I have some serious issues with the way people use their mobile phones. And so allow me to pull out my soap box and give a few ideas of what I believe is proper mobile phone etiquette. These are just a few things that I personally follow and that I think would be good for other people to follow as well.

The first thing involves when and when not to answer calls.

1) When you are in a store it is perfectly acceptable to answer and take phone calls. However, make sure you are finished with the conversation or end it early when you get up to the checkout counter. I can’t imagine how much this must annoy cashiers. I know that it annoys me.

2) When you are out with a friend and your phone rings, politely check to see who it is and if it is your place of employment or your significant other than I believe it is acceptable to answer the call. Otherwise, let them leave you a voice mail. When you answer that call you are telling that person you are with that they are not important at all. And the reality is that your wife/husband or employer is more important than that person. I never answer my phone unless it is my wife calling me.

3) When you are meeting with someone and you get a call before you walk into that meeting end it before you meet with them or go inside. I have had meetings with people and they walked in talking on their phone and never even acknowledged me beyond a head nod until about 10-15 minutes later. You can imagine how important that made me feel.

4) When you are exercising at the gym you really do not need you mobile phone with you unless it also doubles as an iPod/mp3 player and you have the phone function turned off. You are there to get exercise not talk with your friends while you are on the elliptical, riding the bike or lifting weights. Which leads to my second part….

Bluetooth devices.

1) When you are at the gym not only do you not need the phone, but you also do not need the bluetooth. I saw a guy at the gym a few weeks ago lifting weights while chatting on his phone via his bluetooth.

2) Trust me on this one. When you walk around with the bluetooth in your ear, you do not look cool. You look utterly ridiculous. If you are driving in your car then they are a good thing otherwise take it out of your ear. I saw a guy that was out to eat with his family and he was chatting on his bluetooth the whole time. I guess his family wasn’t that important, not too mention that he looked like a fool with that stupid bluetooth in his ear.

Seriously, when did bluetooth devices become fashion accessories? I want to slap them out of the ears of every person I see walking around with one. I just don’t get it.

Okay, I will put my soapbox away now.