How Often Do You Use The Phone?

[ExFlyBoy5]

For all you "poll" folks, sorry...this isn't one.

A few days ago, we had some friends over for dinner and the one of the conversation topics was the use of cell phones and how they have come to rule society. I made a mention about how I rarely make phone calls (with the exception of my Dad's check in once a day) and that I hadn't talked to my DW on the phone in over a month. That's when my friends mentioned that they don't really talk on the phone, either. BUT...they do talk to each other EVERY SINGLE DAY when one of them is driving home from w*rk! Yes, so every day the husband leaves w*rk, he calls to talk to his wife...whom he will see 30 minutes later. It occurred to me that another friend had mentioned that his wife calls him EVERY DAY when she's driving home from w*rk too!

So, am *I* the crazy one? Perhaps I see my DW more often than my friends do since I am retired, but since my DW is still w*rking, I don't think we see each other more often than couples of our age. After the friends left, the DW and had a ling discussion as to if we had communication issues in our relationship. We came to the conclusion that we were good to go (not that there was really any concern) and our friends were just crazy.

So, what say you?

 

[ivinsfan]

They might not be crazy but IMO spending rush hour driving time on the phone is not cool. People are apparently starting to think that driving is not a good use of their time and they look for ways to be entertained in the car. This is why we can't have nice things...

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

They might not be crazy but IMO spending rush hour driving time on the phone is not cool. People are apparently starting to think that driving is not a good use of their time and they look for ways to be entertained in the car. This is why we can't have nice things...

That's also a very good point. I dislike talking on the phone anyway, but do it while driving down the road is just...well, I don't think it's a wise decision.

 

[Paracelsus]

I only use my cell phone as an emergency number when I'm traveling - no one calls me on it (other than some spam calls these days). My home phone line is a land line and is used most often for appointment scheduling/confirmation calls. I think I have conversations on a phone line with family or friends maybe once or twice every three months or so. I'm not a fan of phones.

 

[euro]

That's also a very good point. I dislike talking on the phone anyway, but do it while driving down the road is just...well, I don't think it's a wise decision.

I call your "unwise" and raise to "reckless and incredibly stupid".

 

[Sojourner]

That's when my friends mentioned that they don't really talk on the phone, either. BUT...they do talk to each other EVERY SINGLE DAY when one of them is driving home from w*rk! Yes, so every day the husband leaves w*rk, he calls to talk to his wife...whom he will see 30 minutes later. It occurred to me that another friend had mentioned that his wife calls him EVERY DAY when she's driving home from w*rk too!

This reminds me of a former co-worker. He not only would talk to his wife on the phone occasionally while driving into work, he would call her again once he arrived safely at his desk in the morning. We all worked in cubicles, and we all heard that call every single day: "Hey... I'm here. Love you, bye." I remember being absolutely baffled by this extreme level of neediness and dependency... or maybe "separation anxiety" would be a better term. It almost seemed like a psychological disorder.

I've never been much of a phone person, so I rarely talk to anyone on the phone unless it's somewhat necessary. I'd much rather spend time talking in person, face to face, else I'd rather just email or text. I have never been in a relationship where I felt the need to talk to someone every single day on the phone... except for the first few months with my very first high school girlfriend.

 

[Nemo2]

I don't even like answering the phone, let alone picking it up and voluntarily dialing a number.

 

[Meadbh]

First of all, making phone calls while driving is insane. It's likely illegal too. I do have Bluetooth in my car, but it is rare to receive a phone call in the car. I never initiate one unless I am parked.

I am somewhat deaf so it's not uncommon for me to miss an incoming call. In particular, it is stressful for me to follow along with someone who mumbles. I would far prefer to communicate via email or text message, when I have a written record. Face to face works best of course.

 

[zinger1457]

It seems like 'talking' is low on the list of the things people do with their cellphones today. The last time I walked through an airport I thought I was in cellphone zombie land. Everyone looking into their cellphone but few talking, I'm guessing social media, texting, games, etc.

 

[scrabbler1]

I don't even like answering the phone, let alone picking it up and voluntarily dialing a number.

I hate answering the phone, too, because the majority of the calls I get are unwanted garbage calls. I have been able to reduce this somewhat thanks to nomorobo on my land line blocking many but not all of the junk. No nomorobo on the cell phone, though, where 90+% of the calls are junk.

For legit calls, I do talk to my LF every day unless I am going to visit her or she is visiting me, which is pretty often. For other people, maybe once a day tops for everyone else combined. I often go 2 or 3 days without any phone call on either line, junk or legit.

 

[OldShooter]

First of all, making phone calls while driving is insane. It's likely illegal too. I do have Bluetooth in my car, but it is rare to receive a phone call in the car. I never initiate one unless I am parked. ...

Agreed. And if I do get a call where I need to talk for any significant time, I pull over or take an exit ramp and park.

I spent 15 years racing sports cars and am very familiar with how fast a situation can go from "in control" to "out of control." When I drive, driving gets 100% of my attention. IIRC the research says that talking on the phone while driving reduces the driver competence to roughly the equivalent of being legally drunk, regardless of whether the call is hands-free or not. Not for me, thanks.

When I see someone who appears to be on the phone (see the phone, weaving in his/her lane, driving more slowly than traffic, etc.) I make it a priority to pass them. The safest place on the road is with the fools, incompetents, and idiots behind me.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

So an update of sorts. I asked my two SIL/BIL if they talk to their SO's during the day and one said 'Hell no! What is the point of that?!' and the other one said that he calls during his mandatory w*rk breaks and for about 15 minutes on the way home. But this is the same couple who sleep in different bedrooms (the husband snores). Still odd to me...

 

[travelover]

Like I told the ATT rep that called me to sell me an expensive phone plan, "I don't have a phone".

 

[scrabbler1]

Agreed. And if I do get a call where I need to talk for any significant time, I pull over or take an exit ramp and park.

.....

When I see someone who appears to be on the phone (see the phone, weaving in his/her lane, driving more slowly than traffic, etc.) I make it a priority to pass them. The safest place on the road is with the fools, incompetents, and idiots behind me.

The only thing about having all the yakking morons behind me is that I fear I could get rear-ended if they aren't paying attention when I am stopped at the next traffic light! But on an expressway I will try to get far ahead of them.

 

[OldShooter]

The only thing about having all the yakking morons behind me is that I fear I could get rear-ended if they aren't paying attention when I am stopped at the next traffic light! But on an expressway I will try to get far ahead of them.

A frontal collision is far more dangerous than getting rear-ended. If the jerk in front you hits something he will stop quite suddenly and you will hit him, stopping very quickly and experiencing high G-forces. This is essentially unavoidable unless you can see past him and anticipate the crash. Otherwise, you need 100 feet or more of following distance at 70mph to have one second in which to react. Pretty much an impossible distance on metro highways and freeways.

 

[Sunset]

I rarely use my phone.
When I would work, I would phone BEFORE driving off in the car to DW to tell her I was heading home, it was not neurotic but needed.

I worked unrestricted hours so sometimes I finished 1 hour early, or 1 hour late, so the agreement was I would phone when walking out the door, that way she knew she had about 40 minutes until supper.

 

[Bamaman]

After ta!king 7 hours a day at work for 36 hears, I seldom talk to anyone on the phone. I get especially irritated riding in cars and trying to eat in restaurants with others around me mostly texting.

I loved ditching that cellphone. And it's great having peace and quiet in my ER.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

As little as possible.

 

[Which Roger]

Like I told the ATT rep that called me to sell me an expensive phone plan, "I don't have a phone".

So then how did the rep call you?

I average probably 1 phone call per day, the vast majority being to/from DW since she's still working. Average number of texts is also about 1.

 

[Katsmeow]

When I was working full time and had an hour or so commute from work to home, yes, I did often call my husband. No, it wasn't (and isn't) illegal. I always used the handsfree. Also, if I was changing lanes or there was a situation where a court was driving recklessly near me, etc. I would say hold on and wouldn't talk. I did not consider it any more distracting than it would be to have my husband there in the front seat.

Why did I do it? It was often a good time to go over plans for the evening or to privately chat (we had 3 kids at home and evenings were often hectic). I didn't call him every day but fairly often. They usually weren't long calls.

 

[MRG]

The only thing about having all the yakking morons behind me is that I fear I could get rear-ended if they aren't paying attention when I am stopped at the next traffic light! But on an expressway I will try to get far ahead of them.

I've been rear-ended three different times and always watched the person coming up to hit me. The last was on I70, everyone else stopped, except the woman behind me on her phone. I spend months recovering from the c-spine issues.


I spend as little time as possible on the phone. My retirement decision came after a 14 hour conference call. I don't care to remember that.

 

[Meadbh]

When I was working full time and had an hour or so commute from work to home, yes, I did often call my husband. No, it wasn't (and isn't) illegal. I always used the handsfree. Also, if I was changing lanes or there was a situation where a court was driving recklessly near me, etc. I would say hold on and wouldn't talk. I did not consider it any more distracting than it would be to have my husband there in the front seat.

Why did I do it? It was often a good time to go over plans for the evening or to privately chat (we had 3 kids at home and evenings were often hectic). I didn't call him every day but fairly often. They usually weren't long calls.

The statistics about the dangers of distracted driving are grim. I'm not sure about husbands.

https://www.edgarsnyder.com/car-accident/cause-of-accident/cell-phone/cell-phone-statistics.html

 

[braumeister]

I do have Bluetooth in my car, but it is rare to receive a phone call in the car. I never initiate one unless I am parked.

Agreed. And if I do get a call where I need to talk for any significant time, I pull over or take an exit ramp and park.

That describes me, too.

I was very pleased to see that the forthcoming version of Apple's iOS will include an optional "Do Not Disturb While Driving" feature. Here's a good description of how it works:
Here's How iOS 11's Do Not Disturb While Driving Feature Works

 

[rodi]

I dislike being on the phone. Not quite phobic - but close. I text or email when I can because you can coordinate plans, etc, with text and the message is waiting for the person when they are able to get it. Example: - text to kids telling them time and place I'll be picking them up (There are several parking options - at a distance from each other - near their high school... they need to know which direction to walk towards.) I've been texting with one of my kids friend's mom... about carpooling to various activities this week.

As for talking to my spouse... DH gets to hear from me in person. He used to annoy me when he'd call me at work when he was bored at his work...

I don't call and drive... although my new car has bluetooth. If I need to get ahold of DH while driving the kids around I'll have my kids use my phone to dial - then the phone connects to the car and I just talk to the car, hands free... I'm not coordinated to dial and drive at the same time... so if I need to call someone and don't have a teenager handy to do the dialing... it can wait till I arrive, or I'll pull over.

 

[runnertoo]

I'm surprised so many people don't talk on the phone in their car and even called it reckless.
Why is it different than talking to a passenger?