Mobile Mania: How to Have Manners and Etiquette While on a Mobile Phone

Mobiles have also led to people developing a lot of bad manners and lack of concern for others.  They make people impatient, expecting that the phone will be with you and you are just there to answer and give them all your time.  In fact there are concerns for some people when the phone is not answered that something happened to the person, that they are upset, that they are blanking them, being rude, being disrespectful and so forth.  However, a more likely reason would be that a person is busy or needs sometime away from the demands of people calling from somewhere far away in order to get back to what they are doing where they are.  Too many people are falling out over mobile phones not being answered or texts (perhaps they do not have credit) so I have thought about some of the basic manners and phone etiquettes, that will do everyone a favour and establish some sort of understanding for phone users.

Etiquette for phoning others:

• Phone, let it ring, and then if no one answers leave it for 15 minutes to half an hour before trying again.  There is nothing more frustrating than having someone call continuously when you are in a meeting, a class or doing something.  If it is important you can leave a voice message, or text.
• Consider that the person on the other end has a life, may be with other people and may be busy in the middle of doing things, not just waiting for phone calls (we hope not) so be patient with that
• Do not keep continually phoning for little things, like just to say ‘hi’ which is very annoying, except if the person asked you to do so
• When you call, ask them if they are free to speak, or if they are with anyone else, if they are, respect that and call later, you do not need to demand that they speak to you
• Do not leave angry voice messages demanding that they answer their phone – no one has to answer their phone, the same way that you could not demand entry to their house,
• Do not call 50 times in one minute – perhaps a person is busy

For a person receiving calls:

•  When in public places put the volume down on your ring tone
• Switch it off or put it on silent in lectures, cinema, the library, restaurants, Mosques or any place where you may be disturbing others
• Do not talk loudly about your personal businesses while on the bus or train
• When being served by a cashier in a shop come off the phone first – they are with you and you can talk later,
• When you are with family or friends, do not take long lengthy phone calls, but ask that they call you back later, people who are with you should come before those who are far away
• Try and return calls when you can to avoid mobile fallout

This is in essence what I think is commonly ‘mobile phone etiquette’ and generally having manners should lead one to putting others first before their own wants and needs and not disturb them.  Therefore, not disturbing others – a difficult thing to do with a mobile, is all part of having manners.