Do you follow good cell phone etiquette? Or are you the person everyone is quietly complaining about, for excessive and noisy cell phone use? Cell phones can be very useful in an emergency and they're great for staying in touch, but they're also distracting in some situations. If you don't want to become an embarassing center of attention, follow these simple tips for using your cell phone.
Set It to Vibrate
If you are attending a concert, movie or other public event, turn the phone off. If you must have it on, set it to vibrate. An ill-timed ring will upset everyone around you.
Tone It Down
If your cell phone is primarily for business calls and in the business setting, it is important that your resist the urge to assign the latest hip-hop chart toppers to your ring tones. You really do not want Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake blaring out during a performance review with your boss.
Excuse Yourself
When you are having a conversation with someone in person and your cell phone rings, the most polite thing to do is ignore the cell phone and concentrate on the person in front of you. You can check the number to see if it's an emergency; if it's not, let your voicemail do its job. If you must take the call, be sure to excuse yourself to your companion.
A simple, "Excuse me, I have to take this," will suffice. After excusing yourself, take your call and try to keep it as brief as possible.
Keep It Brief and Quiet
If you are out and simply must take that cell phone call, keep it brief and keep it quiet. No one in the line at bank, the restaurant or at the gym wants to know your test results or all about the fight you had with your mother.
If it is a confidential call, say your doctor or anything with details you wouldn't want the whole world knowing, you may excuse yourself from the table or group and walk over to a quiet spot.
It is even acceptable to simply walk a few steps off and turn your back. While turning your back seems rude, it is actually far more polite than subjecting your companions to too much information.
Know When to Hang up
When you are at the store or coffee shop, hang up before you arrive at the cashier or give your order. It is very rude to shout your order out with the phone clamped to your head, and it is disrespectful to conduct your entire transaction while you chat on the phone.
Many businesses have put up "No Cell Phones" signs to keep customers focused on transactions rather than telephone calls. Respect these rules and understand that you can be refused service in any establishment, whether they have a sign or not, if employees think you're not paying attention.
Both Hands on the Wheel
If you don't have a hands-free setup for your cell phone, turn it off when you're in the car. Answering or dialing your cell phone can be distracting and dangerous to other drivers on the road.
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