Phone etiquette - un - Editor's Note - Editorial

Communications News,  March, 2003  by Ken Anderberg

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First, let me say that my Father is one of the most courteous people you will ever meet. As children, my brothers and I were taught "Yes, sir," "No, sir," and other forms of respect daily. My Father is almost never discourteous intentionally. He's Mr. Nice and Mr. Respectful, all rolled into one.

Having said that, I must admit that his phone etiquette, along with countless others, has gone down the sewer-and it's all because of call waiting.

My Father is not the only culprit in my life, either. Other relatives, friends and whomever practice the same sort of inconsiderateness. Here you are, having a meaningful conversation with a friend, and suddenly they dismiss you as some sort of half-finished appetizer because a faint beep is heard on their end of the phone. "Oh, wait a minute, I have a call coming in."

Hello. Wasn't I already a call coming in?

Usually, that friend answers the other call and gets back to you. But, what's the point? The conversation has been jerked around and can resume with only a flicker of continuity, while your friend (or Father) is subconsciously wondering why the other person called and is subconsciously anxious to get off the phone so he can call back the other caller.

Aaarrggghhh!

Technology is getting in the way of civility, and now they are talking about allowing cell phone use on airplanes. Has anybody got a brain left? Cell phones on planes will start an air rage epidemic that will eclipse anything ever seen on the nation's highways.

The first person I have to sit next to on an airplane who thinks it's important to make a call to the office to check on his schedule or to tell the wife that he's going to be 15 minutes late to dinner will find that I'm not the very best of seat mates. The flight crew will probably toss me out the emergency door-with or without a parachute (but maybe they'll give me a cell phone for one last absolutely necessary conversation on the way down).

How many times have you seen cell phone addicts who have to make a call just before the door doses on the plane, and then make another just when the door opens on landing? Did you ever listen to what they had to say?

"Honey, I've just landed. I'll get a taxi as soon as I can get my luggage and be home as soon as possible." Aaarrrggghhh! Will their in-flight conversations be any more educational? What did they do before they got a cell phone, send smoke signals?

I can hardly wait for that transcontinental flight in the not-too-distant future, when I get to listen to a half-hour discourse about the 15-year-old's prom date-from the cell phone conversation of the person five rows behind me. Or the instructions from the sales exec to his assistant, or better still, his complete 45-minute sales presentation to a prospect who obviously has a hearing problem-judging by the amplitude of the flying caller's voice.

So, Dad (who now also has a cell phone to team with his call waiting), cut me a break on our next phone conversation (and remember all that consideration-for-others training you instilled in me) and avoid the call-waiting interruptions.

kena@comnews.com

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