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Anyone hate phones as much as I do?

Josh

Josh

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 4, 2004
1,640
1
State College, PA
I absolutely just cannot stand phones. Everything about them, from their obnoxious ringing to the pointless things people say on them, makes me seethe with anger.

Hearing a phone ring, even if is not mine, makes me want to knock down walls with my bare hands. Ok...maybe not that bad, but it's darn close.

Even worse are the callers that just cannot commit to ending the conversation.

What follows is a transcription of a converstation I just had. It is what fueled me with the desire to post this and perhaps feel better for venting.

Sorry it is long, but I couldn't explain it a shorter way.

*Ringggg...ringgggg...ringgg!!!!!!*

Me: Hello?
Them: Hey, what are you doing?
Me: ...um...working. [pause] you?
Them: Just watching tv.
[pause]
[pause]
[pause]
Me: Oh.
Them: So how's work going?
Me: Good. Same as always.
Them: That's good. Well hey, I've got to go..I'll call you later, OK?
Me: Ok, sure.
Them: OK. So what did you have for lunch today...Byblos?
[Note: I am now quite angry. This is time #1 conversation was supposed to end only to begin anew.]
Me: ??....yeah.
Them: What did you have to eat?
Me: A sandwich.
Them: Shish tawook?
Me. A sandwich.
Them: Or falafels?
Me: A sandwich.
[Note: How I didn't lose it here, I don't know.]
Them: Lebanese salad?
Me: No salad.
Them: Why not?
Me: Didn't want one.
Them: They didn't give you a salad?
Me: Didn't want one.
[Note: Not again....]
Them: OK. Well, I've really got to go. See you later!
Me: Ok, see ya.
Them: What are you doing tonight?
[Note: OMG!! This is unbelievable....where's my ball bat?]
Me:....buying paint.
Them: Oh ok, I'll call you later then.
Me: Ok.
Them: See ya later....bye!
Me: Bye.
Them: I should get home around 8 or 9.
Me: Alright.
Them: What time will you get home?
[Note: Blood pressure has increased 12-fold.]
Me: Dunno. I haven't rode my bike all week, so...
Them: Oh ok, I'll just call you later then.
Me: Alright...
Them: Gotta go though, so talk to you later.
Me: Alright.
Them: Bye.
Me: Bye.
Click to expand...

[click]

I kid you not, I was lead to believe the conversation was ending, only to have a new one begin, a total of no less than 3 or 4 times. That crap gets my blood boiling.

Sorry to rant. I feel somewhat better though.

Any stories of yours you'd like to rant about? :)
 
I hate those little pricks with Bluetooth sets. It seems to give them some kind of sense of self-worth, as if every conversation they are having involves some multi-billion dollar deal, so naturally everyone within a 15' radius is dying to hear it. They look like twits with those stupid things on, they hold conversations at a level two or three times as loud as should be allowed, and always look directly at you as they are talking, to make you think they are saying something to you (and then roll their eyes or act completely perplexed as to why you thought they said something to YOU, of all people).

And, to top it off, it seems like the majority of people who use them are the most technologically impaired people alive.
 
I don't mind stupid conversations like that one, but I do hate phones. I hate their annoyning ring at innapropriate moments (why must everyone call me when I'm in the john? :p ) and, above all, I hate people who call me trying to offer me some useless product that I don't need :mad: It's MY phone line, and yes I WILL hang up on you rudely if you try to sell me something :cool:
 
Verto said:
I hate those little pricks with Bluetooth sets. It seems to give them some kind of sense of self-worth, as if every conversation they are having involves some multi-billion dollar deal, so naturally everyone within a 15' radius is dying to hear it. They look like twits with those stupid things on, they hold conversations at a level two or three times as loud as should be allowed, and always look directly at you as they are talking, to make you think they are saying something to you (and then roll their eyes or act completely perplexed as to why you thought they said something to YOU, of all people).

And, to top it off, it seems like the majority of people who use them are the most technologically impaired people alive.
Click to expand...


I don't hate phones, just the people who use them inappropriatley. I use my phone to make plans, meet people and generally arrange my social life. I do not speak loudly about my sexual partner's abilities or lack therof, irritating relatives, or various ailments. I hate people that do.

And those jerks with bluetooth headsets look like those homeless people who talk to themselves until I realize they are wearing a headset. Then they look like someone trying to look all businesslike and executive. REAL executives who make multi million dollar deals have assistants to call and text and e-mail and schedual for them. Headsets are good for driving, if you must talk and drive. It is not that much of a chore to hold your phone to your ear while walking around.
 
I hate phones, too.

Most of my friends, family and clients know that if they want to communicate with me, they need to e-mail or IM me.

Rob will call up every now and then and go "Hey, I'm driving down the road and just saw a hawk..." :rolleyes:
 
When I'm on boring calls, I just pretend to listen and instead I post here. Let them ramble on as much as they want.

*excuse me -"uh, huh, yeah, go on..."*

Anyway, as I was saying - phones serve a useful purpose at times. But as with anything, people who don't get it can ruin it.
 
Phones are evil, and I loathe them, my own especially. The thing I cannot stand the most is when someone calls (for a second time) and feels it necessary to inquire why I did not drop what I was doing and rush to my phone the first time as though I was a human equivalent of one of Pavlov's dogs. My telephone is for my own convenience, not anyone else's.
 
I like phones. But if someone calls me and it becomes a "conversation" like you had I would ask him/her what the call was about. That is terrible!
 
That's why when you're on the phone and the other person says bye, you don't respond and then wait around for them to hang up. You say bye as your phone is being hung up.
 
I don't think its phones you should hate - its the stupid conversations some people feel the need to have ('I have a phone, I know, I'll use it' - whether it be boredom, or to show off and look popular) and the annoying ringtone adverts that are plastered all over TV (At least here, in the UK).

Phones themselves are great, and I couldn't live without mine. I use text messaging a lot like IM'ing, and when its something more serious, or urgent, you can call the person to get the point quickly.

I for one couldn't live without one, but I only use it to keep in touch and stay safe, and take pictures if I'm out or at a party, somwhere I wouldn't want to take a professional camera. I don't live with my my younger brother, sister or Mum, so its handy just to drop them a hello once a day, see how they're doing. I don't use it for pointless things, 'what did you have for lunch' sort of thing, I have a life of my own, LOL. :D

They're very handy, and have saved lives.
 
Phones are alright...its the people that call and don't say anything that annoys me.....

Me: Hello
Them: Hi
.
.
.
.
Me: So how r u?
Them: fine...
.
.
.
.
:confused: What the hell are you calling me for!

Bless
 
floyde said:
I don't mind stupid conversations like that one, but I do hate phones. I hate their annoyning ring at innapropriate moments (why must everyone call me when I'm in the john? :p ) and, above all, I hate people who call me trying to offer me some useless product that I don't need :mad: It's MY phone line, and yes I WILL hang up on you rudely if you try to sell me something :cool:
Click to expand...

What I do when the newspaper company calls me:

Me:Hello?
NewsPaper: Hi. This is the N york times calling. WOuld you like to register for a small fee to get newspaper delivered to your dor?
ME: Yes.
NP: Your address please?
ME: 123 Fakestreet. 11111. Zip.
NP: Pardon?
ME: STOP CALLING ME. I DON'T WANT THE SERVICE. YOU HAVE CALLED ME LIKE 5 TIMES!!
ME: *rudely hangs up*
NP:*passes out*
Click to expand...

It sure makes me happy.

I once was in a rush to go to an appointment, and I just answered:


HELLO who is it...
NYT calling.

I just hang up.
 
iGary said:
Rob will call up every now and then and go "Hey, I'm driving down the road and just saw a hawk..." :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Classic.

I get the "Oh my god, the funniest thing just happened... <snip> ...I guess you had to be there."
 
josh.thomas said:
I don't think its phones you should hate - its the stupid conversations some people feel the need to have
Click to expand...

Amen.

I mean if you are going to call me, let's have a meaningful conversation about something, not the lady in front of you in the grocery.
 
emw said:
Caller ID - it's worth it just to avoid those calls.
Click to expand...

True, but how many places these days show up as "Unknown number"? Back when I had my landline with Bellsouth, any call from a cell phone wouldn't show up properly (no name, just number). Most sales companies, bill collectors, et al don't transmit a valid number and/or name.
 
What astounds me sometimes is when I say 'I'm right in the middle of something at the moment, can I call you back?' and some people get snotty about it... as if you've been sitting around waiting for their call. More often than not, it's an intrusion.

However, I'm starting to use the phone far more at work now for internal calls rather than emailing within the building... you can sort out things quicker and you don't have to clear your mailboxes of the endless to and fro-ing that always seems to accompany the simplest of queries.
 
The line for me was crossed a few weeks ago when I was in a public rest room. A guy entered the stall next to me and while doing his business his phone rings. He answers the phone and proceedes to plan his weekend with the person on the other end, it sounded like his girlfriend. While still on the phone he flushed the toilet and went out and washed his hands. Then amazingly instead of leaving he continued his converstation in restroom. :eek:

I was in shock. I told my wife who was waiting for me, geez you won't believe what just happened.

Inappropriate use of cell phones bugs me, people need to remember that there is a time and a place. :)
 
I hate cell phones and only have one because I need it for my job. Other than my office, less than 10 people have my cell number.

How I fight them?

Some asswipe on my floor at work frequently takes a leak while on his BT headset. Last week, I walked into a toilet and flushed it several times. They are quite loud.

When people are in the elevator talking on a cell phone, I like to say, rather loudly, Can you hear me now?
 
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