Mobile phones can be a menace

How do people find these old threads? This one seems to be 3 years old! Plus the one who DID find it only made a stupid comment.

We have just got back from Germany - and oh the joy. Germans have just as many mobile phones as we do, but people in the street were not clutching phones in their hands all the time, not answering them in the street as they walked around. Nobody had their telephone on the table as they ate, so nobody was playing with their phone while they ate either.

When people were on the train, with a long journey ahead, yes, they were -playing games, checking emails etc etc,but again, any calls and there were not that many, were taken quietly so as not to disturb other passengers.

It was wonderful!

ok boomers

I find it odd that so many blame the technology rather than the people who use it. It's a bit like blaming the piano if the notes don't come out in the right order... If you don't want to anwer or be a slave to it, then don't. Turn the blooming thing off. If others annoy you, well that's life, you can pick your friends, make sure they are other like-minded people. I have a smart phone, I use it when I want to. If I'm worried about a family member, I can at least see who is calling and may chose not to answer someone not related. I can check for urgent responses to emails when not at home and move money around when necessary without going to the bank or going home first. I read my Kindle books on it or catch up on the news when bored in waiting rooms. Take what you want from the technology and leave the rest - if you can't beat it, you don't have to join it!

I have two mobile phones, one for work and my personal one. I don't answer the phone (including my landline) when we're at the table unless I am awaiting urgent news (i.e. when family members are very ill etc.).

The major problem I have with mobile phones is that when someone rings/texts/leaves a voicemail there is an expectation from them that I should regard it as urgent and immediately reply, when often a response in NOT my priority.

I agree with everthing that's been said here about the evils of mobile phones but I think nothing truly upsets me more than people using them while driving: www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37643994 Mobiles seem to have promoted a collective idiocy!

Igot my first mobile 20+ years ago when I was driving DD quite long distances in an elderly horsebox; it actually did come in handy a couple of times. I still have one (though DD drives the horsebox herself now ), I even bought a smart phone earlier this year but it's too fiddly to do anything but make calls, text & take photos. I do try to keep it charged and with me most of the time. I wouldn't miss it if I didn't have one but people get so irritated if you don't use a mobile.

I have an ancient Nokia - my husband's old old phone. In fact my seven-year-old grandson thought it was funny when he saw it. I rarely use it and sometimes have to ring the landline so that it doesn't go into hibernation. Recently I filled in an application form for The Chase and found that a mobile phone number was compulsory! I emailed the show and was told to put a single number on the form to fill in the line so that they would know I don't use a mobile. I have the phone for emergencies only. As for seeing young mothers constantly on the phone, over the past couple of years I have seen a woman with a pushchair on the phone, ignoring the child. Last week I noticed that the children must now be in nursery as she was walking without a pushchair but still on the phone. Also I walked down the street in a nearby town and practically everyone I passed was looking at a phone. What did we do without them?

i have tried, believe me. I have really tried with mobile phones but i must admitt I am not interested in them or what they do. having just lost mine, again,we now have one between us, its held together with an elastic band with a sticker on the back that has the number written on it! my husband takes it with him especially when he is out runnningor cycling to let me know ,what time to expect him and that he is ok. now my ipad is another thing, I use that for everything and love it. also at home we have a little box by the door and the gc put their phones in it when visiting. they just laugh about itand call it one of nans rules!

Always carry my cellphone with me. If nothing else, it helps hubby and I find each other when we go shopping together. I also make sure it's plugged into the charger every night before bedtime.

Issue....Re: ignoring others etc., I think it's because technology has gotten so far ahead of us, that the rules of etiquette haven't caught up yet. Having said that, I do think that good manners is just common sense. You don't need to turn it off altogether, just silence it. I you're visiting friends, eating with others at a restaurant, going to the theater or anywhere else that behooves your undivided attention, check discreetly if you feel a buzz and ignore it at will. If perchance it's a real emergency, there shouldn't be any need for apologies.

I'm a 'young' Nanny (52 with a 4 year old DGD and another DGD due at the end of Feb). I must confess that I couldn't survive without my phone, particularly if I'm out with DGD playing Pokemon Go ( I have 2 Pikachu and DD doesn't have any! DGD loves Pikachu ). I use mine for Facebook, checking the train times Pokemon Go and WhatsApp, as well as more conventional uses.

I accidentally left my phone at work over the weekend a couple of years ago, it was like I'd had my arm chopped off, also a pain as I was trying to organise my 50th birthday party.

No it's not generational. My clients are of a certain age, mostly above fifty.
Picture the scene- me the beauty therapist with my client, all tucked in cozily on my couch having a facial- we'll call her X
Phone rings.
X- oh no I am sorry I thought I'd turned it off
Me- do you want me to get it? ( remember that I am doing a facial, hands coved in creams)
X- no it won't be important, they'll leave a message. Oh dear maybe I'd better, if you don't mind.
Then I stand up and the ringing stops so I sit down again.
X- I'd better see who it is, sorry.
I clean my hands and find the phone.
X- oh it's my husband, I'd better ring him back.
A few minutes later I can get back to work again.
X- so sorry
This is the point where I fantasise that I send her out with her face mask on because my next client is waiting.
I haven't yet but it's so tempting ?

There is a time and place for them I use mine to text family and friends and take odd photo but it's only a basic phone . Can't believe consultant used mobile when you were paying for consultation knspol I would have had to say something . Granny piper I have said similar things to people .

I got a phone years ago for safety when dog walking after a friend fell & broke her ankle & was there for ages before anyone found her.
I couldn't live without it now but would not answer it if I'm in company & have Bluetooth in car so I can use it safely.
I think you just have to be sensible & considerate with them.

I have a very ancient Nokia which I take out with me in case my scooter should break down as it did the other week whilst I was in a shop and I was able to phone the mobility centre to bring out another. This was the first time I had had to use it in years. A woman on her phone walked right in front of me the other day and I had to stop quickly. She gave me a terrible look as though it was my fault. I always have to look out for toddlers whose mums are on the phone.

I have one, and people ask "why do you have a mobile when its never on" it is on, but not always where I am, maybe charching somewhere.
I totally agree with people NOT having the phone on at the table, my Grandchidren came with their parents the other evening, armed with their mobiles of course, we were about to eat, I said "this is a mobile free zone" they looked at me, and put their phones away, but couldnt wait to leave the table and spend the rest of the evening lying on the sofa looking at their phone. Another one; we went spontaneously to a neighbour just for a chat one evening, the Husbands phone rang and he proceeded to talk,at the same time as my Husband stupidly had asked a question, and immediately the Wife got out her phone and started to GOOGLE, so there WE were sitting on our own, while host and hostess merily ignored us until phone conversation was over, and the GOOGLE had done its job, I was furious, inside, and thought how rude people have become, because of technology. Ranting over!

If you are speaking to someone face to face and the answer their mobile or read a text just stop talking and when they finally give you there attention again very politely say" silly me i thought you were still on your phone ! watch their face go red

how did we live wthout them! mine is an old tesco phone that I use to text friends the time we are meeting. thats about it. if it rings I've no idea what to do.I leave you with this thought. how often did you see a queue outside a phone box with people wanting to pass the time of day with someone?

It's just a teenage gesture Susie comes from a dance, one arm out straight to the side shoulder height other bent in front of eye height Do it for your grandkids and see what they say LOL ( if they are pre teen or teen they ll love it

While I agree with many of the points raised , mine is always on. DH is on transplant list so ........

BlueBelle, I am dying to know what a "dab" is?!?!

yes,I agree,I have a basic mobile phone,they can be useful,I bought one some years ago after our car broke down and we could have done with one.But I do get fed up hearing people's conversations in a loud voice when on a bus.We older people can remember a time when we didn't have them,people would just have to wait till we got home.I do like to have mine when I'm out with my granddaughter,so I can be in contact with her parents if need be.But some people become oblivious to everything around them,they forget to talk to their children or other people they are with.

I chose the iPhone 5SE because it has a really good camera (when I learn to use it properly), but DH has a Microsoft mobile and his camera is brilliant.

It's a standing joke in our family that I have a phone but rarely answer it and if they want me they use the landline [I work from home]. Mind you I do like to have it with me when out and about - just in case - though I must admit I've not considered that I might be out of range if an emergency occurs! Yipes! another worry to add to my list [fear emoticon]

You have paid for her time - ALL her time - don't allow any private clinician to do this to you.

Oh dear, that's concerned me, Joannewton, I was going to start looking fairly soon - perhaps I should begin now. I am grateful for mobiles as they are enormously useful and I am not knocking them - it is just the way they seem to be allowed to take over some people's lives. A few young people in our family would react as if they had had a limb amputated if their phones were missing. I am quite used to being treated as if I am demented by the way - I think it goes with getting past about 55, so I'll start my search and ignore the stunned looks of the assistants in the various phone outlets!