Phone Un-etiquette

[sojourner]

OK, situation that annoys me that I have run into a few times.

A person receives an important phone call and proceeds with the said call in the middle of the room. In this case the room also contains 3 kids under the age of 5 and 2 other adults. The kids of course are being noisy as kids are want to do and too young to easily explain "someone's on the phone". So why does the person stay in that room and insist everyone to "keep it down", so they can hear?

I mean, beyond this being rude, wouldn't it have been much easier to go to a separate room and close the door? And yes, it was a cordless phone.

I have seen varations on this scenario and it always annoys me.

Just leave the freakin room! No one is going to think you are being rude by leaving. We all understand that it can be hard to converse on the phone in some situations and that some calls cannot be put off.

It's like they are holding the room hostage with their phone call.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Actually that doesn't bother me at all. Normally though i would leave the room since i don't want people listening in on my conversation, if it's important. If it's just a friend calling to BS, then i really don't care who hears.

 

[TheBrew]

I generally leave the room for any conversation just so that I can focus on the conversation itself. Unless it looks like it's going to be a short conversation.

 

[trekkiedane]

Right, If you want to talk with someone that isn't in the room you should leave the room.

Same with people that want to talk but not have you hear what they are talking about, Why would they say "would you excuse us?" -and mean: "get lost!"?

Sure I would excuse them! -they can leave the room and talk all they want elsewhere!

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I have to say though, when my friend and i go out and he gets a phone call, he keeps right on talking on the phone where we happen to be. I don't mind at all actually. Hell, i usually take that time to check my own phone for texts or what-have-you. It's never actually bothered me.

 

[trekkiedane]

I have to say though, when my friend and i go out and he gets a phone call, he keeps right on talking on the phone where we happen to be. I don't mind at all actually. Hell, i usually take that time to check my own phone for texts or what-have-you. It's never actually bothered me.

Sure, if it's just the two of you -I have no problem with that, if the call is of the shorter variety.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I have to say though, when my friend and i go out and he gets a phone call, he keeps right on talking on the phone where we happen to be. I don't mind at all actually. Hell, i usually take that time to check my own phone for texts or what-have-you. It's never actually bothered me.

Sure, if it's just the two of you -I have no problem with that, if the call is of the shorter variety.

It can go on for a few minutes. I really don't mind. We all have lives, you know? I understand that some people would find that rude, but we're friends and i really don't care. As soon as he's done, he goes back to what we were talking about so it's all good.

 

[Pingfah]

I don't have conversations on my mobile, it's just for arranging stuff. People also know not to expect a conversation unless they ring my landline.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I don't have conversations on my mobile, it's just for arranging stuff. People also know not to expect a conversation unless they ring my landline.

I don't like talking on the phone that much either. If you need to reach me, a text is the best way.

 

[tharpdevenport]

"kids will be kids" is an excuse for lazy parents. I've seen plenty of kids that shut the hell up and don't misbehave. Sure it might be a little too much to expect everybody to be quiet for his call, but it's not too much to expect parents to bring their kids in line.

 

[sojourner]

They weren't my kids. The kids actually belonged to the person taking the call and the other person in the room. The rude part was expecting a room full of people to be quiet when the call taker could just leave the room. I have no problem with them taking the call. The problem is when they take a call in the presence of a group of people and then expect that group of people to be quiet.

 

[Guartho]

This always killed me growing up. We'd be watching TV and mom would get a call on the cordless. Then she'd sit there talking loudly and tell us to turn down the TV. It was really annoying when she wasn't even watching to begin with.

The phone is cordless. The TV isn't!

 

[John Picard]

OK, situation that annoys me that I have run into a few times.

A person receives an important phone call and proceeds with the said call in the middle of the room. In this case the room also contains 3 kids under the age of 5 and 2 other adults. The kids of course are being noisy as kids are want to do and too young to easily explain "someone's on the phone". So why does the person stay in that room and insist everyone to "keep it down", so they can hear?

I mean, beyond this being rude, wouldn't it have been much easier to go to a separate room and close the door? And yes, it was a cordless phone.

I have seen varations on this scenario and it always annoys me.

Just leave the freakin room! No one is going to think you are being rude by leaving. We all understand that it can be hard to converse on the phone in some situations and that some calls cannot be put off.

It's like they are holding the room hostage with their phone call.

Agreed. I can't stand it when I am talking to someone on the phone and that person doesn't leave the room or will acknowledge someone else and cut off our conversation. When I'm on the phone and someone tries to interrupt, I put up a finger and signal whether or not it will take a while.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Yeah, the person should just leave the room. It's a bit silly to expect everyone else to "be considerate" when you're the one who'd rather converse with someone who isn't there. Just leave the room and get over it!

 

[kimc]

Jumping on the leave the room bandwagon...

 

[Marc]

They weren't my kids. The kids actually belonged to the person taking the call and the other person in the room. The rude part was expecting a room full of people to be quiet when the call taker could just leave the room. I have no problem with them taking the call. The problem is when they take a call in the presence of a group of people and then expect that group of people to be quiet.

the kids should be taught to be quiet when some-one is on the phone.

 

[Trekker4747]

"kids will be kids" is an excuse for lazy parents.

Fucking, THIS.

 

[sojourner]

They weren't my kids. The kids actually belonged to the person taking the call and the other person in the room. The rude part was expecting a room full of people to be quiet when the call taker could just leave the room. I have no problem with them taking the call. The problem is when they take a call in the presence of a group of people and then expect that group of people to be quiet.

the kids should be taught to be quiet when some-one is on the phone.

So, if it was a room full adults and one person got a call, everyone should shut up for that person?

tharpdevenport wrote:
"kids will be kids" is an excuse for lazy parents.
Fucking, THIS.

You can always tell which people have never had kids. Sometimes even when kids are "quiet", their not, especially when under the age of 5.

 

[Marc]

They weren't my kids. The kids actually belonged to the person taking the call and the other person in the room. The rude part was expecting a room full of people to be quiet when the call taker could just leave the room. I have no problem with them taking the call. The problem is when they take a call in the presence of a group of people and then expect that group of people to be quiet.

the kids should be taught to be quiet when some-one is on the phone.

So, if it was a room full adults and one person got a call, everyone should shut up for that person?

well you'd hope that adults would know to keep it down a bit plus it's easier to walk out of a room full of adults than it is walking out of room for little kids (as was that case of the OP).

plus I don't see what adults talking has to do with teaching kids to be quiet when some-one is own the phone. Hell they might even remeber it when they're grown up.

 

[Trekker4747]

You can always tell which people have never had kids. Sometimes even when kids are "quiet", their not, especially when under the age of 5.

I don't have kids of my own, but have dealt with many, my niece and helping my mom out in her daycare. You give then a stern, strong, "knock the crap off" they'll listen. You can't be passive-aggresive and wishy-washy and especially the mentality of "Kids will be kids."

A stern, "Be quiet someone is on the phone." should suffice, not to mention raising them from the time they can walk to behave.