Phone Calls Dying?
I don't think so, but that's what this guy seems to be saying. My personal observations show the opposite. People, at least a lot of them, can't seem to stay off the phone now that nearly everyone has a cell phone.
I've mentioned before I've noticed up to 1 in 3 drivers talking on their cell phones. It's almost the same with people not driving, or so it seems. Go into Winco and see how many shoppers are walking around, oblivious to anything around them other than the conversation they're having on their cell phone.
Yesterday wasn't the first time I've seen someone in the Henderson Center Rite- Aid talking on a cell phone from the time they entered the store until they left. With that gal yesterday, I first noticed her talking on the phone waiting in the checkout line. She holds the phone to her ear while completing checkout and leaves the store talking. A minute or two later, as I'm walking out to the parking lot, there she is in her car exiting the parking lot and still talking on the phone!
Sick, sick, sick, aren't we? Can't stand the thought of having to walk or drive somewhere and actually having to listen to ourselves think?
But, back to the topic at hand, I don't think there's any way fewer or shorter phone calls are being made now. If anything, more phone calls are being made, albeit perhaps not with conventional telephones as cell phones are taking over our lives.
Kudos to Radley Balko for the link.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 8:19 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
I'm with you on the cell phones.
it drives me nuts watching people walking around babbling on a phone while trying to do something else.
My observations are that the young girls are the worst for walking around with them attached to their ear.
When it comes to driving both girls and boys are jibbering on hand-held cell phones (what California law?).
A recent study of teenagers texting on cell phones while driving determined that 87% admit doing it.
Texting while driving = real stupid. Criminally stupid. Especially when they know what their doing is dangerous.
Whewwwwww...don't get me going. This is one of my prime peeves. I figure I'm going to be a victim of one of those morons some day.
The odds are against me, and you, when you consider that statistics show 93% of American teenagers have a cell phone.
I have a cell phone myself, but it's usually turned off and I rarely use it. I generally try and use my regular home phone when I need to make a phone call.
As an aside, I don't recall if they're trying to increase penalties for driving while talking, or they already passed the penalty increases. I don't know about increasing the already steep penalties, except in one situation:
For people that get in their car, start it up and start driving while talking on a cell phone, go ahead and double their fines. They're in a stationary vehicle and can go ahead and finish their conversation while stationary, but they don't.
If a cop witnessed someone get in a car and drive off while talking, I'd say that's brazen enough that a doubled penalty might well be appropriate.
There are many people that are still talking on their phones while driving. I notice them on the highway and streets as most are not driving very well and some aren't staying in their own lane.
As far as talking on cell phones in stores - I get calls from business clients and my husband gets business calls that if he couldn't get the call would result in many more telephone calls than is actually necessary and at times the person that is calling isn't available at any other time. He doesn't walk around in the store talking though. He usually stands in one out of the way place or goes outside and finishes the call.
You might try buying an answering machine. Also, I believe most cellular services offer voice mail. Then you can deal with such calls when they're more convenient to you.
Idiot Fred, being successful in a business means talking with customers when its convenient for them, not you. There's a good reason you can't succeed in a competitive job market.
Meanwhile, Fred writes and writes and writes, whether he has a subject or not.
I do this blog thing with my cell phone. It's got Super Mario Bros on it too which is handy.
Talking on cell phones is dumb though. Someday nobody will talk they will just brain text and brain mail.
The California State Legislature's cell phone law is rarely enforced. I think the citizens should be issued bazookas. Whenever we see some driver who risks everybody else's life so they can chat on a cell phone, I say let's let loose a bazooka blast at them! That should get their attention in a hurry! I bet they'll put the cell phone down then!
Post a Comment
<< Home