Phone zombies and signal blockers

DavidEF · 2018-07-16T17:40:25.000Z

I’m going to have to agree with RobertB. There is no legitimate need for a cell phone in a movie theater. None whatsoever. If you’re worried about terrorist attacks, carry a gun, not a phone. If a doctor needs to be on call, he shouldn’t be in a movie theater. If a child needs their parents, they should already be with them, not a phone call away.

pennzy · 2018-07-16T17:41:55.000Z

My main concern is in the workplace . People that should be paying attention that can’t stay off their phones. Distracted drivers are another issue.

sb56637 · 2018-07-16T17:42:33.000Z

Hi, please be careful to avoid controversy and arguments with this topic.

RobertB · 2018-07-16T17:53:15.000Z

Kourtinoksylo:

Kuoh is right. Lets say there is a terrorist attack in the theater and someone needs to make a call. Or a doctor is in the audience and one of his patients needs him. Or a child needs their parents that are in the theater. Or, or, or…. You still call BS?

I was in Germany not too long ago on business. I was constantly warned by colleague’s not to use my phone while driving. Steep fines will result if the police see you using your phone.

Seems to me a doctor is much more likely to be in his or her car when on call.

kuoh · 2018-07-16T17:53:24.000Z

I suppose the person having the heart attack waiting on the heart specialist should just up and die so you and your buddy can get your $12 of enjoyment without missing a single minute? If we continue with that line of reasoning, then nobody should be allowed to get up and cross your field of view after the movie has started. If they have to go to the bathroom, then they should’ve thought of that before going in!?

KuoH

RobertB:

Yes. How did we ever survive without cell phones and internet for an hour and a half.

kuoh · 2018-07-16T18:14:05.000Z

Sometimes the on call may not be available due to other emergencies or a large scale emergency may require all off duty personnel who may not otherwise have been expected to be available.

This is not just about doctors and nurses, it applies to police, ems, military and even ordinary citizens like you and me. Let’s say a child or spouse got into an accident and an immediate, but high risk medical procedure requiring consent from the next of kin is required, but they happen to be unknowingly sitting near someone using a jammer. Is it fair to say they should’ve thought of that before going to a movie, sports event, play or even a restaurant? After all, if one’s allowed to jam everyone’s cellphone to enjoy a movie, why can’t someone else do the same to enjoy their meal or walk in the park? It’s not as cut and dried as you think, which is why there are laws governing public safety of which this particular use is in breach of, at least in the US.

KuoH

DavidEF:

If a doctor needs to be on call, he shouldn’t be in a movie theater. If a child needs their parents, they should already be with them, not a phone call away.

deleted-200707 · 2018-07-16T17:58:28.000Z

you should be able to block signal at your house, butt not a public venue

RobertB · 2018-07-16T18:06:58.000Z

kuoh:

I suppose the person having the heart attack waiting on the heart specialist should just up and die so you and your buddy can get your $12 of enjoyment without missing a single minute? If we continue with that line of reasoning, then nobody should be allowed to get up and cross your field of view after the movie has started. If they have to go to the bathroom, then they should’ve thought of that before going in!?

KuoH

RobertB:

Yes. How did we ever survive without cell phones and internet for an hour and a half.

Oh please… lol… The theater has every right to kick you out if you are caught using your phone. They even flash across the screen before the movie starts “PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONES”

kuoh · 2018-07-16T18:29:39.000Z

You’re deflecting the point and I for one am not laughing. This is not about allowing everyone to use their phones freely in a theater, but illegally preventing legitimate use during emergency situations. You and your buddy seem to have this belief that there’s no justification to allowing cellphone reception in a theater and I’m just providing some counter examples.

I would not have a problem if a theater wants to legally block all cellphone use and puts up appropriate signage stating such. The patrons would then have the information to make an informed decision before entering. What your friend is doing is not public knowledge, unless he’s dressed in a neon yellow safety vest with large lettering stating “cellphone jammer” in use, which denies the general public the necessary information to make that decision.

Again, if we were to extend this reasoning to everyone, then everyone has the right to jam everyone else simply because they feel their freedom of enjoyment should trump that of the general public and we can easily see how that would turn out. This is why the FCC does not allow RF jamming of any kind, except by the military, which have their own set of rules, which sometimes does violate the freedoms of the general public.

KuoH

RobertB:

Oh please… lol… The theater has every right to kick you out if you are caught using your phone. They even flash across the screen before the movie starts “PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONES”

vt2nv · 2018-07-16T18:43:44.000Z

Yes. Ban cell phones across the facility. Land-lines only.

pennzy:

It was either North or South Carolina this spring that had a prison riot. Some inmates had contraband phones. The law there prevented them from blocking the signal and press reports said the law needed to be changed. Ya think?

I have heard that in certain EU countries , churches and maybe classrooms can use them . Not sure.

travis · 2018-07-16T19:52:38.000Z

Time to get up from the computer and go outside folks.
Ignoring SB56637 ’s warning is not wise…….

pennzy · 2018-07-16T21:56:01.000Z

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.

vt2nv · 2018-07-16T22:20:44.000Z

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?

pennzy:

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.

MascaratumB · 2018-07-16T22:54:33.000Z

pennzy:

[…]I have heard that in certain EU countries , churches and maybe classrooms can use them . Not sure.

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!

Lightbringer · 2018-07-17T00:40:43.000Z

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?

DavidEF · 2018-07-17T00:42:40.000Z

Lightbringer:

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:

deleted-200707 · 2018-07-17T00:49:13.000Z

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.

DavidEF · 2018-07-17T01:02:45.000Z

chinooker:

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!

deleted-200707 · 2018-07-17T02:03:36.000Z

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!

kuoh · 2018-07-17T03:14:08.000Z

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

chinooker:

Or you can take matters into your own hands and do whatever you want.
But you incur the consequences.
Do WTF you want!