Subject: Re: Annoyance of cell phone use in public spaces (fwd) From: Tom Brennan <g_brennantg(at)TITAN.SFASU.EDU> Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 22:11:06 -0500This message was obviously intended for the entire list but just went to me so I'm forwarding it. Tom Tom Brennan, CCC-A/SLP, RHD web page http://titan.sfasu.edu/~g_brennantg/sonicpage.html web master http://titan.sfasu.edu/~f_freemanfj/speechscience.html web master http://titan.sfasu.edu/~f_freemanfj/fluency.html ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2001 21:09:06 -0400 (EDT) From: Rhythmpsyc(at)aol.com To: g_brennantg(at)TITAN.SFASU.EDU Subject: Re: Annoyance of cell phone use in public spaces My view is closest to Tom Brennan's: I think the problem (and I too find it annoying) is one of social exclusion. Someone is having a conversation, excluding us in a visible way. And self importance, perhaps somewhat derived from the time (not so long ago) when only high powered execs had cell phones. I remember (here I'm dating myself) when only said execs had answering machines, and finding it annoyingly arrogant when an acquaintance of no special importance in the larger world got one. I too hate call waiting, but my wife insists on it "in case there's an emergency with the kids." Ms. Manners once had a nice column about it, pointing out that a busy signal is a very polite way of signaling "I'm busy, try later". On the other hand taking phone calls when talking to someone else is rude, and letting them drag on (which people tend to do) is even ruder. OK, I'm off my soapbox. Geoff Collier