To think "who the fuck do you think you are?"

[CrotchBurn]

Okay I need to rant its friday and I have done 3 x 10 hour days back to back, I need wine and to release my anger

FYI this isnt for when its friends or family.

It's about people calling you: banks, clients or colleagues, insurance wanting to check something, whatever.

Its 2020. I'm sorry if you dont like it, but when you call me, you are intruding. We have WhatsApp, we have email. I get instant notifications on my phone. When you call me, you drag me out of whatever I'm doing (working usually) to demand my attention.

If it's about my bank account then guess what? Use your fucking fancy messaging system on the platform I'm assuming that's what it's there for and that way you will have a record.

If it's about work, guess what? I'm fucking working right now. On something that doesnt have to do with you. So send me an email and wait your turn. It's not all about you. And again: I would prefer to have what you say in writing.

Ooh and by the way you know voice messages? Yeah I dont listen to those. So you chat away but just FYI I listen to my voice messages except I dont, I just dial in and then hit 3 or whatever it is repeatedly until they are all deleted.

So dont waste my fucking time and stop jostling into my personal space. Seeing the missed call icon on my phone puts me on edge. If you are bored during lock down and need a human voice then I suggest you call a relative or friend. I AM BUSY. Oh and also: please dont email saying "would it be possible to arrange a call to discuss?". It wouldnt actually, see above.

Am I abnormal to hate this this much??

Is it the same if the door bell goes?

Yerrrrp. Especially if I'm interrupted when working to deadline and there's some twat on the other side of it asking for the umpteenth time that week to trim the hedges, wash the guttering, or convert my religion.

Fuck off.

@WitchQueenofDarkness

I delete all my voicemails un-listened to as well. Life is too short to listen to people rambling on about whatever.

I pay for my phone for my convenience and not for that of other people. Calls are annoying - just because it's convenient for you to call me now doesn't mean it's convenient for me. My friends now trained to send me a text message first to ask if I want a phone call.

Amazed you have friends!

Wow- how do you hold down a job with that attitude? Sometimes colleagues just want to discuss or talk something through, especially when they’re not in the office. It is annoying sometimes to get calls from cold callers etc on home phone when you’re working but being that angry about it is weird.

On that note, I'm going to take the proverbial chill pill and go and play some Crash Bandicoot to unwind 👀
Takeaway points:

1. Need to manage my time better
2. Need to save all numbers so know who is calling
3. Need to investigate whether have displacement anger
4. Some people on MN truly need to lighten up as OP was 70% serious, 30% just playful letting off steam
5. Other people DO agree
6. Can remove voice message function from phone

Have a good evening all: let's dial in and discuss takeaway points in depth tomorrow 😂

I'm a lot older than you and I completely agree. Phone calls are intrusive now. I resent calls on issues that could sorted with an email or via WhatsApp. Obv friends and family are different - I want to chat to them.

And I never listen to voicemail either.

You’re being unreasonable and quite extreme.

Other people have jobs to do too- eg low paid call centre staff at banks who may need to contact you. Not everything is a conspiracy to “eat in to your personal time”.

I feel your rage..

I have similar and I answer emails as soon as I get to my desk..

I really do not appreciate someone emailing, then facebook messaging THEN ringing me to check if I got their email and their facebook message (particularly when the call comes in ten minutes after the messages, which were sent two frigging minutes apart), all of which came in two HOURS before I started work.

On top of all that the person wasnt a client, nor a prospective client, they just wanted free fucking advice. Fuck. Off.

(In reality, I answered nicely, and at length, without charge. They are yet to thank me for that of course).

OP - you are my people! So glad it's not just me.

Especially the rage/anxiety/immediately-on-edge when seeing the missed call icon.

Not everything is a conspiracy to “eat in to your personal time” It's not a conspiracy, it's an ill-judged communications plan. And rude. In 5 to 10 years, ringing someone when a text would serve will be considered rude by most of us, and the behaviour will stop.

@AnneElliott

I get you op! Domestic and General called me the other day wanting to basically sell me some more insurance.

But they asked for my personal info - and were taken aback when I said 'no, you called me'. You know who I am as you called me on my personal number!

Ha. I had to ring and pay a £700 electricity bill for my own business. When they asked how they could help me and I said I need to pay this bill. They said can we make sure you’re who you say you are. I was like. Listen. If someone rings up and wants to pay my electricity bill. Let them!!!! Lols.

Why bother having a phone?

Couldn't agree more OP.

The other thing that really annoys me is spam emails that start:

Did you get my last message ...

Yes, and if I was interested I would have responded then.

Straight to Unsubscribe now for those ...

@Diva66

Why bother having a phone?

To be fair to the OP, calls is way down on the list of what I use my phone for. It's a mini computer if you have a smartphone.

@CrotchBurn

On that note, I'm going to take the proverbial chill pill and go and play some Crash Bandicoot to unwind 👀 Takeaway points: 1) Need to manage my time better 2) Need to save all numbers so know who is calling 3) Need to investigate whether have displacement anger 4) Some people on MN truly need to lighten up as OP was 70% serious, 30% just playful letting off steam 5) Other people DO agree 6) Can remove voice message function from phone

Have a good evening all: let's dial in and discuss takeaway points in depth tomorrow 😂

OP - listen to the above poster. All her points 1 - 7 make complete sense.

No harm in receiving calls. Human interaction is still the best form of communication. You don't have to pick up and the caller will know you had good reason not to.

Yes OP, I think it is somewhat generational. My brother is mid 30s and doesn't mind a call and comfortable with a phone call - easier to get it out the way. I'm 30 and tolerate them. My 23 year old sister and younger cousins find it rude to call someone out the blue instead of texting. Their view seems to be the primary use of a phone is not for phone calls.

I have some sympathy because I have struggled with phone call anxiety for years. I reserve my personal ire for the car dealership which phoned me 7 times in 10 days to tell me my MOT was due (which they had already emailed me about) and left voicemail asking me to ring them back.

I stopped using them on principle.

However, having worked on my anxiety, I am now better placed to deal with it. If I’m busy with something I ignore the phone. If it’s important to them, they will leave a voicemail (yes, I do listen to them). If it’s important to me, I will get back to them.

My current peeve is about my Union, which I only joined within the last year. They have already phoned me twice to ask if I have enough life insurance. Fuck off!

I want to have a drink with you. I could have written this 🤣

How dare people use your phone number for phoning you.

Totally unreasonable.

Calling people is often faster than emailing if you have a quick question

For you it is, maybe. It isn't for the person you're interrupting, who has to stop what they are doing, remember or look up who you are, figure out what you are talking about and whether they can do anything about your issue, then when they've got rid of you try to pick up the pieces of what they were trying to concentrate on, before you interrupted them because you were too lazy to write a short email.

I hate voicemail as well

I agree OP and it is even worse when 'private number' comes up on the phone. If you aren't going to tell me who you are there is no chance I am going to speak to you.

I hate all calls and have for years. Phone calls are extremely intrusive and self absorbed when you think about it. The caller sounding a jarring noise at you when they want that says answer answer answer now. Speak to me now. It’s incredibly rude and self centred unless it’s an emergency or you know for a fact that the other person is very lonely and waiting for your call.
I got rid of my home phone 12 years ago. Couldn’t stand having to jump when it rang. I don’t really answer any calls. I message and arrange a Mutually suitable time to talk. If it’s an emergency they will leave a message or try again repeatedly.
This includes all family and friends with one exception- my teenage DD.

My family pretty much always text now and we arrange talk times at a time that is best for both of us

I can't deny I'm disappointed OP.
Was sure it would be about Cummings.

I won’t be phoning you