Is it rude to ignore someone, maybe someone you don't even know, for no reason?

Obviously, yeah. You should yell at them.

Yes

@Samurai LOL! Like, “HEY! I SAID, “DID YOU FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED OK???” ”

It’s not rude for the customers to ignore the business help until they need assistance but it is rude for the service help to ignore customers. Service workers are expected to extend eye contact and greeting whether or not they receive acknowledgement from the guest and the guests should never be made to feel uncomfortable for it. Being a rude customer or guest would be talking on the celly during a transaction or conversation with the service employees because that’s business, they came there to do business and so the attention for that very short time should be there, politely. It’s a typical sense of American entitlement that leads people to believe they’re so important and so busy as to be rude in public when they go to do business, it’s immature.

I think it is rude always to ignore someone. I think that extends to someone you are supposed to be interacting with in a business capacity.

@Marina Good point…”supposed to be interacting with….”
@hungryhungryHortence So, if a sales person walks up to you and asks if there is anything they can do to help, it’s OK to just ignore them? I don’t think that’s what you mean, but I’m a little confused.

it is always rude to ignoer someone. if you ask me, when you ignore someone, you’re puttin out the vibe that you’re better than them and don’t want to talk to them. so why do it? politely decline their help, respond with a short answer, whatever, but ignoring is rude.

I think people using their cellphones in public in general is annoying and rude, so I would have to answer yes to your question. We all get calls when we are out from time to time, but for crying out loud, is the call really so important, that they have to complete it right then and there? If I’m in a store and I get a call, I tell the person I will call them back, and I think that is what the person in your scenario should do. So yes, that person was being very rude in my opinion.

@scamp I agree totally. On very, very few occasions I’ve answered my phone while in a store, but I stop right there, and quickly finish the call. And I feel a little embarrassed the whole time. I certainly don’t allow myself to get into a situation where I need to interact with someone else!

@Val123 I get embarassed while talking on the phone in public too. I wish more people felt this way! Then maybe we wouldn’t have to hear a thousand peoples personal conversations every time we go to the mall.

@deni Me too! But we just have to keep it up, keep posting things like this, and talking about it in person, until it gets to the point where it is understood that it is socially unacceptable to do it. Parents need to start with their kids. And that includes TEXTING!!!

@scamp & @Val123 UGH! as a customer, I find it incredibly rude when other customers shop with a cell attached to their head.

This weekend, I was out at Target to get bookcases and cubbies for a huge project in my home. A lady was in all the same places we were looking/shopping in, speaking loudly, steering with one hand, and generally unaware of what she was saying and where she was walking. She continued talking while in line to check out. (I’d have liked to taken her phone & thrown it)

Recently, we were eating at a restaurant. A middle aged couple were seated at a table near us. The woman spoke loudly (above a normal speaking voice) on her phone for nearly our entire meal. Her husband glared at her, we glared at her…she was oblivious.

I’m finding people are forgetting their manners more and more. Is it due to cell phones? I dunno…But I am annoyed.

I reach my annoyed limit much faster cities when people are in line talking on their bluetooth.

@deni, me three. I like to have some privacy while on the phone.

Last night after doing another run to another Target, we nearly hit a teen walking across a driveway in a busy parking lot. He was walking and texting.

@SpatzieLover I think part of it is we’ve become so used to bitching about our “rights,” that some people take it to mean we have the right to do any damn thing we want. I think that’s part of the reason this rudeness that’s taking over…..“I have the right to talk on MY cell phone any damn time I want!” Well, yeah. You also have the “right” to flatulate and belch in public any damn time you want too, don’t you.

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@Val123 Lurve!
http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mba/lowres/mban160l.jpg

@SpatzieLover RIGHT ON! When I see someone talking on their cell phone while driving, I want to run into them, then blame them and ‘splain to the po-lice that they had been talking on their cell phone! Do you think it would work?

@Val123 Yes, cuz there’s a call log ;) for that phone if they deny it after all ;)

@SpatzieLover There ya go! If I were a cop I’d stop them in a heartbeat. But, I don’t think it’s illegal here yet, which is so STUPID!

@Val123 It’s not illegal here yet, nor is texting. I’d be all for a law against any use of a cell in a moving vehicle. Basically they can already get pulled over for inattentive driving (someone has tried to pass a law in my village several times and the chief keeps saying the same thing “Inattentive driving ticket”).

@Val123: Salespeople are expected to, it’s their job to walk up to guests and greet them but salespeople also know customers are an edgy folk and often respond with curtness. We’d like them not to be rude but even if they are, we are never supposed to be, it’s our business to take the reins and extend professionalism.

I love that bumper sticker I saw on the 8 Freeway: “How would you like that cell phone you’re on, shoved up your ass?”

And I think the sentiment is well deserved, on the road, and in the store, and in the restaurant, and in the theater.

@hungryhungryhortence I agree, except if a clerk comes up and politely asks if they need any help, and the customers are curt and rude in return, then they’re just rude people, and the bad’s on them. I don’t think that behavior should be “expected.” But yes, when you’re a professional you have to deal with ALL customers professionally, no matter what.
I dealt with some of the most awful, insane, rude people during my 8 years in customer service, and never once lost it. One time I received a message from a co-worker to call this customer. I called…I have kind of a…good phone voice (so I’ve been told.) Anyway, lady answers and I said, “May I speak to June please.”
She screams, “I DON’T TAKE CALLS FROM TELEMARKETERS!!” And hung up on me!
I called back. She answers. I say, “This is Valerie….” and she SLAMS the phone down.
I was getting a bit pissed by this time! I called back. When she picked up the phone, before she could even say hello I kind of hollered (just to get her attention) and speaking really fast I said, “THIS IS CELLULARONE AND YOU ASKED ME TO CALL YOU!!!!!!!!!!”
She said, “What?”
I said, “This is Valerie with CellularOne and I have a message here to call you, and you just hung up on me twice.”
Lady proceeds to start bitching about her bill, never even apologized. I dealt with her a quite a bit….her answering machine had a Christian message about love on it. I’m a Christian, and that kind of thing REALLY upsets me!

@Val123 Some people have no regard for others! Beyotch.

It’s rude if you’re taking up someone else’s time. Either the time of the service person’s or the customer behind you.

I have been known to deliberately take up time of customer service reps when I’m pissed at the company. Hell, I’ve even yelled at them for the idiocy of the company! Mea culpa!