Texting/Text Messaging

@sharone74 (4837)
United States
June 18, 2009 3:37am CST
I know a lot of people who send and receive text messages on their cell phones. I prefer to just talk to the person rather than sending text messages back and forth. The only time that I will normally text some one is if I know that they are in a meeting or something and that they can't take my call. Otherwise I would rather leave a voicemail message than send a text message. One of my friends kids flunked 5 of 6 of her classes in Junior High School because she was to busy texting. And I keep hearing news stories about the police cracking down on people who are texting while they drive because this has been the cause of a lot of accidents. Hello, why are they trying to send or receive text messages while they are driving? They should keepo their eyes on the road, right? Do you text? When and where do you normally text from?
5 people like this
31 responses
@klw5000 (213)
• United States
18 Jun 09
I do text and I love it. I really have never like to talk on the phone so this is convenient for me. I text my kids to find out where they are or if I'm at work I text them to make sure they got home from school or find out what they want for dinner. It's easier if your in a restaurant to text so that you don't bother others around you with your conversations. I think it is very annoying when you have someone next to you talking loudly on their cell phone. I also use it if I am out with my children and need to tell them something I don't want everyone around us to hear. I use it at work when I want to talk about certain co-workers that I don't like.
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
18 Jun 09
It really takes to much time to do this, I use to do it, for a while, I was Texting a Friend here form India. but it got to be to expensive to do that.
• Canada
19 Jun 09
I like to text! I find it quick and convenient and a great way to keep up todate with people! I do not believe texting should be allowed in school or in the work place! It takes the focus off the tasks at hand! I get very annoyed when I am in a place of business and the salesperson stops to check their phone and then starts to text someone while they are trying to talk to the customer! Most of the time I just start asking a bunch of silly personal questions to test if they are actually listening to me and they just politely answer yes to everything! I have even gotten a extra ten percent off telling the saleswoman that she had promised it to me when she was texting! After she called the manager over, He gave me the ten percent off! So someone else's texting can be used to your advantage!
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I'm hip to what you're saying, and yes it is a really low profile way to check in with your kids etcetera. I prefer to call them because a lot of the time a telltale sound will tell me when they are not doing what they say they are doing or are not where they say they are. Like if your son was telling you he was at home but you distinctly here the background sound of cars or carnival barkers or a bowling alley arcade or something like that. Yes texting may be unobtrusive, but it takes a lot longer even if you have one of those slider keypads with all the letters on it.
@dismalgrin (2604)
• United States
20 Jun 09
I text. My mom likes to keep in touch with all of her children this way. At her work it is easier and less time consuming to jot off a text in between transporting patients, then to try to carry on a conversation. I do agree that it is dangerous when you are driving, sometimes I'll send a quick one while at a stop light or something. But, I don't dare do so while driving.
1 person likes this
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
23 Jun 09
I bet your mom likes that she can text all of you simultaneously!
@reckon21 (3479)
• Philippines
18 Jun 09
I do have a cellphone but I'm not a text addict. I only send text messages if I have important matter to discuss with or asking for help. Calling your friend is much better rather than texting. Those crazy drivers they are insane for texting while driving.
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
24 Jun 09
thank you very much, I agree! I can't understand what could be so important as to need to be attended to immediately that would require one to take their eyes off of the road?
@dtp882 (110)
• United States
18 Jun 09
I like texting better in most situations. It allows you to be more private and less obnoxious to those around either person. You can also text multiple people at once. Another thing about texting is that it is less formal, I'm not sure how to explain it but it allows you to strike up conversations and talk for longer periods of time, it would be strange to call someone and just say "hi, what's up?" but you can do that with text and gradually start chatting. You have a record of what you said if you want to talk about it later or have proof of something. =P
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I can understand your reasoning. I just think it is so much faster to just excuse yourself and go either to the restroom or outside, hold your brief conversation and then return to what you were doing. I also find texting to be a bit disjointed. Most responses come with some lag time and a lot of people would forget what the question was. As for trying to prove something with the written record, that is what IM is for. I much prefer IMing to text messaging. It is almost as quick as a verbal conversation depending upon how fast each of the parties type.
@cwachid (160)
• Indonesia
18 Jun 09
I like to send sms/text because it's cheap just to remind or invite other people. Especially to other country friends that I prefer to send text compared by send them email.
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
24 Jun 09
Do you text while you are driving?
• India
18 Jun 09
It is too difficlut to take my cellphone and text anybody. I bought my mobile in an offer, and I got it for a good rate. It is a good one except for the drawback that it is very difficult to go into the messaing section and text a message. I prefer calling rather than messaging. Above all I prefer attending calls, so that I can talk and I do not have to pay for the one who is calling me.
@sharone74 (4837)
• United States
15 Jul 09
if you are subscribed to a package plan with a contract and everything, your minutes are much more inexpensive than the minutes on a prepaid plan or pay as you go plan. I have had phones with both plan scheduled minutes and pay as you go minutes and I must say that it is a lot easier to just pick up the phone and chat than if you have to watch your plan minutes every minute of every day to make sure that you don't go over the alloted amount of time.
@trixyteddy (1070)
• India
20 Jun 09
I just agree with your posting. I'm neither a texting freak, nor a phone freak. I use it only when necessary. I might have been different if I had a cell phone when I was younger....hehehe....
@dpk262006 (58673)
• Delhi, India
19 Jun 09
I prefer sending text messages when it is not possible to talk directly. For example if I wish to extend my greetings to someone early in the morning, I donot feel like disturbing him/her by making a call, instead I send a text message so that s/he could see it at her/his convenience.
@iriscot (1289)
• United States
19 Jun 09
If people don't quit having accidents texting while driving, they should take the keyboard off of cell phones. Driving on a 4 lane highway the other day at 68 miles per hour, a young lady in the outer lane all most ran off the road while texting, she was right next to me, thankfully she didn't cut over in my lane. If she hadn't stopped texting and took control of her car she would have rolled her car down a steep incline and could have been seriously hurt. My wife has a plain cell phone and only uses it when necessary and never while she is driving.
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
20 Jun 09
i much prefer to send text messages to others. maybe i'm too old fashion but i view the mobile phone as an intrusion. imagine you are doing something and it rings. it's like leaving my main door open and letting everyone else into my home. i also hate it when people answer their mobile phone while having a meal with me. so i usually just send a text message to others unless it's really urgent. as for casual texting, i much prefer talking face to face so i don't do it either.
@vicky30 (4766)
• India
14 Jul 09
Yes i text messages.But i only text in very safe places.I only text from my home if i have to give an address or phone number to a friend.I also text from home if i need to check the amount of my mobile bill.I also text from office if i don't have time to wish a person Happy Birthday.I never text anybody when i am on the road as i will not know anything around me.I will go home and then text the person.
@ShellyB (5241)
• United States
20 Jun 09
I send and get about 1000 texts messages in my cell per month, I do not drive, now here is the irony why, I have a strange eye condition, I can see my cell phone if I place in front of my face and close but not well enough to place everyone in danger if I chose to drive so I do not drive (that plus I would flunk the eye test at the DMV) I text from everywhere but I do not text while crossing the street or while waiting for the light to turn green I got a chuckle when I read a big sign in the freeway that said do not text and drive but considering the news, and one of the Metrolink accidents involved the conductor texting, I am guessing that's a good sign to read and keep in mind.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
23 Jun 09
For $5 I get 1000 text messages. It is much easier for me to send or respond to a question via text than answering the phone or making a call most of the time. Text messages are like instant emails and I get answers back faster from people who are equally as busy and not often available for conversation.
@jayrene (2708)
• Philippines
19 Jun 09
when i was able to hear before, i prefer talking to rather than texting because with talking i can relay more of my messages and i can ask the one i am talking to what he or she needs or wants, in a short time. with texting it takes a lot of time. but now that i am hearing impaired all i can do is text. my kids dont bring cellphone at school and thankfully my daughter is really not into it, although she has one, i bought her for emergency purposes, she rarely use it. yeah i hate that too, when people text and drive... accidents happen in a blink of an eye, so why take your eyes off the road. those people not only endanger themselves but also other people.
• Philippines
19 Jun 09
I normally text rather than call, I call when I don't received an urgent response, but I don't need calling now as I know my friend will respond to me. I just text because I want to check her or talk to her, and when it is very important I call her.
@derek_a (10874)
19 Jun 09
I would prefer to talk to people also, but if there is just a short note, I think texting is great. I text directly from my phone when I am out, but I can use a program on my computer called, TextMagic Messenger, as it is quicker to type out messages. I can either receive them back to my computer, or have them go to my cell phone. I have found this very useful - Derek
• Kottayam, India
19 Jun 09
we should discern ourselves where & when we send text messages
@jezzmay (1845)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I would rather text, I do not like leaving messages. I do not really like talking on the phone. A lot of the time I do not answer my phone because I do not want to talk. If you text me this solves the problem. Have a nice day.
@jambi462 (4576)
• United States
19 Jun 09
Yeah I text but I don't really like it. A lot of my friends just choose to text rather then just calling me or something like that. I really don't like having to send back and forth like eight messages just to figure out one small conversation. But I do what I have to do to talk to my friends because I thouroughly enjoy talking to them.
• Philippines
19 Jun 09
I do text a lot....actually far more than i call. The main reason is that its cheaper...and also the advantage of texting is that you can think carefully and review your message before sending. I also do text some quotes to my friends when i am bored.lol