You stupid f***ing cell phone users, stay off the roads.

[thetrilogy]

Not one more life should be endangered or lost because
of these stupid, inconsiderate, MF cell phone asswholes.

http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp...9&nav=5UaiXzVy

[rkmsuf]

Cell phones are stupid anyway.

Totally unnecessary unless you are on a trip or are emergency/police people.

For everyday life it's pointless. At least the way they are used now.

[Fritz]

cbs too. motherf*ckin' truckers!

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Fritz

cbs too. motherf*ckin' truckers!

How are they to arrange their bathroom breaks?

[jeff061]

I've always been a tech head.

I bought my first Cell ever couple days ago, never saw the point. I have it mostly for work purposes. Right now its a crap load of computers I need to support by myself and I'm not staying in the office from 6am-7pm just in case something goes wrong.

[Passacaglia]

If you've ever been charged $200 for one day of service by Ameritech, cell phones begin to look pretty good.

[Lathum]

It always cracks me up when I tell people I didn't have a cell phone ( I have one for work now)

Their reaction is always on of " how can you live without a cellphone"

I managed without one for 28 years and did just fine

shrug

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by jeff061

I've always been a tech head.

I bought my first Cell ever couple days ago, never saw the point. I have it mostly for work purposes. Right now its a crap load of computers I need to support by myself and I'm not staying in the office from 6am-7pm just in case something goes wrong.

That makes sense. Wandering around the supermarket saying "uh I'm in the bread aisle now " or "Yeah, hey I'm driving" is assinine.

I guess if it's your primary phone it makes sense too but you should be forced to leave it at home.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Lathum

It always cracks me up when I tell people I didn't have a cell phone ( I have one for work now)

Their reaction is always on of " how can you live without a cellphone"

I managed without one for 28 years and did just fine

shrug

Ditto. The dumbest social trend in america is the idea that you HAVE to have a cell phone. People get angry sometimes because they can't call me up whenever they want... which is fine with me.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

Ditto. The dumbest social trend in america is the idea that you HAVE to have a cell phone. People get angry sometimes because they can't call me up whenever they want... which is fine with me.

I get that too. Dumbfounds me. The whole "what's your cell phone number?" and the look on their faces when I say "none". Priceless.

I feel like saying, trust me I can wait to get your message.

[albionmoonlight]

As Garrison Keeler said, "every cell phone conversation ever had can be summarized as follows: 'I'm here now; I'm on my way there; I'll be there in about a half hour.'"

[panerd]

Hey I am not a fan of the idiots who drive with cell phones and cause accidents, but this thread seems to be spiraling out of control. I have a cell phone instead of a home phone and it is about $25 cheaper a month then the racket SBC had going here for years. Sure as hell makes it easier to meet up with friends downtown, or tell the girlfriend/wife you are running late, or give to a kid to call for a ride from soccer practice. I could go on, but you guys seem to have a small dick complex just because you don't have a cell phone that they serve no purpose.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Cell phones are stupid anyway.

Totally unnecessary unless you are on a trip or are emergency/police people.

For everyday life it's pointless. At least the way they are used now.

Let's see:

Wrong

You got a point

Wrong

Possibly

I can live without a cell phone, but I don't wish to. It's extremely handy. I don't have a land line, and haven't for about 5 years. I got sick of paying for stupid charges and extra for long distance.

I have gotten jobs because I HAVE had a cell phone. Engineer was supposed to do a session, boss couldn't get in touch with him (he didn't have a cell phone) called me on my cell phone (wife and I were looking at new cars, started working the same day. The 50 dollars a month I paid for my phone got me $1700 in my pocket.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by panerd

Hey I am not a fan of the idiots who drive with cell phones and cause accidents, but this thread seems to be spiraling out of control. I have a cell phone instead of a home phone and it is about $25 cheaper a month then the racket SBC had going here for years. Sure as hell makes it easier to meet up with friends downtown, or tell the girlfriend/wife you are running late, or give to a kid to call for a ride from soccer practice. I could go on, but you guys seem to have a small dick complex just because you don't have a cell phone that they serve no purpose.

I thought 'small dick complex' only worked for guys with a lot of tattoos, big trucks, fancy cars and expensive car stereos. And the ever popular short angry guy you see in the bar.

[Subby]

I hope we can all agree that the only things more annoying than cellphone users are the crotchety old bastards that complain about them...

[Hurst2112]

I make fun of people with pagers, that's about it. I HATE it when they try to look at their pages while driving!!!

[gstelmack]

I'm with Panerd. My wife and I got cell phones as soon as she got pregnant with our first kid. It's come in very handy. We don't give our number out to everyone, we only use it to deal with errands/kid/and the like.

As for the phone company racket, I'm looking into what to do about our landline right now. Once I can figure out what to do about DirecTV and the DirecTIVO (yeah, I know I can hack them, but I'm not quite willing to do that yet) I may well have Vonage. $25/month (plus whatever for 911 service) vs. $70/month is a no-brainer. The phone companies are going to be in serious trouble...

[Radii]

I have a cell phone instead of a land line. I like it.

I probably make about 3 or 4 calls a week to oliegirl to take advantage of the convienance factor. I make about 5 calls a month to my parents or to friends just to say hi.

Cell phones are totally unnecessary, and there are days when I forget mine, it certainly doesn't bother me if that happens.

the attitude that everyone should be reachable at all times is one I disagree with, though I do keep my cell phone on me at all times simply b/c my wife does feel that everyone should be reachable at all times, and its easier to just keep my phone on me


But anyway, I do like not having a land line, it saves us money.

[primelord]

I think WSUCougar made a thread simialr to this awhile ago and I commented in there that people talking all cell phones while driving isn't always such a clear cut issue. I used to design and implement wireless networks for a company a few years ago. I would often be on my way to a site and have to take calls from my boss and or customers while I was on the road.

I think several people commented that in situations like that you should pull over to the side of the road or just tell your boss you refuse to talk while driving. These both sound fine in principal, btu when you have two upset customers and you are supposed to be at X site in 10 minutes there are only so many things you can do. It is easy to take the moral high ground and say you would refuse to talk while driving when you aren't put in that situation, but it is another thing entirely when you have a family to support and your job "requires" it.

Luckily I am no longer with that compnay and my current job doesn't require me to really ever be on the cell phone let alone when driving. So this isn't an issue for me anymore and I understand that a large portion of the people talking on cell phones while driving probably aren't doing it for work related reasons. I just wanted to comment that I don;t think it is always as simple as just expecting these people not to do it.

[thetrilogy]

There is absolutely NO need to be on a cell phone while driving.
Pay attention to what the f**k you are doing.

[cuervo72]

As the father of a 5 year old boy, this saddens me...

[rkmsuf]

I guess I just see too many people with it strapped to their ear 12 hours a day and constantly checking to see if they missed something.

I have no problem with the concept or convienience or securtiy. It's the I have to be reachable mentality that annoys me.

I have one but it's just there in case I need it. I have a land line so I've made probably 2 calls on it in the last 2 months.

If it's your primary phone, well that's another matter. But you find tons of people that think you are weird or square if you are not carrying a cellphone.

[stevew]

Vonage is awesome. Until they inevitably tax the fuck out of it.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

As for the phone company racket, I'm looking into what to do about our landline right now. Once I can figure out what to do about DirecTV and the DirecTIVO (yeah, I know I can hack them, but I'm not quite willing to do that yet) I may well have Vonage. $25/month (plus whatever for 911 service) vs. $70/month is a no-brainer. The phone companies are going to be in serious trouble...

I can only speak for my experience, but I had Directv for about a year without a phone line. I just couldn't order pay-per-view, everything else is a one way connection anyways. I have also heard that TIVO works the same way, but can't personally confirm this.

As far as the phone company goes, you have to dump them. I live about 20 miles southwest of Saint Louis and the phone company charged a $20 a month fee to call into the metro area. (where most of my friends and family live) Well this may have made sense 30 years ago when they were laying the lines, now it is just a monopoly out of control. They tried to get me back when I dropped the service but can't understand why for $35 a month I can basically call anywhere from anywhere in the United States but for $35 from them I have to make toll calls to St. Louis. I hope for all of the jobs the are poised to lose that someone at the phone company gets a clue!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Subby

I hope we can all agree that the only things more annoying than cellphone users are the crotchety old bastards that complain about them...

Agreed.

I think it should be illegal to drive and talk on a cellphone. It's incredibly dangerous. But cellphones themselves are pretty handy.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by primelord

I think WSUCougar made a thread simialr to this awhile ago and I commented in there that people talking all cell phones while driving isn't always such a clear cut issue. I used to design and implement wireless networks for a company a few years ago. I would often be on my way to a site and have to take calls from my boss and or customers while I was on the road.

I think several people commented that in situations like that you should pull over to the side of the road or just tell your boss you refuse to talk while driving. These both sound fine in principal, btu when you have two upset customers and you are supposed to be at X site in 10 minutes there are only so many things you can do. It is easy to take the moral high ground and say you would refuse to talk while driving when you aren't put in that situation, but it is another thing entirely when you have a family to support and your job "requires" it.

Luckily I am no longer with that compnay and my current job doesn't require me to really ever be on the cell phone let alone when driving. So this isn't an issue for me anymore and I understand that a large portion of the people talking on cell phones while driving probably aren't doing it for work related reasons. I just wanted to comment that I don;t think it is always as simple as just expecting these people not to do it.

Right but it's a self created situation by humans. It's not enough now to tell your customer, I'll be there in an hour.

It's not enough now to say "honey I'll be home around 7". You get a call asking where you are at.

[st.cronin]

I'm pretty sure it *is* illegal to drive and use a cellphone, at least in most states.

[Subby]

Originally Posted by thetrilogy

There is absolutely NO need to be on a cell phone while driving. Pay attention to what the f**k you are doing.

You know, it *is* possible to talk on a cell phone and pay attention while driving...

[mrsimperless]

I don't agree with the idea of making talking on a cell phone while driving illegal. What about talking to another passenger in the car? Eating? Changing radio stations? Picking up something off the floor? Handing something to a child in the back seat? Daydreaming? All of these things are potentially dangerous and can cause accidents. Do we make them all illegal?

[panerd]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

I guess I just see too many people with it strapped to their ear 12 hours a day and constantly checking to see if they missed something.

I have no problem with the concept or convienience or securtiy. It's the I have to be reachable mentality that annoys me.

I have one but it's just there in case I need it. I have a land line so I've made probably 2 calls on it in the last 2 months.

If it's your primary phone, well that's another matter. But you find tons of people that think you are weird or square if you are not carrying a cellphone.

I will agree with this. I have friends that will constantly check their phones for messages when they are hanging out with 95% of their friends at the time! But these type of people will always find something annoying to do to make themselves look important, so I don't know that it is the fault of the cell phone.

[condors]

I hate phones, i will rarely answer mine(my dad long distance sometimes my brother or sister) my friends know to email me in advance if they want to set something up, or just stop by and we can see whats going on. work a job where you phone rings 100 times a day and you may not want to answer one or talk on one when you get home. The wife will answer the phone and has a cell phone so i wouldn't call me complelety unreachable and i have one for work (if i am not on call i don't have it on and nobody knows i have it)

[Radii]

Originally Posted by panerd

I can only speak for my experience, but I had Directv for about a year without a phone line. I just couldn't order pay-per-view, everything else is a one way connection anyways. I have also heard that TIVO works the same way, but can't personally confirm this.

Yup, we have DirectTV and Tivo and no phone line. We took the box to our old apartment when we first got it and set it up on the phone line there, that's the only time we ever needed it.

We can even get pay per view, we just have to order it online on the website instead of through the TV.

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by primelord

I think WSUCougar made a thread similar to this awhile ago and I commented in there that people talking all cell phones while driving isn't always such a clear cut issue.

You mean THIS ONE?

As I've said before, you can justify the use of cell phones while driving, and I'm sure there are many examples of responsible people who can and do use them safely all the time.

What you cannot convince me of, however, is that in general cell phone usage among drivers is not a serious and dangerous plague upon our roads. Almost every single day I see obvious instances of its hazards. Almost every single day - and I'm not purposefully trying to find them. Sometimes, while I'm waiting at a left turn light, the number of drivers going by with phones stuck to their ears will far outnumber those without. It's truly scary.

Just my opinion.

[primelord]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Right but it's a self created situation by humans. It's not enough now to tell your customer, I'll be there in an hour.

It's not enough now to say "honey I'll be home around 7". You get a call asking where you are at.

I agree that is the problem. People make comments a lot like "Businesses used to get by without cell phones before why can't they now". There are two problems there. 1) As you pointed out they have set the expectation level higher now for their customers. Customers expect faster service and to be able to reach you at any time. 2) There will always be at least one company willing to use cell phones in this manner to get an edge. So that forces all competeing companies to do the same.

The resolution to this problem (in the business world) would be for all companies to agree to stop participating in it and for all customers to accept a lesser level of service because of it. Neither one of those things is going to happen. The only other way I see a real solution to this is if they do make it illegal to talk and drive in every state and they start enforcing it.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by primelord

I agree that is the problem. People make comments a lot like "Businesses used to get by without cell phones before why can't they now". There are two problems there. 1) As you pointed out they have set the expectation level higher now for their customers. Customers expect faster service and to be able to reach you at any time. 2) There will always be at least one company willing to use cell phones in this manner to get an edge. So that forces all competeing companies to do the same.

The resolution to this problem (in the business world) would be for all companies to agree to stop participating in it and for all customers to accept a lesser level of service because of it. Neither one of those things is going to happen. The only other way I see a real solution to this is if they do make it illegal to talk and drive in every state and they start enforcing it.

You are correct. There is no way around it now. I speak idealistically and not realistically.

I guess that's why everyone turns into old bastards. The 30-40 crowd now can't believe the speed of information and technology. The teens to 30 can't believe it never existed.

Fast forward 40 years and at 80 we'll just shake our head and go play shuffleboard while the 30-40 group doesn't understand why you need anything else but cell phones. The teens to 30 will wonder how we survived with just cell phones.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

If you've ever been charged $200 for one day of service by Ameritech, cell phones begin to look pretty good.

How the hell did you rack up a $200 Ameritech charge? I though they were an ISP. Were you connecting through your cellphone or something?

SI

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

How the hell did you rack up a $200 Ameritech charge? I though they were an ISP. Were you connecting through your cellphone or something?

SI

Speaking of which, I'm probably going to have to move to a blackberry-type phone soon. How much extra is the email/browsing service going to cost me a month?

[Karlifornia]

This reminds me of a comedy bit I heard:

"Nowadays, cell phones are pretty widely accepted, but a couple of years ago they weren't. Every time I'd answer my cell there'd always be that one person giving me a dirty look.....Was this person doing that for every invention? What about the umbrella? 'Oh, I'm not scared of getting wet!' "

Or something like that....

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Subby

I hope we can all agree that the only things more annoying than cellphone users are the crotchety old bastards that complain about them...

Get Off My Lawn!

SI

[Hurst2112]

How the hell did you rack up a $200 Ameritech charge? I though they were an ISP. Were you connecting through your cellphone or something?

Ameritech is a phone service in Wisconsin (and maybe illinois too). It was about 5 years ago anyway. I think it still is the main one there.

[Ksyrup]

I do not use my cell phone all that much, but I find it extremely useful and comforting with a wife and two kids. You never know what could happen. And, if nothing else, it comes in very handy. If I go to the store to pick up 4 items, and the wife forgets to tell me to pick up the 5th, it's certainly not life and death to have to go back out to the store, but it's also very nice to be able to find that information out while walking around the store.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Subby

You know, it *is* possible to talk on a cell phone and pay attention while driving...

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

As I've said before, you can justify the use of cell phones while driving, and I'm sure there are many examples of responsible people who can and do use them safely all the time.

What you cannot convince me of, however, is that in general cell phone usage among drivers is not a serious and dangerous plague upon our roads. Almost every single day I see obvious instances of its hazards. Almost every single day - and I'm not purposefully trying to find them. Sometimes, while I'm waiting at a left turn light, the number of drivers going by with phones stuck to their ears will far outnumber those without. It's truly scary.

Just my opinion.

Exactly- you *can* drive safely with a cell phone. Very rarely do people do this.

SI

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

You are correct. There is no way around it now. I speak idealistically and not realistically.

I guess that's why everyone turns into old bastards. The 30-40 crowd now can't believe the speed of information and technology. The teens to 30 can't believe it never existed.

Fast forward 40 years and at 80 we'll just shake our head and go play shuffleboard while the 30-40 group doesn't understand why you need anything else but cell phones. The teens to 30 will wonder how we survived with just cell phones.

You won't need cell phones when your 80. Everyone will have Microsoft communication nanobots in their body.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

You won't need cell phones when your 80. Everyone will have Microsoft communication nanobots in their body.

I will resist even if futile.

[Desnudo]

I find it amazing that some people think driving with one hand while talking on the phone with another isn't a big distraction. Driving isn't like getting a carton of milk out of the fridge.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

You won't need cell phones when your 80. Everyone will have Microsoft communication nanobots in their body.

Stupid mark of the beast (in my best Homer Simpson voice).

[panerd]

Do you think we will need napkins in the future, or is this whole mouth-vacuum thing for real?

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I find it amazing that some people think driving with one hand while talking on the phone with another isn't a big distraction. Driving isn't like getting a carton of milk out of the fridge.

I don't think it's the physical act. Many people drive with one hand anyway.

It's the mental energy into listening, planning a response and responding that occupys the mind.

For some reason the phone and phone conversation occupys more of your attention than the radio, passengers or eating. Someone smarter than me might be able to explain it.

[st.cronin]

You people are all going to die of brain cancer.

[hhiipp]

nm