cell phone rant

This post comes to us from Elfyn, who let it all hang out in our Cell Phone Rant group:

I own a mail and parcel shipping store in Southern California. A customer comes in wanting to make a copy, but the copier doesn't seem to be working. I go to help him and find my copier unplugged and a mysterious charger plugged in in its place. Note, the person who plugged in their charger had to physically move the copier to get to the electrical outlet. I follow the cord to a customer standing near the front of my store yakking away on his cell phone. When I try to ask him about it he holds up his finger to have me wait while he finishes his conversation. After he finishes his phone call, I ask him why he unplugged my copier to plug in his charger. He said, "Oh I didn't know that was your copier." Really? You just walk into a business and unplug their equipment to plug in your charger without even asking?

Need to vent your cell phone frustrations? You've found the right place! Join the Cell Phone Rant group and give me your best, most annoying tales of the rude cell phone users in your world — your story could be featured on GeekSugar! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

After reader exchequette posted a rant in the Cell Phone Rant group, many of you spoke your like-minded frustrations. Here's what you had to say:

• "I have the same problem at my work. I just look at them and don't say anything until they hang up. It works pretty well, not many people like to just have someone stare at them while they're having a "private" phone call. " — Zuli
• "I had a customer the other day that was standing at the counter talking on her cell with the speaker on no less! She was done with her business in my store, but still stood there letting everyone listen to both sides of her conversation. Customers standing behind her were just rolling their eyes. I asked her to please take it outside. She sort of huffed out, but I don't care." — Elfyn
• "This is a HUGE pet peeve, especially in smaller stores, because they tend to take customer service more seriously. How is someone supposed to serve you properly if you are gabbing on the phone?" — littlemzfit

Has this happened to you? How did you deal with it?

Do you have a cell phone rant you'd like to share or advice for exchequette on how to deal with cell phone abusers? Tell us about your experience by joining our Cell Phone Rant group! Just create a PopSugar Account or log in to your account to start ranting. You never know, it could be featured on GeekSugar! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

This cell phone rant comes from GeekSugar community member exchequette:

I've worked in a couple of different coffee shops in the past and had the experience of trying to take an order from someone who's on the phone gabbing away. "Oh, yes, Honey, please don't forget — Oh! yes I'll have a coffee — Honey, don't forget to put the kids' — What? Oh! Um, a small, I guess — Ok Honey, sorry, I'm at [coffee shop] don't forget — Oh! And cream and sugar, please!"

Really? You can't finish your call before ordering, or at least put it down long enough to finish the transaction? It is especially frustrating because this is your customer, and you have to be nice to customers or else they won't come back.
Now I work as a receptionist at a visitor check-in security desk for a large building. The people I check in every day may be clients for businesses we have in the building, but they're not my customers, so technically I don't have to be all that nice to them, but I really want to be professional at all times. To hear the rest of the cell phone rant, and to give your two cents about what exchequette should do, just read more

Reader HeyKristen recently posted this rant in the Cell Phone Rant group:

I am a happy and proud iPhone user, and a happy and proud geek, but I have had it with people pulling out their cell phones during conversations, dinner, drinks, or other planned events that do not require the use of a cell phone. Not only is it incredibly rude and off-putting, it's unnecessary and distracting. I live in tech-centric San Francisco, having moved from New York a few months ago, and have noticed this phenomenon in both cities. There were times in New York when I'd look around the table at my five or six friends and our five or six phones on the table and laugh. And then sigh.

It happened again the other night. I was out to dinner with a friend I hadn't seen in ages, and halfway through our conversation, she pulled out her BlackBerry and frowned as it searched for a signal. I stopped talking completely (I felt like my third grade teacher) and waited for her to put the phone down before I finished talking. Seriously? And don't try and camouflage it like you're checking the time, either. I can tell the difference.

Need to vent your cell phone frustrations? You've found the right place! Join the Cell Phone Rant group and give me your best, most annoying tales of the rude cell phone users in your world — your story could be featured on GeekSugar! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Last weekend I decided to go to the movies alone. Just me, a small bag of popcorn, and a movie I've been dying to see. A movie that was then interrupted by a ringing cell phone. Seriously? I haven't been to a movie in the past year (at least!) that hasn't featured a "Please silence your cell phones" PSA before it starts. I was in honest disbelief that the phone rang so loudly, and grew angrier when the phone's owner didn't attempt to silence it. Thirty seconds after the ringing stopped and as I tried to re-engage in the movie: "Ding!" a voice mail notification. The audience groaned audibly.

The experience reminded me of a TMZ video I'd seen a few months ago. It features the actors Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig in the middle of a performance of their play, A Steady Rain as the show is interrupted by a ringing phone. Hugh (understandably!) went off on a rant, while somehow keeping his composure enough to remain in character. (You can also check out his rant in the second half of this episode of PopSugar Rush).

Do you have a cell phone rant of your own? We have all been there, and the best thing to do when you have a rant is to share it. Join the Cell Phone Rant group and give me your best, most annoying tales of the rude cell phone users in your world — your story could be featured on GeekSugar. Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.