Do you answer phone call or answer SMS while talking to others?

@cheongyc (5072)

Malaysia

February 1, 2007 10:23am CST

Nowadays cell phone is very common and almost everyone are using nowadays. I am not sure how you guys set your priority but i sometimes i just feel frustrated and slightly offended when my friend answer his/her cell phone call or respond to the SMS, while we are discussing or having a chat. I understand that sometimes some calls or SMS are urgent and important, but i feel uncomfortable only when my friends are attending unimportant call or message and leave me doing nothing like for half an hour. For me, if the call or message is non-urgent i would put it aside for a moment and paying attention to who i am talking or chatting. So, do you think we should show some courtsey to those with ur? Do you think we have become slave to our cell phone?

24 people like this

137 responses

@blindedfox (3315)

• Philippines

1 Feb 07

In my case, I look at who's calling first. If it is from someone who is important (family members, etc.) I ask the one I'm talking to to excuse me for a while. But if it the one calling can be reached at a later time and isn't all that important, I pick up and say "I'll call you later ha." then hangup after the formal byebyes. =) As for SMS, I don't reply to SMSs when I am talking with someone.

4 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

1 Feb 07

You are doing the right thing and giving enough respect to the one you are having conversation with. I did the same thing too and won't leave my friend waiting to me while attending to non-urgent or non-important message. Even if it's an urgent call, i would ask a excuse from my friend. I think this is the courtsey everybody should have if you are owning a mobile phone. Thanks for your response :)

3 people like this

@ChristaKitta (177)

• India

2 Feb 07

that is really good. I like this Discussion too. Coz most people end up setting wrong priorities that they land up being misunderstood by the people who are around them.

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

2 Feb 07

Thanks! Ya, I am just trying to post quality discussion in mylot to make all the activity here meaningful. In fact, this come into idea when i was slightly annoyed when my friend kept talking on the phone and neglect me for half an hour while we were having supper that night. :)

2 people like this

@plylilbunny (21)

• United States

1 Feb 07

i always check to see who is calling. if its urgent ill answer it, if not ill just let my voice mail get it. kinda the reason phones come with voice mail. it annoys me when im out with my friends and they answer their phone and just totally forget im even there. if your out with someone, why answer your phone unless its important. we probably have become slaves to our phones but for some thats a natural thing.

3 people like this

show previous comments

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

3 Feb 07

Ya, phone is still ok, but not too long. I agree with you that text messaging right away is really rude. Thanks for your opinion btw :)

1 person likes this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

2 Feb 07

Thanks for sharing your point of view. I think basically we have the same kind of opinion when coming to the courtesy of answering phone/sms and attitude towards friens. I do, sometimes expect my friend or family to send me SMS or leave a voice mail especially when i am busy with something.

2 people like this

•

2 Feb 07

If its a phone call than yes. But to start texting someone while talking i feel is very rude.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@justreal (2364)

• Canada

1 Feb 07

I think that everyone has cell phones these days. And I, personally can't live without one. I answer my calls whenever I can. I do put some calls and messages in priority. I take the most inportant one first obviously and the rest later. I do get back and call back everyone evatually.

3 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

1 Feb 07

Good practice. But remember to take care of the feelings of those people you are together with or having conversation with. It's inappropriate to leave your friend alone and keep on talking over the phone for too long. Thanks for your response btw.

2 people like this

• India

1 Feb 07

i have also faced this and now a days its become common in between of a chat if a call comes my friend just goes off and yes we have become the slaves of the phone now a days cell phone has become a necessity of evryone and we can't stay without it

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

2 Feb 07

Thansk for the response. Bcoz awaring that cell phone had become a necessity nowadays, so we must have to mind our courtesy of using it. Just like automobiles, there should be some courtesy, when we are driving.

1 person likes this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

2 Feb 07

Thansk for the response. Bcoz awaring that cell phone had become a necessity nowadays, so we must have to mind our courtesy of using it. Just like automobiles, there should be some courtesy, when we are driving.

@clod0327 (817)

• Philippines

2 Feb 07

I think it is rude to talk on the phone for 30 minutes if you're somebody else. As for me, I won't accept any phone calls or send sms unlessit is really very urgent. And if I really have to, I make sure that I have to excuse myself from the person I'm with and apologize also.

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

4 Feb 07

Ya, that's rude. But there are still people doing it. I can see that you are setting the priorities right and nice. Thanks for the response btw.

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

4 Feb 07

Ya, that's rude. But there are still people doing it. I can see that you are setting the priorities right and nice. Thanks for the response btw.

@ebfh2006 (175)

• United States

1 Feb 07

I always look and see who is calling. If I think it may be important then I will answer. But I excuse myself to do so. If it is not important I won't answer. If I am out eating i will turn it off, out of respect for those I am with and other patrons. I think we should have courtesy for those we are with and others around us.

2 people like this

show previous comments

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

2 Feb 07

Good practice and keep it on. I sometimes don't bring along or turn it off as well. Coz i don't want to be a slave to my cell phone. Privacy and free from interuption is important to me. :)

3 people like this

• India

1 Feb 07

I like to answer through phone instead of sending sms.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@nishanity (1650)

• India

2 Feb 07

oh they keep u on hold??? i dont understand why u let them to do that to u.... you can always cut the connection and tell them to call u back!! i dont do tht to my pals... if i get a call in the midst of my call, i would tell my pals to hang up and tht i would call them back.... i wont keep them waiting!

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

5 Feb 07

I can imagine that, it will be very pleasaning to be your friends :) You care about the friends feeling and are setting the correct priorities when come to mobile phone courtesy. Thanks for your response.

@missjackie (1358)

• Ypsilanti, Michigan

2 Feb 07

It all depends on who's calling. If it's not important enough, then I just let the call go through to voice mail. But, if it's a call that's really important or something I'm expecting, then yes, I do answer. As for SMS, I can't stand typing out the messages on cell phones. :)

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

28 Feb 07

Yeah, setting the right priorities for calls and text message is essential to keep a good phone courtesy. Thanks for your response :)

• China

2 Feb 07

Yep,cell phone is becoming more and more common!I'll answer the phone call while talking to others!Because i don't know whether the call is important!

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

5 Feb 07

Just my wild guess, you might have unintentionally offended someone talking with you. Not everyone, just somebody who might feel benig offended due to such action. For them, this is rude. I had read some respondents comment who are very particular about this.(kindly refer to other's response if you are interested). At least you should ask for an excuse or showing some gesture before answering it. (hope you did that lol). It's totally ok to answer the phone call mid way, but not too long :) Thanks for your response!

@hiitssomu (657)

• United States

2 Feb 07

Cell phone - Talking iver phone while you are with your friends and relatives.

i feel very offended when i saw my friend is answering phone call while talking to me. i personally don't like that at all. this is a good etiquette not to use your cell phone while talking to someother. i also try to maintain that etiquette while talking to my friends my familiy.

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

5 Feb 07

Wow, you got a stronger feeling than i do. Yeah, but a lot of people keep offending others without aware about. So we should not blame them, but need to educate them on the etiquatte of cell phone ownership and the courtesy while talking to people. Ya, it's good you have such practise, people around you should like you much :) Thanks for your response btw.

@eshant2002 (133)

• India

2 Feb 07

I answer the phone call mainly.

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

28 Feb 07

You are free to do what you want, but you should mind your courtesy by the way. Thanks for your response :)

@jedi_montanez (78)

• Philippines

2 Feb 07

maybe my friend feel the same way as you did! huh, i'm also one of those answering a phone call or even an sms while discussing something to my friend. but i never leave her for about half an hour just only a few minutes. becaoming slave of cell phones? huh maybe. stop all thing we do and answer when we heard that are cell phones beep us or even call us! as if our cellphone become our master that when it is calling us we need to answer it in hurry!

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

5 Feb 07

LoL, that's time for you to change your habit a little bit. It's good to ask for an excuse from your friend or showing a gesture or a smile, before grab your phone to answer it. If it's non-urgent or non-important call, cut it short or tell the caller you'll call back later. Set your priorities correctly and your friends like you more :D Yeah, we usually unaware that we had been enslaved by our own little cell phone. Thanks for your response.

@jbrowsin66 (1321)

• United States

2 Feb 07

Absolutely!! I've been there, and been a victim of that. I don't mind a short interruption, but when 5-10 minutes go by... it's more than rude.

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

5 Feb 07

Ha we both have been victims to this kind of unintentional offence done by our good friends. LOL. Sometimes, i just wonder i did that before, so i usually forgive what my friends had done. We are friends anyway right? And we won't do such thing to our friends if we are aware of mobile phone courtesy. Thanks for your response :)

@coralespacial (43)

• Mexico

2 Feb 07

i get you! that makes me uncomfortable sometimes too!...... i only do this if im in a class that i dont like or im not intereseted enough while doing something.. i also think we have become kind of slaves to our cell phone, but im not saying its a bad thing, its just a way to stay in touch with our loved ones

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

5 Feb 07

Yeah, i had that not-so-nice experience too. That's why it trigger to post this discussion in mylot, after being slightly irritated by my friends doing during a hang-out. It's not a bad thing though, just (may be i like freedom too much) feel that being enslaved by cell phone, is making slightly uncomfortable :) Thanks for your response btw.

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Feb 07

A SMS can always wait until later, because I believe that if someone needs to contact me straight away them they would be telephoning me instead. I do answer the telephone, but I try to behave responsibly at the same time. If I am in a meeting then I usually turn the mobile off until the meeting has ended. If I am simply involved in a conversation and someone calls me for a less important purpose, then I would answer the call and inform them that I would return the call shortly.

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

4 Feb 07

Good ethic and courtesy. I do the same too and usually try to achieve win-win situation. Thanks for the response.

@skyhit (389)

• Indonesia

2 Feb 07

i see first who calling,if i receive call from important person i answer that phone. i think we become slave to our cell phone, cause phone can come every time. and we must pay attention for that phone.

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

4 Feb 07

Good! That's the right way. Keep it up, people will like you more. Thanks for your response :)

• New Zealand

2 Feb 07

I just tell whoever is calling that I'll call/text them later ^^. If I'm chatting online, I would multi-task, if I was on another fone, or someone else in person, I'll do what I said above

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

4 Feb 07

That's great. You are a considerate person. I think your friend like you :). Thanks for your response.

• Philippines

2 Feb 07

i work at a telecommunications company and we can't live without cellphones. but despite of our phones ringing all day, i always make sure that i don't make others feel uncomfortable and offended by answering unnecessary calls. when i am with my friends and having a chat with them and someone calls, i would excuse myself for a while and will tell my caller to call after some time. it is also unethical to ignore the call so i think i will also answer it but won't take too long.

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

4 Feb 07

Yeah, you are doing it absolutely the right way. Leaving a friend alone and attending long non-urgent/important call is not a good idea, and totally not answering company call is also not ethical too. You are keeping a good balance between carrier and frienship. A win-win situation :) Thanks for sharing your point of view btw.

@sassygrace (84)

• Philippines

2 Feb 07

i just experienced that on my boss but i understand him, because that was a client call... but i am not comfortable with those cellphone addict people they just keep on texting while chatting i think thats not right it just show disrespect to the other person..

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

4 Feb 07

Ya, i had received many response telling about experience almost same as ours. I think many people had run into such situation but forget about it after it. So i think it's everybody responsibility to maintain a good mobile phone courtesy. Thanks for your response :)

@blueboy249 (428)

• Virgin Islands (U.S.)

2 Feb 07

well i can multitask so i can talk on the phone and sms at the same time but i dont just leave u there hanging i talk to you and i talk on the phone at the same time.. lol i can do that i dont just leae u there.. waiting for me to sf inish naw not at all i wont do that

2 people like this

@cheongyc (5072)

• Malaysia

4 Feb 07

That's cool man. Not many people can do that, talk on phone and SMS simulteneously. Good, don't leave your companion alone for too long, just not right. Thanks for your sharing btw.