Original messages:

... I am confused.  Why are cellphone users bothersome to others?  Are they
talking loudly?  Is talking not allowed in museums or restaurants for that
matter? ... Carol C. Riggles

I must jump in on the side of Carol Riggles.  What exactly is
objectionable with respect to cellphones in public places? ... David Gregory

====================================================
Dear Carol, David and other readers:

To put it bluntly, it is a question of good manners.

Too many people today are not being taught good manners. The use of cell
phones is simply a new twist, but the old rules of courtesy still apply to
the use of telephones.

Some 'obvious' tips:

1. Be safe - Turn off the cell phone when going into a hospital (so that you
won't screw up the machines keeping your Grandma alive). Don't use it in
your car while you are driving because you might run over my kids when you
are distracted and then you will find out what road rage really means.

2. Be courteous - Turn off your cell phone when you go into a meeting or
public place like a museum, theatre or restaurant. Don't worry about the
calls. You are not the 9-1-1 operator. That's what voice mail is for. Yes it
IS disturbing to other people around you! If you are expecting an emergency
call, stay at home or go to a drive-in restaurant so that the call won't
bother the rest of us!. If you receive a call while you are in a busy place
or in a meeting with others, be polite and excuse yourself. Silence the
ringing, and if you must answer it, do so by saying briefly that you are in
a meeting and will call them back. If you MUST deal with the call in full,
then excuse yourself from the meeting or adjourn it.

In the news yesterday a professor at a college or university was interrupted
by a student checking her phone messages DURING class! This one has blown up
into a legal issue - with a complaint being lodged by the rude student in
question!

It looks like common courtesy is becoming uncommon.

The opinions expressed are my own of course, but are also those of my
parents, of their parents, and of their parents before them as they taught
their children good manners.

Sincerely,

Colin Macgregor Stevens,
Curator,
Burnaby Village Museum,
Burnaby, BC, CANADA

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).