing of all is that I bet some of the outraged posters here are some of the same people who get all annoyed when they can't get a hold of somebody! But, damn anybody else who answers their phone. :rotfl: Every once in a while I'll get all annoyed with somebody in say the grocery store who is dawdling along on their cell phone and I have to wait to move forward. But, then I have to stop and think why is that any more annoying than getting stuck behind an old lady who just can't move very fast? Or two people having a face to face conversation and not paying attention to the world around them? And I have to admit that there isn't any particular reason why that should be more annoying. And frankly getting all annoyed because someone else isn't making sure that I! can do everything I! want as fast as I! want to is just not how I'd like to live life. Live and let live, y'all.

Ultress 5 years 4 weeks

a cell phone ban would be most welcome in just about any public place. as far as i'm concerned, cell phones in general should be used for emergencies only.1. too many people have waaaaay too personal conversations (loudly) on their cell phones. i don't know you, so your abortion, illicit affair, family issues and mental problems are *not my concern*. have people never heard of discretion?2. too many people are so self absorbed their cell phone use intrudes upon *MY* life because you're too busy having a pointless and loud conversation instead of paying the friggin cashier thereby needlessly holding up the line; you're too busy gabbing to realize you're doing 45 in the left most lane of the highway; you're too oblivious to the life around you to realize you're taking up the whole sidewalk and walking way too slowly.3. generally it's a courtesy thing. in most places where one wouldn't dream of having a loud conversation, people feel at liberty to bray on their cell phones like donkeys. you're not the only person on earth, no one else's life revolves around you so please *please* shut the eff up!! and act like a human being.

Ultress 5 years 4 weeks

a cell phone ban would be most welcome in just about any public place. as far as i'm concerned, cell phones in general should be used for emergencies only. 1. too many people have waaaaay too personal conversations (loudly) on their cell phones. i don't know you, so your abortion, illicit affair, family issues and mental problems are *not my concern*. have people never heard of discretion? 2. too many people are so self absorbed their cell phone use intrudes upon *MY* life because you're too busy having a pointless and loud conversation instead of paying the friggin cashier thereby needlessly holding up the line; you're too busy gabbing to realize you're doing 45 in the left most lane of the highway; you're too oblivious to the life around you to realize you're taking up the whole sidewalk and walking way too slowly. 3. generally it's a courtesy thing. in most places where one wouldn't dream of having a loud conversation, people feel at liberty to bray on their cell phones like donkeys. you're not the only person on earth, no one else's life revolves around you so please *please* shut the eff up!! and act like a human being.

julibul 5 years 4 weeks

All people annoy me.

aimeeb 5 years 4 weeks

Ya I mean I don't care who is around it's MY cell phone to talk on whenever I want.

dootsie 5 years 4 weeks

To be perfectly honest, no matter where you are or at what volume you talk, it's ALWAYS annoying to people around you. Especially if you're with someone, and you're on your phone. It's so rude.

ptotheenguin 5 years 4 weeks

I don't use my cell phone much at all, but I generally don't care if I'm in a public place or not. My calls are short, discreet, and conducted in an inside voice, or else I'll call the person back. If a person next to me if annoyed by my asking my mom if I need to pick up milk, well, too bad.I don't hold full conversations on my phone, but it doesn't bother me if others do so long as they aren't being too loud or holding others up (which is unacceptable with or without a cell phone).

ptotheenguin 5 years 4 weeks

I don't use my cell phone much at all, but I generally don't care if I'm in a public place or not. My calls are short, discreet, and conducted in an inside voice, or else I'll call the person back. If a person next to me if annoyed by my asking my mom if I need to pick up milk, well, too bad. I don't hold full conversations on my phone, but it doesn't bother me if others do so long as they aren't being too loud or holding others up (which is unacceptable with or without a cell phone).

yamagrl 5 years 4 weeks

No, I definitely do not talk on my cell phone in public places. Last week I was at the public library and this woman was yakking on her cell phone so loud, that I wanted to walk up and smack her on the head!

natali3nguyen 5 years 4 weeks

i only talk quietly if i'm in close proximity to other people, like on the bus or something because i don't like people listening to my conversations. i know that they do because if i hear someone talking all loud on their phone i'm listening. haha.

MandyJoBo 5 years 4 weeks

If someone calls me when I'm out and I'm not with someone else, I will answer it and talk. I will talk in my normal voice, like they are right next to me, and if they can't hear me I tell them I'll call them back. Some people can hear me fine and others can't. If it's important then I find a quiet spot. The only people I think are rude are the people who are in their own little world talking loudly, or blocking aisle. And people who talk on it while driving. There's a reason most people doodle while on the phone: it helps them concentrate. Talking on the phone without the presence of the person and 3D sound of someone next to you takes a lot more concentration than you think.

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