Turn your gosh-darn wireless telephones OFF when attending a lecture, class, movie, play, opera, magic show, or any other event where those around you might be disturbed by the jarring trill of a fancy cellular ring. Or at least set them to vibrate mode, and enjoy the little tingle in your pocket when your friend calls to tell you that she is having a party in two months, can you make it and bring some beer?
Despite repeated announcements and warnings about cell phones in public arenas, many people simply don’#146;t care. Many grin and take their sweet time about silencing the noise when their phones go off in the middle of biology lecture, as if the fact that they get calls at 8:30 a.m. on a Tuesday is a testament to their great popularity.
Well, I’#146;m not impressed. There’#146;s no excuse for cell phone rudeness. The complaints about the use of cell phones are warranted, as they have caused myriad problems since their advent. But it’#146;s not the technology; it’#146;s the people.
Since people are unlikely to change, perhaps we just have to tinker with the technology a tad. Why not develop ‘no phone zones’ by placing specialized devices in major gathering places and performance spaces? These beacons would cut off wireless service within a certain area. In days of old, people actually did survive without access to a telephone every second of every day. Imagine that.
But if you must immediately attend to your business/social affairs, I beseech you to switch your cell phone to vibrate as a courtesy to others. Yes, I’#146;ve heard the complaints about vibrate mode. I’#146;ve had people tell me they can’#146;t feel the device buzzing in their bag or pocket.
I have never had a problem with vibrate mode, but for all of you hyposensitive, oblivious types, perhaps the next invention will be the second-degree burn cellular setting’#150;I think it’#146;d be difficult to miss a call with an alert like that.
