How many here have or wish they had cell phones?

[Maine Mary]

For those of you who don't have but would like to have a cell, what is stopping you? Freedom from unwanted interruptions; No or poor reception (me) :-( the cost?

[azmouse]

1. I have a cell phone but I don't know why

I never use it. Hubby got it for me to use but if I need to talk to someone I'd rather
call them from home.

[Maine Mary]

9. Yes but wouldn't it be cool to call in a pizza or something

on your way home?

And more importantly, what about in an emergency? Your hubby was probably thinking of your safety more then anythinh else when he got it for you which, if true is very sweet. :-)

[azmouse]

20. Yummmm.... pizza sounds good!

Yep... He got it for emergencies. He works about 35 mi from home and couldn't get here
quickly if something happened. He's a sweetie!
And thankfully I've never had to use it in an emergency!

[TK421]

2. I'm getting one this weekend, for the first time...

only because I can't have service at my new apartment due to crappy wiring or some shit like that

[Maine Mary]

12. Maybe you should ask for a discount on

your rent. After all, most people assume when signing lease agreements that the wiring should be there for a land line. It wouldn't hurt to ask :shrug:

[TK421]

39. My landlord in a first-time renter....he doesn't seem to understand this..

I did mention it to him, but apparently, it's the responsibility of the tenant to go through the phone company

[Oeditpus Rex]

3. I have one, but

it stays in my truck. It's for emergencies and security.

I haven't used it in more than a year.

[Maine Mary]

23. But it's there in case you need it

Unless perhaps you're trucking through NWestern Maine. :thumbsdown: If you don't lose your load on the winding roads or hit a moose or speeding Quebecois, you still might get hit by a blinding storm on the top of mtns, or loose your brakes on downgrades. (we allow 100k lbs-but it's not really enforced as it should be)

When I was a State Rep. I tried to get the DOT to put in truck escape ramps. The State was even given an easement by the landowner for the first site I had in mind. Instead, (just to say they did something) signs urging truckers to "check their brakes" appeared. Oh and they gave us a truck turnaround on top of the mtn. :eyes:

Sorry. I got off track, sometimes some little thing will bring me into the past.

I hope you NEVER have to use your cell unless it's to say "I'm coming home"! God Bless

-MM

[GalleryGod]

4. Maine & Vermont = Bad Reception

My brother-in-law lives in Brattleboro, Vermont, one of the few places you can get good reception:argh:

Otherwise...can't live without it !

[skygazer]

15. Hey, I'm from Brattleboro, Vermont!

Not a town you see named often anywhere except there! :hi:

[Maine Mary]

27. I have a friend from

... only a bit north of there in Vermont, but I can't remember the name of the town. Something falls. ...Damn. Anyway, he's a State Rep. here in Maine, but lives in the Southerm area of Maine. He went on and on about how we are flatlanders....until I took him through my legislative district. That shut him up quick!

But there is no doubt in the beauty of Vermont. It's absolutely gorgeous!.

[Redstone]

49. Bellows Falls.

Redstone

[ncrainbowgrrl]

33. I love Brattleboro!

In fact, I was just there last weekend! :hi:

[Radical Activist]

5. I have no land line. Just a cell phone.

No reason to waste money on all the monthly fees and extra long distance charges for a second phone I don't need.

[Bossy Monkey]

6. I received one as a gift Xmas before last; never bought more minutes

and haven't used it since February. Considering what a POS car I drive, though, I probably should sign an agreement and keep it charged and handy. However, I really really really hate cell phones as the fellow who gave it to me should have known were he paying attention. (I still thanked him graciously, of course.)

[LaraMN]

7. I don't WANT anyone to be able to call me EVERYWHERE I GO.

If I'm away from my kids it's a different story, but I just hate the idea of not being able to go away and be somewhere where no one can interrupt me. Thus far, no one has ever needed to reach me about something so important that it absolutely couldn't wait until I got home. So no, I don't have or want a cell phone.

[crispini]

16. They do turn off, you know.

If I don't wanna be interrupted, I just turn it off or I don't answer it. Works great! :D

[LaraMN]

25. Yeah, yeah, I know.

:eyes: I had one for a year and left it off quite often. Then people whined about how I would "never turn phone on." Not that they ever actually called me for anything that was of even marginal importance.

[LeftyMom]

8. I have one for work.

It's convenient, but I could manage without one in my personal life if I didn't have to have it for my job.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. I have one.....

as does my husband. We got them 6 years ago when we were building our home, so we could reach each other in case a question came up.....

Last year, we upgraded to international phones so we could call home from our Mediteranean trip.....

I generally don't use it .....keep it for emergencies when I'm out...

:shrug:

[nickinSTL]

11. I have one...

I like having the ability to call from wherever I am (except while driving).

I also use it to make all my long-distance calls, as I never use all my minutes, so it's cheaper than using my land line.

[skygazer]

13. I have one

I got it originally because I lived on top of a mountain with no phone lines. It was handy in case I needed to call in sick to work or if they needed to contact me.

I now live in a place with a land line but I keep the cell. I travel frequently and it's handy to have on those occasions - I have no roaming and free long distance so it's much more convenient than using a pay phone or a phone card.

Very few people have my cell phone number - my SO, my kids and just a couple of close friends. I use it infrequently but I'm glad I have it. It's come in handy on more than one occasion.

[SeattleGirl]

14. I have two: work and personal

Have had a personal cell for years, after getting stranded in several places. Now, I work from home, and do not answer my home phone during work hours. The people who I want to have access to me have my personal cell phone number and call me on that.

[Gormy Cuss]

17. I have one for emergencies

It IS useless in much of Maine. I have it for when I'm traveling or visiting family (thus my experience with the crappy coverage in the Pine Tree State.) Otherwise, it's shut off most of the time. That cuts down on the unwanted interruptions.;-)

[blindpig]

18. I'd rather have the crabs,

they're less annoying.

My gods, how did civilization survive without them? While I can understand how they would be useful for persons working away from the office and them being good to have for an emergency on the road otherwise they're just another example of the mindless consumerism which is consuming us. Or maybe I'm just not cool.

And remember, every cell phone sale is a bullet fired in the Congo Basin. Maybe at a baby gorilla.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

19. I've got one.

Just for calling the 'rents, though. :D x(

[RazzleCat]

21. Got 3

Main one for work, use it all day on the job. Have a family plan, so got one for the child (teenager), and one for my mom. Mom wanted one just in case something goes wrong in the car, or she looses power and needs help (she is 84 years old). Mom also uses hers to call long distance because it's free. The son uses his for everything. On the bright side, I can reach him when I am at work, and it makes a great "get your shit together" incentive (take away his phone), when his grades slip. Total usage from the 3 of us about 2800, minutes a month and 1900 text messages. Please remember I use mine at work all day, its my main line, and I share with a teenager, hence the huge minute usage.

[Debi]

22. I have one, husband has one, son has one

Mine gets the most use, but my son is using his at home more and more. My husband only uses his when he travels.

They've come in handy when we've run out of gas, son gets out of school early, traveling.

Wouldn't want to live w/out em!

(Don't really know why we keep our land line).

[DinahMoeHum]

24. I have one with a pay-as-you-go plan. Nothing fancy.

n/t

[Maine Mary]

31. How does that work?

Beyond the obvious?

Can you actually just buy the phones and hear people on them? When the time runs out, what do you do?...throw it out? My guess is that it'd have to work in your area. What good is it in an emergency elsewhere?

[DinahMoeHum]

34. I use VirginMobile; they have a good choice of phones. . .

www.virginmobileusa.com

and you can buy top-up cards at just about any chain pharmacy or electronics store.

:bounce:

[Maine Mary]

36. Wow. Thanks!

In my boring daily life it may not be useful. But when I become MARY_THE TIGRESS!!!!! It may become useful then. But of of course we are all kidding, right :-) ??????????????

[NaturalHigh]

26. I don't know what I'd do without mine.

[cynatnite]

28. One for me and one for hubby...

debating on one for the teen, but she's got a job. Think we'll get her a nice pre-paid one with a lot of minutes and after that she can pay for it.

[graywarrior]

29. Got one for my job

Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.

[Call Me Wesley]

30. One.

It's sitting here somewhere, turned off.

[supernova]

32. Don't have one and mostly cost

I will probably get one of those pay as you go phones. I'm not much of a Chatty Cathy but I would like one for the times I call my sister and for emergencies. That's about it really.

I could use one, I'm just too much of a tightwad at this point. :P

[Earth_First]

35. I had one many moons ago in college...

and broke those shackles.

[Maine Mary]

38. Good for you!

And God Bless
-MM

[Ladyhawk]

37. I have one and I mostly hate it.

I'd get rid of it but it's one of those things I have to do to keep the peace in our family.

[davsand]

40. I just broke down and bought one.

A couple of days after Christmas I finally gave in and bought a pay as you go phone. There were a couple of reasons for it--the main one is that my Dad is in very ill health and they need to be able to get hold of me at any time.

The other thing that finally broke my spirit was putting the car into the median just before Christmas--and sitting in the dark and cold for 90 minutes with a next to useless bag phone that runs off the car battery. I decided SCREW THAT--I am gonna join the current century even if I find it annoying as hell.

You have to understand--I loathe those damn things. I honestly think that cell phones have contributed a great deal to the death of civility or manners in our world.

I see idjits using cell phones everywhere; in the grocery store in the middle of the aisle, in the middle of a hearing that I am conducting, on the highway at 75 MPH. In movie theaters, restaurants, hospitals and every place else. The idjit users are a social abomination!!!!

Hypocrisy on...

While I realize that it isn't the fault of the technology, I still find cells to be annoying as hell (unless it is ME using them, of course--then it is ok!)

Hypocrisy off now...


Laura

[Maine Mary]

41. I don't see anything wrong with you're use of one....

I just don't understand how you make the damn thing work! Are you in Southern Maine or NH? If not, and it's working for you, you're probably around Bangor, Washinghton Cty or even Aroostook. THEY (supossedly economically oppressed areas) get the towers and all the other help. :grr:

Never mind, I'll chill out.... :blush:

[davsand]

42. I'm in the flatlands of Illinois.

Even at that, I don't get very good reception in my house. I'm fine every place ELSE--but not at home.

I will admit, I'm having a hell of a time figuring out how to use the features like the message system. I actually was in the store where I got it last Friday, and I had to have THEM take off the three messages (all from the cell company!) that had accumulated on it in the last two weeks.

My Mom feels better about me having it--because she's worried about getting a hold of me when I'm not in my office--but other than that, I can't say it has had a lot of impact in my life. I suppose I'll feel differently if I ever actually need it...

:shrug:


Laura

[Maine Mary]

46. Well that's good -about your mom

If it makes both of you feel more secure, I'm all for it. And she's lucky to have you :-)

[fujiyama]

43. I have one

and like having one. It's very convenient. While I haven't had any emergency that immediately required the use of it, I did have some car troubles and I'm glad I was able to call for help.

I understand why people get irritated by them (regarding speaking while driving and in movies, etc), but I think the "I don't want people to get a hold of me at any time" is a silly excuse though. Just turn it off or don't give people the number. I would recommend keeping something for emergencies (atleast an emergency phone of some sort).

[Redstone]

44. I don't want one. I want people to leave me alone when I'm driving.

That's my thinking time.

Redstone

[Rowdyboy]

47. Exactly. When I drive, I think about my life, where it is and where its

going. If I want music, its there. Its reflective time, a chance to take a breath and relax. Maybe, if I had kids, I'd feel a need to be in constant contact but-since I don't and never will-I have no interest in a cell phone.

[Redstone]

48. I have kids. And I don't want to talk to them while I'm driving.

They can tell me what they have to say when I get home.

Funny how most cell-phone conversations you overhear are unutterably pointless: "I'm at Radio Shack now." "I'll be there in five minutes." "Wuzzup?" "And I was like no way, and she was like way, and I was like no, and she was like no really, and I was like wuzzup, and she was like wuzzup..."

Gab, gab, gab.

Redstone

[Rowdyboy]

50. I see people go through check out lines at the grocery and never interrupt

their cell phone conversations. They treat the cashier/salesperson as though they were a machine, not worthy of even speaking to. To me, this is the worst sort of elitism, incredibly rude, and sickening.

I don't do bumperstickers, but if I did, I know one I'd like.

"Hang Up and Drive!"

[Redstone]

51. How about "Hang the FUCK up and drive?"

I've come close to being hit by cellphone yackers about twelve times in the last hear.

But escaped damage because at least **I** was paying attention. Because I was driving, not yacking on the goddamn phone.

Redstone

[DanCa]

45. I dont have one. I dont want one.

Sometimes it nice not to be connected to technology. :D