Cell Phone Etiquette: Are You Practicing It?

We have all shrugged our shoulders at one time or another when someone around us lets there cell phone ring in an inappropriate place, or at an inappropriate time. Nothing bothers me more then a ringing cell phone during a church service. My Grandfather's funeral is one example. Silent modes were included on cell phones for a reason. With so many people using cell phones today, I felt it would be a good idea to talk about using good manners. This article will focus on ways we can practice cell phone etiquette.

1. Volume. The whole neighborhood doesn't need to know where you are going to dinner with your loved one. Make sure you set the volume on your phone to low or normal. Try to find a spot with a little bit of space where you can talk privately. You should also make sure you are not giving out any information that may be considered private such as a social security number.

2. Use the silent mode when appropriate. I touched on this in the opening paragraph, but it warrants repeating. If you are entering a church, hospital, fancy restaurant, etc. be courteous and switch your phone to the silent mode. You will feel it vibrate when someone is calling, and you can still take a peak at the caller-id to see if it might be an emergency. If it is an emergency, excuse yourself to a private location and call the person back.

3. Use Text-Messaging. Be considerate of others around you. If you are out dining at a fancy restaurant, don't talk on your cell and disrupt the couples dining next to you. Be discreet and use your text-messaging feature. If the matter is urgent and text messaging isn't good enough, excuse yourself and find a private area you can call the person back. As a matter of fact when I am out in public, I use this option most often.

4. Keep both hands on the steering wheel. There is no excuse for talking on your cell phone with one hand and driving with the other. I even know someone who uses their knee to drive when talking on the phone. This is extremely dangerous. Not just for you, but for anyone you may run in to because you where distracted from the road. Buy yourself a hands-free headset. They are available just about anywhere, and don't cost that much. Your life is worth the few extra dollars.