Cell phone etiquette

Yesterday was a special day for me so five of my friends wrangled me up and took me to our local country club for lunch. Two of the six had ear pieces on their phones that were so inconspicuous that we soon forgot they were there. That is until we heard them say something and we thought, one or the other of us, that they were talking to us.

Since several of them were professionals, I understand it's hard to take a long lunch and miss out on calls. But speaking strictly for me, I don't want to hear a hoochy-mama ring tone when I'm sitting in the country club. Next, I don't want to listen as someone argues with her mother about who is picking up the dog from the groomer. And finally, has etiquette changed so much that it is now considered "appropriate" to take phone calls while entertaining? Even our host talked on her cell phone each time it rang.

I am sure that you've about had it with cell phones yourself, unless you're one of those habitual cell phone users that ignore studies like a recent University of Nevada study that showed that those talking on cell phones and driving were as impaired as if they were legally drunk. I am sure you can tell tales of almost being plowed into in intersections by cell phone users who "Oops!" missed a red light. I hate when that happens.

My point is this: Just because people do it so much it seems routine doesn't make it socially acceptable. I love my gal friends, but lunch would have been more fun sans cell phone calls.

My recent article on instituting a cell phone policy just came out in Public Risk, a national magazine for the Public Risk Managers of America. I'd love to help you put together a cell-phone policy for your organization that works.