Cell Phone Abuse

When I observe standard mobile-phone behavior among the natives of most Western nations–from France to Italy to the U.S.A.–I can't help but think of arctic wolves prowling the tundra, peeing on shrubs. On the other hand, in Japan, the creatures that come to mind are prairie dogs ducking into burrows and tabby cats lurking behind the La-Z-Boy.

Typical of Western cell phone anthropology was a recent scene in San Francisco. I was queuing up in a cafe when the man in front of me answered his Motorola. As his conversation heated up and the man sank into the argot of corporate-speak ("the contingencies we have to impact . . . enlarging our footprint vis-à-vis the target demographic . . ."), he flexed his knees and opened his stance. He tossed his hair. With his free hand, he described expressive parabolas, virtually carving out space in the air. His voice rose in volume and force, defining him as an alpha presence among the meek, mute java seekers like me, who backed off warily to cower in the penumbra of his dialogue.

Here in Paris, I exercise similar caution when approaching mobile users on the street. Whether facing them or coming up from behind, I allow two feet of passing margin, because these people–without warning–tend to lurch, wobble, veer, drift drunkenly and even strike out in sudden seizures of verbal animation.

While driving, mobile talkers normally require two full lanes and a half-dozen car-lengths–front and back–to accommodate their car, their phone, their life-or-death discussion, their career, their personal importance, their bustling, affluent lifestyle and their total obliviousness to the traffic that careens around them at 75 mph.

via EETimes.

Heavy cell phone and sms users are truly becoming a different species, but I am not so sure whether it is evolution or devolution.

If you are regularly abused by cell phone users you can download and print shh cards (concept and design by Coudal) to handover to cell phone users. They contain humorous but true messages in ready to fill templates.

Another option would be to use cell phone jammers, but they may be illegal in your country. I like it better with humor.