I try to give everyone in my physical presence my undivided attention. Whether they are attacking me or conversing with me, I try to give them my complete attention.
I can’t stand it when people interrupt a conversation to take non-emergency cell phone calls. I have a long list of cell phone etiquette complaints, but I think this might be my biggest one.
I would never take a cell phone call that interrupted a conversation with someone standing with me unless it was a call from my wife who was in labor or a call from my kid’s school. Just about everything else can wait. Never in a million years would I take a call from a number not in my address book at the expense of interrupting a conversation that was already in progress.
That’s what call back buttons and voicemail are for.
At times, ignoring someone can be polite, but not when that someone is standing with you. The best feature on my treo 650 is the choice to “ignore” an incoming call.
I would like to see a cell phone feature that gave me the option of choosing an “ignore” message which would send a polite voice message to the caller that told them I was aware of their call, but that I could not take their call because I was talking with someone else. Some cell phone companies have this feature if a call is in progress so why can’t we have it for a regular conversation?
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I could not agree more. When this happens, I find myself saying (to myself and the person), “Just because your stupid cell phone is ringing, doesn’t mean you have to answer it. Do you have any self-control?”
Actually my friend, there is a feature like that. On my SonyEricsson P1i, or any UIQ3 phone and S60 devices, there is a program called Advanced Call Manager 2.62 which allows you to ignore the call and have it send out a preset message you wrote to that person notifying them that you’ll call them back. It can do so automatically or based on a schedule. YOu can even customize the message for each person.
John on November 4th, 2008 at 4:31 pm | Link
some people with cell phones honestly can’t control themselves. When it rings it doesn’t matter if the president is coming through the door - they GOTTA answer that call. Today I was at a graduation and sure enough a lady 2 seats away from me got a call. But does she turn the phone off? Oh hell no. she ANSWERS it and feels she has to explain to whoever - that she is at a graduation. go figure….Turn your cell phones off when attending church, graduation, or anywhere people are trying to pay attention to someone besides you. GET IT? TURN IT OFF!
Jarna on May 9th, 2009 at 4:13 pm | Link