Cell Phone Bells Not Happy Sound for Many

By JUAN-CARLOS RODRIGUEZ, Associated Press Writer
Thu Aug 11, 2:16 AM ET

The complaints are familiar and frequent: People on cell phones talk too loud, they use them at inappropriate times, and they just don't seem to care if they are bothering anyone.

The horror stories are famous too. Cell phones at funerals. Cell phones at weddings. Cell phones in class. And of course, cell phones in restaurants.

President Bush has a well-known low cell phone tolerance. He gives a withering evil eye to those whose cell phones ring during his public appearances.

According to the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, nearly two-thirds of Americans use a cell phone, which means getting out of reception range is about the only way to avoid those irritating habits.

The guru of good behavior, Judith Martin, aka Miss Manners, has a simple explanation for Americans' fascination with these flashing, buzzing, chiming gadgets.

"It's like children getting new toys," she said. "But the excitement is over. People should be over it."

Another etiquette expert, Marjabelle Young Stewart, said cell phones appeal to our inner rock star. "I think that it's making a lot of people feel cool if they drive around with this microphone," she said.

Traditionally quiet places like movie theaters, opera houses, orchestra halls and live theater venues are now compelled to remind patrons to turn off their cell phones or other devices before a performance.

Washington's Metrorail system has put up signs discouraging inconsiderate talkers. "Yes, we're all very interested in what you're having for dinner tonight," reads one sign, accompanied by a picture of a wide-mouthed Metro rider yelling into a cell phone. The second line says, "Please keep your phone conversations to yourself."

This is all too much for Miss Manners. "I look forward to going to any public event and not getting an etiquette lecture," Martin said.

Some churches in Mexico have gone beyond lectures and taken the James Bond-as-disciplinarian route to combat sacrilegious cell phone use. The churches have installed short-range cell phone signal jammers to thwart members of their flock who lack cell phone self-control during mass.

The jammers have caught on in Japan, India, and France but their use is illegal in the United States.

While some are clamoring for cell phone restraint, cell phone companies are lobbying the Federal Aviation Administration to permit cell phones on commercial airline flights. But in a poll by the Association of Flight Attendants and the National Consumers League 63 percent of respondents wanted to keep current restrictions in place.

Martin compared the evolution of the cell phone to that of the answering machine. She said when people first got them, "They were misusing them, doing their comedy routines and otherwise boring their friends." After a few years, the novelty wore off and an answering machine protocol set in, she said.

But new tricks and features for cell phones just keep on coming, so the novelty never seems to wear off. Cameras, games, ring tones, e-mail capabilities — cell phones can have all of these things and more.

For every cultural niche, there is a cell phone feature. Perhaps most likely to raise eyebrows on the bus or in the movie theater is the "moan tone." Instead of a catchy ditty or an electronic symphony, cell phone rings can now be programmed with a recording of a porn actor making sexual noises.

Both Martin and Stewart said people need to pay attention to commonsense etiquette rules to govern their behavior with cell phones and other electronic devices.

Stewart had some advice for anyone who feels like a technophile has forgotten their manners. She recommended tapping the offender on the shoulder and asking them to please lower their voice or take their gadget outside.

"You can't always be polite," she said.
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I understand there are plenty of legitimate uses for cell phones, but let's face it, most people use it as an attention grabber, like "Look at me, I'm talking on a cell phone. People like me and want to talk to me!"

If there's one thing more annoying than cell phones its people who complain about them

Always have mine on vibrate and rarely do I take it anywhere with me, of course friends my get angry but can't stand the damn things.

There was a big article on this in the Seattle Times recently...apparently people are becoming more & more annoyed.

Umm, no.

Really? So many people have cell phones now, I can't picture it as being an attention grabber.

My guess is that most people have cell phones for the sake of pure convenience.

(Of course, I'm all for better etiquette with cell phone usage, including the stuff listed above)

mine is on vibrate, cept when im home, then ringer


i use it 90% for work, and the other 10% is with my cousin cause we have the same plan and are "in"

as noted in a previous thread, work bought it for me, its not mine per se

The things that annoy me most about cell phones are:

People who talk on them while driving, and pay more attention to the conversation than driving their vehicle properly. I see it all the time.

People who talk about the most inane, unimportant shit in a public place. Like the sign the article mentioned, nobody gives a fuck what you're having for dinner. Shut the fuck up.

The annoying goddamn ring tones. Again, nobody cares what stupid tune your cell phone plays when someone calls, except your stupid fucking friends. Put it on vibrate.

I understand how people can find them conveniant. Personally I hate cell phones and have never had one. And I really think it should be against the law everywhere to talk on the phone and drive a car. Yipes.

My girlfriend has the "Trapped In the Closet" ringtone.

That is my biggest gripe about cell phones. I can't stand ringtones. I just ues the standard telephone sounding ring...i would keep it on vibrate but i always miss calls that way.

And text messaging. My girlfriend is constantly sending bullshit text messages to her friends even when its not peak time and she could be calling them for free .

I hate the damn things, and the only reason i have one is because for my usage it's cheaper than a land line, and gives me phone usage whenever i need it.

i love cell phones, but i hate when people are rude with them.

Anyone under the age of about 20 might be using them as an attention grabber.

On the other side of the coin though, I for one use mine for work ALL the time, and believe me, I wish I used it a lot less. It's a necessity, really.

They're also somewhat of a status symbol amongst the PWT where I live. Pathetic.

I agree with part of your sentiment here. I didn't have a cell phone until I was in college, and nowadays I see little ten year old kids running around with them...which is ridiculous.

It's become a fast-paced society though...some people, such as myself, require cells for work. Others use them for fun, others as a status symbol, etc.

Whatcha gonna do?

I don't like it. I have one, but I always leave it at home. And it's so old that it doesn't even have a vibrate-functions. People who talk loud on the cell-phone is really annoying. If people just could use some common sense, they'd talk like normal. Normally, the person at the other end is not 90% deaf.

I see.

the bill for me would be the same if i had a land line or a cell phone, so i chose a cell phone.

and my phone is on ring only when i'm at home.