Laws against using your cell phone in public.
By shannon76
@shannon76 (1232)
United States
January 2, 2007 10:21am CST
So we have all been there. The girl at the next table at the resturant, chatting away on her cel phone. You, having to sit here and listen to her whole conversation because she is talking so loud.
Or how about the man in line at the bank. Conducting business in line and you are subjected to his conversation about stocks and blah blah blah...
Or how about the person in the car infront of you talking on the cell phone going 10 miles an hour under the speed limit.
We have all been there and I am sure most of us are guilty of some of this too (I know I am). But what do we do? Is anyone annoyed by ever growing popularity of cell phones? Does everyone like to be able to be contaced 24/7? They are finally getting laws in place for driving while talking on the cell phone, but what about resturants? Why can't they have a law that says you MUST turn it off before you come in to an establishment?
16 people like this
110 responses
@jenbatres (799)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I don't tink they can make a law about cell phones in restaurants. It would show respect to at least have the phone on silent or vibrate . . .and leave the eating area when taking a call. Many people do business over lunch via cell phone, business' would loose money if there were such a ban.
1 person likes this
@shannon76 (1232)
• United States
4 Jan 07
WEll that's the problem today - people should be EATING lunch rather then talking on the phone..... What better reason to give your boss then a ban in resturants!! That would force people to take that needed break anyways. So I say it would be a win/win situation!
@cwgrlsarefun (1581)
• United States
3 Jan 07
This topic is a very good one. I despise talking on the phone while driving, and have been very annoyed about having to listen to someone elses conversations. I have refused to own one until the last couple of months and the only reason for getting one is that my mother is very ill and this is one way that they can reach me at all times. I hope that they do come up with laws concerning cell phone usage in public places.
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
2 Jan 07
It will never happen. I wish it would. I get so aggraviated when I hear people talking so loudly on their phones. I just turn and stare at them. Or if Im with someone talk to my friend about how rude it is to hear some elses conversation. I see people driving and talking on the phone all the time. They will continue to do it till they get caught. what are we going to do?
1 person likes this
@shannon76 (1232)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Well the only thing we can do right now is spread the word and also talk to your congress men and women to see if they can pass more laws or at the suggestion of another person here, write to resturants and establishments that you frequent and ask them to post signs to remind customers to either turn off their phones or keep them on vibrate and to answer their phones out side or in the bathrooms. That's all I can think of right now to do!
@clark16 (375)
• Philippines
3 Jan 07
Cellphones were used to get in touch with one another anywhere especially during emergency cases. And everybody almost have them. In your topic, maybe people who were using cellphone must learn phone ethics in order to respect other people in public places.
1 person likes this
@WebMann (4731)
• Canada
3 Jan 07
When people sit beside me and talk on their phone I make loud comments that will be heard on the other end and they usually ask me to stop or they move away, either way I get a chance to ask them to move so they can carry on their conversation and we can carry on our conversation.
The louder the better.
As for those using cell phones when driving. They should be slapped in the head and fined big time for being idiots.
1 person likes this
@ajay22 (300)
• India
3 Jan 07
aahh..nice discussion, even I suffered like this on a number of occasion and yes I am guilty of the same offence as well, I do not think that a law will help you, because its nearly impossible to check such a large population of mobile phone user, it has to come from self-decipline
1 person likes this
@katprice (805)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I agree. There had been talk of putting phone booths back up, but this time without the phones in them. Now they can be used as a place for people to go and talk on their cell phones without having to subject everyone around them to their conversation.
I get really upset when I see people driving and holding a phone up to their ear at the same time. That is just wrong. I hope our state bans it soon, much like neighboring states have. It's too dangerous.
1 person likes this
@vhmehta (621)
• United States
3 Jan 07
In US the problem is much less than when I went to India for visiting I saw people talking loudly in restaurants and even in theatres without taking others into consideration. Even in US the problem is there. I feel restaurants should put a ban on using cellphones. If you have to talk then go out of the restaurant.
1 person likes this
@robiwankenobj (129)
• Italy
3 Jan 07
I hate this situation but it's a matter of education. We can't impose good education with a low. Except for situation of real danger for the person, like driving while speaking at the cell phone, I think that we can't forbid the use of cell phone. But what about the use of it in the school?
1 person likes this
@limosonia1 (1559)
• United States
3 Jan 07
Thats a hard one because a lot of business is now done on cell phones and people need the constant contact for different type of business. I agree that if you get a personnal call at a restaurant or will in line you should call the person back when you are done. But thats just being thoughtful of the people around you.
1 person likes this
@dawn5679 (266)
• United States
3 Jan 07
I think that it should be against the law to drive while on a cell phone.. My husband was hit by a girl who was on her cell and my hubby had to have shoulder surgery because of this. So i think they should have a law about being on your cell while driving.
1 person likes this
@katytuck (4)
•
3 Jan 07
This is a hard one, where would we be without or phones? the thing that gets me is that phones are starting to get used for random things that really arnt necessary such as mobile TV etc... i think this is what needs to be cut back on! and just use mobile phones for what they are meant to be used for, phone calls and txt messages
@monx007 (162)
• Indonesia
3 Jan 07
Actually, there is a law that forbidden using a cell phone when driving.
And for using cell phone in public area, such as restaurant or something else, you can not do anything against it. It the same, if you talk to your friend and speak loudly.
Perhaps you must not to think seriously about it, just ignore them and focus on what you are doing
1 person likes this
@primecrimson (1388)
• Philippines
3 Jan 07
IN our school, a student who uses cellphones during class hours will have a penalty in the Office of Student's Affairs. Most of the time those who were caught will work in the school for several hours per week.
1 person likes this
@mailmanu_1986 (55)
• India
3 Jan 07
Yes, your concern is in a very right direction. There should be laws made in order to limit the use of cell phones in public places so that other people are not disturbed. But more than that its the responsibility of the beholder to make sure that his/her conversation is not interrupting anyone elses work.
1 person likes this
@sidearthman (179)
• India
2 Jan 07
yes u r right...this is irritating...when u r sitting with ur beloved in a candle light dinner and suddenly a person starts talking to someone loudly..then how do u feel???? u feel like slapping the person in front of the whole public
1 person likes this
@youfearthetruth (98)
• Canada
3 Jan 07
ok if you want cell phones banned in public how is someone going to be reached if there is an emergency in their family? say your sitting in a restaurant and your child has been in a tragic accidient how are you suppose to know if your having coffee and your not allowed to have your phone on?????? thats just stupid... ok ya in cars it is banned and you can get a fine... you can easily pull over....
@shannon76 (1232)
• United States
3 Jan 07
How did anyone ever survive without cell phones? It's scary...
Well if that's the case why can't people at least just turn the phone to vibrate? And if your phone rungs, and it's not the babysitter, police, or hospital, then don't answer it!!
@youfearthetruth (98)
• Canada
3 Jan 07
yes they could do that..i have a cell phone and i do answer it if its not something important i say i have to go and if they want to chitchat sooo bad thats what text messaging is for is less disturbing in public places...i think its so dumb that parents are buying cell phones for thier children that are 12 or 13 year olds now a days that generation is going to grow up and be the rude ppl you dispise, and it also bothers me because mobile chat sites are popping up like crazy and these pedophiles you see getting caught on dateline and stuff are going to start turning to these mobile chats to look for prey and children with cell phones are more vunriable...they can give thier cell number away or give thier whereabouts and meet in discreet places...so there actually should be a law for children not to have cell phones
