# People constantly texting and checking phone messages



## liaconn (11 Oct 2011)

I was out with a friend on Fri night that I hadn't seen for ages. She spent half our meal answering texts, telling me what was in the texts, background to person who had sent her the text, meal punctuated by 'oh sorry, I'll just read this.'
Do any of you do this when you're out and why??  Can you not go for one whole hour without checking your flipping text messages?


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## Niall M (11 Oct 2011)

i will reply to your post in a min, must just check a message first....


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## RonanC (11 Oct 2011)

I'll tag you in facebook and reply to you on twitter.

Its all gone crazy! What is wrong with leaving your phone in your bag or your pocket and being sociable.


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## liaconn (11 Oct 2011)

RonanC said:


> I'll tag you in facebook and reply to you on twitter.
> 
> Its all gone crazy! What is wrong with leaving your phone in your bag or your pocket and being sociable.


 
Exactly. I can understand someone who has a close relative in hospital or is 'on call' from work or somesuch keeping an eagle eye on their phone. But otherwise, its really annoying.


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## Shawady (11 Oct 2011)

What did we do before we had mobiles?


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## liaconn (11 Oct 2011)

Spoke to the person who was there with us? Instead of someone who was miles away?


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## dereko1969 (11 Oct 2011)

Did you tell her to put away the phone and have some manners?


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## Firefly (11 Oct 2011)

liaconn said:


> I was out with a friend on Fri night that I hadn't seen for ages. She spent half our meal answering texts, telling me what was in the texts, background to person who had sent her the text, meal punctuated by 'oh sorry, I'll just read this.'
> Do any of you do this when you're out and why??  Can you not go for one whole hour without checking your flipping text messages?



Pity you didn't text her asking her when she was free to chat.


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## Mpsox (11 Oct 2011)

I work for a company that has a wireless network and I hate being at meetings where people are checking their mails. Put a stop to it for my own team as they weren't paying attention


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## Bronte (11 Oct 2011)

Your friend has bad manners, plain and simple.


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## DerKaiser (11 Oct 2011)

Yorky said:


> Then she's in good company as it's increasingly commonplace


 
Very true.

It's bad enough in the pub witha few people, but it's very impolite in a one on one meal situation.

It's terrible in business meetings, it's becomeing pervasive as it's usually the most senior person in the room and it's a really bad example for staff.  I've heard the excuse that these guys are in so many meetings they have to do it, but they're usually senior enough that if they want to cut to the chase and keep meetings short, it's well within their powers to do so. Alternatively they could drop in for the relevant part of the meeting, apply their full attention and leave when the bit they're interested in is over.


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## JP1234 (11 Oct 2011)

I have recently started a Fás course and the tutor last week took 2 phone calls and at least 3 texts while she was teaching us. Not surprisingly several of the people on the course seem to spend most of their time texting, no attempt to hide it either!

If I was in the OP position I would ask the friend to please put away or turn off the phone, if they refused I would leave. It wouldn't bother me in a group of people in a pub or whatever but one on one it is just rudeness.

A former colleague of mine would be texting while on the phone to customers and clients...totally unacceptable.


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## truthseeker (11 Oct 2011)

I know one guy who has 2 mobile phones, work and personal.

I was at a meal he was at recently, there were 10 people at the table. He arrived a bit late, on the phone, sat down and continued his conversation, didnt say hello to anyone, continued to text on both phones for the duration of the meal, went outside to take a call on the personal phone at one point, then left early because one of his texts was someone wanting to meet him for a drink later on.

I wondered why he didnt just spend the evening with the people he had been texting all night as he barely spoke to anyone at the meal he was at!!

Next time I met him was at a party, and again he was glued to both of his phones all evening. Maybe its some form of social autism.


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## Purple (11 Oct 2011)

truthseeker said:


> I know one guy who has 2 mobile phones, work and personal.
> 
> I was at a meal he was at recently, there were 10 people at the table. He arrived a bit late, on the phone, sat down and continued his conversation, didnt say hello to anyone, continued to text on both phones for the duration of the meal, went outside to take a call on the personal phone at one point, then left early because one of his texts was someone wanting to meet him for a drink later on.
> 
> ...



maybe he doesn't like you


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## PaddyBloggit (11 Oct 2011)

Tell him buy a dual sim phone .... it will be easier for him to manage!


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## truthseeker (11 Oct 2011)

Purple said:


> maybe he doesn't like you


 
lol, luckily for me, I dont know him well enough to have any of his phone numbers, but if I ever get one of them, Ill text him and ask if thats the story.


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## hastalavista (11 Oct 2011)

Bronte said:


> Your friend has bad manners, plain and simple.



yep, good class hookers never do that


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## gebbel (11 Oct 2011)

liaconn said:


> I was out with a friend on Fri night that I hadn't seen for ages. She spent half our meal answering texts, telling me what was in the texts, background to person who had sent her the text, meal punctuated by 'oh sorry, I'll just read this.'
> Do any of you do this when you're out and why?? Can you not go for one whole hour without checking your flipping text messages?


 
Maybe I'm too sensitive but I would take this somewhat personally and ask myself was she so bored with my company that she had to resort to reading text messages.

Either that or she is so boring herself and has nothing meaningful to say.

In any case I would imagine you won't be in any hurry in meeting up again!


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## becky (11 Oct 2011)

I can't say I find it happens to me much when I'm out but if it was a one to one I'd find it annoying.  I check my phone in the bathroom when I'm out with friends.

But it is very common in my workplace.  Most senior managers are now on their blackberry constantly as far as I can see.

I miss the days of normal post being put in front of you at the start of the day.  One of my first jobs consisted of opening the post and I hated it.  Think I got 2 years of getting it opened on my desk.  Now I have to open my own via email.

Slightly back on topic I miss the days when if you weren't in the office they would leave a message asking you to call them back.  Now if you are not in the office they ring or text you.


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## Lex Foutish (11 Oct 2011)

Shawady said:


> What did we do before we had mobiles?


 
Aaaah, we had nought, but we were 'appy, laike!


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## liaconn (12 Oct 2011)

hastalavista said:


> yep, good class hookers never do that


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## HMC (13 Oct 2011)

In the good old days, someone having lunch on their own might have a newspaper or a book propped up in front of them.  Now I regularly see people with a fork in one hand and their phone in the other.  Tragic!


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## Sunny (13 Oct 2011)

HMC said:


> In the good old days, someone having lunch on their own might have a newspaper or a book propped up in front of them. Now I regularly see people with a fork in one hand and their phone in the other. Tragic!


 
Maybe they are reading the newspaper or a book online??? I don't see anything tragic about that.


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## Bronte (17 Oct 2011)

hastalavista said:


> yep, good class hookers never do that


 

How much does it cost for a good class hooker who will not use their mobile while dining (?) with you?


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