More and more people are forgetting about proper cell phone manners. By this I mean the loud, rude attitude that has seemingly pervaded all of the mobile phone-carrying society. No event is safe from the omnipresent ringing and annoying yakking; not even weddings, funerals, and conferences. And I'm not kidding about this. A lot of people can attest to this sad fact. Executives, salesmen, doctors, lawyers, and priests know what I'm talking about.



From avenues to movie theaters, from clinics to boardrooms, from restaurants to churches, boorish cell phone users can victimize you. It seems that carrying a cell phone allows people to act like cavemen. A lot of stories have cropped up that authenticate what I'm talking about. One of my favorites is about a speaker who was doing a presentation. When his cell phone rang, he immediately stopped and answered his phone! It's about time that we lay down the law about proper cell phone etiquette.

A recent survey says that carrying out loud conversations in public is the worst habit of cell phone users. Furthermore, people get victimized by loutish cell phone users at least once a day. But let us be clear on one thing. Cell phones are not the issue here. People are. I think it's the right time to seriously think about proper cell phone manners. Here are some dos and don'ts.

Don't take a personal call in the middle of a business meeting. This rule also includes meetings with co-workers or subordinates, and job interviews. You'll be surprised to know how many job applicants flunk this one.

Do not subject others to your phone conversations. We do not want to know the banal details about your life. People around you should have the luxury of not listening. And remember to keep all conversations short and sweet.

Never talk on your cell phone inside arenas, elevators, libraries, churches, memorial parks, clinics, cafeterias, museums, or any other enclosed public spaces. And also, never ever hold an emotional phone conversation while in public. If you really must, use an earpiece in noisy locations, so that you can control the volume of your voice.

Don't set your ringing tone to play Beethoven every time your phone goes off. There are a lot of better ring tones. Do try to be mature about this. Also, forget about multi-tasking with your cell phone. Stop making calls while buying groceries, walking, waiting in line or doing other personal business. Lastly, inform everyone that you're now following improved cell phone etiquette, and request them to do the same. It's very important.

Technology and good manners can live in peace together. Just ask the millions of Internet users, who've adopted the rules for email etiquette. You can always use the vibrate function, use voice mail, or go to a secluded area before making a call. All it takes is a little bit of consideration.