Cell Phone Etiquette 101

I personally think that cell phones are a nuisance in today's society. We pay large bills each month to support our cell phone usage that includes texting, talking, and to some extent video calls to people that we see everyday. What makes it worse is people using cell phones at times when they should be concentrating on something else. Earlier this month, a woman was run over in downtown Toronto because she was crossing while speaking on her cell phone. She failed to hear the truck coming. Not only are cell phones annoying, but they're extreme safety hazards.

Nowadays, the cell phone is a symbol of status. The cooler the phone, the cooler you are. And currently, the king of all phones seems to be the iPhone. At $199 for the 8 GB iPhone on a 3-year contract, with plans costing about $40 a month for data transfer and web surfing, phones get expensive. Do we need something so expensive for things like calling each other and texting? Do we even need to call or text people that we see everyday? It would seem that we love to stay connected, with things like Facebook and MSN, it seems obvious that we would want to take something portable around with us. But when cell phones are causing deaths and wreaking havoc on our daily lives, something needs to be done.

When we purchase a phone, we aren't given a rulebook. Maybe we should. The government and cell phone companies and providers aren't putting much effort into making sure everyone stays safe while using these products. The provincial government of Ontario had mentioned a ban on cell phones and other electronics while driving. This was a few months ago. No other news of this ban has come forward, so it is safe to assume that it's not going to happen. Maybe there are unwritten rules for all cell phone users, that should be respected no matter where you are. If so, then these have to be part of them.

Five Rules of Cell Phone Use:

1. Do not use a cell phone while operating potentially hazardous machinery. This includes vehicles. Yes, that includes all those drivers we see weaving in and out of traffic or nearly hitting someone while making a lane change. It also includes those bus drivers who are texting while driving, putting everyone in the bus at harm.
2. Do not speak loudly on your cell phone in a confined area, forcing others to listen to half of a (probably uninteresting) conversation. Nobody wants to hear half a conversation while taking public transportation about what you did at school after eating your lunch, or what you did Friday night late week.
   
3. Please know your ringtone. Nothing is more annoying than having your phone ring for a long time as you wonder whether or not it's yours. Also, if you know your phone is ringing, pick it up. Don't dance as it plays a Jonas Brothers song. That's pretty annoying too.
4. Do not use your cell phone where you're not supposed to. A little glowing screen a few rows down in a movie theatre can completely ruin the movie. Someone talking in a library is also distracting, especially when you need to finish an essay.
   
5. Do not suddenly answer your phone while talking to someone else. Not only is this rude, but it kills all conversation you were having with that person. It doesn't help if you laugh the conversation with the person on your phone. That just makes your friend feel left out and unimportant.

Cell phones seem to be an increasingly invasive piece of technology in modern society. They interrupt conversations, make having conversations useless, and are being used at the wrong times because they're so darn distracting. With the average canadian having about one and a half phones, one would hope that we know how to use them politely and properly. But it seems that we don't and that everyone should be forced to take a mandatory seminar on how to use their cell phone. Maybe then we wouldn't have unanswered phone calls or annoying ringtones blaring on busses. Maybe as more cell phones are developped, we'll have a better sense of how to use them. But as they continue to evolve, chances are that we still won't be up to date on the latest news. You could always ask someone to text you the new rules. I'm sure they wouldn't mind as they're in class or driving a car.