Does it bother you when people talk to you on speaker phone?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (220266)
Walnut Creek, California
October 12, 2017 2:19pm CST
I just realized that the Zen Horse has another pet peeve. It's when others, especially friends, talk to me on speaker phone.
For one thing, it can be hard to tell what the heck they're saying, given that most modern technology is made cheaply, and the fidelity of the microphones and speakers is low.
The other the thing that bothers me is the implication that the other person is doing other things while talking to me, and is not giving me their full attention.
Does it bother you when people talk to you via speaker phone? I didn't even know HOW to activate my speaker phone until this morning, when Kaiser (my medical provider) put me on a 20 minute wait because of their "unusually high call volume."
30 people like this
38 responses
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
12 Oct 17
It really bothers me and especially if there are other people there. I called to talk to them not to have everybody else listening in my what I am saying.
10 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Oct 17
I don't like being on speaker phone because I don't want others hearing my conversation. That just bothers me.
6 people like this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
15 Oct 17
@LovingMyBabies that is exactly the way I feel. It can be handy at times but I don't like it.
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
12 Oct 17
When I call someone, I want to speak to only one person and if they put me on speaker phone, it's ok, as long as I can hear them fine and nobody else can hear what I'm saying. If there other people that can hear our conversation than I appreciate them telling me about it.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
12 Oct 17
@TheHorse Exactly, as we can reveal some information that was not for other ears.
@cindiowens (5120)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
12 Oct 17
Yes, it does bother me, but my Mom does it all of the time because she can hear me better. I don't guess it bothers me too much when she does it, but anyone else does.
2 people like this
@cindiowens (5120)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
12 Oct 17
@LilyBeBack I thought @TheHorse was being sarcastic.
2 people like this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
12 Oct 17
People seem to like holding their cellphone in the palm of their hand, speaker on and talking at the microphone - something about not irradiating their brain by holding it in the traditional manner, ie. upside their head... I've seen it in episodes of Castle and Lucifer.
1 person likes this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
15 Oct 17
I hate the speaker phone. I never put my cell on that as I don't want the world to hear what I am saying and I don't want to hear other people that might be around the person I am trying to talk to. Sometimes all this modern technology really stinks.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (117146)
• Anniston, Alabama
13 Oct 17
I used to use the speaker phone and it was for others to hear the convo all at once, so I was not going to echo everything.
Now I prefer not to use them. Last couple of times I have talked to my attorney she was on speaker and I could not hear her, I said so because I was doing a deposition!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220266)
• Walnut Creek, California
18 Oct 17
@andriaperry (putting my flamethrower away)
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78871)
• East Tawas, Michigan
12 Oct 17
When my daughter started putting me on speaker phone, it felt like she was always far too busy. So, I stopped calling her. I couldn't hear her anyway!:( It was disheartening, to not rate, at the moment.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78871)
• East Tawas, Michigan
12 Oct 17
@TheHorse No, I didn't want to start a problem. We get along good, but she's just so tied up with other things, most of the time. I get my feelings hurt, but don't want to say something that might hurt her:(
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220266)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Oct 17
@kobesbuddy Should I send you my "assertiveness training" handout?
1 person likes this
@DesirousDreamer (34776)
• Peoria, Arizona
13 Oct 17
When it came to house phones, yes it did bother me when people did that. But with cellphones, they get hot when you speak for too long and I don't want that hot piece of glass pressed up again my face or someone else's face for too long. It is uncomfortable.
But it is when people start to get too far away from the phone that can get a bit annoying because they are too busy to talk and then I just feel like I am an inconvenience to them.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
13 Oct 17
I find speakerphones more annoying than useful. I also hate it when people that I'm talking to on the phone start talking to other people nearby. Um, hello? I'm the one on the phone!
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
18 Oct 17
@TheHorse I have been known to hang up the phone when it seemed that there was too much going on at the other end for the caller to pay attention to me.
@LilyBeBack (1994)
• United Kingdom
12 Oct 17
It doesn't bother me unless I can't hear them properly, I sometimes have to speak to people on speaker phone because they ring me when I'm listening to a podcast or music lthrough my bluetooth speaker and I don't know how to switch it off during a call :')
1 person likes this
@LilyBeBack (1994)
• United Kingdom
12 Oct 17
@TheHorse the speaker has a play/pause button but that's never worked for some reason, I've tried switching the speaker off but then the person ringing can hear me but I can't hear them, and on my phone's screen I can't do anything that doesn't relate to the call. All very annoying!
@Courtlynn (67080)
• United States
12 Oct 17
Doesnt bother me, especially if they were doing something already before i called, or if they have kids they're taking care of .. Just easier when looking for something, dealing with kids, cleaning, or even cooking etc.
1 person likes this
@William21001 (2637)
• Havre De Grace, Maryland
12 Oct 17
Depends on who I am talking to when and if im on speaker phone I dont hide things from anyone so it doesnt
1 person likes this
@William21001 (2637)
• Havre De Grace, Maryland
12 Oct 17
@TheHorse May i asked you a question is that dude in your profile pic from the tv show braking bad
