Fighting back against cell phone rudeness

Jeremy Wagstaff for the WSJ has a good time with "National Cellphone Courtesy Month" and lists some entertaining suggestions when confronted with mobile rudeness. Some favorites:

-- If someone starts talking in a quiet public place you have several options. In the cinema, yell out "Can you speak up? The rest of us can't hear you" (It always works better than "shush," which is overused).

-- Eventus Interruptus: If you're dining with someone who starts fielding calls in mid-sentence, immediately leave the table and head to the bathroom. Then either call or text them from there until they get the hint that by actually sitting with them, you deserve their attention more than someone who isn't.

-- If someone at a dinner party or in a large meeting takes a call while talking to you,start talking about the person on the phone as if he's not there; chances are he won't be able to manage to hold a conversation and overhear what you're saying at the same time, so will hang up.

emily | 11:55 AM | Cell Phone Etiquette |
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