By Brian Johnsrud
Does having your own audio link to the world around you come with a certain responsibility? Lately, with travel becoming a large part of most businesses, also are cellular phones. But not so much for just business people anymore, but for a traveler, or even for an ordinary people are using cellular phones in their everyday life. With the rash of cellular communications, did we perhaps miss some unanticipated cautions?
With more than 90 million cell phones being used in the United States alone, chances are we'll be seeing more and more of them in our lives today. But what happens if we don't want to be bothered by beeping or ringing? Restaurant owner Ed Moose started the backlash to create as many "no cell phone" signs as "no smoking" signs for restaurants. He said he had heard his last cell phone ring when a customer used his phone to carry on a conversation with a buddy at the end of the bar. Other similar actions are being taken in many popular establishments. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art will put up signs in May instructing visitors than cell phones are off limits. This came about from an abundance of visitors complaining about "gabbing in the galleries."
At a recent private performance for Giorgio Armani, female vocalist Jewel was interrupted by a cell phone while performing. She instructed the band to stop playing, and asked the man with the cell phone to introduce himself. She then explained that because of his insincerity, she couldn't finish her song.
Another issue concerning cell phones has been in schools. While many schools have banned cell phones from being allowed, others say that they might give parents a reassurance to their child's safety. One of the main reasons for cutting the use of cell phones in school wasn't because of the noise, but because many teachers believe that they were being used mainly for drug and gang related activities.
However, during the Columbine incident, one of the main contacts the students had with their parents and with the police was through their cellular phones. This has made many counties consider to not ban the use of these phones all together, but to limit them to the halls like many schools have.
Because of the violent hostility cell phones have caused, almost all of the new brands have two different ringing options; one that rings, and one that vibrates silently. In Paris, model Laetitia Casta's cab driver had heard enough of her cell phones incessant ringing, so he shot a dose of tear gas into her face.
Because of an overwhelming response on the subject, Judith Martin, well known as Miss Manners, decided to write five strict rules on proper cell phone etiquette. The first rule stated, "Live human beings actually present have precedence over disembodied voices on the telephone."
