Businesses tire of the cell phone culture
by Miki SaxonI’ve ranted on and off about cell phones since the first clunky ones became a status symbol and, in turn, been castigated by the folks using them. They claim that they’re totally necessary, enable business, nobody minds and that I’m reactionary and out of sync with today’s world.
They never convinced me. I found them annoying and the users rude beyond belief and it’s gotten progressively worse with the passing years.
The recent studies of cell phone usage—
A 2006 survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, The Associated Press and AOL found that 82 percent of all Americans and 86 percent of cell phone users were irritated by loud, annoying cell conversations in public…A 2006 poll by ABC News had similar findings: 87 percent of respondents say they’d witnessed annoying cell phone calls sometimes or often.
These studies are converging with David Dunning’s competency perception research
…people tend to have overly favorable and objectively indefensible views of their own abilities, talents, and moral character. For example, a full 94% of college professors state that they do “above average” work, although it is statistically impossible for virtually everybody to be above average.
Dunning’s work provides the explanation for the AP survey numbers—it’s everybody else who’s loud, irritating and rude.
Which reminds me of a story I heard years ago that’s probably still making the rounds on the Net, I know it’s still alive and well on the Interstate.
As I was driving to my office this morning on the I-5 near Laguna Woods, I looked over my shoulder to the left, and there was a woman in a brand new Mustang with her face up next to the rear view mirror putting on her eye makeup.
I looked away for a few seconds, and when I looked back, there she was halfway over in my lane, still working on her eyeliner. It scared me so badly that I dropped my electric shaver, which knocked the Krispy Creme out of my other hand. In all the confusion of trying to straighten out the car with my knees against the steering wheel, my cell phone was knocked away from my ear and fell into the Starbucks coffee between my legs. Besides splashing hot coffee in a sensitive area, it ruined the phone and disconnected an important call.
And people wonder why guys get so upset with women drivers. Makeup! I ask you…
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December 4th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I’m guilty! Please forgive me. Also you should resurrect a great “Mr. Bean” short showing him progressively approaching a car accident as he changes his clothes, combs his hair, brushes his teeth, and then…..reaches outside to adjust the window washer nozzle to shoot into his mouth to rinse. Hilarious!
December 4th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Bob, I’m not familiar with Mr Bean, but I’d love to add it. How do I find it?
I’ve always believed that I’d either die in bed at a very advanced age or get hit by a someone driving a pickup or SUV, with a cell phone in one hand, latte in the other, steering with their knee while they send email.