Cell phones

[wmccall]

Since this board is called somewhat hottub related,  Perhaps among other things I can hear from dealers and salespeople about customers and their cell phone use.  Or perhaps from customers put off by their sales person and their cell phone.


Anyway.  I've been thinking of writing an article about cell phone use.  It would be a common sense approach to the issue that is sadly lacking in today's world.  I believe guns and cell phones are two of man's greatest inventions and both get a bad name because of misuse.  (Please don't turn this into a gun contol debate! But I think you can see the analogy to a tool that can be misused)

Cell phone companies frequently post such guidelines on their websites or other forms of print media, but they are pretty generic and usually meant to deflect criticism of the industry.  


I have some preconceived notions of where I will go with this article, but you people are a wise and diverse goup.  Let this thread go where it may. (within reason)

[J._McD]

Cell phones are a communication tool.  Unfortunately, they are abused by those who simply must feel the importance of being forever ready to take a call regardless of how unimportant it is.

People loose their lives when hit by the other driver on the cell phone, how important am I when their cell pnoe rings and they answer it, why does a kid need a cell phone, however did we exist with out a cell phone?

[Tatooed_Lady]

however did we exist with out a cell phone?

About the same way we existed before they came out with microwave ovens......I wondered how we lived before them for the last month, while we went without.....That sucked.

[drewstar]

Cell phone gun debate?

Checkout the Cell phone Gun:

http://www.cellular.co.za/phones/gunphone/gun-phone.htm

[DaisyBug08016]

I believe any article about cell phone use that tries to correlate "guns" (an unspecific term for any number of firearms) with cell phones would be construed as having an alternative agenda and therefore not taken seriously. Not a hard and fast fact - just my perception...

That said, cell phones and most new technology present us with new issues that as a society we have not dealt with just yet.  We can not legislate rudeness (unfortunately).

Loosely speaking, it is NEVER okay to put a live person on hold to take a phone call of ANY kind.  If I am out to lunch with a friend who takes a cell call in the middle of our lunch I am very put off by this and consider that this person does not consider my time to be important. In other words it is disrespectful.  So rule #1: a phone call must never interfere with a live encounter.  This applies in a customer/sales interaction as well - for ALL parties.

Also - cell phones should be turned off or silenced in any large gathering such as a movie, pkay, concert, ceremony, meeting etc. If you have the phone silenced and you need to take a call you must excuse yourself from the room and not disrupt others.

Regarding kids and cell phones: we live in a different world today. I can see the benefit of a child having a cellphone with limited usage.  Verizon has one by LG called "migo" it has four pre-programmable buttons and 911 button with GPS. I am strongly considering getting one for my son when he is away from me for more than a few hours at a time. Do I think kids should have a fully functional phone? Generally speaking no. Not until he or she can afford to pay for it. BUT - I can also see a very responsbile child being rewarded with one - an older child - high school aged. MAYBE.

Here is the thing: A lot is expected of us today - a tremendous amount of pressure to complete things - there is no more "off" time. Even on vacation we are expected to still take calls. We all have a lot on our plates which needs to be done immediately if not sooner and tools such as cell phones, wireless lap tops and pda's help us to get it all done - or maybe they have forced us into this position... either way, they are here to stay and we need to adapt.

The real dilemma is that courtesy is no longer the valued commodity it once was. There is no high priority on how polite we are with one another as is witnessed every time one goes into a freaking store or anywhere public anymore. No one holds doors for each other or greets one another with a smile or god-forbid a "good morning". SO the idea of "polite society" coming up with guidelines for cell phone use is sort of like Pamela Anderson's IQ - it doesn't really matter.

[Brewman]

Nicely said, Daisy.  You were more civilized in your response than I'd have been.  Manners seem to have gone bye-bye big time, and it's not just cell phone, though they certainly account for a lot of rudeness.

I suspect most of us would agree about the rudeness part, but the same group of us are probably just as guilty in our behavior with same.  
It's the other guys, you know.