Is it rude to pick up your calls on mobile phones?

I think everyone needs a bit of "me" time. I do not silence my phone but sometimes I do ignore it. If it is important, they will leave a message anyway, but when you're watching a good movie or listening to music or simply chillaxing, you don't want to know what happened on abc road at xx hours. I think most of my mates do understand this and now they won't disturb me without a reason.

I think it's outrageous when people have to jump to answer their cell phones. It's also sometimes very rude. I have a friend (who I love dearly) who ALWAYS answers her cell, even if we're out to dinner together or whatever. On vacation, she took every call and once stopped in the middle of the street on her bicycle and held us all up until she was done talking. None of them were important. If I'm busy with someone else or doing something that I don't want to take people's calls, I just let it go to voicemail. I do always check to see who it is though because my son is out of the country and calls on my cell. Of course yesterday was a bad case of not answering your phone. I was in the emergency room and trying to get in touch with my other son to tell him. He thought we were just returning his call from earlier that we didn't pick up and since his call to us wasn't important he didn't answer our call to him. We called like 10 times so you'd think after the first couple he'd think it was something else and pick it up. We did finally get him by calling his cousin who I figured he was with. So sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes it's not...

Yes you're right everybody needs their own private time and unless it is really very important you could choose not to pick up calls on your mobile. Here in the Philippines SMS services are more used than calls on a mobile phone. Since calls are more expensive here SMS is more used. People would only call you if it is an emergency or something really very important

I think it is rude not to answer the calls on mobile phones but it's a different story when you don't recognize the number. I only silence my phone during meeting or inside the church. On weekends, I turn it off because I would be busy with the household chores.

Def agree its up to u whether u want to speak to someone or not. As their are friends who feel the need to call u 3/4 times per day as it is. As u said thats why we have voice mail. sometimes u jus cant b bothered speaking on the phone esp if u use the phone for work mon - fri as it is

Working in a Restaurant,I'm aware of people's habits with Cellphones,from Business people working with their Blackberries on the table as they eat,to Oldsters With the phone's ringtone and speaker volume set LOUD and kept deep in their bag on the floor so it takes 30 seconds to get it out,and then you could follow the conversation on the other side of the room,to couples ignoring one another as they each sit there texting others..(Or maybe it's the text equivalent of playing "footsie"!) I was serving a table and put down a plate of food to a woman,who said as I did so "Hello,Gorgeous!" I checked She had a phone to her other Ear before saying to Her Friends "I thought She meant ME!" it got a Laugh..It's great to have the possibility to communicate at will,but people need to learn when and when not to have a disruptive chat!

I do not think it rude at all. I think you should only talk or receive calls when you want to and it is convienient for you. I think what is rude is when people are at a restaurant and talking loudly on their cell phone. or when people are trying to conduct business and they are on the phone when the clerk is trying to help them. I am a clerk and people can be so rude when I am trying to wait on them. It is very annoying.

No it is definitely not rude.I turn mine on vibrate and check it when a call comes in.But, if I want alone time I wont answer.They are great to have in case of an emergency,but nowadays people are abusing them!I cannot stand it when I am around someone and I think they are talking to me,and come to find out there are on the phone.I also think its rude when people are on them while driving it causes people to not pay attention as well to driving thus causing accidents.So,yes silence them calls and take that time alone,cell phones can get annoying!

You are correct, but sometimes your friends are calling you ro urgency stuff, sure they will not happy if you didn't pick up. Like for my father, he don't know how to send sms, for him, calling is very important for him. Different person have different definition of their mobile usage.

Well,there's not rude or polite in this situation.When you really can't pick up call,you sure have your reason.Sometime people just call not in the right time and it is not our choice for not answering thier call.So as for me,there's nothing wrong with that unless you purposely do so without reason.

I don't call people much using my mobile. I always send a text message, because if someone has their phone off, your text message can still reach them when they turn their phone on. Besides, phone calls are much more expensive and you can say just as much using a text message (unless it's a call just to chat). You are correct, you can choose when to pick up your calls and it's your every right to have some "me" time. But yeah, sometimes calls can be important so just tell them to send you a text, because it's less intrusive and you can read it in your own time.

I agree, I think everyone needs some "me time" and also you need to consider other people around you and the situation you are in. I think there is nothing worse than going for a meal and listening to someone chat constantly on their mobile phone, especially when you are in a posh restaurant. As you say, you phone can be put on silent and they do have sms and voicemail facilities, or you can ring the person back. Also you need to think about what the call is about, it is very easy to give out personal information over the phone which might be used by other people.

Amen! finally someone who understands that cell phones are a tool for our use, not something to enslave us. good for you to take me time and to not let that phone control your life. it is rude to always answer your phone, especially when you are out with other people. Whenever I'm having lunch with friends it is so irritating that one friend is constantly interrupting the conversation because her phone wont shut up. keep your liberty! don't let technology chain you down!

I don't always answer my cell phone. My friends know if they cant reach me then I am busy, and if it's an emergency they can call my home number. Everyone wants their own private time. I mean when we don't want to answer a home phone we have the answering machine and people wouldn't get mad at us for that now would they?

Well, for me, it depepnds on the situation. There are many times I have turned my phone to silent just so I do not get disturbed, and then there are the times I have left mine on partly because I might be expecting an important call, and that is the only way for people to get a hold of me. Mine usually has to stay on during the day as we have our Condo up for Sale at this time, and you never know when a Realtor might call us with a potential buyer wanting to look at our place. But it would be nice if we could turn ours on to silent more as well. It can be annoying when you are busy doing something, and have to stop what you are doing just to be able to answer the phone.

When I am in a training or in a seminar, I put my phone in silent mode but I still answer text messages and phone calls. During weekends, I select whose call I answer. i consider my weekend my family days. My husband has a phone issued by the company. They said that they should answer that anytime it rings. Thank God there haven't been any instance where he answered the call in he middle of the night or during weekends. What irritates me are those people who do not put their phones in silent or vibra mode and distract everybody else. And this is after they have been told to put it in silent mode. I mean c'mon, if one is an adult, you should start acting like one. Even my 4 years old niece can follow simple instructions.

You silence it.. So mean of you.. You break the rules mam.. I think you should be switching it off and shoving it under the pillow not worrying about it for the rest of the day. That's what I did. And oh what a wonderful day it was. I have decided that whenever I want to have some private time, I would just switch it off. In fact I wasn't using my phone for the past five months and now that I have started using it, I'm receiving so many calls and messages that I feel like putting it back where it came from. I'll do that of course but after sometime. bourne

I do not think it is rude to not pick up calls. It is your phone and it is your choice rather you answer it or not. I really think it is more rude to answer it when you are in a public place, like a restaurant or such. I for one really don't like listening to other people talk on the phone or hear phones ringing when I am out in a restaurant and other places. Don't let others change your mind or make you feel guilty for not answering. If its necessary that they reach you they can leave a message or try again later. Best wishes!

I completely agree. I can understand if it is work related. It all depends on the situation and who is calling you. I deem it as being completely rude when someone answers the cell when they are speaking with you. We are way too involved in 24/7 communication with each other. All my friends know that if I don't answer the cell it isn't because I am ignoring them. If they can't understand that, then I guess they aren't friends!! Put down the cell people!!