Hello Brian,

Thank you for sharing the story of inconsiderate rude people who think the entire world revolves around them. I truly understand what you had to deal with before your departure to Washington.

My daughter Karin travels for business often and on one occasion when flight has been boarded, gentleman kept yakking loud on his cell phone non-stop. Karin politely told him:
Sir, if you such a hot shot, you would be traveling in first class and not acting so important with your cell here.

I my self have many stories watching self absorbed individuals talking on cell while walking, shopping or driving… and even endangering others.
Glad to see that DC placed restrictions on cell phones while driving. I only wish more places would place such rules on these unruly individuals. People need to start thinking what is proper. That woman’s behavior was not acceptable.

Wishing you safe travels always! We love your news.
Maria

Wow, what a coincidence, I was in a train station this morning in Oakland, CA and I ran into that same woman! She must be some kind of "anti" secret agent who instead of trying to conceal her identity, she wants it advertised like a billboard in Times Square. Hmmm, one thing for sure, this lady does get around and travel's a lot.

Brian,
What did we do before cell phones? Unbelievable what people will talk about in public. Is nothing sacred?

Your insight is right on, Brian...I'm a senior at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, and everywhere I go, EVERYBODY is on their cell phones. It's usually not even important calls: "Hey, what are you doing right now?" Response: Oh nothing, just walking outside of Cherry Hall." WOW, BIG NEWS! I guess it shows that many of us are a lot lonelier than we want to admit and need someone to listen, although I completely agree with your analysis. Anyway, have a good day!

Brian, I love this comment: "Our celebration of self." What an understatement! Alas, that's the state of the Union these days...many feel entitled to behave however they'd like in public and annoyed when anyone reminds them that there are other people around who might appreciate respectful consideration.

It is SO rude, but is indeed becoming "acceptable" behavior - why, I will never know. We went to see the Star Wars Exhibit last year at the Boston Museum of Science, and in the middle of a staged presentation, C-3P0 was interrupted by a woman's ringing cell phone. Instead of stifling it, she ANSWERED it. My brother-in-law had to tell her to hang up, and she looked at him like he was the rude one.
I have even been at a complicated wedding rehearsal where a bridesmaid answered her phone and talked in the middle of the pastor's instructions to the wedding party. It is amazing.

Thanks so much for sharing! I needed a good laugh ...

I'm old enough to remember that when it looked like a person was talking to themselves you knew they were odd and you should stay away. Now with the new Bluetooth technology, EVERYBODY looks like they are talking to themselves! How do we differentiate between the odd and Bluetoothers? Or are they all odd?

And yet this person would most likely be highly offended if her personal privacy was violated by another - say posting the most intimate details on a website.

That definitely made me laugh. As someone who's grown up with cell phones most of my life, and has personally had one since the age of 14, i'm mostly used to people having personal conversations just about anywhere.
But I still have yet to understand the mental state of people who talk on cell phones in a public bathroom.

It is so annoying when I have to listen to calls like you just described. I'm always tempted to join the conversation and give my advise, but I never have enough guts. Fortunately, you can't use cell phones during a flight! I'm looking forward to your broadcast tonight.

Brian - you made my day. I too am in the midst of dealing with aging parents and a host of health issues (long distance no less), who in my generation is not! I really needed the chuckle your blog brought to me, gave me a brief respite from my "heavy burden" that I carry with a great deal of love. Thanks for sharing. Your way with words is exquisite and I felt like I was there with the rest of the audience.

I feel your pain. It is so difficult to not tell an annoying person like that to "shut up!" But that behavior would be seen as rude ... while her behavior is becoming acceptable. I've observed similar cellphone abuse in movie theaters, restaurants, in line at department stores, on a walking path near my home (I'm not kidding), and in church (I'm really not kidding). When will it end?

You ought to have called someone to tell them. Preferably using the speaker phone function, and hopefully with a competitive loudness.

Though you write well, it is never a bad idea to call a colleague and run passagespast them for input. Perhaps the entire piece. Several colleagues, even, depending how much time you had between boarding and that moment when you need to turn your cell phone off so as to avoid causing the flight to plummet from the sky like a grand piano.

Of course, once the cell phones off moment arrived, you would then have to start shouting at your fellow travelers and moving around the plane for man-in-the-street style feedback on the story.

Or, take the chance on this person's reaction and ask her to please try to reduce her volume? Only as a Plan B, of course.

Brian,
I so understand your pain, though you were so kind as to not go over to her and enlighten her that everyone could hear her. I most definitely would have told her

As one of the many who commute on a daily basis via mass transit I have been subjected to more loud cell phone conversations than I care to remember. Like you, the things I have heard would curl my hair, from intimate health issues, to the sharing of detailed banking information including account #s and social security numbers, to a couple deciding to divorce, to who "scored" last night with the chick at the bar.

When did it become acceptable to act like this? I have had a cell phone for just about 20 years now, starting with the big bag phones that they were in the beginning. At that time I was a college student commuting almost 100 miles a day round trip between home, work and school. It was a key part of what I considered "my emergency kit". My cell phone is much smaller now but the emphasis is still to use it for emergencies. I refuse to have voice mail on my cell phone -- if I do not answer at home, my office or on my cell then it is a good bet I am NOT taking calls.

People like the woman you refer to are usually grandstanding, wanting attention. Thankfully not all cell phone users are like her, I was next to someone last night who had a conversation through the entire trip home and those around him didn't hear a thing, not the case with the rude user 4 rows ahead.

All this noise really makes me value pure quiet.

I was entering a store the other day at the same time a stranger was exiting. He was talking on a Bluetooth too. We did the double door dance for a moment (you go, no come on, no please ) until I said I was raised to be kind to crazy people walking around talking to themselves. It got a laugh inside the store. :-)