Yesterday I was in an all-day meeting with other reading specialists.  The meeting was interrupted THREE times by cell phones ringing.  Each time, the person whose phone was ringing, acted surprised (What? A phone call for me?!), dug the phone out of her purse, got up and walked out of the meeting, saying “hello” into the phone before getting out of the room.  One phone was particularly loud and played a wild clanging song.  None of the phone calls were emergencies.  They most likely weren’t even important.  They were  just everyday conversations with husbands, children, boyfriends, whoever. 

I don’t understand how professional people can do that.  It is the epitome of rudeness and disrespect.   Almost always, I silence my phone before entering a meeting or going into my school.  I keep it in my pocket on “vibrate” and if I get a call, I will answer it only if I’m by myself.  Any other time, I understand that if I don’t answer it, the person will leave a message, and I can retrieve the message the next time I have the opportunity.  If I’m expecting an important call, I will excuse myself before answering it.  What happened to those basic good manners?

It really irritates me the way people so nonchalantly interrupt meetings in order to take phone calls.  It’s arrogance, really.  As though that person’s personal conversations are more important than respect for whoever is speaking at the meeting.  I know how much time presenters put into their programs.  It must gall them to have people exhibit such disrespect.

Similarly, I’ve been around people who take phone calls when I’m with them - and talk for long conversations - chatty conversations - forcing me to stand or sit there quietly waiting for them to finish their phone call.  As though I WANT to be stuck there listening to one end of an aimless conversation.  The worst is to be stuck in the car with someone who simply MUST carry on private phone conversations for all the car occupants to hear.  It happens much too often.

So what are the rules of cell phone etiquette?

(1) Cell phones should be turned off or turned to “vibrate” whenever you’re in a meeting, a social or business gathering, or at work.

(2)  If you receive a call while in a meeting, you should let it go to voicemail and retrieve your message later. 

(3) If you are expecting an important call, and you feel you absolutely MUST take the call during a meeting, excuse yourself politely and wait until you are out of earshot of the meeting before answering your phone. 

(4) If you absolute MUST take a call when you are with friends, family or co-workers, then excuse yourself and make the call as short and to the point as possible. 

 (5) If you forget and leave your phone on during a meeting, and your phone rings, simply turn it off as quickly and unobtrusively as possible.  Return the call after the meeting.  Do NOT let it continue to ring and then further interrupt things by answering it where everyone can hear you.

I think I’ve covered the main points.  No - go and behave yourselves!

This entry was posted on Friday, May 18th, 2007 at 9:45 pm and is filed under Life's Absurdities, Random Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.