CONSTANT TEXTING AT THE TABLE BY NON TEENS

[expat7]

I am an English ex-pat living in Belgium now for 21 years. Invited dh's best friend age 53, friendship 45yrs for weekend and he continually texted including special dinner. This wasn't just 1 or 2, but continual conversations back and forth. Please tell me, am I so out of touch with the UK that this is now acceptable behaviour. I understand the young doing this, although I don't like it. But at 53?? Help, sorry for my rant, perhaps I'm out of touch.

It is not acceptable (regardless of age). I would have had to say something...

Its rude, although I do have a friend who drives me mad doing it - constant texting, checking in at facebook etc.

I've now taken to stopping trying to talk and saying pointedly "Oh sorry is that important?"

I would have said something. It is incredibly rude behaviour.

My bloody mother does this and it drives me MAD. It's so fucking rude and childish. You really can't wait until the end of your meal to reply to a non-urgent text message? Grow the fuck up.

YANBU.

Rude at any age...

YANBU

YANBU... it's rude. Rules of polite behaviour haven't caught up with the hand-held gizmo generation but I think it's long overdue that we had a few basic 'dos' and 'don'ts'. Texting during a dinner is the equivalent of saying 'my hosts are boring the crap out of me'... Debrett's needs revising.

I made a joke about it, but was told that I am out of touch and that everyone in the UK does this now. The problem is I really don't know, I have lost touch with beloved country and uk customs.

I don't think it's acceptable at any age. My (much younger) SIL does it during family meals. I find it shocking.
I remember going to a posh restaurant with DH once. A family arrived with teenagers- looked like sibling parents/cousin children. It was clearly a special occasion. All the kids (and they were 13 upwards) pulled out their Nintendos and played games the entire meal.

What made me mad is invitee came here after being caught out playing away from home!! Just been let back by wife (my friend now 30yrs) he said won't do it again, dh told me that it's mainly other woman that he's texting. I don't want to be party to his midlife crisis.

We were in Pizza express last night with kids.

Table next to us had 3 kids and 2 parents. All 5 of them fiddling with their phones. FFS.

We should not allow the technology to invade all aspects of our lives as a family. (Up to you if you live alone)

Agree with Gabby - unless it is an absolute emergency phones at the table are a no-no

Maybe we should create our own version of Debrett's for the Text Generation?

Rule 1. All hand-held devices to be switched off at mealtimes and not brought to the table

Next...?

No, it is absolutely not normal behaviour here in the UK.

I socialise mainly with people in their 40s, and I have never witnessed this.

When it comes to teens, my two dc will be told they can eat or text, not both at the same time.

My brother did this at Christmas too. Don't think during Christmas dinner but during every other meal AND downloaded apps too. It p*ssed me off too although I am at fault for not telling him to pack it in. I think I will next time - we don't let the boys play with toys at the table so why should the grownups?

Actually dh was playing with his phone once and my youngest who was then 2 said 'put that under your chair' (which is what we tell them to do with ther toys during mealtimes) and when dh did he said 'thank-you!' We were both in stitches! I can hire him out to you if you like?

YANBU. Rude.

YANBU but no need to SHOUT...

That made me smile, but I was out at a restaurant here in Germany last night. Mostly families with young children, but one table of 6 adults. Firstly each couple brought its dog (so 3 dogs). Inevitably one of the dogs started yapping (male dogowner "now [Bodo - or whatever the name was], if you don't stop at once, you'll have to go and sit in the car") I had to concentrate VERY hard on my food when I heard that. But then all the mobile 'phones came out, were on the table and were being checked every 10 seconds for messages. I was surprised that the 6 of them actually had a verbal converstaion, surely they could just have texted one another all evening?
Mind you, it was entertaining for a tehcnically-orientated, lone middle-aged woman (trying to pretend to read a book)!

YANBU, some of my friends do this, it makes you feel as if you aren't interesting enough for them.

It's rude.

I have a friend who constantly texts her current love interest everytime we're on a girl's night out. I just find it unacceptable if you're with other people. Answering a text is fine but having a continual text conversation is downright rude!

I always think why do they bother meeting up or coming to dinner if all they are going to do is play on their phones.

We went out for dinner and at the next table where a couple and the woman was on her mobile phone until the man got up and walked out (20 mins), his parting comment to her was you asked me to take you out for dinner you may aswell come on your own.

I am possibly rude in the other direction. I will not reply to a text message and expect people not to call me on my mobile unless they have phoned me for a serious reason like DS is ill at school. I dislike this idea that we all have to able to contact each other immediately over absolute trivia.

I have a friend who gets annoyed if I don't answer her trivial texts, but then if I meet up with her in person, she spends her whole time texting other people. Perhaps I am just behind the times, but I'd rather concentrate on one situation at a time.

Telephones have to be left on the hall table at meal times in our house.