My original question was about places in the world where blockers may be legal . Work places , schools, churches, places where land lines are in place for emergencies are some places that come to mind. Never meant this thread to turn into a fight over cell phone use out in public. Some employers do require workers to put their phones in lockers at work. Some just can’t resist the temptation to respond to texts. Many jobs require undivided attention and the honor system doesn’t seem to be working.
OOps, I went off topic. Sorry. OK, how about this? Phone uses GPS to detect vehicular movement. The phone then prohibits texting when the vehicle is in motion. Boy, would I like to see that. It would also be nice if the phone could detect the vehicle stopped at a red signal and disable texting at that time too. GPS can resolve the distances involved.
It used to be fun blowing my (LOUD F-150) horns, informing the texting Bozo in front of me that the light turned green, and that (s)he should put down her phone and start &^$$% driving. Maybe louder horns will make this activity fun again?
Not to my knowledge, but this is an issue I am not focused on!
In my country there has been the discussion about allowing the use of cellphone inside classrooms or not, but not in other services/areas (only airplanes or airport’s spaces, of course)!!
And this is about the use, not the signal blocking! That, for what I know (though my awareness may be restricted), and at least in my country, is not a practice!
Smart theaters, restaurants, etc., would invest in a “phone-free experience” with Faraday-cage wallpaper. Fine chicken-wire mesh would work well.
The LIRR has phone-free “quiet cars” for those who don’t want to be annoyed with someone whose phone is seemingly permanently affixed to his/her/its ear. I’m amazed businesses don’t do similarly.
I mean, some restaurants are “family friendly”, but if you’re on a romantic outing and don’t want some anklebiter pulling down a tray of thick-shakes right next to you, you can go to places which are… “family-hostile”? :smiling_imp: Some do not have kiddie-seats, boosters, or highchairs, and make it clear that kids are not welcome. Not that they hate kids, but letting the larvae of inconsiderate parents roam free to pester everyone else in creation can absolutely ruin a romantic mood.
Similarly, they should be able to absolutely prohibit cellphone use, period. If it means chicken-wire wallpaper, metallised-window-tint, etc., to block cellphone signals, so be it. Like with smoking nowadays, if you need to, go outside.
And failing that, hey, why not cellphone-blockers?
Sounds reasonable to me. :sunglasses: :+1:
I personally have no problem with any of those measures taken by the owners of the establishments, whether announced, by sign or written(menu) or not. Just not for a patron to take it upon themselves to deny others’ rights in order to protect their own perceived privileges.
Well, we were talking about people using their phones in places that they actually have no right to use them. As it has already been said above, the theaters expressly forbid the use of cell phones inside the theater during the movie. The problem is that they rely on the “honor” system, which doesn’t work with people who have no honor. I always put my phone in “do not disturb” mode when I enter the theater. I don’t want to be called, and I don’t want anybody else to be called during the show. I probably wouldn’t even notice if the signal was jammed, and I certainly wouldn’t mind it being so.
The way I see it, it’s my right (granted by the theater with their aforementioned “ban” on phone use) to not have to hear somebody’s phone while I’m watching the movie. The phone users are the ones denying my right with their self-appointed privilege of using their phone in an inappropriate time/place. I wouldn’t use a phone jammer myself, because I’m not really the vigilante type. But there have been times I would have been glad to have one operating in my proximity. People are just straight-up rude!
Well, I missed my mark, I guess. I don’t think any theater owner would absolve their right to you to resolve any problem.
The point in my argument is that the owner of the property is the final word. You can complain to them. You can never come there again.
Or you can take matters into your own hands and do whatever you want.
But you incur the consequences.
Do WTF you want!
Definitely true, but unfortunately, that is also the part that is difficult to easily explain to some people. Yes, we all should have certain rights and not have those rights encroached upon by others. However, for any society to function well, there have to be certain compromises and typically that means there are some limits to doing whatever you want as well as the consequences which are naturally incurred by doing so.
That is where it is not so black and white and easy to see right from wrong sometimes. Sure someone can use a phone in a theater or other public venue and encroach upon another’s right to fully enjoy the experience and the consequences are shared with all those around, but for the most part just results in a general annoyance for all. On the other end of the spectrum, someone using a cell jammer to enforce their rights may unwittingly be preventing critical and potentially life saving communications from occurring in another area, perhaps the parking lot or other public area directly adjacent without either party realizing what’s really happening. What can be hard for some to comprehend is that the consequences of their actions could be dire and be borne by some other completely innocent individual, who may or may not actually be in the area, referring of course back to the doctors, ems, fire, police and ordinary people example. Whether your country allows the use of such devices or not, you should think carefully and thoughtfully before using such devices.
As the old saying goes, just because you can do something, does not mean that you should.
KuoH