Memo for English

Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2004
From: Robert Smith
To: Stan Chung
Re: Summary of Joanna Krotz’s article - Cell phone etiquette: 10 do’s and don'ts

Joanna Krotz, a columnist for bCentral wrote this article. The article focuses on cell phone use, or abuse. Cell phones ring in all the wrong places. Due to excessive ringing in Broadway shows New York laws restricting cell phone use at performances.

Ms. Krotz fears that people have no respect for what others hear of their conversation. According to Context's study most people dislike hearing others loud or personal calls but tend to have loud and personal calls of their own in public.

She then lists Mary Westheimer’s over the top story of how a presenter at a Publishers Marketing Association conference stopped his presentation to answer his cell phone. Many states considered banning cell phone use in cars because crashes continued to escalate even with the use of hands free devices.

There has been a decrease in the number of people using cell phones in public areas. Most people now consider it inappropriate to use cell phones in many places.

However, nearly half of Americans surveyed felt that using a cell phone in public rest rooms was acceptable. It seems more people own cell phones and feel comfortable using them. Krotz states that washrooms are no place for cell phone chatter.

Cell phone users must find a way to incorporate good manners into their phone use. Some people will need to take calls at all times but most people should be let voice mail get it and call back at a more appropriate time or set the phone to vibrate and go somewhere more private to start talking.

Joanna’s list of 10 do’s and don’ts of cell phone use can be found here http://www.bcentral.com/articles/krotz/165.asp