using your mobile whilst shopping

What about when you go into a garage or hairdressers or restaurant, say, to make an appointment or ask a question - you perhaps have to wait in line to speak to someone and your turn comes round, you open your mouth to speak and the phone rings behind the desk! They immediately snatch it up and start having a conversation without so much as an excuse me! That insenses me! Why is the person who wants to speak to them on the phone more important than the one standing in front of them? I don't understand.

I have my mobile on vibrate mode all the time - that way only I know someone is calling and I can leave it, if I'm in company. We do not need this constant ability to communicate with others. I was in a taxi the other day and the driver was chatting - I kept saying pardon, but after a while I realised that he was talking on his mobile's headset! This was in crazy traffic in Paris - very safe!

Everything has to be so immediate nowadays! Even my OH rushes to answer the land line or will call to me when he hears my phone beep with a message. I try very hard not to get caught into answering phones etc when I am already in a conversation with someone else. Only time recently when I responded immediately was when I was waiting to hear from DD1 waiting to go into labour!

People constantly on mobile phones drive me nuts. In supermarkets, trains, street GRRRRRR.

'The haven't got the 4 packs, shall I buy 6?' and so on. Get a life!
And on the train 'I shall be home in 5 minutes' in which case surely, there is no need to phone!

Somebody on the ex-pat Forum where I live was complaining bitterly the other day that the Doctor told her to switch her phone off. She had asked for an emergency appointment for her teenage daughter, and took the call then continued to text rapidly, during the consultation. Whinging that the Doctor had no right to tell her to put her phone away. Was glad to see that all other posters told her her behaviour was not acceptable and that the Doctor was quite justified.

I do so agree with all that has been said, but then again I do not have a mobile phone - there is one in the car for emergencies, but I flatly refuse to carry one around with me, much to my SIL disgust, he has absolutely everything on his! I just do not want to be at everyone's beck and call 24 hours a day, and having lived this long, I am quite sure I can manage a few more years without one. What I hate most is when someone behind me suddenly starts talking, and I turn round thinking they are speaking to me, and I feel quite guilty for appearing to be listening to their conversation. I just do not understand, how as teenagers we all managed to meet at the right time in the right place without even a home phone!

Well done to the people at this bakery I don't neeed to hear other conversations,where they have been and what they are doing later,I wish that I was that important that people needed to keep in touch with me all the time,it takes me all my time to answer the house phone never mind my mobile.

My daughter was only saying the other day that walking home with her 3 year old after pre-school was a lovely way to wind down from a busy session. The funny thing was that she talked about it as if it was all her idea!!!! bless. Needless to say many years ago I walked both girls home from school, usually with them both trying to talk at the same time whilst asking what was for tea.

I have to agree with everyone else - I hate it when people hold these public conversations - who are they trying to impress! I was on a coach the other day which was held up in traffic so I had to ring to cancel the taxi which was to meet me - I felt really embarrassed making the call and got it over with as quickly as possible.

A couple of times my phone has rung when I am in a shop or supermarket and I always ignore it until I am safely in my car (before driving off!!).

A local Post Office put up a similar sign about a year ago and I have noticed that people finish their conversations before they get to the counter

Unless its a very quick call when I'm out in public I usually tell the caller I'll phone them back. To be honest I find it embarrassing talking if someone calls and I'm in the supermarket or wherever, I don't want everyone listening to my conversation, whatever its about.

I find it extremely irritating. I just don't want to hear other people's conversations. It happened today when I wanted something off a shelf but the woman had her trolley in the way and was engrossed in conversation on her mobile. I'm afraid I firmly pulled her trolley away from the goods which made her jump and apologise and made me feel a little better. What is it that can't wait? Is it so very necessary to engage in conversation and become oblivious to all and sundry around? It's so jolly rude I think. There ought to be some 'mobile etiquette' I think. At least only one mobile went off during a presentation at a conference grrrrrr.

A woman on the till at my local filling station told me that while one customer was paying for his petrol he was talking loudly on his phone and barking out orders of things to be done by his underlings. This facade was brought to a halt when his phone rang.

Ah well!

There is also added danger when people are using mobile phones (or listening to ipods) as they are not aware of what is going on around them.
I hate to see people jogging along roads used by vehicles with their ears stopped up in this way. Even in towns, I am sure it is easier for pickpockets when victims are so distracted.

It is a shame to see Mums chatting on their phones whilst walking out with the children. I used to walk my kids to and fro primary school along a lovey leafy road - we had so many conversations about school, upsets of the day etc etc. When they are babies that is such an important time to engage them in conversation as Hunt says that could perhaps be the reason why so many start school without any social skills. Did you know that some kids are sent to reception in nappies as Mum hopes the teacher will toilet train them? This is rare but it happens.

Absolutely Hunt it is an epidemic. Ignoring kids while fiddling with phones (when not talking on them) Smart phones have made it worse.
But you don't have to have a phone to ignore kids. In my local coffee shop this week. Woman in some kind of mentoring type conversation with local padre. Twin girls in high chairs next to them. About a year old maybe. The children obviously used to being ignored as they were sitting there patiently while their mum talked about prayer. For about half an hour or more. Then she got onto how this prayer thing was telling her not to get them vaccinated. Time to leave I thought before suffering from cafe rage.

The saddest thing for me is seeing mums using a mobile phone while out walking with their toddler.No wonder there are so many children starting school without social skills. Children only learn to communicate if someone is communicating with them. Well done the Yorkshire bakery, say I!