by Jennifer Macon-Steele

Created on: October 11, 2009

Why did Hugh Jackman stop in the middle of a scene during his Broadway show, "A Steady Rain"? Apparently it was to chide a rude audience member whose phone kept ringing during the show.

Cell phones are as much a part of life as sneakers and lip gloss. It's hard to imagine anyone who doesn't carry a cell phone, and you can certainly find people using them every day. People today are driving, walking the dog, shopping for groceries and carrying on with general day-to-day life all while talking on their cell phones.

Some people feel that cell phones are an unwelcome intrusion into life. I say that cell phones are a positive addition to today's world. They can keep you connected to your loved ones no matter where you are, and they can help you in a time of emergency. In fact I'm not sure how people ever got by without them.

However people do tend to use them inappropriately. In a world where manners are falling by the wayside, cell phone use has become a problem. Here are some basic rules for cell phone users.

Turn off your cell phone when you are at the movies, the theatre or other places where silence matters. If it's not appropriate to have a loud conversation with the friend who is seated beside you then it's not appropriate to have your cell phone on. If the call you are expecting is that important, stay home and wait for it. If you do go out and need to monitor your phone, put it on vibrate. You don't need to inconvenience and annoy everyone around you. No one else thinks you're that special or important.

People standing in front of you are more important than someone who is on the phone. If you are out with friends, in line at the grocery store or waiting for change from a gas station attendant you should not be talking to someone else on the phone. Ask the person on the phone to wait or tell him you will call him back. Your attention should be on the person in front of you. To ignore that person for a cell phone conversation is just plain rude.

Don't answer your cell phone when you are with someone else. If you are having dinner with friends, you are out with friends. The person calling you is not your top priority. The only exception to this is if it's a call from your babysitter or someone else who might need to talk to you immediately. In this case, apologize to your friends and excuse yourself to take the call. Do not answer the call and then talk loudly at the table, annoying your friends and the people dining around you.

If you are with close friends and you aren't involved in an important event or conversation, you can answer your phone. However you should ask your friends if they mind, and you should be considerate of strangers around you.

Speak quietly. Yes, the person you are speaking to may very well be several hundred miles away. That doesn't mean you have to raise your voice. No one wants to hear half of your phone conversation, no matter how interesting you think you are. This is especially true if you are using a speaker phone or a phone with a walkie-talkie device. For heaven's sake, don't force the rest of us to listen to that.

The specifics of manners may have changed over time, but the rules really haven't. It comes down to common courtesy. Give some thought to the people around you, and help make the world a more positive place.

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