8 Places to Turn off Your Cell Phone ...

Photo Credit: Mark Austria

Any even that takes place in a church, whether it’s a wedding, funeral service, christening, or just a service, requires that you shut off your cell phone or (better yet) leave it in the car. Here’s a hint, too — you may think you’re being sneaky leaving it on vibrate and texting quietly, but everyone can still hear you, and it’s still incredibly rude!

Photo Credit: JeffCam

If you’re a patient or friend of relative of a patient, it’s rude and distracting to be using your cell phone in a hospital room or doctor’s office. If you need to make or take a phone call about the patient, or yourself, then excuse yourself and go into the hallway.

Photo Credit: *Erin Nicole

If you’re in class, or are attending a parent-teacher conference, turn off your cell phone. Again, keeping it on “silent” or trying to text discreetly doesn’t work (everyone still knows what you’re doing!) and it’s just as rude. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be paying attention?

Photo Credit: poptart prince

To hear her tell it, you don’t visit often enough or stay long enough to satisfy your grandmother, so why waste any of that time chatting away on your cell phone? She appreciates your time, and deserves it, so turn off your cell phone and give her your full attention — and listen to that embarrassing story from your childhood one more time.

Photo Credit: masabi

Unless you’re a doctor, lawyer, or leader of a nation, you’re not important enough to need to talk while you’re standing in line at the grocery or bank. If you have a question — Fuji apples, or granny smith? — send a text or make a quick, quiet phone call, then hang up. If you stand there talking to your BFF about the guy you met at the club last night, you’ll look (and sound) like an idiot.

Photo Credit: pouryourheartintoit

A date is a horrible time to make or accept phone calls or text messages. Really, is there any better way to tell a guy how little he means to you than to sit there at dinner, talking to someone else? If you absolutely must use the phone, apologize, excuse yourself, and either go to the car, the ladies’ room, or the lobby. Then come right back to dinner.

Photo Credit: SCSSAPICS

I can’t believe I have to actually list this one, but yes, it’s rude, and makes a VERY bad impression, to use your cell phone during a job interview. Give the interview your full, undivided attention. Shut your phone off entirely, or better still, leave it in the car.

Photo Credit: mamarosa

I find this one particularly annoying and hard to understand, like people who talk on their cell phones while using the bathroom. Really? That phone call or text message can’t wait for you to finish on the elliptical, or while you wipe?

Photo Credit: sesame ellis

It’s actually illegal to use your cell phone at certain times on an airplane, but it’s ALWAYS annoying for your to use it at all on a plane, train, or bus. Unless you keep your voice very low, and aren’t cackling or gossiping in a very annoying way, just hang up and wait to use your phone until you’re not around a captive, and possibly very annoyed, audience.

So now you know where to turn off your cell phone, or at least use it sparingly, and now you also know WHY. Is there anywhere else you’ve been annoyed by an oblivious cell phone user? Or do you have a funny cell phone story to share? Please let me know!

Top Photo Credit: ℓisaa.