Comments on: Is it just me?

By: Terry

Terry — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:57:35 +0000

Thanks, BEL, Trudi, Sandy and Bonnie! I’m glad it’s not just me !

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:16:26 +0000

What is so urgent unless you’re a thoracic surgeon to the head of the UN, that requires anyone to be so “available ” at every second. I just don’t get it.

I would hold the owner/manager responsible for establishing guidelines that reflect their business. One of those guidelines is that cell phone usage is fine on your break, and otherwise, it’s out of use and out of sight.
Rules and behavior are set by precedent of the owners. If they don’t care, why should employees. Who will be at their job for a week and a half and be somewhere else after that.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:14:13 +0000

It’s not just you. I sat behind someone on a plane last week who had his bluetooth or whatever it’s called in his ear for the whole 4 hours. Aside from being rude it’s unattractive.

By: Trudi Gilliam

Trudi Gilliam — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:36:03 +0000

I realize some people need to stay in touch by phone for work, or kid reasons, but I can’t stand the new, “I have to be available to my cell phone at all the times,” attitude. The whole philosophy of “being in the moment” is disappearing in our society. I get so amused at people I see at events who spend more time on the cell phone talking to someone about the event rather enjoying the moment for themselves… I get so annoyed at people who talk on their phone or headset when they are standing right next to me in a grocery line, or at an outside cafe. I have to control my urge to start talking to myself in a loud voice, speaking nonsense, to try and make them realize how rude they are behaving. Usually it is in vain… It is especially annoying in airports when I am trying to read, and the cell phone user is sitting right next to me. I live in the Rocky Mountains, and cell phones don’t work very well out here; it is blessing in disguise.

By: BEL

BEL — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:12:57 +0000

I absolutely agree with you Terry. I can never tell if people are talking to me or to someone with their bluetooth. I have a headset for driving but I always make it a point to take it off when I go into a store or an office. Would that same restaurant allow the person to walk around holding their phone and talking while clearing tables? Probably not.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:24:11 +0000

For clarification I’d like to add that I did not tell Terry to “get with the program”. I agreed that having those bluetooth headsets in/on your ear while interacting with other people is often rude and annoying. I agreed that it was inappropriate and unnecessary for a bus-person to be wearing one of these while serving people.

I joked that maybe it was an in-house communication device on which he was receiving instructions – “Table 4 needs water… over” “Please clear the plates from table 7″.

However, I do think the attitudes of many people are changing and, for better or worse, they are beginning to consider these wireless headsets as “fashion accessories” much like jewelry, and I expressed that.

By: Terry

Terry — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:00:05 +0000

Or maybe not...check this out: burnettiquette.blogspot.com/2007/10/boycotting-bluetooth-sort-of.html and www.areyoueffingserious.com/2008/07/blue-tooth-headsets-are-new-rude.html