Sponsor Expects New York City Cell Phone Etiquette Bill to Pass
New York City Councilman Philip Reed expects his bill that calls for a $50 fine
for using or having a ringing cell phone in a move theater, concert hall, art
gallery or other places where indoor public performances occur to become law.
Reed said it is perhaps the most popular piece of legislation he's ever introduced.
Others, however, think the measure goes too far. "We can't outlaw rude
people," said Travis Larson of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet
Association. "We can only hope to educate them. Cell phones already come
with a large number of tools to make them less invasive in public spaces."
A growing number of states also are attempting to curb the number of local cell phone-related ordinances, most of which are related to their use by drivers. Cell phones prove their value when used to report emergencies. They're not just useless tools out there to annoy people, said a representative with the National Conference of State Legislatures. (Source: USA TODAY)
Florida Court Cracks Down on Ringing Cell Phones
Cell phones that ring in a Sarasota, Florida court can be temporarily confiscated,
or held until their owners redeem them by making a $50 contribution to a charity
of their choice. (Source: Herald Tribune, Sarasota, Florida)
As cell phone ownership in the U.S. reaches 50 percent, work and home life
for many in the U.S. is changing. Cell phone users can be reached almost
anywhere at any time, and tend to give their phone numbers to people whom
they'd never give a home number to, observers said.
The cell phone has become a crucial work tool, and as use of the technology
increases, there are growing concerns about etiquette. People are becoming
less likely to hold very private conversations in public places. More discretion
is being used as the devices cease being novelties.
However, holding up lines at the coffee bar or pharmacy while wrapping up a
phone conversation still raises ire. When mobile phone use approaches 40 to
50 percent, "you begin to see etiquette setting in," said a spokesperson
for Nokia.
In Finland, where nearly 80 percent of the population carries cell phones,
people turn the phones off when entering restaurants or movie theaters -
without being told to do so. (Source: Dallas Morning News)