Plugging in your cell phone

[snowdragon]

My meal would have been ruined - I would have asked for the check for anything that I had consumed  and left there and then. I *really* do not want someone that close to me anywhere.  And I would have let management know why.  I am sorry if her cell phone is out, but she has no right to interrupt others, and get in their face for any reason other than an emergency - a dead cell phone battery is not an emergency.

[Sharnita]

[quote author=JoW link=topic=127177.msg2933785#msg2933785 date=1367165416

In my opinion the only people who should be using a phone during dinner out are people who are on call for something.  And those people should be eating at a fast-food place where they can leave instantly when they are called.  Phones should be charged at home or in your office.  The exception being if the power is out at home.

I think this is a bit harsh.  A number of people---including my mom, who is the only doctor in a small, remote town---are on call 24/7.  Consigning them to a life of McDonalds is unnecessary.  It seems like mannered people could readily put their phones on silent, excuse themselves from their dining companions upon feeling its vibration, and take calls in a foyer.   

In response to the poster, I think the woman plugging in her phone was certainly graceless. Of course she should've said excuse me or explained to your companion that she needed to plug her phone in for urgent reasons.

But, as is so often the case, stewing about this is isn't a benefit to anyone.  For all we know, she had an old cell phone that didn't hold a charge and a relative in intensive care at a nearby hospital.  I imagine we'd all be happier people if we were better able to give people the benefit of the doubt.
[/quote]

Agreed.  The idea that people who are on call must eat at ff is a bit stunning.  I know volunteer firefighters, CPS workers, doctors, etc. who are all capable of being on call and eating out politely.

[Venus193]

She was planning to hang out for 3 hours until her phone charged?

The only public place I have ever charged my cell phone is my local Starbucks, where I hang out when I make jewelry or want to read without much distraction.  During their last renovation they put in more outlets.

Lots of places could probably benefit from getting these put in:

[reflection5]

In my opinion the only people who should be using a phone during dinner out are people who are on call for something.  And those people should be eating at a fast-food place where they can leave instantly when they are called. 

The idea of any of my doctors eating at a fast food place. . . .  
Oh, they may have been to Taco Bell or McDonald's at some point in their lives, but I doubt that it was recently.

[DottyG]

But, as is so often the case, stewing about this is isn't a benefit to anyone.  For all we know, she had an old cell phone that didn't hold a charge and a relative in intensive care at a nearby hospital.  I imagine we'd all be happier people if we were better able to give people the benefit of the doubt.

I love this statement.

She was planning to hang out for 3 hours until her phone charged?

Wow, what kind of phone do you have?  Why would she have to wait 3 hours?  Mine charges in a lot less time than that.  In fact, even just a 15 or so minute charge would give me quite a bit of power.

[Venus193]

I have a two year old Samsung.  I always leave it on for a full charge and that takes about 3 hours.

[DottyG]

Yikes.  Even a full charge on mine doesn't take that long.

[snowdragon]

Yikes.  Even a full charge on mine doesn't take that long.

I have an LG Touch. Mine takes that long. And no, it does not last all day, but I still would not interrupt someone's dinner because I thought charging my phone was so much more important than their eating in peace.  I really would call the woman and SS

[Yvaine]

Mine takes maybe 2 hours if i want to charge it fully, but even 5 minutes can make a difference if I need to use the phone right away.

[Twik]

But, as is so often the case, stewing about this is isn't a benefit to anyone.  For all we know, she had an old cell phone that didn't hold a charge and a relative in intensive care at a nearby hospital.  I imagine we'd all be happier people if we were better able to give people the benefit of the doubt.

It's not the wanting to charge the phone that was the main problem, it was the completely graceless way she went about doing it. Even someone with a critical need to charge their phone can ask nicely, and avoid crowding other people while doing it.

[JoW]

[quote author=JoW link=topic=127177.msg2933785#msg2933785 date=1367165416

In my opinion the only people who should be using a phone during dinner out are people who are on call for something.  And those people should be eating at a fast-food place where they can leave instantly when they are called.  Phones should be charged at home or in your office.  The exception being if the power is out at home.

I think this is a bit harsh.  A number of people---including my mom, who is the only doctor in a small, remote town---are on call 24/7.  ......[/quote]
I forgot about the people who are on-call 24/7/365 and can often respond to a call by phone.  Yea, those people can take emergency calls without giving up their lives.

I was thinking of the nurses I exercise with and the mechanics I work with.  Each is part of team that takes turns being on call.  For those people a call means "drop everything and head for work RIGHT NOW".  For the mechanics its every 7th week.  For those people planning no classy restaurant meals during on-call week is perfectly feasible.  I think thats what most of them do. 

[Deetee]

My phone is my everything. It is my newspaper, my communication device, my shopping list, my map book, my fabulous public transit scheduler, my emergency device, my flashlight, my whistle and a lot of other things that are not as useful while out and about still drain battery life ( camera, PDF generator, computer hard drive, document reader and editor etc...)

As I mentioned earlier I think it is rude to shove close to someone without excusing yourself and apologising for any inconvenience but I don't think it's unreasonable to keep as phone charged even if you are not a doctor.

For example, if I was taking public transit home late at night, I want my phone to tell me when the buses are coming and which one to catch and to distract me during the rude and to make me feel safer during the ride and the walk home.

[snowdragon]

But, as is so often the case, stewing about this is isn't a benefit to anyone.  For all we know, she had an old cell phone that didn't hold a charge and a relative in intensive care at a nearby hospital.  I imagine we'd all be happier people if we were better able to give people the benefit of the doubt.

It's not the wanting to charge the phone that was the main problem, it was the completely graceless way she went about doing it. Even someone with a critical need to charge their phone can ask nicely, and avoid crowding other people while doing it.

  Why is  her desire to have her phone charged more important than the other diner's desire not to have their meal interrupted?  No one would think anything of this if she had an outlet next to her - but she interrupted another party because she *had* to have her all important cell phone charged and she didn't care that she disturbed other people.  Rude and Entitled.

[sparksals]

My meal would have been ruined - I would have asked for the check for anything that I had consumed  and left there and then. I *really* do not want someone that close to me anywhere.  And I would have let management know why.  I am sorry if her cell phone is out, but she has no right to interrupt others, and get in their face for any reason other than an emergency - a dead cell phone battery is not an emergency.

This strikes me as an overreaction to something extremely minor. Your meal ruined?  I think that is a bit much.   

[Sharnita]

On a side note, it seems problematic to have a table that close to the hostess stand. It seems lije even without a cell phone other customers could end up in your space.