Cell Phone Sound-Off

By Robert MacMillan
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Thursday, June 30, 2005 10:18 AM

Boy, did I get an earful! I wrote a column last week -- two in fact -- that highlighted people's irritation when other folks invade their space with cell phone conversations.

In the first, I detailed the latest news in the Federal Communications Commission's consideration of removing a ban on in-flight cell phone conversations. In another, I reported on President Bush's attitude toward journalists who ignore White House staff entreaties to silence their phones, beepers and other communications gadgets.

That column was titled, "The Sound and the Fury," and when I asked readers to share their own, they piled on more words than I've ever seen from Shakespeare or Faulkner. Here's a sample of the best irritation stories I received, as well as some confessions from cell phone users. Enjoy!

Larry Mackey, Jackson Township, Ohio: "The passenger behind me [on a flight from Cleveland to Austin] was kind enough to engage the newly found speaker-phone option on his cell phone for not one, not two, but three phone calls! To add to the insult, he had to be personally reminded by the flight attendant that the door was closed before finally shutting it down."

Dave Darcey, Somerville, Mass.: "My neighbor died just before 9/11 and his funeral was held at 10 a.m. on the 11th. You know what happened. We heard ringings during the service, hushed conversations, people shushing the talkers, and one by one, people stepped outside. The priest, who did not know about the disaster, kept staring out and missing his place in his sermon."

Trudy Christopher, Tucson: "A friend and I were walking behind a guy on the street who seemed to be pretty bowlegged but he was talking loudly on his cell phone, complaining to his girlfriend that his vasectomy had hurt like hell and he wished he hadn't let her talk him into it."

Patti O'Donnell, Springfield, Va.: "I was at a conference last week where the speaker advised potential employee applicants to please not answer their cell phones during their interviews with potential employers. She apologized for saying what should be obvious but then described an interview the week before where an applicant not only answered the phone but carried on a two-minute nonsensical conversation."

Patrice Brown, Centreville, Va.: "I was using the ladies' room at my place of employment and someone in the stall next to me was loudly carrying on a conversation with her girlfriend about the 'good time' that she had last night with a new boyfriend!"

Sue Thomson, Montgomery, Ala.: "I teach lectures and laboratories [at Auburn University]. Not only have I had cell phones ring in class and lab, but I had someone start talking in a small classroom while I was lecturing. I asked her to leave. I now have a full page of course rules that I go over the first day of class. It basically consists of listing appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Cell phones are required to be on 'silent.'"

Chris McMahon, Evanston, Ill.: "I participated in the convocation ceremonies at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. A young woman, seated on the stage and facing hundreds of spectators while waiting to receive her master's degree, answered two calls on her cell phone while others were receiving their diplomas. She did not even mute the ringer after the first offense. In addition, she seemed to be using her text messaging or e-mail service throughout the ceremony."

Amy Sankaran, Fairfax, Va.: "I was at a movie in Memphis when I heard the ringing of a phone a few rows behind me. Rather than just turning it off or leaving the theater, the phone's owner answered it and talked for a few minutes out loud (including answering the obligatory 'where are you' question, which I maintain is the subject of about 85 percent of cell phone calls). Incredibly, a few minutes later, her phone rang again. And again she answered it and carried on another loud conversation for several more minutes."

Linda Kent, Casselberry, Fla.: These people who talk loudly enough on cell phones to be understood by persons around them should not expect privacy. Feel free to butt right in -- I do. If the cellphoner is talking about sex, throw in a few tips. If they're talking business, ask for clarifications as you whip out a notepad. Ask for the spelling of the names."

A.R. Purnell, Fleetwood, Pa.: "I am a veteran teacher of 30 years. On two different occasions, parent cell phones went off during parent-teacher conferences. Not only did they answer them, but they held conversations with the persons on the other end! The worst part of it was, I continued the conference after the parents ended their conversations!"

Chuck Balog, Alexandria, Va.: "[A woman at the dentist's office] proceeds to whip out her cell phone and start making calls. So, while she's in the middle of her call, the dentist comes in to perform her procedure (which I learn is a root canal). She makes him wait to get started for 5 minutes until she wraps up her call. I watched over the half-wall and he just stood there waiting for her to finish. Personally, I wish he would have shaved the 5 minutes off her anesthetic time."

Greg Winter, Port Washington, N.Y.: "My wife's car was hit by a [driver] talking on his cell phone. The damage to his brand new BMW 525i was minimal, while my wife's Toyota Tercel was totaled. He had been talking on his cell phone and ran a red light. However, what makes the story interesting is that he never stopped talking on his cell phone, even when he got out to see if my wife was alright and during the entire time that he and my wife were being interviewed by the police."

Hard to Say I'm Sorry

Here are a few confessions from readers brave enough to own up. I noted once before that there are so many people who complain about cell phones, but with some 180 million people in our country who tout them, I'm sure that a few people eventually will get their "Physician, Heal Thyself" moment :

Michael Figueroa, Fairfax, Va.: "I recently bought a Motorola v551 with Bluetooth just to get a Jabra headset. I'm only a moderate user, but I admit to using the phone/headset in hallways at work, on the sidewalk outside and when shopping. I think that the work use is fine if the conversation is business (or occasional dinner coordination with my wife). On the sidewalk, I'll admit that it's annoying, but I'll make a pact with all those smokers out there who walk and smoke: I'll quit if you quit!"

Lindsey Clawson, Rockville, Md.: "I've found myself about to, or already, gushing on my cell phone while walking down the street, telling someone about my mother becoming a 'displaced employee' from a local insurance company, or my husband's frightening trip to the doctor a couple weeks ago. I realized in time that the people walking near me did not need to know about my husband's medical history, but I was a bit late in catching myself while spilling the beans to my mother-in-law that my mother was looking for work."

Wendy J. Lewis, Harrisburg, Pa.: "I was on the phone in a public restroom when one of my best friends asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. I was, of course, the only person in the room, but it just put a damper on a happy occasion to find out in that setting. (She tried to tell me in person, but the timing didn't work out.) Thankfully I was walking down the street when I found out that she was pregnant."

Maya Brennan, Highland Park, N.J.: " As much as I try to wait until I have a solitary spot outside, people seem to come out of nowhere when I pull out my cell phone. They get to hear me either in the most icky 'I love you' moments with my husband, or -- and this was the worst -- trying to somehow discreetly make my annual appointment for a GYN exam. If someone put up empty phone booths for cell phone users in need of privacy, I would be the first in line."

A few readers braved the storm and questioned those who have a problem with our mobile, loquacious culture:

Kevin Broom, Washington: "I don't even own a cell phone, but I'm puzzled about why overhearing conversations is so irritating. Now, I can agree with those not wanting to hear phone sex, but is it really that different from two people sucking face on the Metro?"

Bob Meyers, Creswell, Ore.: "Last Friday my 16-year-old daughter left on a church mission to Mexico to build homes for the poor. The group amounted to 25 youths aged 15 to 17, an over-confident, over-energized 23-year-old group leader and three parents as chaperones. In an apparent last-minute power grab, the trip leader decided all kids should leave their cell phones behind. I threw a fit when I found out that night. My daughter just left on a 3,000 mile road trip through areas including the nation's highest crime rates and four significant earthquakes in the prior three days. I risked the dungeon of peer pressure by demanding and arranging for my daughter's cell phone to be there overnight. I sent it FedEx with a new spare battery and a note to only use for emergencies -- no calls to her friends back home, no teenage text messaging."

Thanks to everyone who wrote to me. I look forward to communicating with you again -- silently, via e-mail.

Send links and comments to robertDOTmacmillanATwashingtonpost.com.