Cell Phone Etiquette from Ask Yahoo

Dear Yahoo!:

What is the etiquette for using a cell phone?

Christina Hartford City, Indiana

Dear Christina:

The etiquette for cell-phone usage follows the same principles as all good manners -- be considerate of others and keep your surroundings is mind. The sites we found by searching on "cell phone etiquette" and flipping through the Cellular Telephone Etiquette category in the Yahoo! Directory all echoed this basic sentiment. On a safety note, Tom and Ray from NPR's Car Talk show advise you to just say "no" to phone chatter while driving. Talking on a cell phone when you're driving can be as dangerous as driving drunk. If you must make or receive a call in the car, pull over. You'll be doing yourself and everyone else on the road a huge favor. Aside from safety, cell-phone users must realize that their private conversations often take place in public, and they need to modify their behavior accordingly. CellManners.com and PhoneyBusiness.com list the essentials of cell-phone etiquette: Speak softly. Cell phones are usually more sound sensitive than regular phones, so you don't need to yell to make yourself heard. And no amount of shouting will improve a bad connection. Respect the personal space of others by taking your conversation 10 or more feet away from people. Ideally, take your phone call into a private space. Refrain from using your phone in a place where others can't escape your conversation, such as in an elevator or on public transit. Do not interrupt a face-to-face conversation to take a cell-phone call. The person you are actually with takes priority. If you have a phone conversation in front of that person, you're showing that he or she is unimportant to you. Keep private matters private. Nobody wants to hear you fight with your spouse over your cell phone. If you use the phone for business, you could leak company-confidential information when talking in public. Turn your cell phone off during weddings, funerals, movies, live performances, sports events, business meetings, classes, and dates, and in places of worship, restrooms, restaurants, libraries, museums, and doctor or dentist waiting rooms. Another tip -- be wary of novelty ring tones. Not everyone will appreciate hearing the latest Britney Spears tune or Beethoven's Fifth every time you receive a call. Try using your phone's "vibrate" function instead of the ringer in public. Wondering how your cell-phone manners rate? Try this cell-phone etiquette quiz to see how polite you are.