Cell phone etiquette?

So, I took my wife and 2 of my daughters to one of those Japanese steakhouses where they prepare the meal in front of you: flames, flipping utensils, the whole nine. Dinner and a show.

There was a 35-ish gent a couple of tables over who yapped and laughed on his large cell phone the whole time, oblivious to the goings on, and his wife and adolescent kids who, in turn, paid him no mind. (I admit, some at our table had 'fun' at his expense.)

What are your thoughts?

I prefer face to face conversation. My wife and I leave our phones in the vehicle when we are out. If it is an important call they can leave a message. I seen something similar the last time we were out. This couple might have said 4 or 5 sentences to each other the whole time we were there. They weren't talking on their phones but were playing on them. Even when they were eating. What kind of relationship is that?

I think it's sad.  It's too bad that restaurants can't have a "silent your phones" policy so that people would have to leave the dining room area to make or receive calls.

How could he hear anything on his phone? Every time I go to that type of restaurant I can't hear anything but the clanging of the utensils on the griddle and only about half of what the chef is saying.

I agree the guy was rude and frankly the management should have asked him to stop since he was bother other customers. If I am at a restaurant and have a call I have to take I step outside. If it isn't important I dismiss it and let it go to voicemail. This used to be common courtesy. It seems this and other common courtesies are disappearing.

As some of you know I was in th hospital for th last two months.  I finally was to the point of walking to the bathroom with a CNA assisting me by holding a strap around my chest.  We got to the door and as I was waiting for her to open the door I looked back to see her trying to hide a phone behind her leg while she was testing.  She never drew another's pay.

I've had that happen in various places before.

I once took out my phone, went over and sat next to him, and had an imaginary conversation on my phone about 6 inches from his other ear.

End of problem.

Today at lunch we were at a very nice place. A man, woman and two teens sat next to us. Not one of them spoke to each other the whole meal.

Just hearing cell phone conversations annoy me in churches, grocery stores, the movies, theatres, while driving, at restaurants. Studies show hearing the one side of a cell phone yapper distracts us even more because we aren't privy to the other side of the conversation.

The ones snuck in at work annoy me even more. That includes texting. The company time wasted and the fact that whilst they are yakking I have to make up for the slack on performance.

Phones have become an extension of our hands this generation. With the "world" at our fingertips it seems like a good idea until you look up from your phone and realize your kids have grown. Phones have become babysitters, teachers, back seat drivers, dates, movie theaters, spouses, musicians, heck even our bankers. It is really sad if you think about it. But unfortunately everything that can be "good" in moderation is usually something that can be totally taken advantage of and used to the extreme like an addiction (right there with sex, alcohol, cigarettes, food, etc.) I am guilty as well. However I am realizing it now and the good news is is that I can change things in my own life. To answer your question Z, yes that man in the resturant was very rude. Rude to you. Rude to your family. Rude to the other customers. Rude to the chef. And rude to his family. Unfortunately there is no law or "punishment" for these actions but in the end he will be the punished one when he realizes the great deal he has lost. 🙁