I was asked again today, "How can you live without a cell phone?"

[Stuart G]

I was at a large appliance store, arranging to return something, The salesman asked, "How can you live without a cell phone?..
Except for emergency use in the car, I don't need it. (and I will get a trac phone for the car)..I am 62. I have gotten maybe 5 or 6 extremely important phone calls in my life. All except one, could have waited. That one, was ok with using a land line, and would have not changed anything if I had gotten the news an hour earlier.

..It is another advancement that allows various industries to sell more stuff. Being connected all the time, to all the people is not all that it is cracked up to be.

[Heidi]

1. I have one, but I've used it fewer than three times.

I only carry it with me because I stopped wearing a watch about 10 years ago. If I want to know what time it is when I'm out and about, I look at the cell phone. :shrug:

[raccoon]

2. I don't have one either. I mean to get a trac phone for the car, for emergency use.

I don't use my land line all that much, and I don't want another monthly bill if I can avoid it.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. The odd thing is, I think that cell phones are equally good at keeping people disconnected.

Too often these days people are staying connected to friends, family, business associates via the cell phone no matter where they are and by doing so they're less connected to people around them. It's as if some people are cocooning in public.

I have a cell phone but make less than a dozen calls a month on it. It's shut off most of the time.

[SacredCow]

4. I have 3 wireless lines (but no land line)....

I could, and would LOVE to live without them. One day, when I retire and move to the middle of nowhere to live out my days alone and reclusive, the ONLY way people will be able to contact me is by coming to find me. And I plan on making that difficult!

[Deep13]

5. "How can you be a lawyer without a cell(ular) (tele)phone?!"

Lincoln did.

Unfortunately, people would see a mobile telephone as an invitation to call me.

A list of necessities for life:

oxygen
water
food
protection from the elements in the form of food or clothing
knowing how to avoid hazards
gravity (not going away any time soon)

That's pretty much it.

[LeftinOH]

6. I don't have one.. and I am convinced that 95% of cellular conversations

are about pointless crap -having overheard so many of them, thats the impression I've gotten.

[oedura]

8. I'd agree with you completely...

...if you dropped the word "cellular" from that remark.

[Stuart G]

10. I agree, I observed an example of this recently at .......

a drop dead beautiful place, The Chicago Botanical Gardens in Chicago's northern suburbs. So quiet and serene. Flowers and plants everywhere with terrific paths through many different kinds of gardens.

A number of people were concentrating on their cell phone calls. It was sunny and perfect weather for strolling through this park. Why must people be connected with other people, when there are so many other kinds of connections available? Especially when those conversations are not necessary?

[newmajority]

7. I had a cell phone for 7 years. I don't miss it at all.

When I got it, the primary reason was that I was sick of the incompetence of my former landline phone company, and going cellular was the only other option available at the time. Plus I was making a lot of long distance calls then, so it all worked out.

But thanks to the Bush Crime Family and their oil industry pals, I'm not taking a lot of road trips these days, so I gave up the cell, and went with VOIP. If you don't need a phone with you 24/7 it's a great way to go. Cheaper than cell phones, all the long distance calls I want, and no "minutes" to worry about.

[bikebloke]

9. Refuse to be leashed.

If I'm at work or home, there's a land line. If I'm out and about, it's usually pedaling my steed. I don't want to be interrupted whether I'm b'twixt A & B on errands or recreating.

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Mine stays in my car. I only have it for emergencies or in the school

or one of the kids needs to reach me. Otherwise, my office line will do just dandy, thanks.

[Jimbo S]

12. Just bought my first one two months ago.

I've used it at most a dozen times. Turn it on once a week. Could get by fine without it, only need it for an emergency. And the above poster is correct, most cell conversations is just babbling.

[noonwitch]

13. I don't have one, either

I feel that not having one makes me a more attentive driver, a more polite customer, and it limits my mother to only being able to call me when I'm at home.

I am amazed at how rude people are about talking on cell phones.

[riderinthestorm]

14. I have a love/hate relationship with mine

Love it when my family calls or texts (there's some days we only see each other sleeping). Trying to make ends meet, it's rare to have time for a lengthy sit down conversation so for us, it's incredibly important in staying connected.

Love it when I need it for emergencies. My job virtually guarantees that accidents will happen when we are out in the middle of a field and I need an ambulance asap. Cell phones provide me with an immeasurable degree of comfort in my job as I know that emergency help can now be contacted effortlessly, immediately.

Love it when I can do business AND play on DU. I'm on a rural dial-up which ties up my landline so my cell is my fall back - heh!

Hate it when clients stalk me.

Hate it when people call me while I'm at the store.

Hate it when I'm trying to sleep, or concentrate, or whenever it's inconvenient.

Hate it that my mother can always find me now.

On balance, it's a pretty valuable tool for me and I'd say it's worth it. YMMV and obviously has. I'm on no-call lists so I never get people trying to sell me stuff on my cell - now that would be annoying!