Work demands causing Australians to text and drive

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>> "hippy" == hippy <[email hidden]> writes:

hippy> http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/0,2000061791,39163320,00.htm
hippy> "Work obligations are prompting 40 percent of Australian
hippy> motorists to break the law by using their mobile phones while
hippy> driving, a new survey says."

Got a lift to the Glen from Tally Ho from a colleague; his phone went
off and he yakked. Told him that the first thing I do before getting in
to a car is turn off the phone; after all that's why the Lord invented
voice mail.

He turned off the phone. He kept it turned off while we had lunch and
only turned it on when we got back. Said it's the first time in years
that he's had an un-interrupted hour.

I think I got me a convert :-)
--
Cheers
Euan

Next project...get people to turn off their phones when you go out for
dinner. Now that's a challenge!
<[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>> "hippy" == hippy <[email hidden]> writes:

hippy>
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/0,2000061791,39163320,00.htm
hippy> "Work obligations are prompting 40 percent of Australian
hippy> motorists to break the law by using their mobile phones while
hippy> driving, a new survey says."

Got a lift to the Glen from Tally Ho from a colleague; his phone went
off and he yakked. Told him that the first thing I do before getting in
to a car is turn off the phone; after all that's why the Lord invented
voice mail.

He turned off the phone. He kept it turned off while we had lunch and
only turned it on when we got back. Said it's the first time in years
that he's had an un-interrupted hour.

I think I got me a convert :-)
--
Cheers
Euan

Don't get me started on mobile phones. Some people feel really quite insecure about it.

Just the other night, at a presentation evening for engineering students, where my partner was presenting his thesis to around 100 - 150 people, someone's mobile phone started ringing. The owner didn't get embarrassed and turn it off - no... she stoopd up and walked out and came back later. It happened again later on in the evening as well. I could quite literally have shot her and I should have!

If I'm out to dinner and someone starts talking on their mobile I usually look at them as if "Oh my god... what is that person doing" and I don't stop until at least 30 seconds after their conversation.

Lotte said:

Don't get me started on mobile phones. Some people feel really quite insecure about it.

Just the other night, at a presentation evening for engineering students, where my partner was presenting his thesis to around 100 - 150 people, someone's mobile phone started ringing. The owner didn't get embarrassed and turn it off - no... she stoopd up and walked out and came back later. It happened again later on in the evening as well. I could quite literally have shot her and I should have!

If I'm out to dinner and someone starts talking on their mobile I usually look at them as if "Oh my god... what is that person doing" and I don't stop until at least 30 seconds after their conversation.

i agree with you about phones in the lecture theatre or any theatre for that matter, though if someone is outfor dinner and is talking on their phone how is that any different from them talking to someone at their table as well?. Its still a conversation in any case.
I used to hate mobiles but they do have benefits and really it isnt mobiles that are the problem, just the people who are using them.

It wouldn't be so bad if people didn't have to raise their voice at least a few notches when talking on their mobile.

byron27 said:

i agree with you about phones in the lecture theatre or any theatre for that matter, though if someone is outfor dinner and is talking on their phone how is that any different from them talking to someone at their table as well?. Its still a conversation in any case.
I used to hate mobiles but they do have benefits and really it isnt mobiles that are the problem, just the people who are using them.

The rule of thumb for proper etiquette regarding restaurants and phones is that if the table has a tablecloth, then switch the phone off. Using your phone at the cafe is fine.

Ritch - who saw this on some tv show a long time ago. I thought it was a pretty good decision rule.

"Lotte" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Just the other night, at a presentation evening for engineering
students, where my partner was presenting his thesis to around 100 -
150 people, someone's mobile phone started ringing. The owner didn't
get embarrassed and turn it off - no... she stoopd up and walked out
and came back later. It happened again later on in the evening as
well. I could quite literally have shot her and I should have!

Interrupting a conference/movie/dinner is one thing..
running a LandCruiser over me because you were
too busy sms'ing your mates to buy more snags
and a tub of french onion dip is another...

A Jafa aimed at the skull of filmus interruptus is
usually an effective deterrent.

hippy

Lotte said:

Don't get me started on mobile phones. Some people feel really quite
insecure about it.

Just the other night, at a presentation evening for engineering
students, where my partner was presenting his thesis to around 100 -
150 people, someone's mobile phone started ringing. The owner didn't
get embarrassed and turn it off - no... she stoopd up and walked out
and came back later. It happened again later on in the evening as
well. I could quite literally have shot her and I should have!

If I'm out to dinner and someone starts talking on their mobile I
usually look at them as if "Oh my god... what is that person doing" and
I don't stop until at least 30 seconds after their conversation.

--
Lotte

Some people have very good reasons for mobile phones. For example, if
they answer "6 RAR duty officer" or "Dr Jones" i.e. they are on call.
Shame most people just want to be popular.

T

Lotte said:

It wouldn't be so bad if people didn't have to raise their voice at
least a few notches when talking on their mobile.

--
Lotte

Yeah, why is that, any ideas anyone? To get over the volume of everyone
else talking on their phones, perhaps?

T

quote='Tamyka Bell'Lotte said:

Don't get me started on mobile phones. Some people feel really quite
insecure about it.

Just the other night, at a presentation evening for engineering
students, where my partner was presenting his thesis to around 100 -
150 people, someone's mobile phone started ringing. The owner didn't
get embarrassed and turn it off - no... she stoopd up and walked out
and came back later. It happened again later on in the evening as
well. I could quite literally have shot her and I should have!

If I'm out to dinner and someone starts talking on their mobile I
usually look at them as if "Oh my god... what is that person doing" and
I don't stop until at least 30 seconds after their conversation.

--
Lotte

Some people have very good reasons for mobile phones. For example, if
they answer "6 RAR duty officer" or "Dr Jones" i.e. they are on call.
Shame most people just want to be popular.

T[/QUOTE]
Now I know how I will answer my phone if it rings while I am in the theatre. "Hello Dr [censored] speaking" Popular AND important. And I will need to be very loud so everyone can hear. Just kidding - I turn mine off or to silent in theatres, restaurants etc (and I am required by the job to carry it and be available all day every day. But that is what voice mail is for - so you can hear about the latest crisis once everyone has calmed down and realised it is not a crisis after all)

SteveA

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>> "byron" == byron <byron27> writes:

byron Lotte said:

Quoted message said:

If I'm out to dinner and someone starts talking on their mobile I
usually look at them as if "Oh my god... what is that person
doing" and I don't stop until at least 30 seconds after their
conversation.

byron> i agree with you about phones in the lecture theatre or any
byron> theatre for that matter, though if someone is outfor dinner
byron> and is talking on their phone how is that any different from
byron> them talking to someone at their table as well?.

I would have thought that would be obvious. Apparently not.

The other parties at the table are excluded from whatever tete a tete
the person on the phone call is having. Unless they're on speaker phone
of course.

byron> Its still a conversation in any case.

Which only one person present at the table is getting both sides of.
Not very pleasant.

byron> I used to hate mobiles but they do have benefits and really
byron> it isnt mobiles that are the problem, just the people who are
byron> using them.

On this we agree. Personally I've got two mobiles, one for work and one
for social. I'm fortunate in that my position doesn't require 24/7
(although it's heading that way) so the work one gets switched off at
COB. My social one is for my benefit, not others. I don't want to be
contactable 24/7, I've no problem leaving it off all weekend if I don't
want to be bothered.
--
Regards
Euan

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>> "ritcho" == ritcho <[email hidden]> writes:

ritcho> The rule of thumb for proper etiquette regarding restaurants
ritcho> and phones is that if the table has a tablecloth, then
ritcho> switch the phone off. Using your phone at the cafe is fine.

My rule of thumb is this. Am I having dinner with this group of people
because I want to have some quality, uninterrupted time with them? If
the answer's yes, the phone gets switched off. Could be Hungry Jacks
for all I care, not that you'd see me in a Hungry Jacks but you get the
idea.
--
Cheers
Euan

"Lotte" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Don't get me started on mobile phones. Some people feel really quite
insecure about it.

Heh. I'm trying to think of the very very very late night (actually early
early morning) British show that's on sometimes, it's not quite a Candid
Camera, but this Pommy bloke gets up to hijinks in all manner of disguises.
Anyway, I love the opening, he's walking down the street with a monster
mobile phone on his shoulder that has to be about five feet long and
proportioned appropriately, it's the biggest mf "mobile" you'll ever see,
and he's shouting at the top of voice the most inane rubbish as he walks
along...

"YES!...YES, I'M ON THE HIGH STREET!... I THOUGHT I'D GET SOMETHING TO
EAT!... I'M TURNING LEFT NOW!... I'M JUST GOING INTO THE SHOP!..."

etc, and the looks on the faces of the passers-by have to be seen to be
believed. It's the most brilliant [censored]-take of the "look at me, I'm on the
mobile" attitude you'd think was long gone but apparently isn't.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

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>> "DRS" == drs <[email hidden]> writes:

DRS> Heh. I'm trying to think of the very very very late night
DRS> (actually early early morning) British show that's on
DRS> sometimes, it's not quite a Candid Camera, but this Pommy bloke
DRS> gets up to hijinks in all manner of disguises.

The Fast Show? I'm not much of a TV watcher.
--
Cheers
Euan

"DRS" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Heh. I'm trying to think of the very very very late night (actually
early early morning) British show that's on sometimes, it's not quite
a Candid Camera, but this Pommy bloke gets up to hijinks in all manner
of disguises.

"Trigger Happy TV" Dom Jolley is the guy with the phone. I can't say that I
find it funny, but that's probably because I've heard too many people who
use a mobile in a not dissimilar way. I tend to feel the urge to throw
something at the TV when he comes on.

Graeme

"SteveA" wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Now I know how I will answer my phone if it rings while I am in the
theatre. "Hello Dr [censored] speaking" Popular AND important. And I will
need to be very loud so everyone can hear. Just kidding - I turn mine
off or to silent in theatres, restaurants etc (and I am required by the
job to carry it and be available all day every day. But that is what
voice mail is for - so you can hear about the latest crisis once
everyone has calmed down and realised it is not a crisis after all)

SteveA

--

Was our riding with a Dr friend who was on call - the first half of the ride was great, then he made the mistake of commenting how
unusual it was not to have had any calls. Of course the phone immediately rang, and then several more times on the way back home.

Parbs

Quoted message said:

Was our riding with a Dr friend who was on call - the first half of the ride was great, then he made the mistake of commenting how
unusual it was not to have had any calls. Of course the phone immediately rang, and then several more times on the way back home.

Parbs[/QUOTE]
I'm not a doc but I work in the medical system. Being a doctor on call must be one of the biggest pains in the bum ever. Can't go too far from the hospital, can't have a glass of red with a meal, can't do anything much that would slow down the time it took to get back to the patient in the hospital.

A doctor here was appearing in the Coroner's Court as a patient had not survived what was expected to be a simple diagnostic procedure. He was the senior doc and in charge of supervising some more junior docs who worked on the patient. He was not on call, but he was expected to be available for any problems. The Court delved very deeply into his whereabouts at the critical time. The daily newspaper here used the evidence from the Court to really get stuck into him. He got blasted because he was eating in an expensive restaurant, he ate an expensive meal and he shared a couple of reasonably expensive bottles of wine with his dinner companion. A bit tough really. Fair enough to criticise him if there was evidence of mediacl negligence, but on the basis of his choice of food and wine?

I'm permanently on call but luckily I don't get near sharp instruments so I don't have the restrictions that the docs have.

My comment about answering the phone "Hello, Dr XXXX here" was similar to those idiots that yell "sell, sell, sell" or similar important things into their phones

SteveA

SteveA wrote:
<snip>

Quoted message said:

My comment about answering the phone "Hello, Dr XXXX here" was similar to
those idiots that yell "sell, sell, sell" or similar important things into
their phones

The coolest way to ensure short mobile phone calls: I saw a guy flip out
his phone and say "speak". At which the person on the other end said
what they needed to and got the hell out of there.

T