Almost everyone uses a mobile phone, but not everyone has good manners when using one, how often have we seen someone driving down the road, maybe even children in the back, talking on their mobile? This is not only very rude, it is also illegal in most countries of the world.
There are some very simple, generally common sense guidelines on how to use a mobile phone without being obnoxious or downright rude. How many times have I wanted to remind someone yelling into their phone that the signal will not be worse if they lower their voice! On the other hand, some people want others to hear all the details of their love life or if they should buy more milk from the store, they may feel important.
So what are the common courtesy rules when using a mobile phone?
1. Don’t talk and drive.
2. There is no need to yell, it is a phone not a mega phone, this is very rude, speak quietly, your mobile has a very sensitive microphone.
3. Turn it off while at the movies, in a restaurant, in church, at a concert, and in hospitals, libraries, and anywhere else it might intrude.
4. Please turn it off during an appointment! You will not look popular, you will seem like a tool and one of bad manners.
5. All of those guidelines apply to texting too.
6. Remember to keep your mobile conversations private, go out when you are in company and don’t forget to apologize when you do.
7. Unpleasant ringtones, they are fine … unpleasant, we don’t want to hear flatulence noises, or the sounds of machine gun fire, bad noises = bad manners, please, it is not necessary that the ringtones be as loud as to make everyone jump.
The mobile phone has become so widely used very quickly, we haven’t really had a chance to get used to them and I suspect that some people are still getting familiar with the basic etiquette of the mobile phone. When in doubt, put your phone on vibrate, this way you can see who is calling and make a note to call back or go to a more private place to talk, having good mobile phone manners is just common sense.