When do you text?

NOT OKAY—When you’re in the seat ahead of me in a stadium movie theatre. I had someone like that in the last movie I saw and he did it for an hour before someone had the nerve to tell him to knock it off (yeah, I know, I need more courage). If it’s that important, stay home. I only use them in an emergency, anyway and never as conversation. I’d rather do that in person. (Again, AC, you can call me silly).

And if I’m the friend you’re having lunch with, then you’d better not text unless it IS an emergency. Otherwise, why did you bother to go out to lunch with a friend? Same goes for talking on the phone.

I was observing in a courtroom once and the bailiff announced made a warning before the judge came in that if he saw ANY phones out while he was in the courtroom, that they would be seized and donated to a battered women’s shelter.

Isn’t it unbelievable the way people talk on cell phones and text whenever, wherever?! I went to a movie also and saw someone texting (they weren’t in front of me, thank goodness) but I was amazed at what I observed after the movie. I could not believe that almost every person who rolled out of the theater was on their phone doing one thing or another. What did they miss in that hour and a half at the movies (I guess I have no life)? There is a right time and place (sometimes it is beyond our control) and like Seesul said, in case of emergency is always ok. I never even used text messaging before last year (that’s right, I told you dinosaur!).

Just check whether you’d be annoyed if someone else was texting at the same place, same time. For example, when in a conversation with someone I’d be annoyed if he started to text in the middle of the conversation, so I wouldn’t do that myself either.

if its a friend and is casual, text, if it’s someone u r interested in, or its business related, call

I only use my cell for text messages to Mexico, and a cousin that I have here in USA, i like it more than calling.

People are doing it EVERYWHERE! It bothers me when you are talking to someone and they are texting at the same time. It’s simply rude. The only time I text is when I cannot talk and I need to get a message out. If I am at lunch, work or church I don’t text or make calls. I simply wait until I am done with what ever I am doing to text back or return a phone call.

Depending where I am If it’s work related or my immediate family I would excuse myself and take the call.

I have a friend whose phone is *always*in her hand. We will be out having coffee and her eyes are on her phone while I am talking. When she does that I feel like doesn’t want to be there and isn’t interested in what I am saying. I took time out of my schedule, so some interest.

I do it everywhere and I don’t find it rude. Texting is simply part of the modern multi-tasking way of life. And to be completely honest, I don’t even care if other people find it rude since I am a pretty egoist person

I generally only text for booty calls.
That way, they can’t hear the desperation in my voice.
I never do it in church, though.

@Seesul: That reminds me of a class I once took. Each day at the beginning of class the professor made everyone bring their phones and place them on a table.

She said if you can’t give your full attention for an hour and a half then you should be in this class. Most didn’t mind it, since we chose to be there. Others dropped the class.

correction..
first post show some interest
second post shouldn’t be in the class.

I never text, or even look at my phone, when I am doing something that should need my close attention (whether it really does is something else altogether), like work or when I’m out with people. If I’m with close friends or family I will text and do other phone related things; these people know me, and texting is the least of my downfalls.

My phone doesn’t have the typing style keyboard so texting takes a long time for me. Therefore, I never initiate a text coversation and if someone starts a text conversation with me my answers are very short.

It is irritating when I am talking to somebody and they are answering text messages. I will just stop talking and wait till I have their attention.

Among other places, I take my phone with me on bathroom breaks at work and catch up with friends I haven’t talked to lately. I don’t tell them where I am. :)

@mangus: You might have just told them!

Ack!

Mangus—fine with me, as long as it isn’t in my movie theatre.

Being a supervisor for a security company, I’m on call 24/7, so it’s important that if my phone rings, I get a text from
an employee, or my pager goes off, I answer it promptly. My friends know this, and if I’m talking to someone I don’t know well enough, I need to tell them that it’s a possibility I’d need to excuse myself if work calls. But I’d never just stand in front of them and talk, I’d leave the area, or room, I wouldn’t do it in a movie theater either.

It’s unfortunate, but it’s the nature of the beast, as they say

That’s not being rude, like I mentioned above, that’s doing your job. When my parents were dying, I would go to movies just to get away for awhile. My phone had to be in my pocket on vibrate, but if it did, I would leave the theatre and answer it, not have the conversation there. That’s in essence what you are doing. The jerk in front of me was having full text conversations with people, his phone out more often that not. Your friends know your occupation and therefore know the situation, much like a doctor on call.

I never said I was being rude, I was answering the question. And if someone does as you described in a movie I’m watching, I’ll on occasion confront them, and tell them if what they’re doing is so important, they should go outside and do it, because I’m not going to pay 8 bucks for a movie, just to have my attention grabbed by a cell phone screen.

Or I’ll demand they give me the price of my ticket if they wanted to continue… (someone once actually paid me… It was just him and me and my friends, so I dealt with it that one time since I got paid and all)

Bsilver: didn’t mean to infer you were or thought you were, I was just point out the etiquette aspect of what you were describing (as in the OP’s tagline). I think you are a great example of a need for it, and how to handle it properly and be considerate of others. Sorry if you took it the wrong way and that I wasn’t more clear. It was intended as a compliment. Movies here are $10 bucks, I’d pay your way if you’d confront these idiots for me.

@seesul- it’s all good, I appreciate the understanding, some people get offended when I give them my disclaimer, but you can’t please them all. And for a free movie, I’d confront all the texters in the crowd.

ah.. usually when i’m in school, doing boring family things, or work is slow. when i’m with certain friends i will, but it depends. i don’t really think it’s rude, but i think it does make you feel sort of left out ‘cause this other person if just having a completely other conversation. but i dunno, it really depends on the situation.

It’s not being rude if it is related to family emergency or work. That’s understandable. Simply excuse yourself. When it’s just for fun back and forth while you are with others that’s when it becomes rude.

Never. No cell phone; ;)