h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Fraid I'm old school.

If the (cabled) telephone rang at home and we were eating, it was left to ring, and the answer machine would take it, if the caller could be bothered to leave a message.

The mantra was 'We are sitting down to dinner together. We did not invite someone else to join us'.

I find it abhorrent when people are either looking at their phone, texting, or taking a call.

To me it is like somebody uninvited, walking between me and someone I am in the middle of a conversation with, turning their back on me and proceeding to start a conversation.

Or someone climbing into bed with myself and my significant other.

If a person cannot desist from using mobile technology for 1-2 hours during a meal, then go and eat by yourself, and your preferred company, your phone, because it is obviously preferable, and more important to you, than me.

And my phone is on silent vibrate 95% of the time with notifications set to off.

And I totally agree with 2legs. When I am in my mobility scooter, I am only 3' high. The numberer of times I am on the pavement behind a crowd, which suddenly parts and there is 'Moron' with his twigs in, so he can't here, and busy texting, so I'm on a collision course less than 1' away with little room to manoeuvre, unless I run into people either side of me.

And the number of aforementioned oiks who suddenly jump in front of me or, when a ramp is being lowered on a bus, or placed on a train, are completely oblivious, despite the fact I need to go up the ramp at max speed because of the incline.

Pet Hate. I just wish motorists wouldn't slow down for the jaywalking texters, and got let off because it was their own stupid fault. Unless the driving was texting.

MMF

>>Or someone climbing into bed with myself and my significant other.

That reaction shows you either take texting at the table very seriously indeed, or you two are fairly casual about who joins you in bed.

In the road MMF they should be considered as car-fodder

But its such a job to get the goo out of the front grill, but getting to within 3 feet of them and sounding the horn full blast for 2 seconds, and whizzing past them is most rewarding

Blasting the horn sounds like a good idea.

My first response was- of course its rude!

If I'm having dinner with somebody I want them to be present with me.

then I realized that I frequently allow my son (12) to use his tablet at the table. I'd never allow this at home but he frequently accompanies me to restaurants to see people I want to see and eat food I want to eat. Therefore he brings a tablet or a book to amuse himself.

Sometimes people give me dirty looks (usually from other tables) but it means the conversation can drift onto areas that are too adult for him to enjoy...

Children reading or colouring at the table appears much more wholesome then children on devices... And therefore is less likely to bring fourth judgement from strangers.

Good point.

Pubs and restaurants go out of their way to encourage colouring at the tables, so I think that is generally considered acceptable.

<BB<

Scenario, the beginning of a busy day, substantial family gathered at the family breakfast table.

Mom and Dad work in separate occupations, school kids vary from late elementary to JC level, all have cell phones, alternately on the phone cooordinating with co-workers, schoolmates, transportation, clients and services, leaving messages if they don't get a live pickup, getting caubht up on voicemail; and, talking essentials of the day over with one another when they get a mutual break in the phone calls.

Evening meal: A quieter meal with family members taking turns going over events of the day, plans for the morrow and upvoming family events, phone calls relating to evening events and plans for the morrow deferred till after supper.

That seems to sum it up nicely.