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Cell Phone Rant: Unplugging Etiquette

Geek Community — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:35:25 PDT

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.

Have You Ever Been Caught With Your Ringer On?

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:00:28 PDT

As I settled in for the Back to the Mac event yesterday, I made sure to turn off my cell phone ringer, as you do when you head into a movie, presentation, or theater experience. However, a number of other people either forgot, or disregarded this courtesy, as I noticed a lot of ringers, buzzers, and mobile notifications going off while Steve Jobs and co. were on stage. But I wasn't the only one - Steve actually asked us all to take a moment to turn our phones to vibrate and our laptop volumes down while he waited to continue. There were a few red-faced journalists in the audience after that! I know no one is perfect, but I still can't believe that for some, it's not yet an automatic tick to reach for your phone to turn off your ringer when you enter a theater. It's like muscle memory for me at this point!

Everyone slips up a time or two, so tell me - have you ever been caught with your ringer on during a movie, presentation, or theater event? Vote on the poll and tell us your (embarrassing?) stories below, or in our Cell Phone Rant group!

Cell Phone Rant: Get Off Your Phone For Service Sake!

GeekSugar — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 09:00:55 PDT

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. I'm working perfecting my techniques for dealing with people in a professional manner when they are on the phone or if their phone rings and they answer it while I'm checking them in. Just ignoring someone who's yapping on their phone and trying to give you orders at the same time is not as easy as you might think, but I'm working on it! If anyone has any tips or tricks for dealing politely with this type of rude person, I'd love to hear them! 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.

Cell Phone Rant: Your Cell Is Not a Boom Box!

GeekSugar — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:30:41 PST

This post comes from Community member kristyrk in our Cell Phone Rant group:

I take public transportation to and from work each day, and normally it's a quiet and easy-going experience. However, earlier this week I was heading home and ran into a bit of a snag. It all began when a woman got on the train talking quite loudly on her cell phone. After a few minutes, we headed into a tunnel (which equals no cell service) so she got off the call before she lost reception. I thought things were "back on track" so to speak, until she started blaring music from her phone! This was an old flip phone - obviously not the best method of listening to your tunes - but she proceeded to let it play, no matter if it was really audible with the noise of the train, or the buzzing and hissing noises that were coming from the speaker from it being turned up too loud. But, you're never going to believe what happened when the person next to her asked her to turn it down!

To find out what happened, just
read more. She began singing along with the track, virtually ignoring her fellow rider's request! I was shocked! Besides the fact that there is a rule on our city busses and trains that you have to use headphones when listening to music, this woman showed absolutely no common courtesy to her fellow riders. Lesson to be learned? Don't blast music from your cell phone - it's not a boom box! 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.

Geek Out: Do You Listen To Others' Cell Phone Conversations?

GeekSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:02:09 PDT

Today's geek out comes to you courtesy of an anecdote posted by SilverFang9899 in the Cell Phone Rant Group. It wasn't so much the cell phone story itself, about a woman screaming and crying on her cell phone - "It sounded as though her boyfriend were breaking up with her" - but a bit that SilverFang wrote about her own reaction.

She wrote: "It didn't really bother me, as I take perverse pleasure into listening to people's phone conversations, but if I were [her], I would have put my window up!"

To see what I think of this 'perverse pleasure', just
read more. I have to confess that I totally relate to the perverse pleasure bit. No, I'm not a weirdo eavesdropper, but I'm just sayin': If you're ranting and raving on your cell phone in the aisles of Walgreens or the quiet bus, I'm probably going to listen. Especially if it's interesting. Likewise, I expect that any public cell phone conversation I have is fodder for the unfortunate people near me who have to listen to it, and I try to remember that when my phone rings and I'm not alone. Fess up: do you ever listen in? Source

Cell Phone Rant: The Old Ignore

GeekSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:00:07 PDT

Usually our cell phone rants have to do with people being on their cell phones at the wrong time and place, like while you're in the ladies' room, ordering food, etc., but here's an offense many of us do at some point, even if you're totally texting in the right time and place: The Ignore.

Have you ever been hanging out with someone when they're text messaging or on their cell phone, and it's like you're not even there?

They might not think they're being rude because they're not mid-conversation with you, but there are some people who will mentally check out because they're texting, and even though you know they can hear you, you can't get into a new conversation at all because their head is only on their phone.

I have a friend who does this - he gets a text and suddenly disappears. I can see him - I just can't talk to him or get him to respond until his text session is over.

To see what else I have to say about the Cell Phone Ignore, just
read more. And there are also cell phone conversations. Even when you keep it short, sometimes you can tune out the person that you're with so much so that they feel invisible. Another person who shall remain nameless has a bad habit of picking me up in her car while she's already on the phone - and though I don't need her full attention, I know that if I say something, she won't hear me at all. Most of the time, it's repeat offenders, and I know it sounds vague, like I'm criticizing people for giving all their attention to one task at a time, but it's more about how certain people will completely ignore you if you suddenly do need to say something. It's not even like they'll give you the sideways glance acknowledgment of, "I know you need to talk to me, but this is important," it's as if they're not even there. Or worse, like you're not even there. Do you know any ignorers? Source

Cell Phone Rant: On the Phone at the Pharmacy

GeekSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:02:16 PST

Spending an hour waiting for a prescription to be filled is not anyone's idea of fun, but it happens to all of us once in a while. It happened to me recently, and as I sat in the small waiting area, I people-watched the pharmacy line (and read People, of course).

What had me surprised on this day, other than the length of time it takes Walgreens to get a prescription ready, was the amount of people who stayed on their cell phones while interacting with the pharmacist.

One customer talked so loudly while in line that another customer scolded him; this had no effect, though, since he continued his conversation as the pharmacist at the counter counseled him on how he should take the meds (a multitasker!).

To hear who else had to gab, just
read more. Another woman exasperatedly had to end her phone call at her turn at the window, when she realized she couldn't just ignore the pharmacist, and that there were, in fact, details to work out with the medicine. I get it; we're all busy. But aren't the drugs you put in your body kind of worth all your attention? What if you missed an instruction because you didn't hear it while talking on your phone? This is one of those places you put the phone on hold - not the person who's dispensing your medicine. Source

Cell Phone Rant: Why Texting Is Just As Bad

GeekSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:30:09 PST

I suppose it would be OK to text in certain places that it's not appropriate to be using a cell phone; while you're in a drive-thru, or happily tapping away in the backseat of a taxi cab, but in most scenarios, it is just as rude to be clicking your thumbs through texts as it is to be flapping your lips on your phone.

I don't mean to be ageist, but there's a younger demographic that I've encountered that thinks this is OK - I say this because I found myself chewing out my 20-year-old sister several times (I still love you, baby girl) over the long weekend for texting.

Yes, I know that younger people (man I sound SO old) text more often than they talk on the phone and maybe starving college students can't afford pricey smartphones to email on - I get the practice, but not the dependence.

To see the places I have given my sister the stink eye for texting (including the movies, the most sacred of cell phone abstinence), just
read more. Stink eye delivered: At the dinner table (really?), in a movie theater (come on), and (my fave) while we're having an intent conversation, just the two of us. In an effort to keep our sisterly bond intact, she gamely apologized, but I knew she'd have those texts flowing the minute she was free to, when the old-lady big sister looked the other way. And so I urge you, on behalf of the geezers who don't understand why you are always texting, indulge us and don't text anywhere you would feel weird talking on a cell phone. Got a good cell phone or texting rant? Join the Cell Phone Rant Group! Source

Cell Phone Rant: Is It OK to Talk in a Taxi?

GeekSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:00:49 PDT

OK, Cell Phone Rant group members, I've got a sticky subject on cell phone etiquette. It's pretty cut and dry where not to be on your cell phone, lest you're judged as rude or worse, icky - the drive-thru, ordering food, and yes, the bathroom - but are there places where you're receiving a service that it's OK?

I'm talking specifically about taxi cabs. Live in a city, and you're bound to take a few rides. The thought came to me the other night, when I got in a cab alone and had to let my boyfriend know that I was safely on my way home.

I kept it short because I wasn't alone inside the car, but besides being physically there to drive me, the driver didn't try to engage me in conversation. Our only exchanges were when I got in the car, to tell him where I needed to go, and at the end, to thank him when I paid.

To see what I think, just
read more. So I'm conflicted. While I would never want to discount anyone's importance by talking on my cell phone as if they weren't there, it's not as if I'm ignoring him or making him wait for my instructions or payment. But on the other hand, I'm still uncomfortable having longer than a quick, informative call. However, I know many people who use the time in the back of a cab to use their phone to catch up on returning calls or pass the time. So, tell me what you think . . . is talking on your phone in a taxi cab kosher, or just as rude as anywhere else? (P.S. Got a good gem to rant about? Join the Cell Phone Rant group now!) Source

Cell Phone Rant: Express Your Movie Theater Phone Rage!

GeekSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:00:55 PDT

TeamSugar user Foofie recently shared some advice in the Cell Phone Rant Group for those of us who are bothered when people talk on the phone or text in movie theaters: speak up! Foofie says:

If I tell the cellphone user to put it away and they don't, I simply go to the usher and tell them that I saw that person trying to record the movie with their cellphone and I get them booted out. Yes, it's not very nice but I feel justified in my doing so.

I have to hand it to you, Foofie, and anyone who speaks up to tech etiquette offenders. There is a time and a place.

Got a rant for the Cell Phone Rant Group? Join us and vent to your heart's content.

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