Can you hear me now? How about now? No? Now? Better here?
It may very well be that I'm just excessively tired because finals and senior comps are looming over me like a pro-wrestler getting ready to body-slam me, but I swear people are committing my #1 pet peeve more and more as of recently. What is this pet peeve you ask? Here are the two very related parts to my pet peeve:
1) People talking on their phones when I can't escape the situation. This includes people talking on their phones in the elevator, in the same car/bus/train as you, in the computer lab, in crowded stores, etc. No I don't want to hear your conversation with someone else. Of course there are exceptions, but you had better have a darned good reason for making me suffer through a one-sided conversation. Hang up and call them back in a few minutes. My favorite example: The girl who was breaking up with her boyfriend on the phone while riding a public bus. Seriously, do you really want other people to hear that? Isn't that sort of a private conversation? I definately don't want to hear it. Uncomfortable!
2) People giving their phones priority over me when I am with them in person. This one has more exceptions than the first, but still, as a general rule, people you are with have priority over people who are calling you. If you're expecting a phone call (or need to make one), you should let the person you are with know that you may have to take a phone call. You should also make the conversation as short as possible. Try to leave the room if at all possible (refer to above paragraph). And you should never, never answer an unknown number when you're with someone else. That's like saying some unknown person is more important than whoever you are with. Ouch!
Okay, I feel much better after sending my complaint off into cyberspace. Btw- I do realize that there are much, much worse things in the world than my minor complaints. I do have some semblance of perspective.
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8 comments:
Amen to number two! I know I still do it sometimes, but I'm big on always leaving the room (hence how I got locked out of your place that time I took a call from our missionary comittee).
Number one is annoying too, but I think about it less. I guess I just don't expect as much from strangers as from the people I know.
First things first. You should be commended for trying to always leave the room. I knew there was a reason we were friends :)
The thing about number one is that I'm kind of right there with you when it's people I don't know. I don't expect as much from them, but it happens absolutely way too much with people I do know. The absolute worst is when I'm in the car with one other person and they're on the phone. What are you supposed to do during that time? You can't listen to music because it's too loud for them to hear the other person. Instead you get to stare out the window and listen to their conversation. And hope that it'll be over soon.
Agreed, also, what the heck is up with the cell phone drivers. As usual, there's exceptions to the rule, but seriously, it's like saying everyone else around you is worth putting in danger at the expense of not waiting 5 mins to be able to pull over and find out what your caller is calling about.
Obviously calls about trying to get directions to wherever you are going is one of those exceptions, but usually you should only have to do that once you get really close to the approximate location and just need a few extra details. Usually by this time you are driving really slow anyway looking for where you are supposed to be going. Grrr!
Ouch... and this comment comes right after I said I would be able to talk to you while I'm driving tomorrow. I admit. I'm guilty of this one :(
Well then again, you never know what someone could be calling about. For all you know, your relative could have just been critically injured in a car accident, and your not picking up your phone cause your concentrating on your driving. I'm okay with people that pull into the far right lane and chat on their phone, as long as the passing lane is clear for me, they can chat it up all they want :)
Thank you for this! I can't stand people who wander around in public places and yack yack yack about their health problems, and their love-life issues and the suspicious rash on their hu-ha... it drives me insane! NO ONE wants to know that kind of information about complete strangers! I seriously want to rip their phones off their faces and throw them out the closest window!! Granted, that has never actually happened -but you get the picture! I don't get road rage, I get phone rage!
Perspective schmerspective. Ahh, cellphones... sometimes it seems like you can't live without them, and then the rest of the time it's like they are the spawn of the devil.
Jen...Well said!
I have to say my biggest pet peeve of cell phones lately is this massive obsession with texting! I see people texting in church, in class, as they're walking, and driving! For Real!! Get over it, and just wait for an appropriate time!
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