Remember When You’re Talking to a Real Person…

Don’t you just hate it when you’re in the middle of a conversation with your sister and she just keeps texting somebody else, or takes a call, as if she’s a freaking heart surgeon on call and simply too important to talk to you—the actual, live, breathing person she’s sitting in front of—when she’s “linked in” to all of these other people?

Or maybe you’re the sister in this case.

Either way, since July is National Cell Phone Courtesy Month, we should all make an effort to use some common courtesy when using our phones.

Remember when you’re talking to a real person. Unless your wife is close to delivering her baby or you’ve got a family member in the hospital, wait to answer calls and texts until your visit or conversation is over.

This also goes for people in the drive-thru, at the gas station, and the store. Yes, they are talking to you and no, they don’t give a damn what Tony said to Maria who told Todd. They’re serving you, and whether you’re paying them or not, it’s rude to talk to someone else when they’re just trying to tell you to have a nice day. This rule also applies to office meetings, performances, movie theaters, you name it. If you’re waiting on an important call, put your phone on vibrate.

Say, “Excuse me.” If you do have to take a call—say it’s about a job you’re waiting for, or some test results are in—excuse yourself politely and don’t just take it in front of your company. People actually used to do this; it seems to have gone by the wayside with a little something called common sense.

Tone your voice down. When you walk in guffawing about the stupid Michael Jackson joke your best friend just told you (and let’s face it, it was a stupid joke), you don’t sound cool or popular because you’re laughing about something nobody else heard; you sound like an idiot. People would rather punch you in the face than admire you. So be quiet.

Use discretion with your multimedia. Do you really think it’s okay to let toddlers hear your slew-of-curses considered music as a ringtone, or the latest porn video your brother sent you?

Watch. The. Road. You’d think people would get this one in their heads easily enough, but lo and behold, we still have accidents every day because people are too busy texting or looking for their phones rather than watching the road. How the hell would you people have lived twenty years ago when people stopped at payphones to get directions? Stick to using the phone in the car for emergencies only.