November 21, 2003
Push To Talk Etiquette
More complaints about the rudeness of people talking on a walkie-talkie cell phone in public.
This Wall Street Journal article refers to them as "squawkers" and reports on PTT sightings in midtown Manhattan. "One lady at a crosswalk was talking louder than on a cellphone, as if there was somebody standing next to her."
To the WSJ, the greatest annoyance of PTT phones comes from the chirping sound each time one side of a conversation begins and the other side ends. "In addition, users often have the handsets on speakerphone with the volume turned up, meaning bystanders can hear both ends of the conversation and loud beeps".
And another annoying habit experienced by users:
"When someone beeps you and they start talking immediately. Frequent push-to-talkers know it's more proper to beep someone and then wait for them to respond before talking".
For anyone using a PTT phone or considering buying one, they may want to check out how to behave by reading Nextel's Push to Talk Etiquette Tips.
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