Is it selfish not to carry a mobile phone?

[Silver Fox]

It's definately a generation thing, youngsters need to be surgically removed from their phones.

If I'm required to give a contact number to businesses I'll supply my mobile one, I don't want my landline number being sold on or used to contact me for marketing purposes. I've got more control with the mobile.

 

[guitarpete247]

I always have my mobile with me when on the bike as I use the GPS for Sports Tracker. I try to have mine turned on and with me permanently because, as a supply teacher, if I miss a call I miss a days work sometimes. There have been a couple of times when I forgot to take it off silent and I missed a call in the morning.
As it happens I've just had a call from an agency asking about my availability for the morning. As it's Easter break next week I need as much work as I can get from this last week.
I also have a hands free device for the car.

Last week I downloaded the upgrade software for my phone. It has a neat trick of cancelling an incoming call if you turn the phone over. It's done this a few times whilst I've been out on the bike. I never noticed till I got home and saw all the missed calls.

 

[Blue Steel]

And while we're on the subject.......
People who walk down the street with their head down, totally engrossed in their phone, completely oblivious to anyone around them, expecting the world to part around them so they can continue their stately progress unimpeded. Show some bloody courtesy. LOOK WHERE YOU ARE GOING!!!!!!

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Oh, and I generally refuse to send text messages. Irritating things.

Too right, I detest the stupid things.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

I met somebody recently who said that not carrying a mobile was selfish because other people had to go to greater trouble if they wanted to contact you. I thought he was completely daft. What do you think?

Thank you.

Hope you gave them a slap and then told them how much effort you had to summon up to do the slapping.

 

[Salad Dodger]

I do have a mobile and do take it with me (switched on) when cycling. But it's an old phone and I'm an old git, so it doesn't play music or offer apps or join me to the interweb, or Mybook or FaceSpace. There are only about half a dozen people who know the number of the phone, and all of them are sensible enough to know not to ring or text me unless it's truly IMPORTANT.

Likewise, I won't phone them unless it is absolutely necessary.

That way, if I do have a missed call I know to try and ring the caller back, as there is a pretty fair chance that something significant has happened.

Selfish not to carry a phone? Maybe a bit selfish, but then you could say that cycling is a slightly selfish activity. I think most people do it, in part, to please themselves, so by definition it must be a bit selfish. If you value the peace of cycling uninterrupted by a phone, it's just slightly more selfish, but no big deal as far as I can see.......

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

and then tell them how much effort you had to summon up to do the slapping.

.... By text!

 

[User10119]

I didn't have a mobile at all until about 7 years ago, and didn't use the one I got a great deal for several years. But my usage has crept up... and I don't mind in the slightest. It means I can carry the interwebs in my pocket. And when I get lost I can work out where I am. I have a (ridiculously cheap!) contract that gives me data, with 900 minutes of talk time a month (although I've never used all of it - not quite anyway) and unlimited texts and I think I may well test the boundaries of their understanding of the word unlimited.

But I suspect I may be a rabid overcommunicator.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

[QUOTE 1787466, member: 10119"]

But I suspect I may be a rabid overcommunicator.[/quote]

Shoosh! None of us can get a word in edge ways here!

 

[slowmotion]

Slo'mo' - I just wander what the context was? I do like people to bring their phones on rides, so that, if they're going to be late to the start, or they've got a problem on the ride they can give me a call. And, if they simply decide to go home (this has only happened once) they can let me know, so that I don't send out search parties.

I carry a phone on the night rides, guv...honest. I've never switched it on, but orders is orders. If something too horrible happens I do have the facility to call Management.

The context was not special occasions like FNRttCs where it is obviously sensible to be able to rendezvous in the boonies in the event of some drama. He was talking about every waking moment of your ordinary (?) day to day life.

Come to think of it, the really selfish solution is to snip the wire/track to the ringer in my phone. I could ring out at will and not be troubled by in-coming botherers. Meanwhile it will stay in the kitchen drawer picking up saved messages that don't matter and wont be read, ones that I've forgotten how to listen to anyway. Is it 141 on Vodaphone? Nah, I don't want to know.

Blimey! I can't spell Vodafone either...