10 Commandments of Cell Phone Etiquette

Fri Jul 7, 2006 5:06PM EDT

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Once in a while even the stodgy InfoWorld has an amusing piece, and the magazine's "10 commandments of cell phone etiquette" is just the thing for a Friday afternoon.

Headed out on the town this weekend? Read the rules, and heed them well!

Among my favorites (and among the less obvious commandments like turning your phone off at a movie theater):

  • "Thou shalt not set thy ringer to play La Cucaracha every time thy phone rings." Some of the default ringtones, especially the polyphonic ones, are actually even worse.
  • "Thou shalt not wear more than two wireless devices on thy belt." You know if you're guilty right now.
  • "Thou shalt not speak louder on thy cell phone than thou would on any other phone." Man, this is an aggravating one. Why do people hold the phone in front of them and yell into it instead of talking normally? To avoid the tumors?
  • "Thou shalt not slam thy cell phone down on a restaurant table just in case it rings." Ok, I'm guilty here. I just can't stand having a phone in my pocket for any longer than necessary. Try it with a brick like the Sprint PPC-6700 and you'll understand.

As you might expect, there are six more commandments, but I won't spoil the fun. Enjoy your weekend!

LINK: The Ten Commandments of cell phone etiquette

Comments on 10 Commandments of Cell Phone Etiquette

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  • 66 Posted by murphstl on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ummm.... where the heck are the other "commandments"? What are we missing here?

  • 67 Posted by moemonte216 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    hmmm I can understand the in line on the phone comment. I agree to a point, but honestly, I would rather stand in line and tolerate their classlessness and make fun of them when I leave the store with my purchase then have them NOT on the phone and feel compelled to turn around and tell me their woes as soooo many do. LOL

  • 68 Posted by uezidinma on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    I feel like the cell phone is a wonderful means of communication. However, I dread answering and returning cell phone calls/messages. People expect you to answer your phone call even when you are at work or in a class. This is nuts!nuts!!!!!!!!!! They leave you a long message and expect you to call back within the hour. Cell phone should be used for emergency calls or for important calls not for gossips. If I must gossip on my phone, please let it be during the weekend not on a work/school night when I have to wake up early the next day.Also, the walkie talkie phone drives me crazy when people use them in a bus or at the park. Please, stop the communication abuse.

  • 69 Posted by catb963 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    Thou shall not use the cell phone,while trying to conduct business,such as ordering food at a restaurant,conducting business at a grocery or conveince store,etc..why make yourself look BAD? While in or on your motor vehicle you should put your vehicle in the park position IF you MUST,use the cell phone,if you don't care or respect yourself,think of the SAFETY of OTHERS.

  • 70 Posted by ibishayone on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    why mix religion with cell phone rules??? ip n.y.c.

  • 71 Posted by lanijoanabr on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    If you're talking on your cell phone while on a line or standing somewhere and there are other people. You have every right to talk on your phone. Just don't be so loud and rude to others. But what if I were talking the same way as I would on a cell, to a person in front of me? Should I stop talking cause I'm annoying you? What if he or she is making me laugh? It's the same as if the person were there, but instead, on the other end of my cell phone. Same thing. But in both cases, you just have to be kind and respectful of others around you.

  • 73 Posted by instrain02 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    Thou shalt not talk on your cell phone while in a public restroom or your bathroom at home for that matter!

  • 74 Posted by kwillis01@snet.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    May I ask: what the heck did you people do before the advent of the wireless communication craze? My answer: put a quarter in the nearest payphone or waited until you got HOME to carry on your conversation. This habit of constantly yakking in the car, in the restaurant, wherever is extremely RUDE and in some cases downright DANGEROUS!!! Hang up your phone and drive your car!! Speak softly, no one wants to hear your personal business. Don't answer your cell phone at work, that is a PERSONAL call. Don't talk on the phone while dining, your dinner companions came to have a face-to-face conversation and share a meal with YOU stunod.

  • 75 Posted by dukes_email on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    The reason people speak louder on a cell phone than they do a regular phone is very simple (not justified...): When we use regular phones, our own voice is fed back to us through the receiver. However, this is not the case with cell phones. As result, many people "feel" like their voice is not loud enough (they can't hear it as well) when they speak on cell phones, so they speak louder...

  • 77 Posted by ericathepopstar on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    Great advice. This should be linked to Barbaritaontheloose.blogspot.com to answer her question about phone etiquette.

  • 78 Posted by onejazzygal255@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    Don't post comments in CAPS, very rude. Turn it off in church otherwise use your head when driving and talking on cell it's not rocket science just use common sense the life you save might be your own?

  • 79 Posted by colonelmustard_01 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    WHAT ARE THE OTHER SIX??? I MUST KNOW! Seriously, I really want to know.

  • 81 Posted by boinker20002 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:11PM EDT Report Abuse

    Reading these posts is more fun that the article.

  • 82 Posted by lnd_muse on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    lynnapoo Unfortunately just like the original ten commandments these too will not be obeyed.

  • 83 Posted by jkmh03 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    It's sad that we all have and can keep these 10 "Commandments" of cell phone law, but not keep even one of the Biblical 10 Commandments that God gave us. That's what would make life much nicer, if we all did!

  • 84 Posted by netsun0473 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    Another beefor for #5....What if you have Voice dial on your phone or an in car Bluetooth system which won't distract you to the point of needing to physically dial the number? This is particularly prevalent with most of the in car handsfree systems these days. Personally, I find that it doesn't distract you too much from your mental train of thought when driving. I can still look straight ahead or monitor the traffic around me, etc.

  • 85 Posted by bdruhl on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    I appreciated this article, but would also respectfully disagree withthe caller # 2 message (the one seeking a call back related to a referral for a prospective new employee), as it seems it could also be very risky. In fact, in some situations the request is actually illegal. Many companies are not allowed to discuss ANYTHING about former employees, other than confirmation of employment and perhpas number of years at the former company. It is always interesting to read about professional phone etiquette, but I have alwyas believed in staying on-point (i.e. who necessarily cares if the stranger leaving a voiec message is a former college "alum"?) be careful what you wish for? The purpose of the call is ...the purpose of the call... is the purpose of the call, isn't it? Thanks again, Brian R, Mpls, MN

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