Cell phones in the bathroom

[pop_psychosis]

A lot of the ladies who use the restroom at my job are really bad about using their cell phones while they're in there. There have been multiple emails from HR about how it's rude to do this, and an invasion of privacy for the person in the next stall, but no one listens. I've tried to ignore it for the most part, because so many of them do it, and I try hard not to make any waves at work. Our bathroom is pretty small, only three stalls, so there's not really a way to keep any distance from someone who is chattering away on their phone.

The other day a girl took it to new extremes. She was sitting on the sink counter when I went in, talking to a man on her phone. I knew she was talking to a man, because she had him on speaker phone. I could hear everything he said, and presumably he might have been able to hear me too. This made me really uncomfortable. She didn't take him off speaker phone when I came in. It didn't seem to occur to her to do this, she just went right on with her conversation. I didn't say anything, because she's someone I get along with, though we're not close friends. And I have trouble confronting people in a tactful way. What could I have said in this situation that wouldn't damage our working relationship? Anything? Especially with her friend listening in? I was at a loss.

[sparksals]

Just so you know, this has been discussed here before and it gets very heated.  

I think she was rude for having the speaker phone on, but I don't have a problem with them in the bathroom.  I don't do it, but it's not as if the other person knows who I am if they hear me piddling.

[MariaE]

Just so you know, this has been discussed here before and it gets very heated.  

I think she was rude for having the speaker phone on, but I don't have a problem with them in the bathroom.  I don't do it, but it's not as if the other person knows who I am if they hear me piddling.

Pod. Speakerphone - rude (although mostly to the man on the phone unless she specifically told him that he was on sp and that somebody had entered the room).phones in general... I probably wouldn't do it unless there literally was no other choice, but I don't see it as rude either.

[pop_psychosis]

Cell phones in general I don't have too much of an issue with, though it does leave me a bit uncomfortable. It makes me feel like I'm eavesdropping, and I feel like I'm intruding simply by flushing the toilet or running the sink. I didn't know this subject could get heated...I guess I don't really understand why the conversation couldn't be held outside of the bathroom. There are lots of areas they could go outside of the restroom that are more private. I've shrugged it off in the past, but this one kind of got to me. Was I right in not saying anything to her?

[petal]

i dont think its rude to use a cell phone in the bathroom  but id be mighty uncomfortable with someone hearing me pee  


i think i might start singing loudly  (and off key since im tone deaf)  my favourite abba song  or  that new  song ive just learned by lady gaga

 

[Eisa]

She had him on speaker phone? Rude without question.

I personally believe that it is rude to be talking to someone on the phone in the bathroom, mostly because of the people around you. If it is a single-stall bathroom or your own private bathroom, and the person you're talking to doesn't mind, then I'm basically ok with it. I mainly think it's rude to the person you're talking to and the people you're around, but if there are no people around and the person on the other end of the line doesn't care, then it's fine by me!

[Sharnita]

some people have bashful bladders and have a hard enough time using the restroom with other people in there let alone other people and whoevert they are on the phone with.  It's rude.

[QueenofAllThings]

I once flushed in a bathroom and was yelled at by a gal on the phone - "Can't you see I'm TALKING?!?! You're being very rude!"

Oops. my mistake - I guess I shouldn't have flushed 

[McCutieBelle]

I was once doing my business and someone was talking very loudly on her cell phone about all the wonderful scrabble things she would like to do when she gets home.

This was pre ehell so I started grunting loudly and and complaining out loud how constipated I was....

I hate listening to peoples conversations when I am in the ladies room, but there is nothing I can really do to stop it. Speaker phones really should just be used in private to be honest.

[think2x]

I once flushed in a bathroom and was yelled at by a gal on the phone - "Can't you see I'm TALKING?!?! You're being very rude!"

Oops. my mistake - I guess I shouldn't have flushed 

You should post this in SSS- that's unbelievable 

[McCutieBelle]

When I am on my cell at a rock concert I really wish the band would hold off on playing their next song until I am done on the phone RUDE!

Is there a nice etiquette friendly way to kind of ask "hey fellow bathroom goer, I have a shy bladder could you take the convo elsewhere so I can do my business"

I have always assumed that people who talk on the phone in the bathroom look at it like any other conversation like if you and your friend were at the sink or something...

[AM in AL]

I once flushed in a bathroom and was yelled at by a gal on the phone - "Can't you see I'm TALKING?!?! You're being very rude!"

Oops. my mistake - I guess I shouldn't have flushed 

There is no way I could have kept from pointing out that we were in a bathroom, not a phone booth.

Yes, I am a weak Ehellion.

[Nurvingiel]

Since HR has made a rule that this shouldn't occur, report those who continue doing it to HR.

I once flushed in a bathroom and was yelled at by a gal on the phone - "Can't you see I'm TALKING?!?! You're being very rude!"

Oops. my mistake - I guess I shouldn't have flushed  

There is no way I could have kept from pointing out that we were in a bathroom, not a phone booth.

Yes, I am a weak Ehellion.

You could point it out politely, "This is a bathroom, not a phone booth, and toilets need to be flushed." What's wrong with that?

Personally I don't care if you're on the phone when I'm on the can. But if I need to make noises, the noises are going to be made. So think twice before you call - is this caller going to mind if they hear a toilet flush in the background?

And unless you're calling in an emergency, I will make fun of you if you call me from the bathroom. I'll be nice, but there will be mocking.

[Lynn2000]

One of my co-workers is notorious for talking on her cell phone while in the ladies' room at work. Once she and I were the only two people in the bathroom and she started speaking, and I thought she was speaking to me so I answered!  Normally we all kind of just roll our eyes and go on with our business. I don't feel bad about flushing a toilet or running the sink when I need to--if it interrupts their conversation and they're mad about it, well, they should be having the conversation somewhere else. With the girl on the speaker phone, I would've just done my thing and ignored her, perhaps secretly hoping that the person she was talking to was irritated at her choice of venue.

Same with two people who decide to have a long face-to-face conversation in the ladies' room... Actually I think I find this more irritating than the cell phone users.

[Rosewater]

I would keep flushing the toilet repeatedly if people are going to insist on using speaker phone.  There is a certain level of privacy I expect in a bathroom and speaker phone is not something that is acceptable to me.