Many international airlines now let you power up your pocket-sized device while in the sky, but it’s still illegal in the U.S. While the in-flight phone debate is still up in the air, there are some places where it definitely isn’t a good idea to talk, text or tweet.
1. At the Hospital
The “No Cellphone” sign you see in the waiting room is there for a reason: Radio-frequency energy from cellphones can still interfere with pacemakers and defibrillators. That’s the technical reason, but refraining from talking on your cellphone in the waiting room is also just good manners.
2. On the Train
Work-day commutes are a chore in themselves, so be kind to your fellow passenger. The bus or train is no place for a phone call – no one else needs to hear about your dreaded morning meeting or 6 p.m. dinner plans. However, this is one place where texting and surfing the Web on your phone is okay. Just make sure you don’t block the aisle at the next stop.
3. In the Locker Room
Most gyms have clear rules forbidding cellphones from locker rooms, but they are rarely enforced. After all, when do you ever see a gym employee stationed in the locker room on cellphone patrol? Most cellphones now have cameras, and these rules are in place for your privacy protection. It’s easy to snap a secret picture and even more easy to share it with the world.
4. At Dinner
Your dinner date may say it’s okay to answer that text during the second course, but resist the urge. A 2012 survey asked 100,000 singles to share their biggest first date deal-breakers, and the No. 1 most offensive thing was seeing a date on a cellphone or texting.
5. In the Car
Thirty-nine states have banned texting while driving, and 10 states have outlawed cellphone usage while driving all together. But despite these laws and nationwide PSA campaigns, millions of drivers still pick up their phones while in the car. Up to 25 percent of crashes are the result of distractions, so leave the phone on silent while behind the wheel.
6. In Bed
No one is going to stop you from using your cellphone before nodding off at night, but it’s a habit you should break for the sake of your health. Sleep experts say the light from the screen suppresses melatonin, which tells the brain it’s time to sleep. Additionally, many people don’t silence their phones at night. As a result, 10 percent report waking up a few times a week to the dings of email and text alerts.
7. In the Restroom
When nature calls, that text or tweet can wait. In a recent survey of 1,000 cellphone users, three-fourths admitted to using their devices while on the toilet. With numbers like that, it makes sense that 16 percent of all cellphones have microscopic fecal matter on their surface. Those germs can lead to illness that’s easily transferred to friends and family.
8. At the Checkout
We’ve all been behind the person in line who takes their time unloading their cart-load of groceries while on the phone. Save yourself from the dirty looks and put away your device.
9. In Any Theater
We all see a highly produced commercial reminder to silence our phones before a movie, but don’t forget this rule at other performances. This includes your kid’s end-of-year piano recital or even a standup comedy show. Don’t just hit “ignore” when the phone rings; texting is a no-no because that LED screen can be quite distracting as well.
10. On Vacation
While this isn’t technically a place, this spot on this list is important for two reasons: cost and sanity. If traveling abroad, your talk and data charges quickly add up to a massive bill. As for your mental health, a cellphone vacation may be just what you need to reconnect with your family. A Time magazine survey of 5,000 people revealed that 20 percent can’t go more than 10 minutes without checking their smartphone. When you go on vacation, take a break from your phone, too.
Hospital Waiting Room?? Don’t make me wait and I will not be using the cell phone. If you make me wait, I have other things to do and I will use my cell phone.
On a Train??? What is this, green eggs and ham! Some people may have time to waste, but the train is a good time to get things done. The cell is on.
The Gym?? I don’t pay people money to tell me things I cannot do.
The Car! Driving and texting is a problem, but your stats are misleading. 25% of accidents are caused by distractions. This includes putting on makeup, eating the burger, lighting the cig.
Sorry rob but you’re the one with the wrong stats. It’s a fact that you are 4 times more likely to have an accident while driving and talking on the cell phone. It is one of those distractions. And the numbers are actually higher since police reports often don’t mention the cell phone. More than one test confirmed that driving and talking on that phone is equivalent to driving after having too much alcohol to drink. True. You post looks as if you spend too much time on the phone. Put it away and get your life back.
I have nearly been run over several times by people using cell phones. I have seen every bad driving mistake that can be made done by cellphone drivers. The most dangerous thing we do in any day is to drive; therefore it should be done in a safe, professional manner with pride. Selfishness is exemplified by the manner in which people use and abuse their cell phone. I worked in retail for years and now it is nearly impossible to wait on customers because of the brain robbing cell phone. I asked a man if he had an automatic transmission and he said yes and got the wrong auto part. He was saying yes to the person on the phone while talking to me at the same time. DUH! Where did common sense go? It was destroyed by technology abuse and machine co-dependency.
Sorry Rob, but using a cell phone on the train is both ignorant and rude. I can understand how it may be necessary once in a while, but that should be the exception. Some train lines now have cell phone free cars – ever notice how they fill up first? That’s because we don’t want to hear your lame conversation.
I have nearly perfected my “that’s disgusting” face for some of these offenders.
I had to laugh at Warren’s “disgusting face” comment.
In L.A., if you use the phone in the car, it has to be hands-free. The policy has lead to the “cop drop”: Drivers quickly drop the phone if they spot a police car. Which I imagine leads to an even bigger hazard — leaning over to pick it up again while still driving.
Ana Cantu
Managing Editor
Tech Page One