bad manners not to respond to texts?

[wineandroses]

Is it just me or is it bad manners to ignore texts from family/friends? Is there such a thing as text-etiquette? I get annoyed if my texts (which are not frequent) go unanswered. On my SIL's birthday, sent her both a text and a voice mail singing happy birthday to you. No response to either. Rude or what? Or normal for texts?

I wouldn't expect an answerw if I sent a Happy Birthday text. Asp sometimes my daughters don't answer texts as they have not recieved them or not noticed them.

Considering the technological feat it is for my mother to work out how to READ her texts, let alone send them (last time she tried she picked me as the recpient and phoned me by mistakes about 6 times at 1am) - I don't generally expect a reply to texts unless asking a direct question.

Husband's also chronic for never having any credit on his phone so I don't expect them back from him either!

I often don't notice texts for days, by which time it's probably too late to answer them.... And it certainly wouldn't occur to me to text back to thank someone for a 'happy birthday' text, unless it was someone I hadn't heard from for ages, or who had also asked a question that needed an answer. I hope everyone isn't thinking I'm really rude .

Also, what's the point in wasting 10p to say 'thanks' or 'OK'? (I'm such a low-user of the phone that I don't get any free texts etc as I top up so infrequently) I'm much more likely to reply to emails - but I have friends who don't check emails for days or weeks either...

"hid my phone a couple of weeks ago, the last time I saw it, then I'd have to charge it, then I'd have to flick through to see if anyone had sent me a text"

I think if your phone is off for that amount of time, a good proportion of any text messages could have been zapped at your network operator's HQ, as there's normally a time limit before they expire (and there must be some phones for people which have been completely lost, so no point keeping hundreds of texts for them).

Someone else said "what a waste of a text" - all depends on your phone contract / package, as some throw in "unlimited (say 100 a day) and it's not 'wasted' if it costs no extra to send a text back.

I don't always respond - depends on whether a question was asked, or something else of topical interest could be passed on...

"Rude or what?" - depends what might have been going on at the time - or whether she had her mobile on.

There are times when I would have replied but knew that the beeps would have annoyed the recipient at 2am !

I knew this woman (wont call her a friend, she was a nightmare)

She used to send texts at 6 in the morning. They would bloody wake me up half an hour before I needed to

When I mentioned it to her she said 'I assumed your phone would be turned off and you would get it later'.

Hmm ok I thought. Until I found out she said this to about 10 other friends so MUST have realised that no bugger turned their phone off. She had been waking up half of East London with her stupid ferking texts AND sulked if people didnt reply.

Not sure if all that is relevant to the thread but I feel better now I have got it off my chest

My dad usually replies with 'OK dear' to everything bless him. If you are asking a direct question you desperately need an answer to then I would pick up the phone and actually talk to someone. I don't know how folk managed before mobile phones, apparently no one has the time to talk to anyone anymore so I'm afraid I think YABU. And, yes, I am old.

Just you. My phone is usually uncharged under a pile of papers somewhere. Texts are like telegrams - for the sender's convenience, to impart info - and don't always warrant a reply.

I only respond if I have to.

I often don't have my phone to hand (or misplaced), it's often uncharged, and if I run out of credit (I'm on payg, not contract) it can be days/weeks before I top up.

I do find that since the rise of contracts people text far more dross far more often.

My kids send me texts all the time. We have zero reception inside the house, and my phone lives in my bag so chances are a text sent at 4pm on a Friday wouldn't get seen until 9am Monday. Plus they all have contract phones with free texts but I'm on PAYG and out of credit again.

I get fed up with telling them (and my mum) that if they want an answer they need to actually call me.

if i am out and about i wont delete the text until i have replied as i may not have been in a position where i can answer it if i am driving or on the move or out in the evening, but then sometimes i forget about it till days later..you cant always reply straight away...

some you reply to and some you don't. based on the nature. if some one says fancying meeting next fri, walk with the kids, then that warrants a yes/no/maybe/can do, can't.

if someone then says, can't do tomorrow, my mum is visiting. then why would you respond to that.

you just think, o.k. no problem.

so it depends.

Sometimes I want to think about my reply a bit before I send it. Sometimes I glance at the text, am in the middle of something else and forget about it for a bit. Sometimes the text irritates me so I wait 'til I'm less irritated to respond.

What I really hate is when people know you've read a text because they have that 'request read receipt' thing turned on, and get annoyed when no reply is immediately forthcoming. Self-centred control freakery, IMO.

i hate texting. my fingers are fat, stubby and i can't type thta well. especially not on a flippin 2 inch keyborad on a phone.
i reply with a :
great

lovely

or similar. i tell people i am not a texter and expect them to accept this.

"about 10 other friends so MUST have realised that no bugger turned their phone off"

Yes, it was an assumption of mine 10 years ago that people turned their phones off (eg to charge overnight, or left them in a room other than bedroom), but remember calling a project manager (when I had been working 72 hours straight) at 2 or 3 am, and woke him (and his wife) in their hotel room in Paris. More fool him for leaving it switched on, I thought at the time. I just make allowance for the fact it may be inopportune now to ring / text between 2200 and 0700 unless it is important or concerns a wake-up call (eg to go away on holiday)...

My cheapo Siemens can turn on to ring alarm (normal reason people give for leaving their fancy smartphones on all night) without beeping if some s*d phones or texts me. I have several phones but none are anywhere near me when I want "uninterrupted" time!

If someone says happy birthday I would text a thankyou , as I see a text as a mini conversation, if someone said happy birthday to you face to face you wouldn't just stand there and not say anything,

I only expect a reply if I ask a question otherwise people thanking me for sending a text would make me throw my phone in the river.

Hi there are one or two parents in my child's class that do not answe texts. If you are asking a question re a proposed playdate or you are texting to let them know you have found an item of school kit, they do not respond or acknowledge which i find extremely ignorant and rude. We recently text a mum re a proposed playdate, she has history of not replying but is cheerful enough at school. My son was so upset as he had been looking forward to inviting his friend round. How do you handle a parent who is so selfish and ignorant?

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