The problem is not and never was with the phone(s), it is with the humans who (IMO) miss- use them and disturb other, sometimes many other, surrounding events and situations. Further, I am not opposed to cell phones, I had one way back in the late 80's and have had at least one ever since. I often have carried two, one my own personal phone and one for work; it makes it easier for me to manage both of them (for example, when in a meeting at work, my personal phone is silent while my work phone vibrates so I can, discreetly and NOT RUDELY check who is calling- I am on company time after all).
Like that recent joke about guns: if guns kill people, why do we have to even bother to send soldiers into a theater of war? Would not just sending firearms do? Same thing with cell phones: no cell phone, anywhere on the planet has yet to misbehave or cause any trouble.... the owners / carriers on the other hand are a different story far too often.
By the way, given my recent experiences in the medical community (far too many of them but hey, not their fault) I was very pleasantly surprised to find wait times to be a matter of a few minutes at worst in almost all circumstances. Outstanding time management on the part of the medicos and staff IMO. My Vet., on the other hand, could use a few of my physicians' lessons. :-(
Brian
I am with you on that sentiment Brian. There are times and places for everything. I try to silence my phone and ignore it in situations when appropriate and find a private place to answer when I need to. On the bike I can do everything in my helmet WHY OH WHY do drivers in a car need it in their hands?
That said, the last couple of years my patience is tested. Imagine sitting in a room with a patient... listening intently, asking them questions and searching for clues into their condition.....phone rings, patient answers and starts talking to their family. Older folks will answer and inform the caller they are with their doctor and hang up and apologize. Younger folks go on talking about picking the kids up, getting milk on the way home, calling about the cable bill. etc,...... I usually turn politiely to the computer and input some info and get charting done while they talk and have adopted the following response. "Wow, I remember when my Pops would call before he died with news or something to talk about..........and when I got it off the answering machine when I got home I would call him back and discuss the day's events with him" Some get it some don't . I really wrestle with how to deal with those abusers who want to run on time getting in and out of the office yet slow the entire schedule down by interrupting a visit by answering the phone. I strive to run on time and give each person all the time they need but in multi year studies we find our daily recaps are inevitably coming back to people who show up late or take phone calls during a visit that pushes the rest of the appointments following their visit down the line.
Couldn't agree more! But sorry, I'm partly to blame because I help create the damn things.