Am I the only one in the world who never had a cell phone ?

I was in the PO this morning picking up a package that needed a signature. In the line were a couple of people with those "ear bug" phones. So they are babbling , one of them in what sounded like Swedish, and it appears to the casual observer that they are talking to themselves.

In the fifties and sixties it would have appeared they were crazy and I always am slightly amused when I see someone doing this. If they don't have the ear bugs their elbow is bent with their cell phone firmly pressed to their ear. Driving, in line at a store....even while getting tattooed cell phones are ubiquitous.

Is there anyone else out there but me who has never owned a cell phone ? :confused:

I have had them off and on.

Right now I have an emergency only phone that I pay for every three months. Tracfone. Good stuff and cheap.

I plan to continue this because I am becoming paranoid and do not like to be that connected.

Edit:
I remember when you would come home and check your answering machine. You know the thing with the two or one tape. Loved those things.

I only have a cellphone, no land line....

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Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

I only have a cellphone, no land line....

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They laughed at me because I still have a land line. Until the hurricanes knocked out the power for days and then everyone wanted to use my phone. :roflmao

I used three different cell phones for about ten years. After I quit pizza delivery, the benefits of having one were no longer worth the costs so I canceled my service. I keep the phones though. Cleaned up, they make great toddler toys (at least mine do - none with tiny removable or breakable parts of course)

There's something about the phones that attach to the ears that make me think of Darth Vader and borgs. I probably shouldn't entertain that connotation, as I'd hate to bias myself against someone just because they have blue light coming out of their ears and act as though it's perfectly normal.

Jimmy, are your experiences with people who do have cell phones somehow related to the reason you've never had a cell phone, or were the amusements you recounted only a curious side-story? :D

Actually I am thinking back, and I abandoned my phone sometime before I quit pizza delivery. I remember one afternoon talking to a customer whose house I had re-arrived at (nobody was present on my first delivery attempt.) She remarked that tried to contact me by phoning my store so that they could contact me on my cell phone and let me know she was not home yet, and I replied that I did not have a cell phone. I expected her to look shocked that I didn't have one (based on her assumption that I did), but instead her reaction was, "oh really? I'd get rid of mine too if I could." Then I smiled and replied, "I used to say the same thing!"

Some people have to have them and some people don't. And many more enjoy using them and playing with them. As much as my wife likes to play with her newest phone ($7 on eBay, hehe - shhhhhhh), I think my 1 year old is even more fascinated by them. Just try and take hers away - I wonder how long I can get away with leaving the battery out before she confronts me about it

Mine is required for my business otherwise I wouldn't have one.

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Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Jimmy, are your experiences with people who do have cell phones somehow related to the reason you've never had a cell phone, or were the amusements you recounted only a curious side-story?

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Lee, about 15 years ago I was working for a tattoo shop where they wanted me to get a beeper. Remember those ? I told them there was no way. I don't have any family so I don't need a cell phone for that. I don't use an answering machine. I figure that if someone wants to get hold of me they will keep trying.

I have no objection to cell phones in general as long as people don't drive and talk on them. I am a road bicyclist and I would hate to get killed or injured by someone paying more attention to their phone conversation than the road.

I have thought about getting one for when I ride off road trails on my mountain bike. I have been injured and alone out on the trail and bleeding badly with no one around. I managed to tie the wound off with my waist belt and pedal out. If I had been wearing spandex bike shorts instead of my usual cut off Levis I wouldn't have had a belt and might have been in deep do do. Anyway, I have nothing against cell phones per se.

I didn't have one of my own, but Mom loaned me hers when she knew I would be going out on New Years eve, riding my bicycle. I took it to humor her. Long story short, I used it that night to call for an ambulance and some friends at the Church I had just left. If I hadn't had it, I don't know how long I would've lain there, as no one could see me (no street lights, and my whit shirt wasn't visible from the road).

Cell phones are FUN! Jump in, guys! The water's warm.

I have never had a land-line, as an adult. Cell phones all the way baby!

Mac

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

They laughed at me because I still have a land line. Until the hurricanes knocked out the power for days and then everyone wanted to use my phone. :roflmao

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For me, the annual cost of maintaining that landline is hardly worth the ability to talk on a phone during the rare lengthy power outage.

I have VoIP and a prepaid cell.

I always say I will get a cell phone when they make 'em like a real phone, by cracky. With a crank to call Central, and one piece to hold up to yer ear and another piece to yell into.

~Rich

I've had a phone off and on for a few years - ages ago, when I had an old beater of a car, my parents gave me a pay-as-you-go phone, that I paid $10 a month to top-up - I hardly ever used it, and would frequently lose my minutes because I forgot to renew in time.

Now I have a Blackberry for work that does email and phone - I've used the phone feature 3 times in a year. I have the thing turn itself on at 7am and off at 6pm, M-F.

Other than that, I hate those digital leashes. I don't want to be in contact 24/7.

Mark

I've got a pre-paid phone that was a hand-me-down from my 16 year old son.Hardly ever use it.Only time I like it is when my wife and I are shopping and separated.I call her to say "are you almost done?"Wonder why she doesn't answer sometimes?:thinking:

i have had a cell phone for 6 years now and can't wait to switch it to pay-as-you-go in February when my contract is up. the actual phone is the best one i have had yet quality wise, but i hate the expense and i hate the health risks of using them too often. i keep mine in the car and that is where it will stay for emergencies when i switch it over.

i also got rid of all my cordless phones.

i was at a second hand store the other day and bought an old rotary phone that is like new for $5. it works great and has much better sound quality then my newer ones.

I need one for work but I can't stand it.

Here's my favorite thing about my cell phone other than all the other things I love about it so much:

• It beeps at me incessantly if someone leaves me a voicemail.
• I check the voicemail and delete the voicemail when I'm done listening to it.
• Then......after putting the phone down, it beeps incessantly at me.........telling me that I missed answering the call that ended up being a voicemail!:rant::rant:

We got rid of our cable TV and don't have an antenna on our house and therefore don't get network TV. Aside from the internet I'd LOVE to turn off and drop out.

No, I don't like cell phones.

Chris L

the next thing for me is getting rid of my Bell Expressvu satellite. it was great at first but the movies they keep playing over and over again for like 3 months without changing them! if i wasn't sharing the bill others in the house it would be gone! it is very tempting to just get rid of it and spend the money on getting my high speed internet back. then it will be download central.

Cell Phones are great. Phone,email, web, gps, mp3. Gotta love it.

I delayed as long as i could to have one Cell phone! But when i got out of the college, started to work and started to date with my wife that lived far away..i was forced to have one..pre-paid thought:)! Now if i left / forget the phone in home, i feel "naked" all day! ..worst than that its that now i have to buy another one to my own office..1 private + another for business..and this one has to be a Smartphone...

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I was in the PO this morning picking up a package that needed a signature. In the line were a couple of people with those "ear bug" phones. So they are babbling , one of them in what sounded like Swedish, and it appears to the casual observer that they are talking to themselves.

In the fifties and sixties it would have appeared they were crazy and I always am slightly amused when I see someone doing this. If they don't have the ear bugs their elbow is bent with their cell phone firmly pressed to their ear. Driving, in line at a store....even while getting tattooed cell phones are ubiquitous.

Is there anyone else out there but me who has never owned a cell phone ? :confused:

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Jimmy HAD I have never had a mobile phone, in fact do not know how to operate one. If I had my own business it would be different. Being a luddite, iffen it don't run on kerosene I aint interested. I never wish to be either that important or that contactable. I hate the things going off all over the place and the incessant nervous thumbs constantly stabbing key boards.

Cheers all

I got one when I worked for the Govt because they gave a great deal of $9.95 a month. Only 15 minutes airtime but I only carry it if I leave the house if I happen to remember which I seldom do. So technically I have one but practically I don't. When I was working I used to have to carry 3 cellphones at the same time. That broke me of the habit of ever wanting one or using one.

I have had a cell phone for years, but hardly ever use it. I now have an iPhone and it gets used constantly apart from as a phone. I love having the internet in my pocket, I love the games, but I hardly ever send a text message, or actually call anyone.

I haven't had a landline in almost 7 years. I don't use my cellphone to telephone much, though...maybe once or twice a month. I use the email function to communicate with my wife...when I need to call someone for real, I use skype.

I held out for the longest time. I hate people yappin' on 'em all the time everywhere I go. If I am in a restaurant eating with my family or anyone else I don't want to hear your one-sided-conversation--go outside! I got a '67 Mustang when I turned 18. It was my graduation present from my parents. It was about 95% restored 3 years later when some jackass on a cellphone rear-ended me doing about 60. Destroyed the car and didn't do me any favors; he said he never saw me. He was talking on his phone and getting a CD out of the console. 2 years after that I lost my job at Radio Shack because I refused to try and convince every soul that walked through the door that they NEEDED a cell phone. I had been working there for over 3 years. This only led me to hate them more. Fast forward several years and my daughter is born which I have joint custody of. That and my responsibilities with my job forced me to cave; now I have one of those phones that does it all. Most of the time I am on SRP it is from my phone. Still hate 'em though.:)

I've had them on and off over the years, but I can say for sure that I really like getting rid of them much more than getting one. When I quit my job a few years back and went sailing, I threw one overboard as we passed out into the Pacific. I don't usually pollute, but it sure did feel good.

I've had a cellphone for about 5 years now and have never had a landline of my own. I mainly use it to call SWMBO to find out if she's done shopping yet, otherwise I don't actually talk on it much (I hate speaking via phone). I use it more as a personal planner, alarm clock, and camera than I use it for calling people.

It doesn't really make me feel like I'm connected all the time. If I don't feel like texting or talking, I don't answer it. We used to do it all the time with a landline. On the other hand, if I want to be connected, it's great. When I was lost in the Paris airport, it was great to be able to flip my phone out and get my dad on his phone.

Personally, I can't wait until phones are a few generations beyond the current iPhone. I'm a geek, so to be able to carry a cell phone sized computer is a dream come true. The phone function is probably the last on my list. If I can make clear calls, that's all I care about. Give me a good camera, great productivity options, a big harddrive, and music options. At that point you can dig me a hole in the ground, cuz I've gone to heaven :D

I have had my cell for three years now, because of work, it is not required but does come in very handy. I got rid of the land line seeing as how it was kind of pointless to have both. I can't wait for the day I get rid of the cell and go back too old school.

I've had one for three months, 10 years ago, when I did two markets at the same time and gladly got rid of it after.
I hate them. And I hate people standing in front of my window and shouting into theirs or constantly getting sidetracked cause theirs beeps, sends an SMS or else.
My landline is mostly for business, occasional calls with my brother and my friend. Other than that I dislike to call or even more get called and distracted from what I'm currently doing. Usually I let people know.
Sometimes with a whistle.

Remember SR people, You can have a cell phone in your pocket, but you don't have to answer it (aside from a work phone).

I feel no obligation to answer mine. Of course, I do return calls.

It's only a leash if you let it be.

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Originally Posted by slipangle

Remember SR people, You can have a cell phone in your pocket, but you don't have to answer it (aside from a work phone).

I feel no obligation to answer mine. Of course, I do return calls.

It's only a leash if you let it be.

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Oh no, not call-back debt! That's the worst kind of leash there is. Pretty soon you start getting the why-haven't-you-called-me-back-yet calls and the he-never-answers-his-phone-he's-so-rude-and-selfish notices

Just don't give out your number :)

The fact is the cell-phone is probably one of the most regressive "labor saving" devices they ever came out with. At one point people used to work 9-5 and when they were off they were off (with few exceptions) now no one is off they are always available and boss's make good use of that fact.

http://www.mongabay.net/images/wren/shaman-0.gif
I think it may have been tuesday last when I thought about getting a cell phone. I realized if I did my wife would be calling me everytime I was out hunting monkeys. I can barely get away from her as it is. No way braugh.

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Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Oh no, not call-back debt! That's the worst kind of leash there is. Pretty soon you start getting the why-haven't-you-called-me-back-yet calls and the he-never-answers-his-phone-he's-so-rude-and-selfish notices

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Let 'em wait. I already get those notices.

If it's important, I'll call back immediately. If not, I'll call back when I feel like it.

I have never owned a mobile phone and don,t plan on owning one in the future. I tend to make plans and stick to them.

But I do own a jam tin with a string hanging out of it! :)
Doesn,t have much of a range but.

I've had a phone for about 9 years now, and I do use it often. However, I am not one of those people who is always on the phone, if I'm with company, I leave it some where else. Or don't reply to the text or what ever, I'm pretty good like that I think.

My phone can do GPS, and that's proved really useful, again, I don't always use GPS (I figure how am I ever going to be able to get anywhere if I'm not willing to learn the route) but it's really handy if you're in a town and you can't find an address or something.

I'm a pretty socialble person and I love to have access to people.

I've had one for a few years.

I don't know anything about cell phones other than using it as a phone. I like the 800-goog-411 that works like a free yellow pages service.

I only have a cell phone. we need them for business, because it is a lot cheaper to call long distance with one, and even when I'm on the road or in the yard training dogs, my potential customers can still get ahold of me. Miss one call and I might be out more than a grand. Gave up the land line when I realized I was paying more for it than I was for my cell, couldn't make long distance calls without paying even more, and more than half the bill was going to the government not the phone company.

on the other hand it is just my phone, and pocket watch. I started getting spam texts (for which I was charged) so I turned that function off. Mine is so out of date that surfing the internet on it is a pain too. Now I see them that can get direct tv, so I'm pretty sure that with my next upgrade I'll at least have to learn about texting, and it would be nice to be able to surf when my wife has the computer.

My father pities people with cell phones:
"Poor souls, talking into the air looking gaga, thinking they are indispensable... If they really were indispensable, they'd have at least a secretary and probably an office to deal with calls in their absence."
- Maybe they're just chatting with friends, Daddy?
"Chatting with friends? Poor them! How sad their social life must be, having to talk to one's friends in the street, over a telephone..."


I went without any private phone for ages, but succumbed some years ago. Now I mainly use Skype. I do have a mobile phone but have to explain over and over again that "I won't be/wasn't in, so I can't/couldn't answer the phone" makes perfect sense and that in my opinion the 'mobile' bit about it doesn't mean I'm obliged to take the thing with me anywhere I go.

I've had several mobile phones over the last 10 years, but got more and more annoyed with the fact that people automatically assume you're available "because you've got a mobile phone". Nowadays I've always got my phone on silent mode and only pick up when I'm in the mood for a conversation. When I'm in a normal conversation I never pick up the phone nor reply to text messages. I really hate it when you're talking to someone and they pick up their phone and start blabla-ing for half an hour :soapbox:

And when I've planned some "F*** the world I need some on my own time" they can call all they want, but my voicemail is all they can talk to.

Other than that... I can't live without it. I've got a landline, but apart for my parents no1 ever calls me there. And I send at least a few hundred text messages a month (primarily to woman... even there they never shut up :p)