Cell Phones: Dial 'S' for Shock

wired news ^ | 2/15/03 | Elisa Batista

[freepatriot32]

Moviegoers may laugh at the Cingular Wireless commercial about a man who talks on his cell phone and gets ejected from his seat while watching a film. But do they actually want to see this happen?

Apparently, some people do.

The New York City council has passed a bill that prohibits cell-phone use in public performance venues like museums, art galleries and theaters. The bill's introduction back in August followed two instances in which famous actors lashed out at cell-phone users during Broadway performances.

[freepatriot32]

Laurence Fishburne wasn't as congenial. In the middle of his performance, he yelled to a member of the audience, "Turn your f**king phone off!"

now that doesnt sound very tolerant or compassionate of others could it be that we have another hypocrite liberal actor on our hands?

[hobbes1]

Patron should have said, "Sure thing, Cowboy Curtis"!

[Servant of the Nine]

I don't think the Govt. hasd any business regulating things like this. More of Bloomburgs nanny state.

I do think it is apropriate for other patrons to beat cell phone users to jelly and/or lynch them.

So9

[RolandBurnam]

Its amazing that people will take calls anywhere these days... except for when they are actually AT home when they avoid calls at any cost.

[FreedomPoster]

I generally agree, but perhaps a little extreme.

Practically, the theaters need to start ejecting theatergoers who have noisy devices / use cellphones during the performance. That would get the point across.

[ArrogantBustard]

More of Bloomburgs nanny state.

Read the article: "Mayor Michael Bloomberg vetoed the cell-phone legislation shortly after it passed, but the city council is expected to override"

And in this case, I agree with him. And with you. If I were a theatre owner, and had a problem with patrons using cell phones during performances, I would:
A) make turning off the cell phone during performances an explicit requirement of the ticket and
B) employ a few former USMC personnel to enforce that provision.

[staytrue]

If we can eliminate tax payer subsidies for museums and broadway, I think the museums and broadway should be allowed to ban cell phone use.

[Chad Fairbanks]

C. Randomly Turn on an EMP device...

[FrankR]

"OK, Pahdner...
This here is Dodge City, and you gots ta' turn in yo' cellphone at the sheriff's office when evah you comes in'ta town. "

[eno_]

I work with mobile phones, and I work with many people in companies that make mobile phones and the network equipment for mobile networks. It amazes me that even people in the industry will disrupt meetings with loud ringers, obnoxious ring tones, and by taking calls while someone else is presenting.

I always keep my ringer in silent vibrating mode when in a room with other people. The only thing that I have found to be troublesome is that some people don't understand when, after apperently randomly looking at my phone to see who is calling, I excuse myself to take a call. I have to explain to them about vibrating ringers.

[Capriole]

I have to explain to them about vibrating ringers.

I've had to explain to people about vibrating ringers, too.

I work in a place in which ringing cell phones and noisy conversations are NOT tolerated at all. But I do need to stay connected because I have a little boy who sometimes becomes suddenly ill at school. I also have business contacts who might need to get in touch. So I put the ringer to my new phone on "vibrate" and put it in my pocket.

Recently I had the silent phone in the pocket of a long, full skirt. The pocket slipped around until it was in my lap. Then someone called me. This was no subtle shaking but a BIG BUZZ in the area of my lap. I screamed bloody murder, jumped up, and just barely refrained from grabbing my crotch in front of my co-workers. The sensation was, uh, interesting. This is in no way a complaint about the quality of the sensation. But it wasn't ideal in a business situation. It does make me a lot more enthusiastic to get incoming calls, though.

[Samwise]

I know a guy who said he likes to call himself to make the phone vibrate. He was joking--I hope.

[Samwise]

See post 12. Maybe you two should exchange phone numbers. :^)

[KarlInOhio]

It does make me a lot more enthusiastic to get incoming calls, though.

But not to answer them quickly. :-)

[DeuceTraveler]

I'm glad to see that our entertainment industry has so much power in their hands. And they are not scared to use it.

[Tennessee_Bob]

And your number is????

[DeuceTraveler]

Thanks for that post. I was violently angry about government regulating what should be good manners. Then I got to the end of your post and had a good laugh to cool me down. : )

[ArrogantBustard]

Do you suppose your armadillos could be trained to ferret out cellphones in theatres?

[Cicero]

As Miss Manners pointed out in a brilliant article in First Things some years ago, if we didn't have so many selfish, narcissistic, mannerless yuppies, we wouldn't need so many micromanaging laws. Good manners went out in 1968, and we've been in trouble ever since.

In other words, the proper way to deal with this is for people to respect the rights of others. Then theater managers wouldn't have to police their theaters and legislatures wouldn't be tempted to pass all these laws.

I HATE it when people behind me on the train yammer away for hours on their cell phones. It's even worse in a restaurant or theater. The solution would be for these idiots to learn some manners.

Maybe we should all start wearing swords again. That was the way people used to be taught manners.

[jjm2111]

Do you really think theaters need ex-Marines (or is it former?) to eject pudgy middle-aged Broadway show goers? Hell, a college kid on steroids could fill that bill.