var json_comments = new Array("
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YouDidWhatNow?
September 30, 2009 6:28 PM
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Oh come on now...I can't seriously be the only person here how grows their own airliners. I call shenanigans.

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5 replies
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gStein_*|bringing starpipe back|*
September 30, 2009 6:52 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: i grow my own skype, but have discovered that it's cheaper to buy airliners from the farmer's market. and obama can't deasthpanel me when i buy from the farmer's market.

(as i was typing this, i heard the TV on the floor below me say something about \"secret muslim\". why is the TV on FOX NEWS at a college?)

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mechteach
September 30, 2009 7:31 PM
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@gStein: They had Fox News on the TVs at the faculty club here until enough people pointed out that they don't exactly produce programming that is targeted at the majority of the membership.

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YouDidWhatNow?
September 30, 2009 7:02 PM
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@gStein:

I know - the private insurer death panels are way better than anything Obama could create.


While we're not on the topic, what is the deal with beer gardens? I mean, everybody's all like \"ooo, this place has a bee garden\" and stuff...well, I planted cans, bottles, beer steins, even a couple pony kegs in my beer garden. None of it grows. NONE.

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RandomHookup
September 30, 2009 7:58 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: You have to leave the beer *in* the bottle or it doesn't work. I know, bummer.

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YouDidWhatNow?
September 30, 2009 7:03 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?:


...bee garden, beer garden...whatever. You say tomato, I say STFU.

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RecordStoreToughGuy_starcommandseries.com
September 30, 2009 7:36 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: I went to a place with a bee garden. The bees were in kegs so when you tapped it it shot bees at you.

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Orv
September 30, 2009 7:03 PM
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@YouDidWhatNow?: You have the wrong kind of soil. Get some frat guys to urinate and occasionally vomit on it so that you get the proper pH.

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bornonbord
September 30, 2009 6:29 PM
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NO NO NO OH GOD NO

This is also how I feel about cell phones being capable in the subways of Chicago. Since it's so fucking loud, people have to scream in order to be heard.

Thankfully it's limited to US Cellular and Cricket and I've rarely seen/heard it in action.

It's already hard enough to sleep on a plane, I don't need to hear about Grandpa's hernia or how that girls' room mate lost her virginity in the bunk above her.

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11 replies
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colorisnteverything
September 30, 2009 10:55 PM
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@bornonbord: What you say is true:
Yeah, that's how I feel. As a student, I often take the campus bus (where I go to school, classes can be easily 3 miles apart) and people talk on their phones ALL the time. I think in the event that a flight is delayed, people should be able to call their relatives who are coming to pick them up or be able to reschedule that taxi, but not just generally. C'mon. You spend 8 hours on a plane like me a lot and you will be thankful for a little bit of peace!

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TVarmy
September 30, 2009 9:06 PM
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@bornonbord: What you say is true: Great, now you have me curious about that incident. You owe me one story.

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Rachacha
September 30, 2009 8:48 PM
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@bornonbord: What you say is true: Verizon has had Cell phone access in the tunnels of DC's Metro system for years, and I understand that the other carriers are placing repeaters in the tunnels as well. Being on ATT I am looking forward to this for the rare phone calls that I need to make to the school or neighbor to alert them that I will be running late because the train is stuck in a tunnel.

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bornonbord
September 30, 2009 8:52 PM
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@Rachacha: In Chicago, they had a bidding war for the rights to the subway.

If you do have an emergency where you have to contact someone for being late, shoot a text message or e-mail. Please. For peace and prosperity.

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Rachacha
September 30, 2009 11:00 PM
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@bornonbord: What you say is true: Text or E-mail in an emergency situation is not always possible when your only point of contact with a school is a landline, or if you need to alert someone of something and make sure that they have immediately received the message.


Add to that, not everyone uses text messaging. Personally, I have no need or desire to text anyone, and hate it when people text me. If it is urgent, call me, if not, shoot me an E-mail and I will get to it when I get to it.

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duffman13
October 1, 2009 1:11 PM
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@Rachacha: yes, but when you're on a plane are you really going to discover something so urgent it can't wait until you land?

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The Porkchop Express
September 30, 2009 8:23 PM
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@bornonbord: What you say is true: Whoaaaa now, that last thing...you need to hear about and report back here.

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QuantumRiff
September 30, 2009 7:04 PM
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@bornonbord: What you say is true: Nobody wants OTHER PEOPLE to be able to use their phone on a plane.. they just want THEMSELVES to be able to use it...

kinda like the \"all congress is a bunch of crooks, except my senator, he's okay\"...

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FatLynn
September 30, 2009 6:59 PM
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@bornonbord: What you say is true: I believe Verizon has a contract coming soon. I really wish they would do data service and not voice. That would be the perfect compromise.

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RevancheRM
September 30, 2009 6:55 PM
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@bornonbord: What you say is true:


[channeling Serenity's Jayne Cobb] \"I could stand to hear a little more (of that last one). \"

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bornonbord
September 30, 2009 7:35 PM
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@RevancheRM: She was so fat, her ass almost hit the bottom bunk girls' face. It wouldn't have been so bad had she showered in the last month, so the stench was unbearable. Really, it sounded more like a cow being slaughtered.

And once it was over, the weeping started.

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ExtraCelestial
September 30, 2009 6:43 PM
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@bornonbord: What you say is true: Tight spaces and loud voices don't make for a great pairing. Metro talkers are already pretty annoying and with even less mobility, longer duration and just overall increased tension already present on an airplane I can totally see someone flipping out.

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UGAdawg
September 30, 2009 8:04 PM
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@TinkishDelight: You know, that's why I'm glad that the subway travels underground. It helps get that a-hole with the 'important' conversation of the phone.

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cash_da_pibble
September 30, 2009 10:54 PM
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@UGAdawg:
Is it bad of me that i get a sense of glee when phone-chatters get cut off due to the tunnels on BART?


\"...so I told her that he was just crazy, talking all like that and... hello? hello? I can't hear you!.... hello?\"

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Robbiedrama
September 30, 2009 6:31 PM
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I don't know. One time I had my phone out on airplane mode and they made me turn it off. I explained that it is giving off no signals since it is approved for airplanes. They still asked that I turn it off.


They won't be able to inforce the difference, so I think they won't go for it.

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4 replies
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Rachacha
September 30, 2009 10:36 PM
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@Robbiedrama: Just because you are in airplane mode it does not mean that you are not emitting some Electro-Magnetic waves. Yes, in airplane mode all of your transmitters are off, but you still have a microprocessor that is spewing out EM Emmissions. Granted, it is probably not enough to interfere with aviation electronics, but leaving your phone on and in airplane mode it is in violation with FAA regulations during take-off and landings.

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silver-bolt
October 1, 2009 5:57 AM
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@Rachacha: Right, so laptops and gameboys and radios have zero em because they have no microprocessors...

Oh wait...

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thebigbluecheez
October 3, 2009 6:38 PM
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@silver-bolt: Every time I fly, they tell EVERYone to turn EVERY device off, including laptops, CD players, iPods, cell phones, and other electronics. Usually they say that when they turn off the seat belt lights, it's OK to turn them back on.

It'd be a real downer to be the guy whose laptop/iPod/pocket microwave caused the plane to malfunction and crash, so I usually comply, turning everything OFF and not just powering the screen down.

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lordmorgul
October 1, 2009 6:14 AM
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@silver-bolt: There really is no need to simultaneously be insulting to someone while displaying your own ignorance. What Rachacha wrote is both technically correct AND an appropriate response. The key issue which you so clearly are unaware of, is the limitation of 'during take-off and landings'.

There is no FAA regulation requiring cellphones to be off during the rest of the flight, the requirement is only that they not transmit. Since flight attendants are not all technical gurus they are not expected to be able to verify that any of hundreds of cellphone models is properly configured for safe use in flight -- hence they will mostly give you a hassle about having a phone on whether it is safe or not.

So you honestly owe Rachacha an apology for you being an idiot.

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pecan 3.14159265
September 30, 2009 7:04 PM
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@Robbiedrama: That's different. Airplane mode is not officially FAA approved. It was Apple who said that it theoretically was fine, but that you needed to obtain permission or follow the guidelines from official governing agencies. The FAA has not approved airplane mode.

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sir_pantsalot
September 30, 2009 6:31 PM
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If airlines allow this on planes then they need to allow the rest of us to bring our pocket knives and box cutters back onto the airplanes. That is the only fair thing to do.

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4 replies
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Kasira
September 30, 2009 7:25 PM
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@sir_pantsalot: Because someone can hijack a plane with a VOIP phone call...?

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Scoobatz
September 30, 2009 7:53 PM
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@h3llc4t has a slow work day: Maybe it's just me, but I hate when people listen to my conversations. Even at work, I try my best to be quiet. Nobody needs to know my business.


On the other hand, there are so many people willing to let you know every possible, insignificant aspect of their lives. I really don't get it.

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secret_curse
October 1, 2009 2:08 PM
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@Scoobatz: I've never understood the people at work that will carry on loud conversations about extremely personal business...

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Révolution
September 30, 2009 7:46 PM
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@Kasira: No, so that we can knife the person making the call.

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CompyPaq
September 30, 2009 6:42 PM
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@sir_pantsalot: They already do allow box cutters. And there is a VERY good chance you would be able to bring a pocket knife through security too. Just don't dare bring a Coke.

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MostlyHarmless
September 30, 2009 6:32 PM
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I selected \"As long as people aren't jerks about it, sure.\" because I am a sunny optimist to a fault.

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6 replies
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pecan 3.14159265
September 30, 2009 7:00 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: I considered choosing that option, but I know that as soon as it's allowed, people really are going to be jerks about it because the same people who are jerks about it now will still be jerks who do the same thing on airplanes.

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MostlyHarmless
September 30, 2009 6:39 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: Or as floraposte would characterize me: \"Psycho\".

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subtlefrog
October 1, 2009 1:48 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: Sunny optimist. Psycho. I'm having a hard time reconciling these two characterizations.

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floraposte
September 30, 2009 11:20 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: Gives you an air of glamour, though, doesn't it?

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Oranges w/ Cheese hates what Christmas has become
September 30, 2009 6:34 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: Yeah, but when you get up to tell the people they *are* being jerks about it, you get arrested for \"causing a disturbance\" the plane gets grounded and you get a cavity search.
Yay.

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Radi0logy
September 30, 2009 7:00 PM
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@Oranges w/ Cheese ontopofBrocolli: Hmm.. cavity search you say?? Well well, I think I have me a new hobby...

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chemmy
September 30, 2009 6:33 PM
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Not unless they first pass a cell-phone etiquette class. With 100%. Even then.... No.

I'd say only in emergencies or if the flight is being diverted, late, etc. So that people can get all their ducks in a line so to speak. But in general? No, use WiFi to email them instead.

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3 replies
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Kevin411
September 30, 2009 8:40 PM
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@chemmy: You're close to my opinion on this. There should be a designated time for approved (VoIP/all?) phones to be used. This would begin 20-30 minutes before the point at which the plane is on approach and all electronics must be turned off. It would be a great convenience to fliers and those meeting them on the ground to be able to be in touch once they have a more definite ETA, and could result in less congestion on airport roads due to better knowledge. This would leave the flight \"quiet\" the rest of the time.

As an aside - what's to stop someone from yelling into a personal voice recorder for most of the flight while electronics are being used? It would be about as annoying as a phone call due to the loud voice needed to overcome the engine sounds. This is permissible today. Fortunately, 50 people generally don't try to do that at one time.

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Dondegroovily
October 2, 2009 3:31 PM
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@Kevin411: So we are restricting personal freedoms because, ummmm, because, ummm, it annoys me personally? That's not how law-making is supposed to work.

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Tankueray
October 4, 2009 5:11 PM
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@Dondegroovily: Isn't that the reason behind smoking bans? I mean, the people that think their health is in danger have the option to leave, but instead they insist upon asserting their \"rights\" over my own?

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Tankueray
October 4, 2009 5:14 PM
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@Tankueray: Our local ordinance bans smoking outdoors in public parks and on the lake fishing...

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floraposte
September 30, 2009 11:21 PM
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@Kevin411: Or from playing music/watching video without wearing headphones.

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nstonep
October 2, 2009 2:00 PM
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@floraposte: Exactly...people are going to be blasting porn from their psp gos in no time!

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legwork
September 30, 2009 6:35 PM
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Allow them, of course. How else will the airlines explain their $20 earplug surcharge?

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1 replies
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sonneillon
October 1, 2009 4:43 PM
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@legwork: I might pay a $20 Nitrous oxide charge so that I could stop caring about the hole plane talking.

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h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes
September 30, 2009 6:36 PM
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Whenever I go out in public I feel like the majority of people can't reasonably and politely use a cell phone in the first place. Put them on a plane, where lots of people get bored and fidgety, and I forsee many inane phone calls...\"Oh, hi there Myra, what's going on? Oh, me, not much, just flying over Dakota and my, they have big clouds here! Say, how are the clouds looking back home?\"
ARGHHH

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3 replies
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Hooray4Zoidberg
September 30, 2009 7:30 PM
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@KittensRCute!: Agreed, all one has to do is take a trip via train sometime and you'll get a good idea of what it will be like if the allow it on planes. Being stuck in front of someone jabbing away about the most inane bullshit possible for 3 hours in maddening. I swear 99% of the phone calls I over hear are the exact same effing conversation. Can't we just all assume you had a crappy day at work and your boss sucks and save the mobile minutes.

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Orv
September 30, 2009 7:32 PM
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@Hooray4Zoidberg: The Sounder commuter trains used to have a \"quiet car\" specifically for people who wanted silence. Unfortunately they had to drop that as ridership increased, but I thought it was a good idea.

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The Porkchop Express
September 30, 2009 8:27 PM
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@Orv: If ridership keeps increasing, will they add new cars? possibly one of the new ones can be silent?

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Hooray4Zoidberg
September 30, 2009 7:47 PM
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@Orv: Yeah they're a great idea on paper and in fact they still have them, but people often completely disregard them and there really isn't much enforcement of the rule by the train staff. Those cars also fill up rather quickly so more often than not you don't get to sit in one and the non quiet car patrons are now pretty much given cart blanch to talk on the phone the entire trip.

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Orv
September 30, 2009 8:03 PM
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@Hooray4Zoidberg: That's unfortunate. On the other hand, most forms of public transit are loud enough to make earplugs a good idea just from a hearing protection standpoint...

I have some of those in-ear-canal earbuds I use on the bus. They block engine noise better than my noise-canceling headphones.

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Hooray4Zoidberg
September 30, 2009 8:31 PM
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@Orv: Yeah I agree, I bought some cheapo $15 Sony ear plugs a few months back in a pinch when my better ones broke. These things aren't the best sound quality, in fact it's pretty bad, but they'd block out the sound of a gun going off right next to me. I prefer them now over better sounding ear phones for that reason. My daily train to bus commute has never been so peaceful.

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bohemian
September 30, 2009 6:39 PM
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If you have wifi you have a bunch of different messaging options. You can send text messages to cell phones, instant messaging, email and probably a few others.

We all know that there are enough people that don't know or don't care if they are disturbing everyone around them with their phone call. This would end in someone being beaten into a bloody pulp. Can you imagine being stuck next to some pretentious asshat on the tarmac for 13 hours while he conducts \"business\" on his cell phone loud enough to be heard through the entire plane?

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2 replies
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BadHairLife
October 4, 2009 7:07 AM
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@bohemian: \"Can you imagine being stuck next to some pretentious asshat on the tarmac for 13 hours while he conducts \"business\" on his cell phone loud enough to be heard through the entire plane?\"


You have just described one of my scarier nightmares.


It's bad enough when we land and we are subjected to these buttmunches while we're waiting to get off the plane.


I voted NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

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Orv
September 30, 2009 6:40 PM
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I don't see why people react so angrily to cell phone calls when talking to the person next to you is perfectly socially acceptable. I this a left-over class struggle from when cell phones were only owned by rich people?

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21 replies
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jenjen
October 1, 2009 6:04 PM
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@Orv: When two people are talking, the conversation flows. Sometimes you have to repeat yourself, but normally, there's a flow. With cell phones, people are CONSTANTlY saying \"what? what? what?\" and repeating what they've just said over and over. Especially when there's a lot of background noise. I could see allowing short calls only. Maybe there's a technical way to do this, I don't know. But not hour long chats, seriously. It just IS more annoying than (most) face to face conversations.

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ZukeZuke
October 1, 2009 5:23 PM
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@Orv: Really? I'm wondering if you are trolling for the most comments ever, or if you are simply a bit deaf. As dozens of others have said already, people on cell phones are almost always oblivious of their surroundings and are usually shouting into their phones (sidetone or not) about the most inane shit. At least if someone loud is talking on the plane to the person next to them, they usually run out of conversation at some point and resort to reading/sleeping/listening to their ipod. But, if they are given the freedom to reach out and touch every one of their friends for cheap/free, the yapping will go on the entire flight. Please don't encourage more annoying stuff on planes than there already is! Next you'll be saying people should be allowed to bring their boom-boxes or play movies thru the speakers on their laptops... because there's really no difference in sound level from someone talking to the person next to them? That being said, I do wear earplugs or Bose headphones to block out the noise of obnoxiously loud people and/or screaming babies when I want to take a relaxing in-flight nap or read, but I still feel like they're the ones being rude, and I'm submitting to their will by stuffing little foam pads in my ear canal...

And for your rhetorical question about class struggle... do you live in Russia or Siberia? \"Ordinary people\", nay even teenagers, have had affordable cellphones for OVER 10 YEARS. I had a Motorola flip-phone back in 1997 for $28/mth. Nowadays, I even see \"homeless\" people with 'em... wth?

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Rachacha
September 30, 2009 10:52 PM
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@Orv: There is a big difference between talking on aplain with your seat mate andtalking with someone on a cell phone:
1) On a cell phone, people tend to talk louder. Add the background noise of an airplane and they will practically be yelling.
2) When people talk on a cell phone, they tend to forget that they are in public, and proceed to tell their college roommate about the \"hot chick that they 'banged' last week\", and how now their genitals are inflamed and burning (ore telling their lover how much they enjoyed their \"goodbye nookie\", or talking about an important business deal that you know should be private, but you can't help listening to.
3) If you talk to your seatmate, you can engage in a social interaction.

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The Porkchop Express
September 30, 2009 8:29 PM
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@Orv: I have not read any of the other replies yet but, people seem to talk louder on the cell phone. plus, if I can hear the other guy's responses it may at least be more interesting.

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KittensRCute!
September 30, 2009 7:12 PM
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@Orv: @Orv: ok, because you didnt read the article i will summarize why people say no to cell phones on planes:

1-studies have shown people ARE louder on a cell phone than just talking or talking on a landline.
2- we know WHY that is : on a cell phone you cant hear your own voice through the ear piece so people are louder to make up for it.

3- lastly IT IS A FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE LOUDER WHEN TALKING ON A CELL PHONE. THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE. (sorry for the caps locks to people who read the article.)

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Orv
September 30, 2009 7:20 PM
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@KittensRCute!: on a cell phone you cant hear your own voice through the ear piece so people are louder to make up for it.

Even my cheap LG 600 plays my own voice through the earpiece. If other phones don't this it's simply an issue of poor design.

The amount of umbrage being raised over this issue suggests to me that there's something else going on here. I think part of it is confirmation bias. When someone is being rude who isn't on a cell phone, people just think, \"oh, there's a rude person.\" When someone is being rude who *is* on a cell phone, they think, \"Damn cell phone users!\"

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floraposte
September 30, 2009 11:27 PM
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@Orv: If you read the Consumerist regularly, you'll see that people take umbrage at perceived rudeness wherever they find it. There's nothing special about cell phones except that their prevalence means we encounter them more often.

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Superawesomerad
September 30, 2009 10:46 PM
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@Orv: There's really no way to respond to your arguments except to say that you must be the reincarnation of Mother Theresa. You are literally the only person I have ever encountered who doesn't find someone blithely yapping away on a cell phone annoying to the point of contemplating physical assault.

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MostlyHarmless
September 30, 2009 8:19 PM
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@Orv: Two people, when they are talking to each other in person, are more cognizant of their surroundings and keep their tones to a normal level. On the cell phone however, people tend to not realize how loud they are in addition to being in their own tiny bubble.

Also: Just because YOU do not understand something does not mean that the other person is lacking in the ability to explain it.

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BluePlastic
September 30, 2009 11:10 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: This is it right here, even more than the loud talking. Someone on the phone anywhere in public is less aware of what's going on. That's why you get the ding-dong who stands in front of the ice cream section at the grocery store for several minutes, discussing what flavor to bring home. They forget anyone else is around them. Same would be true on an airplane, they would forget anyone else is there. They can't see the person they are talking to, so their \"vision\" kind of turns inward.

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cc82
September 30, 2009 7:02 PM
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@Orv: I remember seeing some study that there is actually a neurological basis for why it is more annoying to listen to one end of a phone call, rather than a two person conversation, because your brain wants to fill in the other half of the conversation, or something like that.

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floraposte
September 30, 2009 11:25 PM
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@cc82: That makes sense to me--the rhythm is off. A quiet in-person conversation is white-noisish on a plane because the sound is balanced and constant. Phone conversation is more staccato. And we simply are louder talking on a cell phone than we are talking face to face, and we make more noises and answers in order to replace visual signs of hearing (can't nod on the phone).

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Orv
September 30, 2009 7:15 PM
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@cc82: I suppose. The only ones that bother me are people who are excessively loud -- either to someone in person or someone on the phone, I don't care -- and people who walk around using Bluetooth headsets with no clear indication they're on the phone. The latter bother me just because they're difficult to distinguish from the insane homeless people that are so plentiful in downtown Seattle.

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Alex Chasick
September 30, 2009 6:59 PM
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@Orv: I guess I'm just misanthropic, but I also hate when people have conversations on planes, trains, and buses. I just hate it less because they are generally slightly quieter.

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Orv
September 30, 2009 7:01 PM
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@Alex Chasick: I suggest earplugs. Or in-ear headphones. I find they're very helpful in ignoring other human beings. Earphone especially, because not only do they block sound, they also send a very clear \"I don't want anyone to talk to me\" message.

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Crabby Cakes
September 30, 2009 6:55 PM
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@Orv: And people generally talk louder on cellphones because they can't hear their own voices - unlike on landlines, which have a device that amplifies your voice and replays it through your earpiece.

You've never been on a bus of train with someone screeching into their cell phone?

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Orv
September 30, 2009 6:58 PM
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@Crabby Cakes: And BTW, some cell phones do play your own voice through the earpiece. My current one does. (Phone engineers call this \"sidetone,\" BTW.)

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The Porkchop Express
September 30, 2009 8:33 PM
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@Orv: All sidetone aside, people still generally talk a lot louder on their cell phones. What are you some cell phone company CEO?

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Orv
September 30, 2009 10:44 PM
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@The Porkchop Express: Nope, I just find the level of anger towards cell phones kind of odd/quaint. It reminds me of George Will's rant against adults wearing denim, or the complaint I heard the other day about how rude it is that people eat in public *right there on the street* these days.

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floraposte
September 30, 2009 11:33 PM
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@Orv: It's not against cell phones. It's against loud talking on cell phones. I suspect that most people would be perfectly okay with people texting their little hearts away aloft, so long as they had the keys muted.

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jeffbone
September 30, 2009 7:37 PM
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@Orv: I've never had decent sidetone levels on any of my cellphones, even thinking all the way back to the first bananaphone I had. None of them ever came close to matching the satisfying sidetone on my old 2500 set.

It's the lack of proper sidetone that causes people to screech into the cellphone. In particularly annoying cases, I'll suggest to the person that they \"let the RF link do the work\", which usually results in a odd stare...

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Hooray4Zoidberg
September 30, 2009 7:43 PM
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@jeffbone: It's not even just the louder part. I beleive, as said above, it's the one sided conversation issue paired with the fact that few people have anything interesting to talk about on thier phones.

For example If I sit next to you on a plane and just said \"Yeah...uh huh, No hahahahahah of course not hahaha. What, you're kidding, too funny...\" for like 20 minutes straight it would probably get a bit annoying regardless of the phone or volume of my voice.

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Orv
September 30, 2009 6:57 PM
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@Crabby Cakes: Sure, but I've also been on a bus with people screeching to people who were there in person. I don't see why one is acceptable and the other is infuriating, just because an electronic device is involved.

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HogwartsAlum
October 1, 2009 2:02 PM
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@Orv: NEITHER is acceptable. Both are rude!

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Sunshine1970
September 30, 2009 6:55 PM
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@Orv: That is completely different. Talking to the person next to you you are interacting with the people around you, and have manners. When talking to a person on the phone, you are oblivious to those around you and forget all manners.

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Orv
September 30, 2009 6:56 PM
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@Sunshine1970: I dunno, if someone is talking to their friend in the next seat they're usually ignoring me entirely, and probably wouldn't take kindly to me trying to be part of their conversation. How is that different?

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Laura Northrup
September 30, 2009 6:46 PM
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@Orv: I find only hearing half of a conversation that I'm not part of infuriating. Maybe I'm just nosy.

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sponica
October 1, 2009 1:10 AM
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@Laura Northrup: actually that's why it drives people crazy....your brain can filter out the conversation next to you b/w two people, but hearing one half throws the brain off and makes it wonder if that person is actually talking to you

or something like that.

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Conrad
September 30, 2009 6:55 PM
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@Laura Northrup: But some of the best sound bites come from hearing half of a conversation. Like old women swearing.

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pecan 3.14159265
September 30, 2009 6:58 PM
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@Conrad: One of my favorite things to do when I'm around loud cell phone talkers is to listen to what they're saying and try to piece together the entire conversation. I'm easily amused.

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TheWillow
September 30, 2009 9:40 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: I answer their questions.

... I mentioned to someone the other day the store she was headed to had closed 15 minutes ago and she looked at me like I was nuts.

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TheWillow
September 30, 2009 9:41 PM
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@TheWillow: I actually do this to people walking down the street talking to one another too. I'm very easily bored.

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ExtraCelestial
September 30, 2009 7:06 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: If it weren't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that year in college.\"

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MostlyHarmless
September 30, 2009 6:45 PM
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@Orv: *raises eyebrow*

Yeah, sure, lets go with that. Bad behavior isnt bad behavior, its just other people being jealous of richer people.

Also, if you think talking to the person next to you is the same as yapping away on the cell phone, you have issues. Never mind the point that there are socially unacceptable ways to talk to the person you are with. Anyone who has been in the same flight with two giggly loud yapping teenagers know what I am talking about.

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Orv
September 30, 2009 6:53 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: Also, if you think talking to the person next to you is the same as yapping away on the cell phone, you have issues.

OK, explain to me what my \"issues\" are. Why does it matter to you whether the person in the next seat over is talking to someone who's physically present or not? I don't understand the logic.

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KLETCO
September 30, 2009 7:06 PM
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@Orv: If you read above, or if you happen to listen to someone on a cell phone, you would see that it's natural to speak LOUDER on a cell phone than another type of phone. You also speak louder than you would to the person next to you.

And frankly, lots of folks talking to each other are pretty annoying on airplanes as well.

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MostlyHarmless
September 30, 2009 6:56 PM
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@Orv: That precisely is your issue. You dont understand... because you dont understand. It's circular logic. You wont understand.

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Orv
September 30, 2009 7:00 PM
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@MostlyHarmless: If you can't explain logically why something should be banned, I think that's a good reason not to ban it.

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nstonep
October 2, 2009 2:08 PM
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@Orv: @ZukeZuke:

I don't want to hear about some box wine bitch's shopping adventures while the airlines still charge 5-6 bucks for a single beer.

People just don't get the fact that they aren't important...at all.

I remember when cell phones had numbers and a digital display of numbers and have to be connected to the car to work...those grim and beautiful days.

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rpm773
September 30, 2009 6:43 PM
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No. In 1993, I invested my entire retirement on the company that makes those GTE Airfones - the ones whose service is priced outside the reach of anyone who isn't an Arab prince with an oil inheritance.

If people start using VOIP on airplanes, I'll be ruined!

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NeverLetMeDown
September 30, 2009 6:48 PM
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@rpm773:


Hate to break it to you - that business shut down a while back. Well, don't worry, you still have those $ salted away with Madoff, right?

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rpm773
September 30, 2009 6:53 PM
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@NeverLetMeDown: You're investing with Madoff too? We're going to be very, very rich.

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nbs2
September 30, 2009 6:44 PM
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How about this - we let folks use VOIP, but if they are observed doing so, a sound-measuring-thingy-ometer device will be turned on. Exceed a certain volume (say 40 dB), and receive an electric shock. Do it again and the shock will increase.


That should allow a nice balance between the talkers and everybody else.

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subtlefrog
October 1, 2009 2:00 PM
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@nbs2: Everyone wins! The airline gets a cut, the other passengers get to take their shots, it reinforces good behavior...I like what we've said here. And if we keep the 40 dB sound pressure level suggested - well, that's quieter than background on a plane. So we ALL win. Except that dude trying to make the call. Which I'm ok with.

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MikeM_inMD
October 3, 2009 2:17 PM
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@subtlefrog: And if you have a sadistic streak, strike up a conversation with someone, but then be progressively harder-of-hearing.

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Spotz
October 1, 2009 1:02 AM
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@nbs2: With this system in place, who would a video playing overhead? It'd be a riot!

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vladthepaler
September 30, 2009 8:40 PM
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@nbs2:

I like this plan, but only because they will likely scream when they get shocked, which will trigger a more powerful shock, ad infinitum.

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floraposte
September 30, 2009 11:29 PM
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@vladthepaler: And the rest of the passengers can, for a small Shock Pool Fee, participate in a pool guessing the first person to receive the shock. Revenue awaits!

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howie_in_az
September 30, 2009 10:34 PM
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@vladthepaler: If this goes into effect I'd definitely fly more often.

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gumby101
September 30, 2009 6:55 PM
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I was at work eating my lunch in a break area with other employees outside and there were a couple of people sitting at one table, a lady on her cell phone at the other table, and myself at another table. All within a couple feet of each other.


I went to take a bite and this lady started talking on her cell phone. She was rather loud, but I didn't care, so I kept eating. Then she started talking about the dumbest things like what kind of clothes she was going to buy for her baby and hopefully get it with her employee discount. Then she was bragging about how she could get in to a company convention for only 5 dollars because she was an employee and she was going to visit the convention after work. Then she talked about how she didn't know what she was going to make for dinner and went off about how she didn't like certain items and went into detail. Afterwards it was more detail about some other thing she had to do after work and all. This had gone on for about fiftenn minutes.


At that point, I looked at the other people near me to see if they felt the same way and they I did about the lady by giving me a look and they did although they didn't seem to want to make a scene.


I sat down for one more minute, and then I couldn't take it anymore as she kept on going. I got up and left the area with haste so I could finish my lunch in relative peace.


The problem with cellphone usage on a plane is this above....even though people have the right to talk about the most stupid things in the world, they don't know how to do it with respect. Use an indoor voice and be appropriate with your conversation or don't talk at all.


On a plane, you really can't get away from annoying people on a cell phone and for whatever reason, a lot(not all) of people's \"douche factor\" increases by being louder and dumber on a cell phone.


Bye.

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weave
September 30, 2009 6:57 PM
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I don't get it -- back in the late 80s there used to be phone handsets in the back of each seat. I'd often use that phone to make short calls just before we landed to let someone know I was on time or late. It was about $4.00 a minute, and maybe that's part of it, but I don't remember rude people hollering into the things.

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cc82
September 30, 2009 7:04 PM
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@weave: maybe because most people didn't have $4.00/minute to waste blabbing on the phone.

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pecan 3.14159265
September 30, 2009 7:30 PM
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@cc82: I remember the collect call commercials from the early 1990s, specifically the guy who is at the hospital and he calls a family member and goes \"wehadababy, itsaboy\" and then hangs up because it cost too much to be on a pay phone. That's what life was like before cell phones.

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sponica
October 1, 2009 2:54 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: i used to say my name was \"please pick me up from school\" thus ending the call before it went through

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Julia789
September 30, 2009 11:45 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265:I remember that commercial \"Wehadababyitsaboy!\" It was such clever marketing.

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Sunshine1970
September 30, 2009 6:57 PM
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My vote:
NO NO NO OH GOD NO

Husband and I have been looking in to some Bose noise canceling headphones for when we travel. If any cellphone use is passed on planes, we are going to have to just move up our plans to get them sooner...

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UltimateOutsider
September 30, 2009 8:20 PM
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@Sunshine1970:
Don't overlook the Audio Technica ATH-ANC7B headphones. They're half the price as the Bose and every bit as good. I have used them on the plane several times and they not only block most of the sound, but your music/movies sound great on top of it.

Yeah, when I don't have headphones on I'm wearing earplugs. Personally my primary auditory annoyance on planes is the over-loud speakers for when flight attendants do their spiels, and I HATE overly-chatty pilots.

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crymson777
September 30, 2009 8:10 PM
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@Sunshine1970: Get the Able Planet variety. Have a pair myself that I picked up for $50 and they work better than the Bose ones by far.

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Crabby Cakes
September 30, 2009 7:01 PM
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Last weekend I was trapped in a plane for an hour after landing due to some emergency at our gate. The guy 3 rows behind me spent the better part of that hour screaming into his cell phone. The majority of that conversation went something like this:
\"WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU! THIS IS A REALLY BAD CONNNECTION! WHAT?\" At increasingly louder volume.
Sweet merciful moneycat, I cannot imagine being trapped for 5 hours with a plane full of people having that exact conversation.
NO.

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johnmc
September 30, 2009 9:45 PM
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@Crabby Cakes: HELLO? WHAT? NO, I'M ON A PLANE. NO, IT'S CRAP.

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squinko
October 1, 2009 12:52 PM
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@johnmc: That reminds me of the Trigger Happy TV sketch where Dom Jolly had the giant cell phone and would answer it in inappropriate places and scream into it. F'in hilarious.

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nstonep
October 2, 2009 2:09 PM
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@squinko - needs one more heart click, come on!: +487552.5 for comedic reference of the best tv series of all time.

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weave
September 30, 2009 7:15 PM
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I seldom talk on the phone anyway. Just let me text, twitter, and do email, thank you very much.

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ExtraCelestial
September 30, 2009 7:17 PM
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@Orv: Personally I don't care much as long as I'm not in line behind some oblivious chatterbox blissfully unaware of the cashier's attempts to ring their sale or stuck next to someone that fails to understand the inside voice concept.

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Razor512
September 30, 2009 7:19 PM
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Does this mean I can get out my laptop and make a voip call and have on my earbuds with great noise isolation and built in noise canceling and then I can call my friends and talk increasingly louder until I can hear my own voice over the noise insulation and noise canceling features of the earbuds?

thats great, especially if the person sitting next to me is trying to sleep because they didn't adjust to the time zone and are basically missing a day of sleep.

Or better yet, speakerphone :)

especially if the person I am talking to is on another airplane where theres a ton of background noise of other people yelling into their phones and amplified through my speakerphone for the people around me to hear and be annoyed by

Oh I just got a good idea

get your self a rick roll ring tone so when people call you, you can make those around you happy :)

or better yet, you can be the one who has the extra small bluetooth headset and you can be yelling into it because it is not very loud and the phone has a bad connection, people around you will think you are yelling at your self or the voices in your head :)

or better yet, text message, you know how some phones will play a ringtone when ever you receive a message, set the tone to be the sound of a baby crying, people love hearing that in restaurants , so why not a plane :)

or better yet, be the person with the obnoxious phone that blinks and makes a not of noise and also have the overly loud laugh and laugh at every message you receive weather there funny or not.

or better yet, turn the laptop speakers volume to the max then hold a skype call with 10 other people who have microphones with no noise canceling and noisy backgrounds and while your at it, talk about some nasty stuff to make everyone around you loose their appetite

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Sunshine1970
September 30, 2009 7:47 PM
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@Razor512: You just made me laugh out loud at work. I can so imagine all those situations and more on a plane.

If they allow one to talk on VOIP or cellphones while in the air, I wonder how many more planes will be forced to do an 'emergency landing' due to passenger fights breaking out due to cellphone calls.

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shepd
September 30, 2009 7:21 PM
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That \"device\" that lets you hear your own voice is called \"sidetone\". Just for the anal. :)

[en.wikipedia.org]

Another fun one for you to discover: What \"twist\" means to a telephone.

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RandomHookup
September 30, 2009 8:30 PM
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@shepd:

Just for the anal.


Be careful how you use a phrase like that.

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Orv
September 30, 2009 8:07 PM
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@shepd: Another fun one for you to discover: What \"twist\" means to a telephone.

\"Glare\" is another fun phone term.

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shepd
September 30, 2009 8:31 PM
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@Orv:

Had that happen! Nothing like people hearing you punch the phone number you intended to dial in. LOL!

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strathmeyer
September 30, 2009 7:23 PM
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Cell phone haters are hilarious. Can we also ban the person next to us from having a live conversation?

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6 replies
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That's Consumer007 to you
October 1, 2009 2:39 PM
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@strathmeyer: @strathmeyer:

I've FOUND IT! The PERFECT solution for dealing with a CELL PHONE OFFENDER near you!

[www.knockknock.biz]

Give them a ticket. And do it as visibly, publicly and loudly as possible right after they hang up, or even better, when they are still on the phone lol.

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JamieSueAustin
September 30, 2009 9:00 PM
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@strathmeyer: I hate cell phones. I hate them with a deep seated passion. Why? Because people are RUDE when they use them. They seem to think that their conversation is priority over everything happening around them.


SEVERAL times a day I come across these scenerios:


1. Cell phone user talking loudly.
2. Cell phone user laughing loudly or re-reading texts outloud in a \"quiet\" place.
3. Cell phone texting tone set to long bars of music, cries, and other loud noises.
4. Cell phone users throwing up the \"Just one minute\" finger right in the middle of a conversation while the other person stands there looking offended.
5. Cell phone users ignoring people who are trying to assist them (clerks, drivers, etc.) because they are too busy on the phone.
6. Cell phone users who can not maintain eye contact becaus they are obsessing over their cell phone (some cell phone users are worse than adhd children when it comes to eye contact)
7. Cell phone users forgetting to turn off their phones while in \"quiet\" places -- classrooms, movies, hospitals..
8. Cell phone users talking on their phone during dinner while other people try to have polite conversation with them.
9. Cell phone users talking on the phone instead of watching the road or WORSE wavin their hands while talking on the phone giving them impression that they want others to go around them or make some other traffic manuver.
10. Cell phone users chiding everyone around them that doesn't have or want a cell phone.

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secret_curse
October 1, 2009 2:00 PM
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@JamieSueAustin: All of the annoying traits in your list are done by douchebags that use cell phones. All douchebags with cell phones are douchebags, but not all cell phone owners are douchebags. Some of us will put our phones on silent in quiet places and send texts rather than calling, turn our phones off at the movies, and hang up to be polite to the various clerks we deal with throughout the day.


Some people are jerks. That fact will not change whether or not I'm using my cell phone. So, I do my best to be polite while taking advantage of all the great things my phone offers.

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lordmorgul
October 1, 2009 6:21 AM
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@JamieSueAustin: Just in case you are unclear on this detail, the 1950s ended several decades ago. You're going to need to get used to this fact eventually.

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 1, 2009 2:48 PM
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@lordmorgul: No, you are just an ass using a reference about modern times inappropriately to try and shut up someone else when you can't handle the truth of what they say.

I am a tech support person and enthusiast, and I will still tell you the fact we have technology doesn't mean it should be used in a way to disregard or piss off others.

People in the 1950's didn't get 500 foot long phone cords and carry their phones around with them everywhere in the house at all times and shut out people in front of them and all other activities so they could talk 24/7, at least not 99.9% of people. Why should they now, just because they CAN?

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lordmorgul
October 2, 2009 7:14 PM
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@Areyouagoodlittleconsumer: I never said people SHOULD ignore those around them. The reference to the 1950s highlights a difference in EXPECTATIONS. People who did not have mobile communications had the expectation that anyone near them would respond to them if a conversation was started. Why? Did a person have to respond? No, they could be 'rude' and not respond at all.

Now we have mobile communications and you CAN actually communicate with people who want to communicate with rather than any random person nearby you. You CAN still do as before and talk to people nearby, or you can use alternate communication methods. They choice should be yours, or theirs. It is rude to make someone's choice for them.

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legwork
October 2, 2009 4:57 AM
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@Areyouagoodlittleconsumer: actually, a 500 foot long phone cord would have had very high impedance so would have required several capacitor/resistor/diode doohickies, plus aux power and a small cart to carry the works about the house, so it wouldn't have been very convenient or a big seller. But yes, I get your point.

Sorry, I'm just enjoying the heck out of all these \"luddite vs. asshole\" threads. LOL

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Brunette Bookworm
October 1, 2009 1:25 PM
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@lordmorgul: And politeness ended with it?


All the things mentioned have to with being polite to the people around you. I don't want to hear your end of a private conversation that you are half-screaming so the person on the other end of the cell phone can hear you. It's also the height of rudeness to talk on a cell while in line at a store or restaurant. I'm sure your call can wait those few minutes for you to finish your business.

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lordmorgul
October 2, 2009 7:09 PM
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@Red-headed bookworm: Is it the height of rudeness to talk to a person next to you in a line? Why is talking to a person... someone you desire to communicate with... rude while standing in a line? Do you have a RIGHT to have conversation with the person in line ahead of you? No, you do not.

Many of these 'rudeness' issues are a matter of perspective... the perspective that YOUR preferences of not having people talk on cellphones near you is more important than THEIR preference of communicating with someone who matters to them.

Look at your perspective carefully. It is just as rude to be disgusted that someone is talking on the cellphone in a line as it is for them to be on the phone. When they deal with the clerk they should be communicating with that person, but while standing in line there is no reason they should not be able to communicate with who they want to.

Stop being so selfish with a fake \"I am polite\" hat on.

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squinko
October 1, 2009 12:54 PM
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@lordmorgul: What part of what she said has anything to do with the 1950s?

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lordmorgul
October 2, 2009 7:19 PM
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@squinko - has 50 followers, what more do I need?!: Well, you asked.
\"8. Cell phone users talking on their phone during dinner while other people try to have polite conversation with them.\"
This is clearly coming from the expectation that while sitting in a restaurant you SHOULD talk to people at the next table, especially if they start the conversation. Sure, if you WANT to talk to those people that is fine. If you prefer to talk to your wife/husband/friend on the phone in another city then you should have that choice.

To expect someone sitting at the table next to you to put their own communication lines on hold in order to talk to you is both rude and selfish. To get a pleasant conversation in a restaurant is great... to expect it from others is wrong.

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vladthepaler
September 30, 2009 8:36 PM
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@strathmeyer:

Some trains run with a \"quiet car\", in which cell phone use is not allowed and conversations, if any, are supposed to be quiet. It works well, the quiet cars are used and enjoyed by a good number of people. It would be interesting to see something similar on planes... seperate planes probably isn't economically feasible, but a seperate section, adequately partitioned, no babies allowed, etc. is probably something that a number of flyers would like, and perhaps even be wiling to pay a small premium for.

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pecan 3.14159265
September 30, 2009 7:31 PM
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@strathmeyer: Obviously, there's a difference. But jerks will be jerks and just because they're talking to a person instead of into a phone doesn't mean they have any more respect for the people around them.


/loves her cell phone, does not use it on the Metro.

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TheOtherBob
September 30, 2009 7:24 PM
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Oh goodness no.


There's a guy who works out in my gym who talks on his cell phone while he's on the elliptical machine(...), and there are days I want to strangle him. If his conversations were at least interesting, maybe it wouldn't be so bad...but, no, he's just killing time. Stuck on a plane with that? Kill me now.


But here's my solution. If someone starts talking on a phone, start talking back to them. Pretend they're talking to you. Since they're forcing you to be part of their conversation, don't just sit there like a wallflower. Join in!

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 1, 2009 3:00 PM
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@TheOtherBob: I love that tactic. However the one I personally would use is either suing him for the lost usage or enjoyability of the machines on either side of him, and further complaining to the club he is making all the machines in the area unusable. You see, drawing others into the conflict to embarass and humiliate the offender (who knows they are WRONG) is really the most effective. I have rarely seen people or businesses speak up in defense of the cell phone offender when a public scene is underway. Public verbal spankings are fun and effective, especially when the threat of removal or fines is involved.

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cash_da_pibble
September 30, 2009 11:04 PM
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@TheOtherBob:
I love doing that.
I don't do it with strangers becuase I value my life.


But when I do it to rude family members, you can make very obscene \"other half\" conversations that literally demand the user to get off the phone before they start laughing.

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stubblyhead
September 30, 2009 7:28 PM
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This may be a nitpick, but I don't care. Google Voice is not a VOIP service, it is a phone forwarding service. You can't make a call without having a phone to send it to.

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AirIntake
September 30, 2009 8:02 PM
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@stubblyhead: Does Google Voice send your Voice Over over the Internet using the internet's Protocol? By definition, any call that goes through the internet at any point is VOIP, whether or not it eventually rings an actual phone.

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ailema
September 30, 2009 7:39 PM
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No. If anything, internet access should make cell phone use even less necessary. Send a lovely, silent text message.

If they had room to shove a tiny phone call closet beside the tiny bathroom I would be okay with people making phone calls from inside it. That sounds potentially disastrous, so they might as well stick to no cell use.

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shepd
September 30, 2009 8:00 PM
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For those of you who can't stand hearing things on an airplane:

[en.wikipedia.org]

They are available at your local dollar store in multipacks for under $1. Wear them and go on with life. You're not flying the plane and if it is making an emergency landing you'll feel it, so your ability to hear others is unimportant. If you can't be bothered to value your comfort at at least $0.25 a flight, don't be surprised when others around you don't care much about it either.

If the plugs bother you, bring the earmuffs from the rifle range with you (BTW: These are great for use with earbuds--total sound isolation AND music).

I question why these items are not sold on the airplane itself for greatly inflated prices. I'm sure all the people who are saying no to VoIP calls would buy them for $10 a pair on most flights, should they have forgotten them.

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 1, 2009 3:04 PM
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@shepd: No, WHY should victims of cell phone OFFENDERS have to pay money to be slightly less offended? Why shouldn't the OFFENDERS have to pay for the plugs for everyone in the row?

Let me use an analogy with you. If gang bangers pull up outside your house / condo / hut / whatever at 2 in the morning, and blare their rap music, it is NOT your responsibility to put in ear plugs and shut up about it. You have to WORK the next day.

BOTH are examples of DISTURBING THE PEACE. COPS are used to deal with the gang bangers, airplane staff should deal with the cell phone offenders. Period.

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shepd
October 1, 2009 4:50 PM
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@Areyouagoodlittleconsumer:

If we make talking about making illegal things like talking loudly at any time whatsoever, goodbye any possibility of free speech.

I mean, seriously, this isn't your house. If it were, I'd agree with you that the cops should remove some nutbag yelling at his cellphone from the street at midnight. This is an airplane, very clearly a public space, and very clearly a public space that people have made a personal choice to use or not to use. You won't die without an airplane, and you won't find every day of your life uncomfortable without one, either. You know, unlike having a place to live.

A house may or may not be a personal choice, but it sure is a lot harder to just get up and move when the neighborhood is trashed, so I'm with you there. But if you find that airline \"A\" is too noisy, take airline \"B\" or wear the earplugs. Simple as that. Banning VoIP (or just plain talking) outright is ridiculous. Passengers should have a choice to take either the airline with the talkers, or the one without.

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 2, 2009 2:27 PM
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@shepd: No, sorry they really don't have a right to force their unwanted conversations on others in a CONFINED public space, or in a space like a movie theater where that conversation wastes other people's time and money. One could argue too that if they had planned to sleep on a transAtlantic flight, and needed to in order to be ready for work the next day, if someone next to them wouldn't stop talking on their cell phone, and is loud enough to overcome earplugs (right next to them) the talker should pay not only for the sleeper's flight but be liable for damages if the sleeper loses their job.

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Razor512
October 1, 2009 12:30 AM
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@shepd: 25 cents is a lot of money, no point in breaking the bank for a little bit of quiet :)

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PsiCop
September 30, 2009 8:03 PM
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Cell phone callers would not be nearly as much of a problem as they are, if they would simply stop YELLING into their phones. I understand this is caused at least partly by a lack of sidetone ... but that is, nevertheless, NOT a valid excuse for doing all that YELLING. If one cannot keep one's voice at a reasonable level while on a cell phone, then one should not be allowed to use one. Period.

Maybe cell phone makers could build a feature into their phones which drops the call if the person's voice goes above a certain level? After enough dropped calls, folks will figure out how to talk reasonably.

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 1, 2009 3:06 PM
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@PsiCop: We can only hope it will get to the point where 20 people around them will start YELLING at their face to turn it off instantly once the undesired behavior starts. THAT would be effective.

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shepd
September 30, 2009 8:35 PM
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@PsiCop:

Nope. As the dropped calls increase, they'll start YELLING \"Can you hear me NOW?! This crappy phone is broken AGAIN!!!!!!!!! Maybe if I talk LOUDER you'll HEAR me!\"

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Decubitus
September 30, 2009 8:21 PM
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NO NO NO OH GOD NO. The captive audience on a plane should not have to listen to one side of a conversation when it is usually louder than an in-person conversation wiht both sides. If I'm at a restaurant or somewhere else on the ground and someone is being annoying on a cell phone, I can get up and leave.

What's so important that it can't be taken care of at the terminal before leaving, or after landing?

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threadislocked
September 30, 2009 8:25 PM
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It is bad enough when irresponsible parents bring a child on board they know they cannot control and that child cries the entire time.
We do not need more noise on an aircraft.


If people want to communicate they can send emails, chat, or txt message. Voice is not needed.

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fs2k2isfun
September 30, 2009 8:26 PM
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The airplane is one of the last few remaining places of mobile phone solitude (along with movie theaters). Nothing is so important it can't wait a few hours until landing.

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vladthepaler
September 30, 2009 8:32 PM
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People aren't capable of not being jerks about cell phone usage. Five minutes on any form of public transit will teach you that.

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jp7570
September 30, 2009 8:38 PM
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No - end of story.

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Nytmare
September 30, 2009 8:52 PM
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Noisy people need their noise and quiet people need their quiet. They're going to have to put up a divider in the plane and separate them.

Wish they'd also do that in restaurants like they used to do with smoking sections, it's no longer relaxing to sit down and read while you're eating thanks to loud cellphone people.

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mathew
September 30, 2009 8:54 PM
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Since people are allowed to bring their screaming crotch droppings onto the plane, I don't see why phones are a big deal.

If someone else's phone conversation is a signficantly annoying part of your plane journey, I'd love to know what your secret is to getting such an incredibly pleasant flight.

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sew12
September 30, 2009 9:32 PM
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For short, important calls maybe. (ie the baby's forumla goes in the microwave for x mins, bye.)

For long, loud, self-indulgent crap that can easily be discussed another time hell no. (ie no way, omg like, no way, she did what?) Most calls that I hear commuting consist of this garbage, I certainly don't want to have to put up with in on a flight.

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fjordtjie
September 30, 2009 9:50 PM
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@Orv: over.night.international.flights!

when you're on a flight and you're supposed to sleep all night and wake up refreshed in your destination, and there's some asshole chattering away the entire 9 hour flight, you're liable to kill the motherfucker! couple that with someone who yells into their cellphone, and you are guaranteed more passenger to passenger violence!

also, i don't know where you are, but even the people begging for money on state street in madison have cell phones. there's not much of a class difference when everyone has one?

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Orv
September 30, 2009 10:42 PM
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@fjordtjie: there's not much of a class difference when everyone has one?

I realize that. But most of the people who complain loudest about cell phones are old enough to remember when only upper class twits had them. Hence my theory that a lot of the antipathy towards them is leftover class war stuff.

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BluePlastic
September 30, 2009 11:11 PM
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@Orv: I'm 40 and I don't remember thinking, \"Damn those rich people, they have cell phones and I don't.\"

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StanTheManDean
September 30, 2009 10:33 PM
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NO NO NO OH GOD NO


Unless your name is The President of the United States you have little need to be in constant contact with others and I think the The Prez might not even need 100% contact rate.

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HogwartsAlum
October 1, 2009 2:10 PM
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@StanTheManDean: Don't know about that...everyone knows the Prez is a Crackberry addict!

I answer the phone at work and LOVE it when I can't be reached. Heh heh.

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Misty2
September 30, 2009 10:55 PM
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Anyone who already takes public transportation knows
that cellphone use should not be allowed on
airplanes. It's not a matter of not wanting
to hear a person's conversation, it's a matter
of hearing a LOUD, one-sided conversation.

And then there's the topics. I once sat across
the aisle from a woman who called no fewer than
five people to tell them how \"Jamie gave me ringworm.''

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TexasScout
October 1, 2009 12:51 AM
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No, No a thousand times now. \"only if people don't be jerks\", jerks don't know they're jerks so why would they not be jerks and not talk on the GODDAM CELL PHONE! What do people have to talk so much about? I see nothing but young women with cell phones glued to their ears while driving at 7:00 AM in the frickin morning. WTF are you talking about at 7:00AM? The talk just because they CAN talk, they have NOTHING of ANY SUBSTANCE TO SAY. I know, I have listened to my 27 year old daughter. It's just mind numbing.

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bairdwallace
October 1, 2009 3:06 AM
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Maybe they could set up two closets for people to go spend 5 minutes tops in that would keep them from disturbing everyone, and people could wait in line, or have some sort of ticket system, to give them the option to make a quick call, but other than that we can not allow calling from before take off until landing. Loud people on cell phones will cause air rage like nothing before.

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Mr. B
October 1, 2009 3:06 AM
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Put me down for \"OH GOD NO.\" If you need to make a call so badly, use the Airfone.

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Grrrrrrr, now with two buns made of bacon.
October 1, 2009 4:08 AM
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Sure, but only if passengers are allowed to duct-tape the loudmouth douchebag's mouth shut after he spends half an hour detailing his sexual conquests or bragging about his business dealings at four-times the normal speaking volume.

Go ahead, make your VoIP call and play \"angry passenger roulette.\"

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blonderengel
October 1, 2009 12:35 PM
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Oh, sure--let's have that, too.

I mean, why stop at overflowing toilets, screaming babies, and FAs straight from some totalitarian training camp--yes, by all means, let's make flying an ever increasing BAD experience.

I need to fly next week, and have not been able to find a cat sitter for my two hellions--so I'll bring 'em with. When/if the cell phone call ban is lifted, I'll fly just for the hell of releasing them into the cabin--they are trained attack cats and hone in on anyone on a phone. They jump into your lap and just sit there to stare at you unnervingly for a few minutes before starting to paw at your face with claws becoming increasingly unsheathed. Somehow, when they were kittens, that behavior was rewarded, so now they do it every time when I'm on the phone--cell or other.

Cells on a plane?

Enough is enough! I have had it with these motherfucking cells on this motherfucking plane!

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 1, 2009 3:11 PM
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@blonderengel: I love it! Rent out your cats to Flight Attendants - Anti-Cell-Phone-Offender-Attack Cats! Hiss Hiss! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!

hey you could make a business out of this lol!

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Alpf
October 1, 2009 12:44 PM
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It's pretty simple: When inside the cabin of an airliner, if you have a laptop, you can TEXT any information that is necessary to convey. You can also do this with a cellphone when they're allowed to be powered on. That's all that should be allowed. Period.

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Alpf
October 1, 2009 12:48 PM
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Oh, I forgot...then we'd have to put up with a constant series of beeps and dings and button-clickity-click noises. *sigh* ...never mind.

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 1, 2009 2:35 PM
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For the last fricking time for those of you who want cell phones allowed everywhere...

PAY ATTENTION:

YOU ARE NOT TO TRAP OTHER BYSTANDERS in public and further in confined spaces into YOUR PERSONAL conversation that DOES NOT involve them. It is RUDE. And if you are HONEST about it, YOU DO NOT LIKE IT when they do the same thing to YOU.

PARTICULARLY when you are having a LOUD or HEATED or UNPLEASANT or SEXUAL or POLITICAL conversation.

It is not acceptable on TRAINS, in someone else's CAR, in line at a cashier, in a MOVIE, etc. etc.

BUT if you proceed to do so anyway, then you have earned the SHARP and LOUD rebuke of others around you, telling you to either turn it off, or reacting to whatever you said. YES your conversation DOES now involve those standing around you. They aren't invisible just because you are inappropriately and inconsiderately on the phone in front of them when you shouldn't be.

I had to wait behind a very nasty bitch in line for food yesterday, screaming into her phone about how Obama is trying to kill all old people, etc. Technically I would have been within my rights to start screaming in her face with an opposing opinion - she forced that conversation on me whether I liked it or not...she got lucky.

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nstonep
October 4, 2009 1:30 PM
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@Areyouagoodlittleconsumer: It's like the fat people seat rule...airlines charge for two people when you take up more than one seat because it would be uncomfortable for the person next to you (though they often fill the damn seat anyway).

On a cell phone how many seats do you take up? There are a lot of people who are sick of douchebags. Frankly we wish they'd just stop parking their cadillac escalades in handicapped spaces so we don't have to key their \"cars\".

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lordmorgul
October 2, 2009 7:26 PM
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@Areyouagoodlittleconsumer: Wow. Talk about a biased and heated opinion on the subject.

None of the problems in your post have anything really to do with the cellphone or where it can be used -- they have everything to do with the behavior (dare I say 'classyness') of people around you.

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 1, 2009 2:42 PM
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I would further also like to see airlines start confiscating cell phones from offenders as they continue to ban their use in flight, and just give them back later as people deboard.

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 1, 2009 3:09 PM
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Hey here's an idea too! Start charging a $500 cell phone nuisance fee upon landing (if one or more other passengers complain during flight). As an interesting option, the fee can increase the more complaints received.

Ba bing! Cha ching! You offended 10 other people? That will be $2000 please...no, you can't leave the airport until you pay, thank you.

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ma3145tt
October 1, 2009 3:57 PM
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Google Voice isn't VoIP

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merc78
October 1, 2009 5:24 PM
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Let them use it in the bathroom or a separate padded room. It's a neurosis that many of these people have. The mouth is always going but the brain is rarely engaged.

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nstonep
October 2, 2009 1:45 PM
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No way it's going to be allowed. It's going to interfere with the ability of sky marshalls to do their jobs.

And it might provoke fights during the flight (no rhyme intended)

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That's Consumer007 to you
October 2, 2009 2:34 PM
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I just heard from a flight attendant friend of mine, who wanted to relay these stories here:

_____________
We had boarded in Los Angeles, and had completed all of the safety announcements, the door was closed and we had actually pushed back from the gate. While doing a \"sweep\" to check for seatbelt, and carry-on compliance, I ran into a noisy man making a business related (real estate deal) on his phone. I asked him very nicely: \"Sir, would you be so kind as to discontinue your call right now, and stow your telephone for takeoff? We have already pushed back.\"
To which he yelled: \"I have two god-damned corpses in the hospital, and someone else dying. I need this phone on with me at all times.\"

That did it!

I told him, that his situation was far too serious for him to be flying today, so I went to the interphone, got the captain to pull the plane back, and two very big ramp agents came in, pulled him out of his seat, and sandwiched him between themselves as they marched him off the plane into the waiting arms of LA's finest. He was arrested and charged with violating two federal avaition regulations. That was the most expensive phone call I'm sure he ever made. Whether his situation was real or fabricated, I don't know, nor do I care. He was a pest, and therefore, a threat to his fellow passengers, and I removed him so they didn't have to deal with him.

The other was on a vacation.
I had settled into my business class seat, and was enjoying the pre flight hospitality that is available when I get that lucky! Mind you, the plane hadn't left yet, and the door was open so the phone call was totally legal. It was simply her loud voice that was objectionable.
A woman dressed in a very nice high end business suit across the aisle took out her cell phone, made a call and began yelling at the person on the other end. She was detailing business plans for what was obviously, Sarah Lee Foods. She kept ranting about one point in particular.

After she hung up, I turned to her and said:
\"That is a perfectly horrible business plan, and is sure to fail.\"
To which she yelled:
\"That's none of your f**king business\" (a bit turse for a \"high end\" woman, unless she's a call girl from Madison Avenue)
So I asked her, \"Then why did you make it my business by yelling it all around the cabin for the rest of us to hear?\"
I watched a couple of other passengers nod in agreement.

So I said, \"Continental Bakers is going to pay me very big money to hear everything about it, too.\" I left her in astonishment, and sat back, enjoyed my warm nuts and orange juice, and then drifted off to sleep on my way to New York!

Oh and btw, I did write it in a letter to Continental Bakers ;-) And I've not purchased a Sarah Lee product since.

__________

I couldn't agree more. If you are a loud bitch or a bastard in your business or personal life, you better THINK TWICE about starting up on a cell phone and forcing that attitude on others, unless you want to get criticized, humilitated, beat up or arrested, and perhaps not even in that order. To be fair I am often critical of many things FA's do, and my friend and I don't always agree on those, but he is absolutely right here - every passenger has a right to peace and safety and enjoyment on a flight, and that supersedes the selfish needs of an overgrown bully or brat to control others with their little toys.

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Urgleglurk
October 2, 2009 2:50 PM
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Agree with Sunshine1970. If they go with this, I'm getting Bose headphones for when I fly.

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nate_rio
October 4, 2009 9:29 AM
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I think voice communications should only be allowed in the first and last 30 minutes of a flight, or if a captain gets on the intercom to announce a reroute due to weather, maybe a loose wing or something.

Or, better yet, they could have different sections for different fliers. And it wouldn't matter if you were in the sleeping/quiet section or the loud/talking section, the airline could charge you a fee for choosing where you want to sit.

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nstonep
October 4, 2009 1:27 PM
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@nate_rio: No...it should be like the library...if you refuse to shut up they should kick you out (or put you in the cargo bay). I wonder if blackberries sour in below freezing temperatures?

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