to not have a mobile phone?

[mrsruffallo]

It is strange how many people are outraged when you tell them you don't have one. Or they say 'I've got an old one if you want'
No, I don't freaking want
I can't stand all the fiddling people do with them, or you are talking to someone and they answer their mobile

Who wants to be that accessible
It's pathetic
Maybe they have brain controlling devices inside

Disabled people in cars would count as a necessity in my book Riven

The thing is, I dont mind if it's a genuine issue- so a friend might email and say, "I can still come for a drink tonight but I might have to go back in if the client emails the changes. Do you want to go for it or cancel?", and then if I say "let's meet anyway" they check every so often to make sure they haven't been recalled.

It's more the "multitasking" of just answering routine mails/ texts whilst having a conversation. The person concerned generally thinks they are paying atention when it's fairly clear they're not. Also, it is never REALLY senior and important people who do this; only people who want you to think they are.

As with most things there are good and bad points.

I can see it from where MrsR stands - some people are complete slaves to their damn phones, and have lost all sense of politeness if speaking to someone - it's not "do you mind if I see what this is about" but a switch from speaking to someone in front of them to answering their phone, as if voicemail doesn't exist, and the person nearby is only "secondary" to whomever has called them.

Accessibility is another aspect - if someone is not at work, then turn the flaming thing off if you don't want to get calls asking about things. If you are so vital then you need to discuss who handles things when you are away, and if you are willing to accept calls, fix some timeso there's perhaps a half-hour slot and you can know that you can spend your time with family without being pestered several times a day.

Sure, lots of good reasons for having a phone, but thank goodness everyone is different and it's surely not something to get too het up about - many have excellent reasons for wanting/ using a mobile, and life's too short for arguments over this topic. MrsR is clearly in the minority, but has a right to her opinion and everyone else to theirs, without coming to (verbal) blows about who is "correct" or "unreasonable".

Morloth wrote "Caller ID is one of the best inventions"...

For anyone who wants to know who is calling their landline I can recommend "BT Privacy" (assuming you are still with BT) which gets you listed on the Telephone Preference Service as a "do not call" and provides Caller Display for FREE instead of having to pay 2.50 a month for it.

You have to make a couple of chargeable calls each month (so if you use some other firm like 1899.com for calls, you just don't use the prefix for a couple of calls in a month).

I'm so glad I asked for it when I had my line installed recently, as I've had no end of calls for whoever had the number before me, and most recently, 3 of those American accented pre-recorded calls...

Now if I see WITHHELD or UNKNOWN the answerphone is allowed to kick in, and I can hear if it is a friend or relation...

Yay! Someone else without a mobile!

I hate 'em. I can understand the 'for emergencies' angle, but that's all.

It makes my flesh creep when I see people aimlessly texting. I don't understand how people can let their children/teenagers sit there glued to their mobiles at a (rare) family gathering. They look like Barbarians. All the mums at the school gate just stand texting the whole time, even whilst in a conversation.

Job no. about 3 for when I am world dictator will be to draw up a strict code of etiquette for mobile phone use.

WebDude-slaves to their phones-yes that´s it.

gramercy-like the idea of "metiquette".
Or over here, "hetiquette" (they are called handys"

I have a phone which is an old one of dh's from about 1990 but rarely switch it on. Have never texted in my life.
I agree with gramercy about people texting all the time- and of course, half the people on Jeremy Kyle would not be in the position they are in if they didn't send abusive texts to their ex.

I have one but haven't had the need to use mine for about 3 months now. Due to being indoors and not having a car in use right now and only being 2 roads away from the school in an emergency.

Doesn't bother ppl that I don't use one, they generally ping me or mail me on FB as I can use my Itouch for that, so I am contactable. Also doesn't cost me anything a month