Mobile Phone Users Becoming More Polite?

from the well,-at-least-they-know-what-to-say dept

Tue, Sep 3rd 2002 6:03pm — Mike Masnick

A new study says that mobile phone users are finally getting the etiquette message. The study shows fewer Americans think it's okay to be talking on mobile phones in public places. However, many people insist that they don't see any change. If anything, people think that others shouldn't be using mobile phones in public places - but they, themselves have special circumstances that make it ok.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

4 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Anonymous Coward, 3 Sep 2002 @ 7:25pm

No Subject Given
What's wrong with using a cell phone in public? Provided it's not in a library, movie theater or other "quiet place" where the issue? Would these same people have a problem if I talked to someone standing beside me in public? What's the difference? Is it that these guardians of etiquette are upset that they can't listen in on the entire conversation?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
quietman, 4 Sep 2002 @ 4:25am

Re: No Subject Given
The problem is simple - mobile phone users shout. I suspect that people in the USA dont know the half of it as mobile phone is nothing like as prevalent there as in Europe I suspect. Example : I was sitting on the train across the aisle from a guy who was clear in the process of splitting up with his girlfriend/wife. If she had been there in person i bet the conversation would have been much quieter if it happened at all.

By all means use your phone in public, just don't shout.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Deb, 4 Sep 2002 @ 8:55am

Re: banal conversations
I've never overheard anything as horrific as recounted above. I do believe what I heard recently; that 90% of all cell phone conversations consist of "Hi, I'm [here], I'm on my way [there], I should be [there] in about a half an hour."
When I heard 15 ring-tones (at full volume!) go off inside 2 minutes on a public ferry, I'm guessing ALL of the conversations were variations on the above. I mean really, who among us is THAT important (other than me, of course)?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Alex Bell, 4 Sep 2002 @ 9:17am

Re: banal conversations
Thank you.
A recent MSNBC article (now linked to from everywhere) is titled, "Why do cell phones make us stupid?" I think the stupid is already there; the cell phone just brings it out into the open. Noisily.
What I find most disturbing is that, despite no shortage of "cell phone etiquette" rules - not to mention glaring looks - people continue to use their phones like jerks. This rude, arrogant and selfish attitude speaks volumes of what we've become. While I don't care if all the world doesn't love me, I'd rather not be labeled "asshole" be even a few. Cell phone users appear to wear "asshole" as if it were a badge of pride.
[ link to this | view in thread ]