I find myself having this conversation with co-workers and family at least once a month, if only for the satisfaction of venting our own frustrations during our daily commutes. It's not just the cell phone users who cause anxiety. How about those who, instead of sitting next to each other to carry on their conversations, choose to sit either across the aisle from each other or in front of or behind the other and then continue to carry on their conversation for the entire commute home! (and yes the seats next to them remain empty as I'm sure nobody wants to be subjected to their mindless dribble). How about those who do sit next to each other but their personal conversations about their cheating spouses, personal health issues, what they are cooking for dinner, etc. can be heard from 3 rows away. And the best would have to be my sister's gripe about her experience on MetroNorth where the same group of women would get on the train after her, sit together and proceed to play a card game while loudly discussing their dysfunctional family issues, sex lives and other inappropriate topics for all to hear. I just don't get it. When did such rudeness take the place of common courtesy for others. I hope the airlines do not change their policies about cell phone use on the planes and only wish that all forms of mass transit start to work towards making it unacceptable for loud cell phone conversations to take place on buses and trains, as is eating/loitering and loud music. There's a time and place for everything and I hope this trend will soon fade.

My jammer is on the way. When I am faced with this foolishness, I will turn their phone off for them. I am sick of this kind of nonsense. Shut the Cell up!

Years ago, I worked with a gentleman who was involved in a several car rear-end pileup. He was in the last car. He climbed out and walked to the front car to see if that person was okay. The driver was on her cellphone chatting away. She just motioned my coworker away when he knocked on the window. I don't think she even realized that she had caused the accident.

Hi Brain,
Your story reminds me of a recent Dr. Who episode in which most of the population wears a highly valued (i.e. " mine's better than yours") communication device in each ear. Little do they realize that the devices are part of the villian's scheme when they take over the wearer's mind and free will and literally turn them into mindless, souless robots to carry out his evil plan of world domination.
...we can only hope...
PS--Wouldn't it be great to see Chris Hansen go after these jerks with his camera crew just like he does the child predators?

Brian,
Perhaps my entry of this response is too far down the "current events" list for you to read, but I hope you do.
Long long ago, I remember listenening with my grandmother to what was then called a transistor radio. We were able to hear broadcasts from Russia, and other very far away places, in the middle of the night. And there was one program which was of particular interest called "Voice of America." Perhaps it is still being broadcast. Getting to the point, your vivid account of the cell phone user today touched something close to a nerve. Adding to your portrayal are those scrupleless beings that have to pace around the holding area....enlarging their audience as they assemble their thoughts into the microphone; and let's not forget the gestures of flailing arms, etc....as though the masses are being rallied as the conversation continues. Yes Brian, your blog about this incident could indeed, have been broadcast on "Voice of America." Happy Holidays.

Brian,
Do you have a "Hilarious Gene" of some sort?
Enjoyed your blog!

To quote Stephanie Tanner from Full House, "How Rude!"
I also think that our society needs a lesson from Emily Post.

So many people here have commented and agreed with you, so who are these idiots that behave this way?

Last year I was in the library (the library, you know....the place that's supposed to be quiet) and a woman was having a VERY LOUD conversation on her cell phone. She started to tell a very juicy story (and I was getting very annoyed) so I followed her around.

After a few minutes of this she stopped talking and asked if I needed anything. I smiled sweetly and told her I just wanted to hear the rest of the story.

Well, I can't repeat what she said to me, but she hung up the phone.

How dare you............Yeah right! What you said was hilarious and all too true. I was discussing the same issue today about the headaches we would all get if cell phones were allowed on planes. We already get an earful of chatter on cellphones 5 minutes before takeoff; imagine that throughout a 4 hour flight!

How dare you............Yeah right! What you said was hilarious and all too true. I was discussing the same issue today about the headaches we would all get if cell phones were allowed on planes. We already get an earful of chatter on cellphones 5 minutes before takeoff; imagine that throughout a 4 hour flight!

I curse the day they invented this technology. Nothing I ever hear on these phones is important. It's always about where they are,, where they are going and who really cares. In public I will only text my husband if and when it's important.

I am reminded of two things as I have just arrived on a flight from Washington:
1. When they say 'shut off your phones' during the flight, they mean it. The inconsiderate person next to me had it on all the way; texting madly away. When asked to stop, he stared at me as if I were so rude!

2. The little blue attachments in people's ears - 'we are the Borg; resistance is futile!

Don't forget Push-To-Talk, even more annoying than regular cell phone. My spouse was in the hospital in someone visiting the person in the next bed was having a long (and loud) conversation by Push-To-Talk...
Beeep....Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, Beeep, Yadda, Yadda.

When people come into the cafe where I work and try to order coffee while they are on their cell phones I tell them I will wait until they are finished. I say it with a nice smile and in a manner that hopefully conveys that I don't want to interrupt their conversation. I don't know how many people "get it" but I try and spread a little common courtesy when I can.

Brian, have you been in a big high school these days...teachers compete with all sorts of electronic devices...ipods, textmessaging, phones, parents calling, girlfriends/boyfriends/friends/bosses, etc, etc. Recently a student being sent to the office, sat on the floor, refused to leave the classroom, called his mother on his phone and began cussing out the teacher with his mother on the phone. Help! What is this modern world coming to?

Here's a thought: What a about a downright loud cellphone conversation in a foreign language, LOL.
This kind of call would give you a heart attack or motivate you to brush up on your Espanol 101 !!!!!!
Guilty as charged :)

Perhaps we should tape record the conversation and then play it back at sufficient volume to be noticed by the offender. Afterall, it was given to the public by the owner and, thus, now belongs to everyone. The look on her face when hearing the re-broadcast of her personal conversation....PRICELESS.

Dear Brian ~ First, Congratulations on your 2nd Anniversary with NBC Nightly News and thanks for the humorous tale about the rudeness of cell-phone users. I once had to wait to draw a patient's blood because he had to finish his all important phone call. Kind of makes you wonder if these people were raised by wolves!

You are so right...cellphone have become a public nuisance. I am a traveling corporate trainer, and I cannot tell you how many times a cellphone has gone off in a training session, even though we ask to have all cellphones turned COMPLETELY off. I hear complaints almost every day about the rudeness of cellphone users. I have a cellphone, but I use it for emergencies only. I am personally sick to death of hearing personal conversations (not unlike the one you just heard), it has gotten totally out of hand. And I am frightened daily watching idiots driving and talking on the phone. Thanks for making me smile...loved the comment about "bluetooth over sharing" and the "LaGuardia Healthcare Workshop"...too funny !! Keep up the great work Brian, I enjoy the newcast and appreciate the hard work that goes into every story that is aired.

Mr. Williams,

It does seem that cell phones have become the divided indencency of society, allowing for selfishness to supercede courteousness. I was recently on a flight to Ohio when the stewardess kindly asked the gentleman sitting next to me numerous times to switch his cell phone off. Finally, the stewardess had to resort to blantant rudeness just get her point across.

It's time to bring back Maxwell Smart's "Cone of Silence."

Brian -- thanks for the laugh. I was in the Ladies Room last week while a woman had a phone interview in a stall! Given her responses, I don't think she got the job!

I like to stand or sit next to these people and listen to them intently, as I stare directly at them. Sometimes they get the 'hint', others ask if I must be so rude, or do I mind? My reply is as you would expect...if you must loudly discuss your personal life, at least I can be respectful and listen. Or, why should I mind, you are discussing your personal business with such alarming volume that...(insert your response here)!

What a hilarious rendering! I find that these days people are more rude and inconsiderate in general, with cell phones, music, just about everything. It's all about THEM after all, right? No matter that they're being inconsiderate of others around them - it's like it doesn't even occur to them or they just don't give a rip. I ride mass transit to work and headphones are required when someone listens to music. Nine times out of ten, however, they have the music cranked up so loud the whole bus or train car can hear it. I feel like tapping those people on the shoulder and telling them to take the *#*$!&# headphones off because I can hear their music anyway! Instead of listening the to the tinny sound of the music through headphones, we may as well all hear the full sound! I, too, have had the unpleasant experience of listening to someone's cell phone conversation that entails very personal details I'd rather not hear. I may have to find other transportation, too, if the airlines allow cell phone use during flight. I shudder at the thought of it.

"Madam, we are no more interested in your private matters than you are in my toileting routine. So unless you start silence now I shall be broadcasting my business into your ear and microphone."

Works everytime....