It turns out I may not be the only one in favor of silencing cell phones if new Wifi services are made available on certain flights in the near future. An online survey conducted across the U.S. by Yahoo! in late April showed that “…74% of respondents said cell phone use on airplanes should be restricted to silent features,” such as email, text messaging, and instant messaging.
Interestingly, the survey also found that “In western parts of the U.S., that number increased to 83% who wanted no talking.” Could this be proof of the laconic tendencies of the stereotypical westerner (the strong, silent type), or of their need for greater personal space than the average American? As a westerner myself, I’m keeping mum on the subject.
May 23rd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Doesn’t it seem as though: – people tend to speak louder on there cell phones than normal conversation, and – 10% of the people cause 90% of the annoyance.
I guess I don’t mind someone making a quick call but then there will be someone somewhere, probably right near me, having loud long conversations with everyone they know, the whole flight. There need to be rules for that small percentage of people who don’t know how or don’t care to be considerate.
June 18th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I agree with Brian. It does get really annoying to hear someones’ personal conversation. But then, they don’t seem to care, do they? It’s sad to know that many people are not even aware that they are being inconsiderate, because, according to them any normal person would do exactly that.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Those unaware of the needs of others who selfishly or greedily inhabit your consciousness with their dither and blather, seemingly deeply needy of voice contact can be easily persuaded to grant you their cell #s. So call them. Tell them you are a technogeek with esoteric knowledge that allows you to cause the radioactive element in their phones to momentarily intensify and generate an inoperable brain tumor the size of a basketball; and the only preventative is to meditate quietly on their mortality, and the blessedness of quiet.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:06 am
I really don’t want to be stuck on a flight with someone having a cell phone conversation! I agree that people tend to speak louder when speaking on these devices, in fact, I’m convinced that I speak louder on my cell phone.
Using cell phones for quieter functions would be acceptable. Too many times, I have been sitting in a computer lab at my university trying to work on some major paper, when someone else answers a phone and has a loud conversation, right in the middle of the lab! No one ever really seems to know how to handle the situation… how do you tell someone they’re being inconsiderate when it should already be obvious to them? Why can’t people leave the room and speak in the hallway? Can you imagine people sitting on an airplane and having conversations loudly to fill time on a long flight? The thought makes me shudder.
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:22 pm
I would never consider having my cell phone on anything other than vibrate! To do otherwise would be boorish.
When someone’s phone goes off with a standard ring tone. I think: “Congratulations. You just made me listen to the same obnoxious little jingle that millions of people across the world are listening to. Chances are I’ve already heard it several times today from other people. Thank you for the Chinese water torture sampler!”
When someone has been ‘unique’ with their ring tone it’s even worse. These tones are longer, louder, with more notes, and if it can be believed, even more shrill as it is blurped out in a jarring electronic staccato.