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Frustrated with fellow bus riders incessantly talking on their cell phones, a Philadelphia man began jamming the cell reception to silence their conversations.
The NBC10 Investigators tracked down the cell phone zapper who targets talkers on a SEPTA bus route. Not only does he admit doing it, he thinks it’s a good thing.
For story, video, visit Philadelphia's NBC10.com
The man, who calls himself Eric, told the NBC10 Investigators, “I guess I’m taking the law into my own hands and quite frankly, I’m proud of it.”
Eric says he doesn’t want to hear people talking on their cell phones in public.
“It’s still pretty irritating and quite frankly it’s pretty rude,” said Eric.
Eric says he’s firing up a cell phone jammer that he bought online to shut down conversations he doesn’t want to hear.
“A lot of people are extremely loud, no sense of just privacy or anything, when it becomes a bother, that’s when I screw on the antenna and flip the switch,” said Eric.
An NBC10 employee, whom the NBC10 Investigators are calling “Marie,” says she freaked out when she saw the man jamming passengers’ cell phones on her bus ride to work.
“He’s blatantly holding this device that looks like a walkie-talkie with four very thick antennae. I started to watch him and any time somebody started talking on the phone, he would start pressing the button on the side of the device,” said Marie.
Marie tipped off the NBC10 Investigators who went undercover to catch the cell phone vigilante with a hidden camera.
Within minutes of boarding the 44 bus, the NBC10 Investigators spotted Eric jamming cell phones. A couple of weeks later, they caught up with him as he got off the bus, they informed Eric that the cell phone jammer device is illegal.
“It is my understanding it is more of a gray area. It is my understanding that it’s illegal to, you know, stop a television signal, a radio signal. You know, it’s my understanding according to the FCC that it’s not illegal to disrupt a cell phone signal,” Eric said.
But according to federal law, it is illegal to use, own, buy or sell cell phone jammers. The Feds say breaking the law could result in jail time and up to a $16,000 fine. Cell phone jammers are illegal because of the public safety concerns.
Drexel University's Dr. Rob D’Ovidio works with cell phone forensics and electronic crime. D’Ovidio says some cell phone jammers can stop GPS, two-way radios and can even block police radio if they’re close enough.
“With cell phone jammers you are limiting all types of communication tools that use the radio frequencies. You have the potential to cause a public safety disaster. Cutting off communication by not only our public officials to their dispatch centers but also cutting off the public’s communication to 911 can be a dangerous thing,” said Dr. D’Ovidio.
What about emergency calls?
The NBC10 Investigators asked Eric if he was concerned about disrupting someone who is trying to get emergency help.
“Well, of course if there were such a situation on the bus, I imagine I would be right in the middle of it. And I would imagine that would be a very different situation of course, I’d imagine I’d be dialing 911 myself, “ Eric said.
SEPTA officials say they have been getting a lot of complaints from riders on the 44 bus route about lost calls. But SEPTA insists that riders are safe.
SEPTA says all buses have a panic button. Drivers can also alert police with the digital destination sign on the front of the bus. The transportation authority says it has tested its two-way radio communication and insists cell phone jammers will not affect it. But that doesn’t make Marie feel any better.
“Every time I see this guy on the bus, I have a mixture of fear and anger. Part of me wants to go up to him and say, ‘Stop doing this, how dare you,’” said Marie.
Just hours after the NBC10 Investigators told Eric that the cell phone jamming device was illegal, he called to say he did more research and discovered what they told him was true and said he would dispose of the device.
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Leave a Comment:
this guy is my hero, people need to be more observant of others and learn the difference between how to talk in their living room as opposed to a public place (like a bus)
I guess then you would object to any one having a conversation on the bus?
That's where I don't understand people's problem (I don't use my phone on the bus as I am not a big mobile talker). I really don't see the difference between two people in a conversation on the bus and another person on a cellphone both are having conversations.
This man was and is rather arrogant for taking something like this into his own hands.
NOT my hero, but I can't say I don't understand.
Emergency calls are really the reason I am opposed to this. And this guy isn't smart enough to realize not all emergencies are happening on the bus, and that he is aware of.
We all got along without cell phones once upon a time, but the genie's out of the bottle. And until a jammer lets through emergency calls and doesn't interfere with police/fire/ambulance traffic (amongst other emergency services), this has no place in public.
guess you've never been next to someone who is talking on a phone to someone who apparently can't hear. talking on your phone is fine but screaming into it while ignoring what you're doing isn't. the worst are people who get into lines(fast food, grocery) and pay more attention to their conversation than what they're in line for but i don't need a jammer, i'll make a scene instead. i'm not easily embarrased and have been told many times i can be an ass. hey, if that's what it takes, so be it.
@Krestov -- No he was not arrogant. There is a major difference between two people having a conversation on the bus and some rude, ignorant, LOUD person yelling on a cell phone for 30-45 minutes where everyone can hear the conversation. He did the right thing. He just should have been more discreet with his jammer and hidden it out of sight.
"“Every time I see this guy on the bus, I have a mixture of fear and anger. Part of me wants to go up to him and say, ‘Stop doing this, how dare you,’” said Marie."
Like OMG, he totally interrupted your important make-over appt conversation with your BFF!
98% of what I hear people talking about on cells is worthless drivel that probably couldve waited for a more private location. I'll be a fan when cell phones in cars are regulated, and get people off the phone while driving. If the feds can make everyone buckle up, they out to make them shut up too while driving.
He's making himself the phone police by deciding what conversations others can and cannot have when he is around, even though they are paying for the right to use their phone anywhere, anytime, and without regard for whether or not their call may be very important. It's not his choice to make, but he acts as though it is completely acceptable for him to decide when to stop others from making phone calls. There are many kinds of emergencies that you need to use a phone for, and not all of them are obvious 911-type emergencies. Even if they were, his is incredibly arrogant to state that he assumes that he would be in the middle of anything if there were an emergency going on and someone needed to call 911. If he has a problem with people making private calls while using the transit system, he can talk to the transit company and try to get the rules changed so that people are required to forgo making or answering calls except for emergencies. But given that many people start their work day on the transit system because they have more work than they can properly fit in their normal day and have to get calls made on the way in, and then finish up work and make dinner arrangements and figure out who is picking up the kids on their ride home, it's really not feasible to try and keep people off their phones on the bus.
Hatr, if you made a scene while I was talking on the phone I would just look at you like you were the idiot you were being and keep right on talking. You would be the only person making a fool of yourself. :D If I had a friend with me I might even ask them to get on their phone too and start talking just to annoy you more. Hey, if you pop a blood vessel it's not my fault or problem.
I think Apple is developing a mental telepathy chip that will be implanted in your head instead of a new iPhone! It will come with the family and friends plan.
I salute him too! As someone who uses public transit all the time, he's absolutely right about he outrageous loudness, rudeness and complete insensitivity to fellow passengers.
k, you mentioned arrogance. isn't it a little arrogant to hold a conversation on a phone that's so loud everyone can hear it and then to not care? no one is saying there should be no calls and he's not blocking every call, he turns it on when the people get loud on their phones.
I would love to buy one of those jammers..hell if its illegal..jaywalking is illegal too.
$16,000 fine if they catch you...there are plenty of ways to use it without it being seen.
SandyMO:
I'd do just what I did this morning when a jerk climbed on treadmill next to mine at the gym and pulled out his cell phone and began yakking loudly; I started a conversation with somebody across the room and talked loudly enough that the jerk had to finish his call out in the lobby where it belonged. The guy in this article is easily my hero for today.
90% of the cell phone conversations I hear on the subway consist of people yelling: "I can't hear you, I'm on the subway".
I agree ... we've become a nation of self-absorbed TWITS! We have absolutely no consideration for anyone other than ourselves. I commute via train and boy could I use him on my ride.
Sandy based on your response I believe you have not fully digested what Hatr was trying to point out, kindly have another read.
Hatr_Hurter:
Actually, it reads more like he's blocking every call - as such, I'm envisioning a guy who gets his jollies off annoying other people under the guise of the argument that people talk too loud on the phone.
I also don't buy the line that he didn't know in advance it was illegal, but did some more research to learn that it is - if he did enough research to know that it is illegal to jam a television or radio signal, then he did enough to know that cell phone jamming is illegal. In fact the fact that you can't buy them in the US and have to have them shipped to you from out of company probably gives anyone ordering them a significant clue. I call BS that he didn't know. So which is worse - people talking legally, but annoyingly on cell phones or knowingly illegally jamming cell phones?
I'll also point out that these devices are typically manufactured in Asia and because they are illegal in the US, are not FCC tested/controlled - so what does that mean? It means they are likely to bleed over into other frequencies and cause interference. Great plan for nearby people wearing medical devices. Awesome even. He's the jerk here.
@Wakehead: LOL!
don't be a moron, from your pasted portion of the article yes, from this portion not so much.
“A lot of people are extremely loud, no sense of just privacy or anything, when it becomes a bother, that’s when I screw on the antenna and flip the switch,” said Eric.
Hatr, there will NEVER be a way to hold a phone conversation that no one will hear. Just the fact you are talking, no matter the volume, means people can hear it. And this moron was probably blocking every call. If you read the article again he said he was turning it on whenever anyone was on the phone. He made no distinction as to how loud the conversation was. He was an arrogant, self-serving, ass.
that's an outright lie sandy. no where does the article say that he said he was turning it on whenever anyone used the phone. copy and paste it if it's there. you're also wrong about being on the phone without being loud. maybe you can't do it which is why you take offense to him jamming phones. oh, and as for your earlier comment about ignoring me, you can't even do it on here. if i was in your face being the 6'2 200 lb guy that i am screaming at you, you would probably pee your pants.
OK, so it's illegal for a private citizen to jam cellphone signals, but not a government agency like BART in San Francisco. They jammed cellphones to keep protestors from being able to organize against them. That smacks of the same suppression used by authoritarian governments in other countries. Besides, the dude is 100% correct about the arrogant who violate public transportation policy by inflicting the other riders with their conversations at a hundred decibels on a bus or train. Most juristictions require you to keep conversations brief--under 3 minutes and voices at a normal conversatinal level. I have a better solution. Take the phone and stomp it into the ground. Maybe then the twit will get a clue.
This article contains several inaccuracies. The most glaring is that the jammers are Very Low Power (VLP) devices. This means that their effective range is around 20-50 feet. It would require extreme and unlikely circumstances to interfere with cell phones greater than 50 feet in distance and with GPS signals and police radios at all.
Many parents are taking the step of installing such jammers in their teenagers' vehicles to prevent them from talking and texting and using the internet while driving.
And I too really despise people who text or talk on the phone while driving. It is causing the deaths of thousands upon thousands each year and the problem is getting worst. I can be doing everything by the book and have a teenager texting to his/her buddies and slam into me. I hate the rude people who refuse to turn off their phones in public places, such as theaters, concerts, waiting rooms in physicians offices, and especially in restaurants. The use of cell phones in public in a non-emergency situation is rude and arrogant. It reflects poorly upon the cell phone user's upbringing.
There's a difference between having a conversation with someone on the bus, and publicly getting into an uncomfortably private cell phone call. The other day this lady was sitting across from me on a fairly empty bus, staring blankly in my direction and talking on a headset about her and whoever's sexual and emotional problems. There are rules on public transportation about other types of noise pollution: loud music, course language, inappropriate talk. I think this should have fallen into that category, and believe me if I had a cell phone jammer I would have definitely used it.
Now I want one.... anyone have a link?
my last straw was broken while in the grocery store a few years ago. just the mere sight of a cell phone in use instantly causes me distress. Most of the time, I can leave the area before saying or doing some inappropriate.
I've become over sensitive to rude behavior ... I am getting therapy, medication but its turning into a long process ... over such a trival issue. :)
Cygnus--
Don't hold your breath. The law is useless.
It's illegal in Connecticut to talk on a cellphone or text while driving and it hasn't stopped people. I have even seen police officers, in their cruiser, talking on a cellphone while driving. The only time this law seems to be enforced is after an accident and the driver at fault is suspected of using their cellphone at the time.
As a daily bus rider I know first hand how annoying "people" can be with cell phones on a crowded bus. Our buses have clearly posted signs that ban unneccasary phone use. I do not care to hear how big of a b$%ch so and so is or who has the best drugs or how much partying or how good of sex someone has had.
Yea Marie, I hear your pain. I get the same way when one like you feels the need to 'share' your conversation to the theater, restaurant, public transportation, etc.
Marie, while you're getting a clue, get some manners and learn some courtesy.
Your rights [to use a cell phone in public] end where my rights [not having to listen to your dribble] begin.
I'm certain that anyone who supports this guy's actions (including him) has no annoying habits of their own. I hate it, too. Am I going to try to take away anyone's right to talk on a cell phone? No, I'm not a Nazi. Whine about something more worthwhile than hearing someone else's conversation. This is pathetic.
There was a time, we could actually survive without these intrusive devices. Doctors' offices have signs posted that say tell users to turn off their phones. It never stops these mindless twits. What's the deal, consummating a mega-merger? Home on fire?
Nothing warms the heart like watching two people on a date, both of them absorbed with their phones. Ah yes, the art of conversation.
The fact is, there is a growing body of research that confirms that people simply are not capable of multi-tasking. (What an incredibly stupid term.) Putting on make-up, texting, and driving. Now there's a recipe for success.
These devices are in constant use: On the road, on campuses, in grocery stores, even in classrooms. Is there really something so important it can't wait, or do we really have to call home and ask, "What brand of canned tomatoes should I get?"
Wish I knew how to do it to people driving and using cell phones to talk or text- they are terrifying!!!!!
Eric, "It is my understanding" that you talked enough to end up with a big fat fine. There is almost certainly enough evidence on the video to nail this guy.
While I totally agree with his sentiments, that he is such an idiot to think he can jam signals, he kind of deserves whatever he gets.
Jamming cell phones is fun. Jammers are easy to get, and 99% of the people jamming don't ever have a problem getting caught. And it is PRICELESS to see the anguish on the faces of these freaks who can't live without their phones, who think every second of their lives has to be spent on one.
Go to some of the Internet forums and listen in to the fun people have...and then go get you one yourself!
Just this morning I was forced to listen to half of some idiotic conversation for my entire normally peaceful bus ride.. yeah a jammer would've been nice.
Rude is rude. What if you were trying to talk on the phone and I turned up a radio loud as hell...oh wait loud music is banned on the bus why.. Because its rude.
Greg-2055249........can you only buy them online? Are they all as large as the one this guy is holding? Wondering if they can be made smaller? I would LOVE to have one of these when I'm in a restaurant, shopping, etc. And people, since they have such a short range of power, they aren't going to interfere with legit 911 calls, etc. It would only stop the annoying bastards in your listening vicinity.
I think the problem isn't that people are having conversations, but they are distracted just like drivers, and they lose track of the place they are in and forget how loudly they are talking. There are lots of stories about people who become rude and abusive if someone asks them to talk a little more quietly. There is a point, yes, where you do have the absolute right to have conversations in public or use your phone in public. The problem comes in when your conversations become invasive into the activites of others. By the statements of some people here, they should have no problem if I have a loud converstaion in a movie or in a library. What this guy was doing is wrong, but people who believe they have the right to have high volume conversations wherever they please are wrong as well. If someone on public transportation is trying to read or complete paperwork for their job during their commute, they should have a reasonable expectation to not be distracted by loud talking phone users.
Yes they can be bought online And smaller too. Do a search.
Ah, yes, there's nothing like spending a small fortune on tickets to a movie/broadway show/dinner theater to have some half-witted moron sitting there yakking on his cell phone, interrupting the program, to brag about how he scored with the 'hot chick' (and when you brag, we know you're lying!) or some twit whining about 'why doesn't he call me?' (Maybe if you'd get the hell off your phone for five minutes, he could, you silly b*tch!)
And the best one of all - waiting for two hours at the DMV to end up behind someone who goes up to the counter and then stands in front of the clerk - who, if he/she says anything, they're mean, they're those nasty DMV employees, they're rude, etc. - babbling about a sale on shoes/rims/what-the-hell-ever!
The difference is that others can only hear one side of the conversation and it is boring and frustrating like hell not to be able to hear the responses.
Jokes aside - While commuting, people like to catch up on sleep or work. Nobody wants their daily commute to turn into a freaking fish market. I really hate people who fire up their phones soon as they sit in the train/bus and are constantly yapping (loudly on top of that) catching up on their social life while the hapless passengers next to them are forced to listen to all that crap for the next hour or so...
I understand that what this guy did is illegal, but I can fully understand why he did it. People can be extremely annoying when they get on their cell phones in public. I was in a coffee shop the other day and I was trying to talk to the person making the drinks about what I wanted. This woman was jabbering away on her cell phone right next to me using one of those earpieces with the cord that connect to the phone and has the mic in it. These thing typically put the mic hanging too low, i.e. too far from your mouth, and as a result people using them tend to yell. She was talking so loud that the person working at the shop and I were having trouble communicating. I gave her a look and she just kept jabbering away, completely oblivious to the disruption and annoyance she was causing. The problem is that our society has become one where most people are completely self centered asses who could care less about anyone other than themselves. This is particularly true when you talk about anyone under the age of 35 or 40 who were raised with the positive motivation, instant gratification, it's all about me attitudes.
They should lock this guy up for a few years and then he may actually want to hear others talking rather then the sound of the jail cell doors locking behind him. I'm sorry, but life is not just about weather or not he likes to hear anything. What a selfish idiot. Perhaps he should try walking, or maybe ear plugs ! Only a VERY selfish person would try doing what he was doing.
Try working in retail around cell phone fools. They walk in the door with shiny electronics hooked to their heads like Robo Cop and wander around talking to thin air. Then, they expect you to know when they are speaking to you instead of their imaginary friend. The ones on speaker phones arranging bail bonds or accepting calls from prisons are a hoot sometimes. Body functions and bad sex seem are also popular subjects. They are oblivious to how rude, crude and unattractive they are. It makes you feel like the only sane person in a looney bin.
The difference between overhearing a normal conversation and a cell phone conversation is that you can't hear both sides of the cell phone conversation. And that is what is the root of people getting annoyed. This has been studied and published.
I see restaurants that prohibit cell phone usage? Right on! And when people are on their cell they SPEAK UP so they can be heard. Shut the f up! I admire Eric. But alas, he should probably stop. Though before I typed this blog entry I googled "cell phone jammer."
They are all over the place! I want one!
I had to take public transportation to/from downtown Chicago for a while. Between the idiots that have four drinks @ the station waiting for the train and bring two more on the train, The @sses who kick off their shoes when their feet smell bad enough to knock a buzzard of a sh!t wagon, the obnoxious people with their MP3 players turned up so loud everyone has to listen to their music, People with cell phones are just the icing on the cr@p cake!
The ones I hate the most are the ones talking and driving. They don't pay attention to their driving, they go 30 in the fast lane I have had them go 25 (in town). They don't use their blinkers, can't let go of the phone to turn them on. I don't know how these people use to live without their Obama phone. I don't understand that, how come we have to pay for their phone just so they can aggravate everyone who is paying attention. I sure would like to tell some of these people where to put their cell phone.
So for all of you advocating this and applauding this guy, did you ever think thats why its called "PUBLIC" transportation? Does it say no loud conversations in the SEPTA rules? How about he buy himself a car and then he doesn't have to worry about rude conversations? His actions are like asking someone to be quite at a ball game! If you people want private and unruly people, how about buy your own vehicle, carpool with friends, or EARPLUGS! Taxi drivers beware! He might tell you what radio station you can or can not play!
If these jammers are illegal for private citizens to use, then why are they for sale? It makes no sense to me. If the government wants to make them illegal to use and own, they should make the sale of said item illegal, too. The supporters of this guy are running about 4x-5x the number of his detractors. That says enough for me. There is no decorum in modern society. Everybody seems to be the blinding, white-hot center of their own little universe, and no one else matters. What really gets to me are the people who look right at you while having a conversation with somebody else, then get pissy because you are eavesdropping. The lunatics are truly running the asylum.
Hmm..okay, so if someone is bugging me with coughing or yakking to a friend too loudly, does that give me the right to glue their mouth shut? Or if you pick your nose in public, can I glue your nostrils shut? Yeah, loud people are annoying, but that doesn't give him the right to FORCE them to stop talking on their phones. A simple request to tone it down usually works for the 80% of the public that has any social graces whatsoever. And if that doesn't work, move somewhere else on the bus! For all he knows, some of those people might have hearing issues that require them to talk loudly.
Bottom line, he does not have the right to FORCE someone to cease a behavior that annoys him. That is just plain wrong, and every time he uses the jammer, he could be messing up an important call for someone else in the near vicinity that just happens to be in the line of fire. He could cost someone their job.
NeighborOfTheBeast, because anyone with a little knowledge can make them and sell them illegally. Obviously not quite on the same level, but how can thugs buy untraceable stolen guns with the serial numbers filed off? Answer: Because where there is someone willing to buy, someone will sell it...illegal or not.
Also the guy in the story didn't even realize they were illegal, so maybe some of the independent makers don't either. Just an additional point: Even prisons want to use jammers to stop inmate cell use, but they are forbidden by law (this often makes news on this site), so if they can, private citizens certainly can't jam.
He's my hero, too.
You're right to chitty-chat and annoy me with your cancer box in public ends where my ears begin. Public cellphone use should be banned.
And you really don't need to spend money on a jammer to shut cellers up. Just get real close while they're yackety-yacking and start singing, really loud, la-la-la-la-la-la. I've done that many times and it's worked like a charm. I have the right to la-la-la in public the same right they have to yackety-yack. I don't care how "important" their call is. Unless they're dialing 911 to report someone is having a heart attack, no celling call, and I mean no celling call, is important.
The first business (a coffee shop) in my hometown had put up cell-free signs in its establishment. If you want to cell, then go outside on the curb with the smokers. No one has complained; all have been supportive. Several other businesses are preparing to follow suit. It's time to treat cellers the same way smokers are being treated - go away.
This guy is an outstanding example of why the stocks should be brought back. Who the hell does this doofus think he is that he should be able to control who can and who cannot make cell phone calls in his majestic presence. He is nothing more than an arrogant, self-centered prick.
No doubt this post will be silenced by the majority of you who agree with this dickhead.
I have the exact same device. I use it while I'm riding my motorcycle. I keep it hidden and every cell phone withing 50 to 100 yards goes dead.
Do you think I care about their "right" to use their phone when my safety is at risk for their behavior? . . NO! . . NOT! . . . NEVER!
Right Bill because the people walking on the sidewalk talking on their phones are an immediate threat to your safety. Did you not ever think that the people driving talking on their phones will become more distracted when their call suddenly drops out placing you at even greater risk. Glad we've now figured out who exactly the center of the universe is.
Here is exactly what I hear from all of you agreeing with this jacka$$...
MeMeMeMeMeMeMeMeMeMeMe... Everyone must bend to my will and do nothing that I find annoying. If you don't want to be annoyed - stay home.
joemike404
Nope. Hasn't been a problem. It's "because" of many close calls with those that were yammering or messing with their phones while driving that drove me to purchase and use this. Things have improved very nicely since. In my state, it's illegal to be "distracted" by your cell phone while driving. So, I'm doing those people a favor.
I'd rather be the center of my universe and alive, instead of polite and dead.
Bill - I certainly agree that people shouldn't be driving and talking on their phones. The original story though is about a self-centered idiot who was interferring with people engaging in a legal activity on a bus because he thinks he's too important to be inconvenienced or annoyed by the activities of the people around him. Too f'ing bad. Being out is public in a free society is occasionally annoying and this guy should grow up and realized that he is no more important than those around him.
joemike404,
Agreed. This guy is a ding. He is on a bus and that is out of line, including illegal. He's furthering his idiocy by not hiding the device, which is easy to do and to ad to that, he allowed himself to be on TV and admitted it. Not very bright.
It's illegal to use this in the public domain. I admit that. So I'm both discreet and limited about it. It's Ok to have them and use them for your home and work if you own/rent either. Teachers use them for the classroom to great effect. Business use them for meetings or to secure their work products, equally to great effect.
"Emergency" calls?!?!?!? HAHAHAHA!!! Most people think missing an episode of 'American idol' is an emergency...that argument is just stupid.
Cellular signals are in fact radio signals...hence the absence of "gray area."
---
What the hell has happened in this country that suddenly annoyances are treated like a crime?
You think people talking on a phone are annoying? Try reading the responses on this thread...its as if some of you feel threatened by the notion of perhaps merely saying something to a person who is rudely broadcasting their cellular conversation across a bus or train. If you lack the strength to simply say "please, would you speak more quietly" to another person, your discomfort is your own problem.
Anyway, it's a public transportation vehicle. If you want peace and quiet, buy your own vehicle and drive it...and saying that it's not realistic to own a vehicle in a major city isn't a good excuse...nobody moves to New York, L.A., or Chicago for the peace and quiet.
This man is in violation of federal law, point blank.
Hatr_Hurter, sorry for this but Sandy was right.. it does state that anytime someone used the phone.
“He’s blatantly holding this device that looks like a walkie-talkie with four very thick antennae. I started to watch him and any time somebody started talking on the phone, he would start pressing the button on the side of the device,” said Marie."
Now I do understand that sometimes people forget where they are when they are talking, but unless your life is in danger or they are keeping you from some freedom guaranteed you by the constitution, then you have no right infringing on their right of speech. There are things that you can do that doesn't infringe on their rights, like stating to them you're not interested in what's for dinner, or what ever. If you have a problem then man up and state it, it's your right to your opinion, just remember they have rights too. Oh and P.S. I'd kick his backside if he blocked my call, I have children, all boys and there is always one who's wrecked his dirtbike or one who fell, or what ever and one who has health issues that I have to stay in contact with. Block me from a conversation about one of my kids and I'll block the light of day for you.
I love this guy! There is nothing worse than riding on a public bus or train with someone sitting next to you shouting into a phone especially if they are using vulgar language and discussing something very personal. I used to work in dowtown Philly and I took the train. One morning I had a very rude woman sitting next to me who was not only shouting but using some very coarse language. I asked her to lower her voice and watch the language and she used a few expletives on me. When I got to my stop she refused to get up and let me off the train. I said excuse me to her twice but she ignored me. The third time I got up and tried to squeeze past her at which point she got up and attacked me. Another woman had to pull her off me.
People who use cell phones in public have no respect or consideration for those around them. Cell phones should not be permitted on public buses and trains. Make your calls from your office before you leave work or wait until you get home.
OK, then why not include noisy or troublesome children as well? I suppose you'd support a law that allows you to use a Taser on anyone who annoys you.
you know it's rude people with attitudes like your own that cause the problem to begin with! you probably have obnoxiously loud and annoying public cell phone conversations with 3 snot-nosed brats raising holy hell in tow. all the while, telling others that if they don't like it tough! people like you need manners to temper their self entitlement.
SHIJ, fail.
To DAZ55:
I agree with all your points. People using cell phones have become so rude it is irritating, or should be, to all those near them. There is nothing so immediate, barring an emergency, that "calls" for annoying others on public transportation. Polite consideration has gone out the window.
Allan
Daryl: Why taze the parents.... it's the kids that are making noise.......
Severed Head : there was an article a short time ago abou the restaurant that denied service to families with small children. It was the loudness, running, playing that caused it. Many folks supported the owner on that one, but there were people who thought it was their "right" to receive service.
As reasonable as that sounds ... it does have several flaws - while the parents are rendered helpless, twitching on the floor, possibly incontinent - who will manage their hell spawned demons? Back in the day, if a parent was unable to restrain thei demons, the crowd would spontaneously surround the disturbance and just watch quietly. the message usually was received.
daryl-2183015
Ummmm... If you taze the parents of a screaming child wouldn't that make the child scream even more???You don't think much do you?
I love the kind of individuals who want to punish others just to feed their low self-esteem. They end up looking like fools to the rest of us just like our friend with the zapper.
I think the guy is a hero also.......I wish someone would invent a device that is something like a virus that would attack all cell phones and burn them out. Most conversatiions are loud and just plain drivel.
Rude behaviour. . . Okay let's turn this around. I am at work on a land line trying to get IT to assist fixing a work computer. Two guys walk up talking LOUDLY to one another about football.
By the logic of many here, I am the one at fault for being on a phone.
And Clellan? Such a virus would beconsidered malicious vandalism and incurr a prison sentence.
They should lock this guy up for a few years and then he may actually want to hear others talking rather then the sound of the jail cell doors locking behind him. I'm sorry, but life is not just about weather or not he likes to hear anything. What a selfish idiot. Perhaps he should try walking, or maybe ear plugs ! Only a VERY selfish person would try doing what he was doing.
I like the idea about earplugs. I would get the kind they use for skeet shooting, The ones that look like the full size headphones. I'm glad I don't take public transportation. The way gas is going we might all be riding soon.
Roger, only a complete ass would be against having a quiet trip on the bus. This isn't about a emergency phone call, this is about asinine people talking about nothing actually important.
I love how everyone is supporting this guy, when i'm sure, everyone on here has used their cell phone in public. Who determines whats loud and whats not? I don't want some schome sitting next to me stopping my calls if I really do need to make a call. What about the people on the bus who are not loud, or are texting, guess they shouldn't be using their phones either, because some jerk 3 rows behind says so. What about all the phone signals this guy is jamming as the bus is travelling? Anyone in the radius of this bus can't use their phones, including people not on the bus. But I guess that doesn't matter, as long as I my conversation isn't bothering you on a already loud bus ride...
Does anyone remember when there wasn't any cell phones in existence? It's like an addiction with cell phones. It's like for some people they just can't exist without a phone to their ear. I've got friends that call me at home while traveling and it's really annoying to me because I can barely hear them with all the traffic noise around them. I was on a train and every 15 minutes this lady from several seats behind me was loudly calling a different person to announce where she was and how long it would be before she got home. I kept thinking to myself were there really all these different people sitting home with that much anticipation that they desperately needed to know exactly where she was every 15 minutes or just a poor soul who was desperately searching for someone who cared. My observation is that most of the conversations that are going on loudly about are mostly trivial and unnecessary and invasive of our own personal space.
I totally agree, mtalley887. 15 years ago no-one was on a cell on the bus - what is so important these days that you have to be on your phone ALL the time? Good lord - what would people do if they couldn't call their spouse and have them pick up dinner on the way home? I remember planning meals (among other things)ahead of time, and I really never thought it was that important to know that my sister's kid was vomiting and had diarrhea all night as it was happening... On the bus? Really? Is it that damn important?!? I have a cell and probably use 100 minutes a month - b/c I call realtives long distance. Other than that it's mostly for emergency use - if you need me, call me at home - I have a life. Folks, nobody wants to hear your garbage on the bus, or at the movies or in line at the grocery store...Really, can't it wait? So sad....
i totally agree
Fifteen years ago, on a bus, one was subjected to loud music from boom boxes and so forth. We did not have iPods back then. People also talked loudly to one another.
Whenever people start waxing philosophic about "back in the day," I usually just laugh. People were rude back in the day, too. There have always been "screaming brats." In fact, since people used to have many more children, there were proportionately more "screaming brats."
One cannot use a scrambling device because it could just as easily be used by a criminal to keep people from being able to report a crime. It would be great to use one in a schoolroom, to lessen the degree of cheating, but that is illegal too. In fact, one cannot even use one in a state prison to prevent prisoners from using contraband phones to arrange hits outside the prison. If people with a dang good reason to use a scrambler cannot have one, then a guy who needs to just get himself some earplugs really should not be able to use one.
This is why I text, with my phone on vibrate, when I'm in public! However, when I'm driving I turn it off. And I'm a college student... probably one of the few at my school who turns her phone off in CLASS. Every class i'm in, nearly everyone has their phones on even though the profs explicitly forbid it. I turn mine off because I dont want to be rude.
Did a little research. The jammer he used can be bought on line for about $60. It has a range of 5 meters (about 15 feet). Since its illegal I would rather deal with the idiots than go to jail.
“He’s blatantly holding this device that looks like a walkie-talkie with four very thick antennae. I started to watch him and any time somebody started talking on the phone, he would start pressing the button on the side of the device,” said Marie."
Now I do understand that sometimes people forget where they are when they are talking, but unless your life is in danger or they are keeping you from some freedom guaranteed you by the constitution, then you have no right infringing on their right of speech. There are things that you can do that doesn't infringe on their rights, like stating to them you're not interested in what's for dinner, or what ever. If you have a problem then man up and state it, it's your right to your opinion, just remember they have rights too. Oh and P.S. I'd kick his backside if he blocked my call, I have children, all boys and there is always one who's wrecked his dirtbike or one who fell, or what ever and one who has health issues that I have to stay in contact with. Block me from a conversation about one of my kids and I'll block the light of day for you.
Good for him!!
What do you want to bet 'Marie' is one of the very loud people on the phone?
There was a guy at the bus stop every afternoon that had extremely loud 'I'm more important than the rest of you' conversations on his cell, while pacing up and down the sidewalk. He would regularly turn to the rest of us in line and exclaim "I'm having a PRIVATE conversation here!!" Not sure what he thought we were all going to do -- go stand at a different bus stop maybe?? He usually just got ignored.
Finally, as he was ranting about his lack of privacy, another guy said "Dude, you're on a public sidewalk. If your call is so private, go make it somewhere else."
::applause::
Love it! I've been a regular bus commuter for the last 25 years, and I've heard it all. People have no problem talking loudly about the sexual abuse they are going through, their sexual problems, their prison records, their */@&% girl/boy friend, you name it, I think I've heard it all - but "I'm having a PRIVATE conversation here!!"??? What a hoot! And for whoever it was who said you can't have a quiet phone conversation - simply not true. Happens all the time on the bus. But mostly we get to be entertained by idiots telling us their most intimate life stories. I'd love to have a cell phone jammer! But instead, when it gets so loud I can't even read anymore, I just shut my book an listen. I think I'll start writing down the best conversations and set them down in a book!
You got a potential best seller there. Title" "Things overheard while riding on Public Mass Transit: How rude am I? Lots... LOL
Olde Sarge-3494014
You need to get your facts straight if you plan on using them in an argument. Otherwise you just look like a typical welfare state idiot. They didn't block any cell service, they turned of the free cell phone signal amplifier they provided their riders, who, in typical Kalifornia fashion, bitched about the hand feeding them.
Taser both the parents and the children!
I wouldn't want anyone jammer signals of car drivers, they are bad enough, can you imagine if their signal goes away what they would be like?
When did other people decide it was acceptable for them to disturb MY PEACE? Like you suggest about him, those people act as though it is completely acceptable for them to decide when to stop others from enjoying their own quiet space, comfort and peacefulness.
Maybe I want to read or study or just THINK while I'm in the same PUBLIC place as these people, but I CAN'T because of their very rude, loud and insignificant conversations....so when did it become THIER right to take MY rights away?
If I wanted to know who someone else slept with last night, I'll become their BFF so they can tell me all about it. In the meantime, keep it to yourself. You ain't all that.
It's simply a game to make themselves look important or especially "tough" in front of people they don't know, and that don't know them.
It's a huge assumption, that one is so special, the others should stop in their tracks and pay them attention, or would even WANT to.
If people would start caring about other people again, instead of just themselves and their own wants, there wouldn't be a need for a contraption like that.
Conway Twitter- I agree with you fully, you hit the nail on the head. In my book I find this mans response refreshing and deserved to a point. We all want to enjoy our rights, but frankly a majority of people in this world are lost... they have lost their manners and compassion and self respect, when self respect is lost then people loose respect for others. I don't know how many times I would be forced to overhear rude, disgusting and obnoxious phone conversations by people who wanted to feel self important ( these are usually the people who walk around feeling self-entitled) who wants to hear these peoples private conversations...not me ! I wish I would have had a cell phone jammer at the time. We all have to share public spaces and more people need to realize there is a time and place to have their personal conversations and the public transportation system or libraries is not a place ! If more people showed respect and consideration, could put themselves in other peoples shoes this world would be a lot better off ! This guy is my hero
Where can I get one?
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=cell+phone+jammer&_sacat=See-All-Categories
Oops, maybe not, but here:
http://www.google.com/#q=cell+phone+jammer&hl=en&sa=X&prmd=imvnsl&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&ei=1LxPT4X2EMrAtweNs8SkDQ&ved=0CGAQrQQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=3adb73dda22de86c&biw=1423&bih=793
that just took me to google. no ad for a jammer or anything.
Here is one to try if you are handy with an iron, by the way, guy should learn that internal antennas and SMT componants are our friends.
"this guy is my hero"
Then you're garbage, plain and simple.
I was amused with this guy. I'm sure he had some fun as well as doing what he stated he was doing. What suprised me was that he was breaking the law. Also suprised to find out you can't even own one. I wanted to have one in my cars when the kids were driving them. Now they are grown and gone, too late, could have saved my son from 2 wrecks I had to pay for. I no longer have a need for it, but they should be legal in your own home and cars.
So if he clearly violated Federal law why isn't his but in the stony lonesome?
www.jammer-store.com ..... remember though they are illegal.... These are made and sold in Sweden and have a maximum range of 15 meters. Most cost between $400 - $500 U.S.D.
Kind of an expensive toy.
The reporter or media employee who obviously wanted to talk on her phone was so angry she decided she is going to publicize this guy!
I'm just glad she isn't driving while she talks on her phone endlessly.
Yeah, but now the story is on the MSN homepage, and I have the feeling many, many people are going to be getting and using one, so her anger and indignation over this helped her how?? LOL
Sorry, but what right does this guy have to block others calls? If I'm sitting there talking quietly to my wife on the phone, and someone else is being an @!$%# and shouting at their phone, that means that I can't use my phone now either? Maybe instead of blocking calls you all should just ask the person in question to tone it down, and let them know they're being extremely rude to everyone else. Of course, that would require you to (gasp!) interact with another human!!
I'm with you...but this reporter isn't. And neither is the jammer.
Brokinarrow,
Apparently, $339.00 and a little edge on technology gives him the right. He's an idiot for showing it to anyone and not hiding it. It works under the jacket just fine. Of course he was an idiot admitting it on television.
It is legal to use them in your home or the workplace if you are the owner.
He!!, I was thinking of doing the same thing and was actually pricing a jammer. This guy should be more discreet and keep his jammer out of sight (like in a back pack or something). Some people act like they are so important with a cell phone glued to their ear. It is one thing for a quick call home or emergency call, but we have rude and inconsiderate people on our bus who are all the cell phone for 30-45 minutes of the ride talking loud enough for everyone to hear the conversation in the front of the bus. They don't care whether their conduct is disruptive. I have even heard husbands/wives yelling and arguing on the cell phone while riding the bus. When you get off work, tired and exhausted, you just want a peaceful ride home. No one wants to hear this.
I love this guy. Kudos from someone that refuses to even own a cell phone.
Yep, ya gotta appreciate him. I got rid of my cell-phone several years ago. Don't miss it, not one little bit.
For a laugh, or maybe even get inspired to get one, here's a link for anti-cell phone bumper stickers. My favorite one is, "cell phone instructions." I wouldn't actually put that one on my vehicle, it IS a bit offensive. LOL
http://www.cafepress.com/+hang-up-and-drive+bumper-stickers?cmp=knc--g--us--pol--bsm--search-b--hang%20up%20and%20drive_bumper%20stickers&pid=3607873&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_campaign=Politics%20BSM%20-%20US&utm_content=search-b&utm_term=hang%20up%20and%20drive-bumper%20stickers&gclid=CJe-vqjhxq4CFUHf4AodzEN3UA
I want one! Tell Marie to stick it where the sun don't shine LOL I hope they work in cars. I would love to create a safety bubble when I am on the interstate. As for the "emergency call" arguement. the cell phone folks have been pushing that for years. Too bad it does not hold up. "Emergency Calls" are close to one in a billion when compared to the rest of the calls made. It would be very easy to realize an emergency and let it through. BTW an "emergency" is not you ordering a pizza
How to go, Rad!
Give this guy some kind of medal and a $10K prize. Screw the obnoxious morons.
They should lock this guy up for a few years and then he may actually want to hear others talking rather then the sound of the jail cell doors locking behind him. I'm sorry, but life is not just about weather or not he likes to hear anything. What a selfish idiot. Perhaps he should try walking, or maybe ear plugs ! Only a VERY selfish person would try doing what he was doing.
Hey, he could be making the solution permanent. I've never seen a more selfish and irresponsible group of people than those so addicted to being wired all the time that they don't even care about risking other people's lives while they drive.
I have to agree with those who are against this guy. If he doesn't want to hear people talking on their cell phones then he may as well not even leave his house.
It's quite similar to the little brat who screams in the store because all his friends have a certain toy and he doesn't, so since he can't get it, he breaks all his friends toys so they don't have it either. Very similar attitude, this guy needs to grow up and stop acting like an elementary kid.
I don't agree with the kid analogy. Adults have the common sense to censor and monitor themselves. As an adult surrounded by rude peers, he was doing what he could to mitigate their behavior. He didn't turn on the jammer ALL OF THE TIME. Just when people were "a bother." Would other people abuse a device like this and have it jam all of the time? Sure. But it doesn't seem he did that.
Rarely, if ever, do I whine and cry. And this instance, I am not. I am stating the childish behavior this guy is demonstrating is very similar to an adolescent, if not a newborn. Quite frankly, if anyone has an issue with the way I am talking on my phone, public or not, I absolutely dare them to say something to me. I also have a free speech amendment to back the words that will be stated directly after the incident begins. If you don't like it, buy some ear plugs.
A special toy? Many of the individuals that would be running around talking on their cell phone's throughout the day are likely taking business calls. I highly doubt there is a sense of "feeling important" by the majority of individuals who use their cell phones in public. And if I have to adapt to people in Wal-Mart wearing skimpy shorts when they weight 400 lbs., then yes, you can adapt to my loud obnoxious demeanor while I'm on a cell phone (Sorry to sound like I'm blasting you, but I'm painting a picture here).
Fact is, it's a freedom those with cell phones enjoy, and There are a few above posts I agree with - Such as the "I'm having a private conversation here!" remark. Regardless, seems childish to behave like a 5 year old throwing a temper tantrum about the noise population. Next thing he'll be complaining about is the bus being too loud, what's he going to do then? Siphon the gas?
So this one individual gets to be trial, judge, and jury all at the same time by deciding exactly who the bothersome individuals are? That's a selfish, if not childish depiction in itself. What bothers me doesn't bother others. This topic is a perfect example of that. That being said, who made this guy the authority on what's bothersome and what isn't?
Yes, he does get to be the whole ball of wax. It's obvious the idiots on the phones aren't going to take care of it.
Xaziol well said! It's the 21st Century people.
Not judging by the irresponsible and rude behavior of people who should be acting like considerate adults or by those who feel to defend them as though there were a constitutional right to be a public nuisance. Being free comes with responsibility...something the incessant phone yakkers neglect to assume.
You're saying that people act irresponsible, exactly how does that apply to the use of a cell phone unless it's blatantly obnoxious and has intent to be a nuisance? There's a thin line here, I find, in the ability for someone talking on a cell phone to be a completely and utterly obnoxious compared to simply having a conversation with someone on a cell phone. I am actually not one of those individuals that are on the phone 24/7. In fact, I rarely even talk on my phone. But I also know how to block people out without it "debilitating" me, and making me feel as if I have to whine, complain, and moan about it until MY needs are met. MY needs don't mean a thing to anyone. So what about everyone else's needs? Oooh that's right, your needs are most important. Selfish really. About as selfish as the individual who feels the need to scream on their phone.
Btw, there is a constitutional right to be a public nuisance (part of having freedom of choice). You also have the right to have your Miranda Rights read to you if a cop deems it such a nuisance. I don't see anyone getting locked up over the use of their cell phone. I do agree with you on one note though Culheath, I personally feel being free does come with responsibility. At the point that's understood, there should also be a level of understanding and the ability to remain calm instead of annoyed at something so idiotic.
I have no doubt that you will in the future...or at least fined.
I like the Japan model someone mentioned earlier where public phone use is kept to a minimum. In the same way that vehicular traffic (cars and bikes) eventually had to be regulated for the public good and safety, I have no doubt that communication traffic will eventually be regulated for the same reasons.
But that's the point...people ARE intentionally rude with their cell phone use...they simply don't care and get pissed off if someone asks them to tone it down. I don't care if someone uses their cell briefly and in a low tone. It's the loud blathering of pointless conversing that comes from people who seem to be afraid to be alone with their own thoughts that drives everybody nuts.
When I go to a restaurant for instance I expect to be able to enjoy my meal within the confines of the personal space of my table or booth. When other patrons invade that space with unnecessary and inconsiderate behavior it is not my obligation to try to block them out...they are over riding my right to be left alone in peace. I am not eating my meal in a phone booth. The same applies in theaters or movie houses or concert halls. The point is that behaviors by people in public spheres that invade the space of others unnecessarily is simply rude and a breach of a person's right to exist unmolested. Just because a technology exists does not grant it the right to be used irrespective of its effects on society as a whole. More and more cities are implementing anti-noise regulations because it is a fact that noise pollution causes all sorts of social and health problems. Over and unnecessary use of cell phones could easily be brought under noise pollution laws if we can't find a way to encourage people to use them responsibly in public as is done in Japan.
...very well stated culhealth.
You're making me feel as if you have a problem being in public, and I'll explain why. You want to attend a theater, a restaurant, or any other public venue, and enjoy that experience with little to absolutely no interference? That's being far too self-centered if I am materializing this correctly. You're in public!! Even without the use of cell phones, couples next to you are going to talk, babies are going to cry, and there's always going to be an inconvenience to your personal space regardless of it being other noise or someone having a conversation on a cell phone. Exactly what difference is there between cell phone use, and a couple at a restaurant having a conversation? I certainly don't think you intend to have everyone in public venues keep their mouth shut until they arrive at a destination that they dwell in.
There's what, 6 or 7 billion? Believe it was 7 billion. 7 billion people in this world, and you think you're going to have privacy being in public? That's asking a lot, especially in a country that is so demanding for freedom.
Xaziol - if you don't see any difference between low conversation at adjacent tables vs. loud cell phone conversations, there is probably not much hope of explaining. Really - do you think it's ok for people to have their phones ringing during theater performances? I received a call while I was in a store today and yes, it was a cell phone store - I still excused myself, stepped away from others and answered the work question quickly, and briefly. Had it been something requiring a longer conversation, I'd have stepped outside and not wasted the sales person's time nor would I have subjected others to my call.
That's the point about responsibility, consideration of others when you're in a public setting. Just because you can do something (talk on you phone) doesn't mean it's the appropriate time or place.
rustyautumn
Precisely.
The reason the Japanese culture stresses politeness is exactly because they are a densely populated people. The politeness, ie, outwardly displayed conscious consideration of others around them serves as a social lubricant. Adults recognize the utility of that, whereas children have yet to learn it. Hence, I see much of American cell phone use as childish.
I often wish they had jammers installed in movie theaters and restaurants too! But the 911 or 1st responder issues, you just can't get around. But I agree completely that our society has forgotten courtesy and respect for personal space, and how to conduct oneself in public. We are a nation of narcissists; therefore, everything we say and do MUST be important to everyone else, right? Then we'll talk about it on our phones, and tweet about it, and upload it to YouTube and Facebook, because didn't you know? Now we're all STARS!!!
“A lot of people are extremely loud, no sense of just privacy..."
the guy is absolutely right.
Just like some morons have to take their dogs to an outdoor art show to enhance their presence, other morons have to talk on cell phones in public.
These are people with serious personality defects.
Speaking of dogs, have you noticed the trend of turning all these lap dogs into "service dogs" so they can take them everywhere?
Yeah, or "some morons" have to have tattoos or get their body pierced.
And that interferes with you how?
This thread goes from cell phone jammers, to lap dogs, to people with tatoos. Can you say ADD? How does someone who has a tatoo fit into the same argument about a guy jamming cell phones?
Because apparently this thread has turned into "complain about absolutely EVERYTHING that's wrong with society today" when people seem to be deluded into thinking that back in the day there were no problems with society at all, and that everything was absolutely PERFECT before cell phones, etc. News flash: Society has NEVER been perfect. There is no such thing as a utopia. Even if we got rid of cell phones, there would still be rude people in public.
While it can be quite annoying having to hear people talk on their phones in public, this was the wrong approach. Basically, he's saying that because he felt other people were being rude, that gave him the right to be rude. If someone is breathing loudly, do I have the right to glue their mouth and nose shut? No. That would kill them, which is illegal, and I'd go to jail. Yes, I know not being able to talk on the phone isn't going to kill anyone. He's complaining about how selfish and self-centered others are being, yet his behavior seems to be just as selfish.
Hell is other people.
Dang. I can certainly appreciate this man's position. People are most definitely rude. Sometimes I think they want everyone in the immediate 20 yard vicinity to hear their conversation. Those with headsets are worse. Of course, we could just get ear muffs or something else to block out the noise. /sigh can't win. No privacy and certainly no peace.
The reason people tend to be loud on a cell phone is because there is no "side tone." In other words, you don't hear your own voice like you do on a land line. It's because the cell phone is transmitting and receiving on two different frequencies. Yes, being constantly on the phone is obnoxious.
T.S. Then they should just wait till they get to a land line!
Sorry, to hear that the device is illegal....won't be buying one. I travel Chicago's extensive network of buses, rapid transit lines and commuter trains and I am sick of hearing phone conversations that are loud and for the most part ridiculous....I would love to be able to disconnect their phone conversations...in m dreams.
where do i buy one
legal or not
The other legal option would be to make it illegal to use a cell phone on a public conveyance except to call 911. Issue tickets or in the case of buses eject the passenger.
Restaurants should enforce the same. If I'm sitting with someone eating a meal I ask them not to use the phone, it's just rude. If you don't want to give me your full attention while we're eating together I'm certainly not going to ask you to join me a second time.
Go Eric!!!
Whatever happened to good old, low-tech beatings? :)
They are relatively inexpensive (under $50), but don't have a really large range. Seems like 10-15 feet out from the device is about it. Which would just about cover the ones that are really bothering you.
I agree that Marie was probably one of the offenders.
We need to take a lesson from Japan, where talking on your cellphone in public is considered extremely rude. It happens, but conversations are usually kept very short and very quiet (at a whisper). It is NOTHING like that here. Last week I was shopping and three people around me were each on their phones. One of them was talking about "needing a lot of toilet paper at the house" (and explained why), while another mentioned a conversation she had with "her shrink" (her words, not mine). It's absolutely ridiculous and impossible to ignore. People have no common decency.
Stupid of the guy displaying the device on plain sight, just turn it on in a back pack and none will be the wiser.
Emergency? all excuses. The government will simply get together with the phone companies and build a features in all phones where a "public" signal is present, automatically disable ring and voice comm and only allows vibrate and text, the the government is too politically correct, want to please everybody and of course the politicians can't let the lobbyists' money get away.
STOP TALKING ON MY FACE, AM NOT THAT INTERESTED ON YOUR LIFE.
Hooray for Eric. Everyone thinks we want to hear their one sided conversations, in line behind us as we turn around with the glare, at the dinner table out with our families, or in the waiting room of the doctors office. We do not want to hear your business appointments, scolding of your children, or beggings to your significant other, they are your concerns, keep it that way.
So, are you going to have an article on obnoxiously loud cellphone users.. perhaps like Marie?
To steal a perfect quote.. every time I see someone like Marie think they're opinion is worth something: "I have a mixture of fear and anger. Part of me wants to go up.. and say, ‘Stop doing this, how dare you,’"
What about "obnoxiously loud" conversations between two people talking on a bus? You get to take the law into your own hands?
I'm guessing the people with this viewpoint are mostly Republicans.
People rarely talk as loudly in person as they do on the cell phone. They seem to think that they need to shout into it.
I suppose it doesn't matter what political party is involved here...though some folks always take the opportunity to spin any conversation that way: Guy blocks cell phone calls...must be a republican or democrat or libertarian or whatever. Hogwash.
Bottom line is that there are people who are obnoxious with their cell phones...and they probably represent every special interest group. What bothers me about this guy is that he's also blocking cell phone calls by people on the bus that are less obnoxious and very important to that person. For example, when one of my children gets sick or injured at school, the school calls my cell. If I'll be late at work and need my wife to pick up the kids...I use my cell for communications. My daughter uses her cell from time to time to coordinate transportation if an event runs longer or shorter than anticipated. A cellphone is a tool. Some people use tools well, others don't. Doesn't mean you steal use of the tool from everyone. I'm wondering how many folks on that bus are thinking of legal action against this guy to recoup financial impact of denial of paid services (I think it would be a frivolous lawsuit...just saying it could happen).
No matter what my political leanings, I'd be angry and likely to confront the guy with a jammer and a god-complex.
Sam you give "non-republicans" a bad name with comments like that. The first part of your comment was spot-on but then you ruined your credibility with the second part.
This guy deserves a medal. I only wish I had purchased one of these myself. I would definitely use this device (discreetly) in any movie theater. People have no regards for manners anymore and we have reached the point where it's time to start curtailing the personal freedoms of these obnoxious individuals.