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AIBU?

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Original poster

re mobil phone etiquette

37 replies

VictoriousBeckham · 27/01/2011 10:35

When I leave the car at home and walk to the school, I am often caught up by another mum and we have a nice little gossip on the way.

BUT if her phone rings she always, always answers it and it is getting on my bloody nerves now.

This morning: 'Oooh,' she says, 'I'll just get this,' and strolls along the road chattering to her mum. Not about anything important - the weather, what the children had in their lunchboxes, blah, blah blah. All. The. Way. Back.

I don't care if she wants to talk to her mum (or her partner or all those other people in her family who constantly ring her) but I don't want to be ignored in the meantime. Angry

So, as she isn't the only rude bastard person I know who does this, what are the new social rules regarding phones?

And would I BU if, next time she tries to chat, I whip out my ipod and say, 'Ooooh, 'scuse me,' and listen to Muse all the way home? Matching my speed to hers so she can't get away without be rude? Would I? WOULD I?

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 27/01/2011 11:53

You could always just walk ahead and say "I'll let you get on" I would.

KaraStarbuckThrace · 27/01/2011 11:53

I have a friend who is glued to her blackberry.
Really annoys me.
If someone comes to visit you, or you come to visit then, it really is fucking rude to keep checking and replying to messages on you phone.
If you are waiting for important call, the courteous thing to do is to explain this to your visitor/host, and apologise!

BigHairyGruffalo · 27/01/2011 12:45

Texting and walking can be dangerous. Grin

Original poster
VictoriousBeckham · 27/01/2011 12:56

Very amusing clip Grin

That reminds me I had to help a young woman (probably teens) up out of the snow after she fell over just ahead of me while trying to walk in the ice in heels while texting

She was very embarrassed at being rescued.

Bless

OP posts:
purpleandpink · 27/01/2011 13:01

No, yanbu - it annoys me too. Bad phone manners are EVERYWHERE though, people seem oblivious to it. A friend recently updated her facebook status on her phone during dinner at mine saying "having a lovely meal at "Purpleandpink's". She also took a photo of the food and uploaded it and thought I would be pleased as it was a compliment! Shock We were in the middle of dinner ffs!!! Confused

I have another friend who texts constantly but thinks it's ok because she tells you what it's about - so she'll check her phone and say "oh, it's from my friend so and so (who I don't know), she's doing such and such and wants to know blah blah blah" Then she'll say what she's typing "I. Am. Having. Latte. In. Star. Bucks. I. Will. Text. You. Later......." AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!

Rant over - sorry OP, I am now being unreasonable taking over yout thread with my rant - sorry! Blush

KalokiMallow · 27/01/2011 13:02

We had a friend come over and stay, he'd come over from Canada so you'd assume he'd want to make the most of his trip. I don't think he looked away from his phone screen once. And was in fact online in a chat room! Was happy to have us make food for him though Hmm

GertieWooster · 27/01/2011 13:35

My mother does this to me all the time, either when i'm visiting (which is not very often) or talking on her landline phone. I used to find it vaguely amusing and be reminded of Hyacinth Bucket "that will be someone important", but now I realise that it is indicative of where I fit in her priorities. I would never mind if it was for something important but the conversations are always just random rhubarb.

YANBU

MoonGirl1981 · 27/01/2011 15:07

I've ditched a friend of ten years recently for several reasons but one of them was because he had his phone in his hand at all times looking at it every few seconds. Made me wonder if he was waiting for a call from someone more interesting!

Another friend sat at my table with a meal I'd cooked in front of her and had a half hour chat with someone else.

She'd also take twenty minute calls from her partner and go upstairs in my house to talk to him and wander in and out of our bedrooms while she chatted. (Might just be me but I'm quite private about my bedroom and dislike people going in there.)

fatpantsandgladrags · 27/01/2011 17:02

I have a friend who constantly texts in my company. I'm trying to have a conversation with her and she will say "hang on a minute, I just need to text blah blah" before letting me finish my sentence. So incredibly rude.

Nobody is so important that they can't put their phone away for an hour or two. Possibly unless they are a doctor/vet on call!

Honeybee79 · 27/01/2011 17:06

Ruby Shock re the person having the poo and the phone chat.

YANBU. So rude.

taintedpaint · 27/01/2011 17:11

This really doesn't bother me that much....I think I'm just really easy going with etiquette. :)

That said, if I had to answer the phone while in company, I would ask the person calling if I could call them back later.

So I guess while it doesn't bother me what others do, I would pass your etiquette test myself!

theinet · 27/01/2011 22:21

Many people know nothing of etiquette and have no class. unfortunately the era of smartphones has made this worse again, it seemed as if we got used to mobiles but now people get buried in their iphad whatits to the exclusion of anything else.

Then they bump into you whilst watching a vid online on their phone, or let a door slam into you and say "soz, my bad".

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