Who Has A Cell Phone? (1 Viewer)

[Dewitte]

I will never ever own a cell phone again. Here in the D.C. area, it's like having a ticket to bypass courtesy in restaurants, theaters and any other public venue. This was already a problem before the advent of affordable cell phones and it just magnified.

I owned one and despised being able to be reached anywhere at almost anytime. What was the point of having one if I didn't want to be reached? So I got rid of it. Is life really that much better now that these devices exist? How the hell did civilization poke along before?

I really don't care if someone has a phone but I really don't want to be privy to every friggin' detail of someone's life because they feel it necessary to chat it up on line at the local grocery store. Is it necessary for me to be party to choosing the perfect ring tone as I travel to work in the morning? And lastly, are the calls folks receive so damn important that the climax of a film has to be ruined because said perfect ring tone has to sound off to show just how "important" that person is?

I say no.

While I'm sure most of you exercise some discretion, unfortunately I have yet to experience anyone doing so. Yeah, I'm a little bitter about the whole thing.

De

 

[Steve_Tk]

I've had a cell phone forever. Back in the day I had one of those "Zack Morris" phones, they were huge.

Now I only use my cell phone. My home line has the ringer turned off. It has a answering machine that says I don't answer this phone and if you need me call my cell or leave a detailed message. The only people that have my cell phone number are friends.

I give doctor offices, work, insurance people, all those people my home line. If they really need me they can leave a good message, and I'll call them right back after I hear the message being left. The beauty is I never have to talk to a telemarketer or people I don't want to.

Getting back to the cell phone, all my friends have the number. I don't give it to family. It's nice to have a phone where the only time it rings it's actually someone you want to talk to. I probably use it too much.

 

[Cees Alons]

Back in 1994, I started with was basically sort of a glorified DECT version: you had to be next to a transmitter (reasonably covered in the cities, but on the highway only next to a gasstation and motels and the like) to be able to make phonecalls - which was basically why I had it: to be able to call my secretary in cases of "emergency" (or anyone else if I wanted).

Since 1998, I own a regular GSM phone (my second now, a very light Ericsson with infrared communication port), but I have it switched off most of the time, mainly using it to be able to make calls myself. I never have it with me if I'm just in the city, only on bigger trips.
I certainly switch it off (if I do carry it at all) in restaurants, museums, at concerts, in the cinema, etc.

I'm an older generation, apparently: my student daughter couldn't function without it (interestingly enough, my 17-yr old son hardly uses his one at all, like my daughter did at his age, he recently even lost his prepaid number by not using it for 6 months!).

Cees

 

[Scott Strang]

I remember sitting aroound the pool at 12 with the bag phone, trying to impress the ladies.

Speaking of "impressing the ladies", I once saw a guy at a Texaco that had a regular residential Trimline phone fastened to the dash of his car. One could tell that it was a regular landline phone. And this was at a time when bag phones were pretty cheap and handhelds were getting popular.

 

[Scott Strang]

With all the talk here of people being rude in public with their cell phones I have a hard time understanding why people simply can't use the silent or vibrate mode on their phones.

Once while in a movie theater I was expecting an important call. My phone was on vibrate and it went off during the movie. I pulled phone off my belt, hit "Send" and quickly slithered out to the lobby to talk on it. I got my important call and no one was bothered.

Cell tells are great tools, but I to wish people would utilize the features on their phones to minimize annoyance to others.

Then we have people that want laws passed concerning cell phones that would restrict their use simply because some of these people's fear technology. I don't even want to get started on those.

 

[BarryR]

I took a walk through Manhattan today and decided to count each person I saw walking and using a cell phone. I stopped after forty.

 

[JustinCleveland]

I would be lost without my phone, simply because I'm out on the road so much... I have a family plan, so the wife and I each have one, and no landline at home. Since I have a cable modem... boom, no need for the phone. Since I get about 700 minutes a month, and can travel to the in-laws in Chicago without roaming, and pay only 55 bucks a month, I'm happy!