Tip of the week 32

Cell Phone Etiquette

I can still remember my former brother-in-law driving over to my house to show me his new cell phone. This was back in the early 80's when cell phones were just starting to hit the consumer market.

His name was Denny and he couldn't wait for me to try out his new "cell phone."

Well, as it turned out, not only did Denny want to show me his new cell phone, he also wanted me to BUY one for my very own.

You see, good ole Denny was among first to realize the potential of this new consumer product. He was also a professional salesman and jumped on the cell phone sales bandwagon very early in the game.

Back then; cell phones were a tough sale. The equipment was bulky, the service sporadic and the service was extremely expensive. Denny was the visionary in this case and I was not. He pitched me hard to buy a phone. He told me that cell phones would be as common as home phoned, He predicted that there would come a day sometime in the future, when cell phones would become so common that everyone would own one.

And as it turned out, Denny's vision was right on. Over the years the popularity of cell phones grown exponentially to the point it is today where everyone in the family has their own phone, number, ring tone and customized phone skin.

However neither Denny, nor anyone else could have foreseen way back then, the ubiquitous cell phone's power to change the lifestyle and behavior of most of this earth's population. Or that new behavior's potential for abuse.

And it's my opinion some basic guidelines for proper cell phone etiquette need to be laid down. There are some real abuses of cell phone etiquette being perpetrated all around us, and the time has come to create some social order out of the cell phone chaos.

So, here's my Top 10 list of Cell Phone Etiquette Violations" -- my pet peeves of egregious etiquette listed from bad to worst in descending order.

Ten:

Don't talk on the phone while ordering food, Shopping for groceries etc. What ever happened to making a list before you go to the grocery store? And if you are in a checkout line, get off the phone and show some courtesy to the attendant.

Nine:

Get rid of your custom ring tone. I may be showing my age here, but I'm a real purist when it comes to an audio alert for an incoming phone call. In my opinion, a phone should sound like a phone. Phones go off around us every second and besides, Yabba Dabba Doo is no longer cute after the 3rd ring. Eight: When texting, turn off the little bleepy noise each key makes. Dah!

Seven:

Turn your phone off or switch it to vibrate during public performances. That's simply a no-brainer to me.

Six:

Loose that ridiculous blue tooth wireless ear bud when you're out in public. Have you any idea how ridiculous you look? And another thing, NEVER wear more than two wireless devices on your belt at one time -- it's just not cool!

Five:

If you leave your phone unattended on your desk at work - switch to silent mode to prevent annoying and/or disturbing your co-workers. Or, here's an idea - take your cell phone with you -- that's why it's called a mobile phone!

Four:

Never dial your cell phone while driving. This is very dangerous. There are plenty of people driving along Americas roadways who have problems mastering vehicles and cell phones individually. Combine the two and you've got a very dangerous situation. So dangerous that many states have felt compelled to enact laws against using a cell phone while driving. Pull over if your call is that urgent.

Three:

Never make the cell phone more important than the company you are currently keeping. Have some decency to not answer the phone when somebody is already talking to you in person.

Two:

This one is for all you Nextel users. Don't use your radio function to conduct business in public. Others should not be forced to eavesdrop on your conversation as you conduct business. Besides, chances are fairly high, because the person on the other end of the conversation doesn't realize they have an audience, that they will probably say something really embarrassing.

One:

DO NOT EVER use your mobile phone in public restrooms. No conversation is that important that it can't wait. Honestly I can't believe that this has to be said but take it from me, it does.

When I think about my list, it it congers up memories of a scene from the movie "Animal House." You remember, one of the party scenes, the one where John Belushi is walking down the stairs of his frat house and has to sidestep the guy playing folk songs on his six-string guitar for the entertainment of a beautiful girl.

Belushi walks past, hesitates, turns and grabs the guy's guitar summarily smashing it to bits.

Then he turns and walks away without ever saying a word.

And, I'm completely convinced, were John Belushi still among us today, that there would be one hell of a pile of smashed cell phones.

See ya next week.