Annoying Cell Phone User

[Gyro Widget]

I must start off this post by mentioning that I am very pro-cell phone.  I say this to prove that I am not biased toward cell phone users, nor am I the type to roll my eyes the minute someone’s cell rings in public (I'm sure we know at least one person who cannot STAND to listen to one minute of a person talking on the cell, quite unreasonable IMHO).  My cellphone goes where I go, and I manage to run up a $200 bill on it every month to give you an idea of how much I use it.  However I know when is appropriate to use it, and what topics/language I should avoid while in public. 

With that said, last night on the bus I had a terrible experience with respect to an annoying and rude cell user.  It was a long 1.5 hour drive from my home in Town A, to my university dorm in Town B.  On top of that, it was a late drive, and I was glad to have a chance to relax from studying and have a bit of quiet time on the bus.  It was nearly empty and I had the entire row to myself. 

Soon after we left Town A, a man who I call Joe flipped opened his cell and began to chat to who I soon found out was his dearest girlfriend.  This is where the nightmare started and even though there were only 11 people on the bus, I gave up all hope for quiet peace. 

The conversation immediately turned into a shouting match.  I could even hear Joe's girlfriend SCREAM out of the earpiece.  I was startled out of my peaceful nap with Joe pleading into the earpiece for all to hear:

"Hon.... Hon... HON LISTEN TO ME!  You're giving me a panic attack!"

...a few more muffled screams out of the earpiece.

"Baby, you gotta understand, I'm actually having ANXIETY because you're ......no... no....see... you're twisting my words..  YOU'RE TWISTING MY WORDS"

...more muffled screams.

"Baby I found so much happiness with you.  And I want you to be happy.  You make me happy...  ((insert various sentences with "trying to be happy" in it for the next five minutes))"

...screams continue.

"Look, I'm having to go to THERAPY to deal with this.  You have to stop screaming, its not good for my mental health!" ((said while practically screaming himself))

...additional muffled screams.  I then determined that he has the spawn of satan for a partner.  I was then subjected to another hour of varying degrees of:

"STOP TWISTING MY WORDS"

"I'm just trying to talk about this.. why can't we talk about this without you yelling?"

"Look, you’re going to have to give me the benefit of the doubt here"

"I need a smoke"

"I HATE BUSSES"

"I'm having a panic attack"

"Will you stop yelling and just listen to me?!"

"((yelling)) STOP ACCUSING ME"

"I've been on this stupid bus for so long... I hate it"


No kidding Joe, I also hate busses when I am subjected to the tormented lives of strangers. 

After a while, I gave up on the peace and quiet and marveled on how two grown adults (he looked to be over 35) had the problem solving and communication skills of a couple of love-struck 13 year olds.  It was apparent that they were not breaking up or anything, but the whole conversation seemed to be one of many terrible discussions. 

The icing on the cake was when he was getting off the bus, he was still screaming into the phone, and while he walked by, he smacked me with his duffle bag, knocking me back into my seat.  A gentleman behind him, finally unable to control his laughing, started to crack up at Joe who was oblivious to the world outside of his lovey on the phone.  I might have been knocked face first back into the smelly bus seat, but at least Joe and his nightmare demon spawn were now out the bus door. 

So, after all of that (sorry for being so long winded... lol) I was wondering:  What is the weirdest/rudest cell phone experience you had to witness?  This has to be by far the rudest thing I've heard - on top of him screaming, her screaming, and the personal nature of the call I almost cannot believe that it all happened!


Cheers!

[kingsrings]

When I was in the library over a year ago. Myself and an older lady were at the Internet stations, and there was a middle-aged woman using the other station right next to us. She whips out her cell phone and proceeds to have a very loud, obnoxious phone call right smack there in the middle of the quiet library amongst people trying to read and study. First she got political and started ranting about that, then she just started talking about whatever. The older lady next to me told her, "You're very loud, you know", and the woman retorted, "So are you, my dear". Finally one of the librarians came over and told the woman that she needed to take her conversation outside. The woman told the person on the other end, "I've got to go now, this old hag is complaining about me". Myself and some others around her told her off for saying that, but she just left. Honestly, I don't know what goes on in the heads of people like this woman and the guy you were describing. It's like they have no concept of manners or decency. I know people sometimes need to talk in public on the cell phone, I do, but to have such a private conversation and to be so loud is unbelievable. Another time when I was at church rehearsing with my ministry group, our director received an angry cell phone call from his wife. We could all hear her screaming at him through the phone, and he started yelling back at her when he could get a word in edgewise. Everyone else just kind of turned away and acted like they were preoccupied with something else, but I've got to admit I found the whole thing interesting and entertaining. I had always thought of them as so perfect and lovey-dovey and didn't have moments like that.

[smarterthanu213]

I think the guy on the bus has been under mind-control from his demon-posessed girlfriend, and she now feels her powers slipping, and he, having not had actual control over himself for the past eleven years or so, does not realize he's not entirely mind-controlled anymore and unwittingly screams out of blocked, paranormal frustration which he has longed to release, and now that he can he does not even realize that he is even releasing, much less doing it on a bus.

Just had to say that. lol.

[goblue2539]

Can i just say I feel for that guy's therapist?  Wow.

I don't have any entertaining cell conversations, but I'm sure I'll see one soon now.

[minnaloushe]

That would be the time the dufus at the back of the bus started making drug deals, and he made it perfectly clear he was carrying.  I was in the middle, and someone at the front of the bus phoned the police and three stops later two RCMP officers boarded the bus.  Every single person pointed to the guy in the back! He was so engrossed in his conversation he didn't even notice until they tapped him on the shoulder.

[goblue2539]

He was so engrossed in his conversation he didn't even notice until they tapped him on the shoulder.

Yet another lovely instance of instant karma.

[VorFemme]

Actually - the mental picture of a drug carrying dealer working his client list on a cell phone on a public bus until Mounties tap him on the shoulder to arrest him.............just soothes my soul AND tickles my funny bone at the same time.

Perfection.............

[Brennie]

I think my best one is when they WEREN'T on their phone.

I was on the bus, all the good people are on public transportation thats for sure, and I'm sitting next to this woman who is having a conversation on her phone. I can't see the actual phone but I assume she is using an earpiece (I'm sure you can all see where this is going) because the wire keeps smacking me on the arm, no doubt due to her wildly gesticulating limbs. After about 15 minutes listening to her shout, laugh, and snort her way through conversation I get up to leave. Upon getting up I glance over and notice that the wire is actually just taped to her other shoulder and that she doesn't have an earpiece in either ear and no cell phone in her hand!

Yup, you guessed it, talking to herself the whole time.

[NEDESAPIO]

I saw/heard a middle-aged woman loudly reprimand her daughter via cell phone, in a public library.

My mom was on the D.C. Metro and heard a guy make about twenty calls on his cell phone, thanking various people for presents they gave him.

I heard someone's cell phone go off in church, during the sermon.  The ring tone was "Nessun dorma" -- "No one sleeps" -- from Puccini's Turandot.

[Ulla dances in a silly way]

At work one day, a lady walked in with her phone on speaker talking to another woman (who I assumed to be her daughter due to the nature of the conversation.) The talk quickly turned into an argument about the younger woman's relationships and personal life. This whole time, the phone was on speaker and the woman in the store was speaking in a loud, clear voice. It went on for about 20 minutes.

I still wonder if the other woman ever knew she was on speaker...

-Ulla

[kingsrings]

I think my best one is when they WEREN'T on their phone.

I was on the bus, all the good people are on public transportation thats for sure, and I'm sitting next to this woman who is having a conversation on her phone. I can't see the actual phone but I assume she is using an earpiece (I'm sure you can all see where this is going) because the wire keeps smacking me on the arm, no doubt due to her wildly gesticulating limbs. After about 15 minutes listening to her shout, laugh, and snort her way through conversation I get up to leave. Upon getting up I glance over and notice that the wire is actually just taped to her other shoulder and that she doesn't have an earpiece in either ear and no cell phone in her hand!

Yup, you guessed it, talking to herself the whole time.

Oh, that is too funny!! I just think those earpiece things are stupid and make the users look stupid as well, like they're talking to themselves. Plus they're confusing to the people around them. I was on the bus myself alone once and the lady next to me started talking. I thought that she being friendly and chit-chatting with me, so I answered her. Nope, she had one of those stupid cell phone earpieces on. I was really embarrassed.

[RuneGuardian]

Oh don't feel bad, kingsrings. I've also replied to people who were talking into one of those ear pieces that I happened to not notice. I sure got red-faced after that, so now I'm usually reluctant to respond to a stranger's greeting unless they make eye contact with me.

When I lived in my old apartment, my roommate would have very loud arguments with her boyfriend over the phone. She would lock herself in the bedroom during these arguments, but I could still hear her pretty clearly through the wall. No, I wasn't eavesdropping...but it was quite audible. I've also heard people walking down the halls at school saying things like, "So yeah, dude, I'm, like, getting kicked out because my grades suck/I punched a teacher/I only came to class once all quarter", as well as more personal conversations. Why anyone would want to discuss such personal matters out in public where everyone and their mother can hear is beyond me, but whatever. If you don't mind that everyone within earshot is going to hear the details of your girlfriend's yeast infection, then that's your choice.

[Brennie]

I was on the bus myself alone once and the lady next to me started talking. I thought that she being friendly and chit-chatting with me, so I answered her. Nope, she had one of those stupid cell phone earpieces on. I was really embarrassed.

Ugh! This happens to me ALL the time! I'm sure glad that I didn't start talking to this woman though, if she's that animated speaking with herself, I couldn't even imagine what she'll do with someone speaking back!

[stanthedevil]

I heard someone's cell phone go off in church, during the sermon.  The ring tone was "Nessun dorma" -- "No one sleeps" -- from Puccini's Turandot.

The semester we did Vivaldi's Gloria in choir, my roommate changed her ringtone to match the piece.  One day as we were working through that section, her phone rang.  The key was different, but it was uncanny.  Not only was she embarassed, the choir director made fun of her for having the same ring tone.

[Venus193]

The most obnox cell phone conversation I was ever subjected to was a man in a parking lot yelling at someone about a third person's drug rehab.

The most insane phone conversation I was subjected to was in the office about 22 years ago when the production manager's assistant was yelling at her mother about some incredibly personal stuff.  "Ma, I'm not pregnant; I got my period this morning.

This girl didn't last long in that company.