When did it become essential to be in contact with other people every second of the day no matter what you are doing? Do you really have that much to say that you need to be talking to or texting someone every minute that you are awake? Are you so fascinating that your friends will die of boredom if they don't hear from you every single day? Could you last even a week if your cell phone quit working? How about a month? Or does that thought make you just want to curl up in a ball and cry?
I am so tired of the pervasive cell phones. I don't want to hear your business calls while I'm eating my lunch in a restaurant. I don't want to have to wait behind you in a checkout line as you discuss whether to buy this or that with who knows who on the other end of the line. I don't want to overhear your tearful confession to your mother while I try to eat my sandwich in peace and pretend I can't see you crying because you don't have the sense to conduct these kinds of phone conversations in private. Nor do I want to hear the foul language spewing out of your mouth as you cuss out your boyfriend because he didn't get you the latest freakin' thing your money-grubbing little heart demanded.
I want to ride my bike without fear that you will drift into my bike lane and run over me because you had to send that text message now, right now. I want to sit and have a conversation with you without waiting while you text more important friends in other places. I want to be treated respectfully as a customer in your business instead of watching you send and receive texts under your desk. I want face to face interaction with you, not acronyms and abbreviations on an electronic screen.
Hang up the phone already and step back into the real world! Stop yakking, stop texting, and start listening. Or experience silence for a change....I'd sure like to!
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24 comments:
I'm with you. My personal favorite (although not bike related) is when people talk while their in a public bathroom stall. Really? Could it not wait until you were done peeing?
This was just what I needed! My students are constantly texting under the desk and I'm so sick of it. I have to confiscate phones and give them to the principal, and it takes up a ton of my time!
I hate when someone has one of those "bluetooth" thingies and walks up to you, says something, and then looks at you funny when you say, "What?"
I mean, dude, you're talking out loud! And I can only hear YOU!
It's almost as bad as the people who have iPods and sing out loud. I can't hear your music when you have in your ear buttons, so don't get pissy with me when I stare.
Ugh! Technology! Who says it's made life better?
and what about blogging?
could we live w/o internet for a month?
or is that different?
PS
I don't have a blog or cell phone but so much info at my fingertips 100's of miles from good library sure is nice.
Too true. However, I've found that fixation on cell phones does make their removal a very effective punishment for teenagers ;)
Well said! :)
what really gets me about these public phone conversations is that the caller is soooo mightily offended when they realize someone is listening!
Thanks for a smile today, this made me smile instead of irritating me.
peace,
shamba
But, you must admit, the little Blue Tooth ear thingy is great for schizophrenics! They can talk to the voices in their heads all day, and people just think they are on their phones!
Good ones from the rest of you!
Sure, I could go without blogging for a month but I know ya'll would miss me. I see blogging as slightly different than cellphones. Although it can be done by phone now, I suspect it's less likely to be vocal (as in a cellphone conversation) or done while driving. 'Course I could be wrong...
LOL, James, I sometimes think the same thing when I see people talking to nobody visible.
I don't have a cell phone :) Blogging isn't quite as bad since you have to be at a computer to do it but it can be very time wasting!
viv in nz
You said it. Hang Up and Drive!
I would make a longer comment but my cell phone is ringing-
I agree with all related sentiments here. What about treating me like a human being instead of some cyborg who is permanently attached to my phone. I get back to people at my convenience, I am not available here for your convenience or when you're bored.
Thank you!!! I am so glad somebody said this!
I'm a hairstylist and you can't believe how many people talk on the phone while getting their hair cut. Then they seem slightly irritated when they
have to switch to the other ear because I need to cut the side they are talking on. Oh well, I hope they don't end up with an uneven hairstyle.
Cellphones are beyond annoying, they're deadly. Someone in our town drifted into the bike lane and KILLED a girl riding her bike to school. I'm sure this happens everyday.
diana
One of the counties near where I live has made it illegal to use your cellphone while driving - yay!
So true!
(btw here in Germany it's forbidden to use a cell phone while driving a car - but I see people do it all the time).
sometimes I wonder - when commuting to work in train or bus -what the 90 percent of the people in the train every morning would do if I would suddenly "unplug" them. Always these wires coming out of their ears and pockets.
They are so absorbed with their texting, or talking silly things like "where are you now - oh it seems we're in the same part of the train - see you in a minute"
and it makes me MAD that I have to hear constantly these calls. Or the music that they quietly hear, but nevertheless there's always some rhythmical "tsk tsk tsk" to be heard...
We (husband and me) have a cellphone. But we take it only with us when we make a longer trip with (old) car, and sometimes I use it to call husband when the train is more than half an hour late when I return from work.
Friends always wonder why I don't know our own cell phone number... Once in a month we check if it is still working, in case we need it :-)
Strange behaviour: Friends visit us and plug their cell-phones in our plug sockets to load up their mobiles - without even asking. As if this behaviour would be as normal as saying "hello" when visiting.
One of the things people don't think about while they are "plugged in" in public is the resulting lack of awareness of what is going on around them. I prefer, for safety reasons, to keep my level of situational awareness unimpeded.
Very few people have my cell phone number as the phone is primarily for emergency use. When my sweetie was doing long-distance running and cycling, he always had it in case he needed to be 'rescued' and I take it now when I'm out and about alone on the bike.
As far as friends pluggin in to charge their cell phones, I have a suggestion. Put a little collection can or mug right next to the commonly used outlet with a sign on it:
"Please deposit 10 Euro cents for cell phone charging."
'Course you'll need to spike the mug with a few coins so they see that you are serious. It might jar them into realizing the rudeness of their behavior.
Another solution would be tape over the outlet and make sure all others are inaccessible behind furniture. :)
You go girl! I totally agree!
Amen!
I LOVE YOU CHILE!! I just want to yoke people who are on the phone all the time, or texting. And don't even get me started on those who have thee audacity to text while driving.
I have a pay by the minute phone, so I use it rarely if ever, and guess what, I am still alive.
And lest we forget those who use the walkie-talkie style phones. Put it to your ear you M-O-R-O-N. I don't give a rats A$$ who you are talking to and or about what.
That is as annoying as people just spitting as they walk. I am fuming, but thanks for letting me know I am not alone in the world thinking these people need to be slapped upside their heads.
Red - yeah, the spitting thing is pretty disgusting. What is up with girls spitting as much as the guys?
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