more on Can I vibrate? CELL PHONES BANNED FROM NEW YORKTHEATERS

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

BTW, I ALWAYS have my phone at vibrate outside of my home. When I am in a
restaurant, I may answer in a VERY quiet voice (lots quieter than the loud
mouths at the other tables) and say I will call back. In a theater I glance
at the caller id and almost always let voice mail take the call.

Dave

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Fred C. Smith III" <fcsmith3 () ix netcom com>
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 10:50:07 -0500
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] Can I vibrate? CELL PHONES BANNED FROM NEW YORKTHEATERS

Dave ...

I have to tell you ... as a New York resident, I applaud this ban
wholeheartedly.  There is absolutely nothing more annoying than having a
beautiful musical passage, or spoken word, ruined by the sound of someone's
cell phone ringing.  Especially when the idiot's phone rings as a tune
rather
than a ring.  I've paid hefty bucks to be there and deserve to experience
the
work as intended by the composer, artist or author.

There is no excuse for some uncaring person to leave their phone in active
ring
mode (as opposed to silent vibrate mode) other than a pathetic need to call
attention to themselves in a public setting.  Get a publicist, and leave the
rest of us alone!

While I am annoyed by cell phones in restaurants, I acknowledge the setting
as
one in which commerce is expected to take place.  There are a hundred
legitimate business reasons to take a call during lunch or dinner.  Here
too,
however, I feel that the phone should be in vibrate mode, and that the
resultant conversation should take place either in a quiet voice, or the
individual should excuse themselves, get up, and move to a place where their
talking will not be a nuisance to other people.

When cell phones began to proliferate widely, several restaurants in
Manhattan
asked their patrons to leave the cell phones with the maitre'd, who would
then
answer them if they rang and come get the owner so they could take the call.
It was a response by the restaurants to complaints from diners who had their
peace and quiet ruined by the constant ringing of cell phones.  I used to
seek
out restaurants who displayed the logo of a cell phone, surrounded by a red
circle with a red diagonal line through the phone.

Now, more than likely, it's the waiter's phone that rings!!

Fred Smith
New York


------ End of Forwarded Message

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