To be annoyed that older people can’t just send a text rather than phoning for the slightest thing?

[Waitingforthesunnydays]

I’ll try not to be ageist here but I might fail at that..so I’m sorry if this offends anyone. If you are over 60 do you feel the need to phone people for things like confirming what time you’ll be arriving that day (after already arranging that you’re coming), letting someone know what colours of paint you’ll be getting for a house renovation, asking someone if they want to go to the cinema with you next week? Those were just examples that popped into my head, but I’m finding it increasingly irritating that the 60 something man that is renovating my house will call me for the slightest thing. It seems he doesn’t know how to text at all as he responds to mine by ringing. Same with my parents, but they get a free pass cos they’re my parents. Same with a neighbour in her 60s who I’m quite friendly with. She rang me the other day, a call which I had to take at work, to say she’d taken my bin in for me, which was very nice of her obviously. But a simply text would have done fine. I’m not talking about very elderly people who don’t know how to use technology, I’m talking about people in their 60s/70s who have had iPhones for at least a decade. Is it just habit or is talking on the phone more common amongst older people? I’m early 40s & I personally hate talking on the phone and will text for everything. I find a phone call quite intrusive, I have to be in the mood to talk to someone, whereas if they would just text me they might get an answer to their question! I can send a text back in any mood but I will often ignore a phone call if I’m not in the mood.
Yes I’m sure I’m being at least a bit unreasonable but it would be nice if everyone could just learn how to text/know how to use text messaging properly. It’s really very easy

Lol I have mentioned my preference many times. It gets ignored or conveniently ‘forgotten’ about. Asking someone to text rather than call is asking a lot less of someone than asking someone to call rather than text. A text is really not that inconvenient for a phone call lover, because, as you say, “the great majority of people over 60 can send a text”. So it’s not like they’re struggling to type out two lines in an hour. A phone call is asking a lot more of the person being called. They’re asking them to be in the mood to talk, they’re asking them to make small talk and answer questions about their lives that they may not want to answer (because it invariably includes some small talk). A text asks none of that of a person, and if a person over 60 can so easily send a text, shouldn’t that be the compromise?

In my 60s and have certain friends / family that l call for a chat and vice versa..every few weeks. We usually WhatsApp first to see when is a good time. Otherwise all messages. But we are building a new house and my dh deals with all workers. They are calling constantly to say they are coming, or delayed or not coming...all calls. Must be a thing in that business. My dh never complains as just accepts it.

Why does yours trump theirs? Either answer the phone or don’t. 🤷‍♀️

People who think phone calls are intrusive clearly don't understand how telephones work. If you don't want to speak to someone or don't have time to, you don't have to! We have voicemail and answerphones, marvellous new fangled inventions since the 1980s, which take care of the not convenient problem.

As I said in my earlier post, you can't just "not answer" as lots of people leave messages, getting ever more desperate/urgent sounding when you don't answer even when it's not urgent nor important. They seem incapable of accepting you're actually busy doing something else and won't wait until a convenient time for me to call them back. If they just called, left a message and waited patiently, it wouldn't be a problem, but far too many people just accept you to drop everything and take their call or call them back within a few minutes. That's the problem with who "trumps" who! Far too many seem to take it as a personal insult when you don't drop everything to chat to them about trivial things even when they know you're at work, driving, in meetings, etc.

And the other person calling doesn't get "the message" that you're not available that instant and continues repeat calling and/or leaving messages until you finally get chance to call them back. If they'd just leave a message and wait, no problem, but they don't. They can't bear the thought that you don't think they're important enough to drop everything for!