Cell phone courtesy month is coming to an end but that doesn't' mean you should forget about cell phone courtesy. As cell phones and smart phones become significantly constant in our everyday lives, we must always remember to be courteous and considerate of others when it comes to utilizing our phones.
1. Don't take your call in the restroom. Whether it's at a restaurant, friend's house or at an amusement park, it is off-putting to friends and family. Not only is it unsanitary, but unexpected damages may occur to your phone, such as water damage or dropping it in the toilet. A survey study conducted by Gazelle, the nation's leading trade-in site for high-end technology products discovered that nearly 85% of individuals have taken their cell phone into the restroom to answer or make a phone call.
2. Keep your voice at a minimum and keep private and business details away from the public. Nobody wants to hear a loud person screaming into their phone and of course it is beneficial to yourself to discuss private matters in a secluded place. The person sitting next to you at the airport doesn't care to hear about the girl you tried to hook up with last night. While you may think it's not a big deal to take a call in the movie theater, you may not realize how loud you are talking even though the volume of the movie is really high.
3. If you are in a meeting, lunch, dinner or any other place that might be rude to answer a call at, make sure to excuse yourself, leave the table and step outside to answer a much needed call.
4. Don't call or text while driving! It's illegal!!!
5. Don't use your cell phones while service personnel is trying to help you. This may include waiters, cashiers, countertop workers and even parents! Don't make them wait for you while you are texting or on the phone. It is not only rude to them, but to other people who are in line to order food or purchase a product.
6. Set an example to younger individuals. Teenagers and children may look up to you as a role model, so doing something inappropriate or rude may seem okay to them because you are doing it.
7. Respect. Respect the people you are with. If someone is trying to talk to you, tell you about their day or tell you something urgent, don't text while they are talking to you. The text can wait and not only is it rude to text while someone is talking to you, it can become a habit in the long run, especially if you made plans with that individual.
8. Silence your phones in noise-sensitive places such as movies, church, libraries and classrooms. The ringtone or sounds may distract others and ruin their experience or outing.
9. Handle calls politely! Don't argue or curse when handling a call. It may offend others around you!
10. Lastly, be aware of your surroundings because as many as 90% of individuals think they have excellent cell phone etiquette, when in fact they have committed all these cell phone etiquette crimes!
