Is it okay for someone to answer a cell phone while in a conversation?

[Dark]

I'm asking cause I think it's really rude if I'm in the middle of a conversation with someone and they answer their cell phone.

I'm not talking about business calls or emergencies, which I completely understand. Or if a friend is lost and calling for directions. Nor am I talking about answering the phone and telling someone that you'll call them right back.

No, I'm talking about people who answer the phone and drop the current conversation for the brand new one. Doesn't matter who they are currently talking to, the call takes priority.


I have a lot of friends who will religiously answer any phone call they get while in a conversation with someone. Not just me, but anyone they're talking to will be pushed aside so the caller can be given their undivided attention to just prattle on about virtually anything.

So, is it just me, or does answering a normal cell phone anytime seem really rude?

[bigwillq]

1. I've done it before.

I don't see anything wrong with it.

[Dark]

8. Not to sound mean, but if someone does it to you, don't you feel

like they said 'hold on, this person's incoherent rant is more important than our conversation'?

[bigwillq]

9. Yeah sometimes I get annoyed

when it happens to me but I am guilty of it too so I can't be that pissed off.

[Dark]

12. Well, I have too many friends who do it. Once in a while is one thing,

but everytime their phone rings, they whip it out and start talking.

[bigwillq]

14. Do you ever say anything to your friends

when they do this? :shrug:

[Dark]

15. Yea, but they don't listen.

Once, when my ex did picked up a call while we were on a date, I called him while he was talking on the phone. Told him we need to talk.

[Fleshdancer]

2. I have one friend who does this ALL the time

and it's extremely annoying.

[Dark]

7. I once had a boyfriend who'd do that to me (and anyone else)

That relationship didn't last long.

He still does it though. I once called his phone while he was talking on it and told him that 'we need to talk'. :evilgrin:

[sendero]

3. People give the phone..

.. priority over personal interaction routinely. I think it's crazy, but most people (myself included) will at least look at the phone and try to figure out if it is an important call.

I've seen businesses where you are 10 seconds from completing your transaction and the phone rings and the cashier takes 3 minutes to talk to someone.

It's crazy :)

[Dark]

5. I agree if it's important, because sometimes

poeple need your input right then and there. I've needed people's immediate help before.

But to me, if you answer and it's just a friend wanting to chit-chat, then you should say 'I'm busy. I'll call you back' and hang up.

But some people will talk for twenty minutes about nothing, then hang up and start talking to you as if there wasn't a break in the conversation.

[Generic Brad]

4. It's only acceptable if the person you are speaking to is really boring

That is why it happens to me all the time.

[Dark]

6. I'm sure you're not boring.

You're a liberal. We've always got something interesting to say.

Besides, I've had plenty the interesting conversations that we're interuppted by boring people.

[Whoa_Nelly]

10. So, you're at a friend's house, in a conversation with them and the home

phone rings. They stop the conversation to answer it.

Gee..how rude if they answer their home phone :sarcasm:

So, if you're having a conversation with a friend, and their cell phone rings, what's the difference? It's only rude of they choose to ignore you, stay on the phone and don't get off in a fairly quick manner to get back to talking with you.

It's what I do when I'm at home and it's my home phone. It's what I do when not at home and it's the cell phone.

So, what makes it rude?

[Dark]

11. That's what I said.

It's not rude if you pick up and say "Can I call you back?" and then go back to the conversation.

It's only rude if you pick up and then continue to talk, ignoring the person who is there in person.

[RevCheesehead]

13. Those people have the attention span of a rat terrier.

I certainly wouldn't put up with it. If the call went on and on, I'd say "I can see you're busy. Goodbye." Then leave.

I had a friend who used to call me while she was out shopping. I'd get to hear her arguing with her kids, chatting with the cashier, and commenting on any manner of shit. I finally had to tell her that I was busy, and she should call me back when she could devote her full attention to our conversation.

[Dark]

16. Problem is that doesn't always work.

It seems to happen most often when I'm at my house with my friends, or when they're the only ones I know at a party, and are my ride.

Sucks when that happens.

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. It's one of the rudest things that a person can do to another. I hate it.

It is only acceptable if they a) warn me ahead of time that they might get a call they will have to take and/or b) when the call comes, they say, "I'm very sorry about this, but I can't send this call into voicemail, I need to answer it".

And then, they have to do it quickly (unless they've forewarned me that it might be a long call; or, if once they're on the call and they realize it's gonna take a while, they say something like "I'm sorry, this is a (some kind of) emergency, this might take a while".

What it comes down to is that one should inform one's friend about the possibility of the call, or, barring the impossibility of that, stay in communication with the friend about the emergency status/length-possiblities of the call.

It's simple common courtesy.

If my phone rings when I am with someone - even if I'm talking to a store clerk, or at a checkout register, or with the bank teller - I send it to voicemail. Even if I think there's a chance it's an emergency - straight to voicemail (unless I'm with a friend and I've warned him/her). I figure that, when I'm with a store clerk, there is no emergency in the world that can't wait the two or three minutes it will take me to finish what I'm doing, and then I'll check the voicemail.

People who instantly and immediately answer their phone, no matter the situation, are completely and utterly rude, and should have their cell phones taken away until they take a class in, well, having class.

[rucky]

18. Yes. When it happens, call the person you're supposed to be talking to

then they'll interrupt that call to click over.