Sitting in the airport...

[kairos12]

For 45 minutes a man standing near me has yelled into his cell phone about his apparently bad marriage. Profane and too much information. I would move but he is my boarding area. I need Maxwell Smart's cone of silence.

[Hoyt]

1. I find people who talk on cell phones around others annoying and inconsiderate.

[fizzgig]

5. out of curiosity

how is it different than talking to someone in person while in public?

it's a common gripe about cell phones but i don't understand why having a cell phone conversation in public is inconsiderate and a face to face one isn't.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

6. Talking loudly in public is rude

In person, on the phone, yelling out the window down the block... any way you slice it. Barring an emergency you have options, wait til later, go someplace private or speak so you don't disturb others. That's the same reason playing music requires earbuds.

[fizzgig]

7. what about people who talk at a normal volume?

honestly not snarking, it's just something i don't get.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

8. not at all

There's nothing wrong with talking at a volume that doesn't disturb others or distract from a speaker, teacher or show.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. Probably because we expect to chit chat with people we are with. It's necessary.

And phone voice is almost always much louder.

9 times out of 10, the annoying cell phone chit chat could be held at a more opportune time that isn't rude and subjects fellow travelers to the drama of some stranger's life.

It doesn't bother me so much but I could see how it would annoy people who travel all the time..

I've never taken a call in a restaurant and I always duck out of ear shot when I take a call in public. It just seems naturally polite

What really DOES grind my gears is people who subject everyone to their speaker phone conversation. I used to think the annoyance might be hearing only one side of the conversation... Until my niece lived with us for a couple months. Then I realized hearing BOTH sides is 10 times worse. Every waking moment walking around with that thing in her hand face timing her boyfriend. Ugh.

Just yesterday, I was doing some work for a neighbor in my building. Her friend came back from the beach without my neighbor. She had her phone on speaker so I had to listen to a half hour of her life story and how someone's father is abusive. I was 'this' close to opening the drain valve on the compressor so it would run continuously.

[Hoyt]

10. Mainly, I don't hear as well as I used to and it's hard to tell if they are talking to me and I'm

supposed to respond or what, especially if they are on earbuds. Plus, most people in a store aren't yaking away, or at least you see two people and know they are talking. Besides, I don't like some pissant barking orders at people on the phone. And, they are usually loud. I know lots of people go out of their way to be obnoxious.

[fleur-de-lisa]

2. Sit near him . . .

pretend you are talking to someone on your phone, and repeat everything he says. He will get the hint.

[rug]

3. Find a TSA agent and say he's talking Arabic.

[rurallib]

4. over my traveling years I was constantly amazed by the behavior

of what appeared to be business people and professionals. Screaming, throwing stuff. Of course this was back in the 90s.

My favorite was the Friday night when a flight was delayed and this guy in an impeccable suit launched a waste basket about 25 yards with his foot. Fortunately no one got hit