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Here We Go - The Ubiquitous Cell Phone

The other day I was sitting at an intersection, stopped for oncoming traffic. An approaching SUV was too close for me to pull out in front of it, especially since it was not indicating a turn. So I waited, only to have the driver perform a right turn in front of me while continuing unabated to talk on the cell phone. Obviously the driver was too preoccupied with talk to use a turn signal. One of the driver's hands was on the wheel making the turn and the other was pressing the phone to an ear.

Two pet peeves in that instance. 1) Drivers who do not use turn signals and 2) drivers that talk on the cell phone while driving.

Turn signals can prevent accidents. That is enough of a reason to use them. If you have ever driven in Miami you will understand that the failure to use turn signals especially for lane changes frustrates and complicates the efforts of others. It is simple courtesy to other drivers. Obviously someone that is stupid enough to talk on the cell phone while driving has little concern for either safety or courtesy.

In some states it is illegal to use a cell phone while operating a car. I wish Florida was one of those states. You might as well drive with one hand tied behind your back. It is impairment, perhaps as bad as driving under the influence.

There is nothing important enough that you can't call someone back. Just in case the guy in the cell phone store didn't explain all the features to you, cell phones have voice mail and some even have text messaging. There are few situations short of emergencies that would ever require someone to answer the phone while driving. Just answering the phone might cause such an emergency. If you must answer the phone, then pull over and take the call.

Using a cell phone while driving will eventually catch up with you. It is a distraction, your mind is not on driving and regardless how much you think that you can multi-task, a human can only do so many things at one time. Break down the task of driving a car, just figure out what all you are doing and paying attention to. It is a complex skill set. Just ask anyone who just turned sixteen and slides in behind the wheel for the first time.

I guess I have a problem with cell phones in general. I never had one until about ten years ago. I hardly ever used that one except for emergencies and so there was a more recent period that I did not have a cell phone at all. In fact I went without a cell phone until a couple of years ago. I have a cell phone today only because Sarah, my daughter ran up a huge text messaging bill and we decided that she needed to mature a bit more before being given a cell phone. Yes, it has been inconvenient at times for her but most of her friends have cell phones. It is a point that she frequently brings up as justification for why she should have one. To me it means she doesn't really need one at all, as she can always borrow one in a pinch. It might be nice to call her sometimes but she is usually in school and is not allowed to use a phone during the school day. Any emergency reason I could call her sister or the school - or her mother.

Do I use the cell phone? Yes, but it is mainly because I got so mad at the phone company that I had the land line disconnected. Do you know that even if you have a private number, the phone company can sell your phone number as a active line to solicitors? Sheesh!

So if you try to reach me you must have my cell phone number. That means work, the school, my family and my friends call me whenever they need to. No one else in the world calls me except if it is wrong number. Those friends who have called me have heard my away message. I think it is pretty clear that if I don't know you well enough for you to leave me a message without a return phone number (because you are already in my contacts list) then you shouldn't be calling me. You can still leave a message but please do not expect a return call.

I am not saying that cell phones aren't useful and convenient. I am only saying to restrict the use. Ask yourself is it a necessity to talk to someone on the phone at the precise moment or could it wait? What did you do in the past when you had to drive to the store to pick up some milk and toilet paper? You told your best friend, hey, "I gotta run to the store. I'll be back in a few," and you hung up the phone. Your friend understood it. They also had a life; life goes on!

I do not like someone having 24/7/365 carte blanc to interrupt my life. I don't know about you but there are times when I will not answer the phone:

Foremost, never when I am using the facilities. Way too much potential for embarrassment. And what if I accidentally dropped the phone into the bowl?

I never answer the phone at night unless it is the alarm company that monitors the store where I work. My phone is on. If it rings it awakens me and I check the display to see who it is. If it is urgent whoever it is knows me well enough to call me back immediately. Then I know it is an issue. There are only a few exceptions. My kids can call me anytime. My best friend is allowed to wake me up as well. There is a three hour time difference and sometimes we awaken one another. Oh well.

I will not answer when the return number is blocked or it is an 8XX number.

I will not answer when I am driving.

I will not answer when I am at work on the sales floor and talking to a customer - this is also common courtesy. Sometimes the customer is understanding and will ask if I need to answer that phone but I mute it at that point and respond that whatever it is can wait.

I don't know when or where the rules of common courtesy changed but it is obvious that as technology had advanced we all have become a little ruder. The technology that is intended to simplify our lives with greater convenience drives us ever forward toward a sleepless world in which we are constantly plugged in to devices to keep us occupied. It has also eroded the common decency that we used to reserve for dealing with others.

Why is it that whenever a cell phone rings, it is suddenly a 'drop everything and answer it' situation? It doesn't have to be. It is an intrusion, an interruption and it will take a friggin' message for you so let it; to paraphrase Douglas Adams, Don’t Panic!

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posted by Unknown @ 3:10 PM