Mob Peeve

New Zealand will be gearing up for a November 1 roll out of a hand free law. Drivers will not be allowed to receive phone calls while driving if it requires holding or manipulating the phone.

There will be a NZ$ 80 fine with 20 demerit points added to your record for violations.

To avoid violations you can:

Pull over and make calls

Use a headset

Bluetooth headsets and devices

With many places implementing the hands free law, there are many options out there. Our favorite reviews are from intomobile.com

RUS = Are you serious?

It's rather concerning that parents are reduced to communicate to their children via text message. This video just shows how much mobile phones, and other mobile technology alike, have become a "normal" part of our lives. So shouldn’t instilling your children with good mobile manners be considered a part of “good parenting” in this modern technological world? Hope fully these parents watching this video are teaching their children responsible and manners on the use of mobile technology.  TTFN!

Yes, driving and talking or texting on cell phones could be just as bad as drunk driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (US) recently made their study from back in the 2002 and 2003 public. They have kept it under wraps mainly because "in part, officials say, because of concerns about angering Congress."

• Drivers talking on their cell phones are 4 time more likely to crash
• Drivers on phones are as likely to crash as a person with 0.8 blood alcohol content
• Estimated 12% of drivers are on their phones at any given time

As of June 2009 the following places have banned cell phone use while driving:

Australia

Austria

Bahrain

Belgium

Brazil

Newfoundland & Québec, Canada

Chile

China

Czech Republic

Denmark

Egypt

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hong Kong

Hungary

India - New Delhi

Ireland

Isle of Man

Israel

Italy

Japan

Jersey

Jordan

Kenya

Malaysia

Mexico City, Mexico

Netherlands

Norway

Islamabad, Pakistan

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Russia

Singapore

Slovak Republic

Slovenia

South Africa

South Korea

Spain

Switzerland

Taiwan

Thailand

Turkey

Turkmenistan

UK

Zimbabwe

USA (California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii (Oahu), Louisiana (minors, texting), Maine (learners), Minnesota (minors), New Jersey, New York, Oregon (minors), South Carolina (beginners permit), Virginia (minors), Washington

Talking or texting can cause serious, sometimes deadly, accidents - something we all need to start being more serious about.   

NY Times Full Article | Full NHTSA Document

This is definitely not the solution to answering calls at inappropriate times, but it may be a solution for younger people who suffer from having annoying ringtones or constantly forget to turn their phone to silent mode before class begins. Ultrasonic sounds are high frequency sounds, and studies have shown that it can generally only be heard by dogs and in younger people. Some claim this age threshold is around 20 ~25.

Go to http://www.ultrasonic-ringtones.com/

You can try out your ultrasonic hearing skills on 12 different tones and download them as ringtones.

The sounds may be different through a computer speaker and phone speaker so try them out on both. Good Luck!

As more we become a more mobile tech savvy society, companies have been interested in what people think of mobile etiquette and annoying behaviors.  An interesting result from Intel's survey: while many people find texting and emailing while driving is the most annoying and over 60% say loud talkers are annoying, only 38% admit misbehaving.  Read more at CNN Money.com "Surprise: Loud cell talkers drive us crazy"

All you need:

• Consideration
• Common Sense

Our first peeve caught on camera! Thanks to CellyEtiquette

Location: Auckland, New Zealand - The Link Bus

Time: Thursday, July 2, 2009 7:00p

Mobile faux pas: Talking loudly on a public bus.

Luckily Mr. Talk Loud stopped after a few minutes and got off the phone, according to CellyEtiquette. Remember that there are a lot of people in close proximity in public transportations, keep your phone conversations short and quiet. We don't want to be forced to listen to your conversations.

Send us your peeves caught on camera on the Submit page!

Thanks. MobPeeve

Source: MIEN Magazine presents Mobile Telephone Manners

First started by etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore of Palm Beach, FL in July of 2002. Back then there were 137 million cell phones in use in the United States. Now the numbers have been estimated to have gone up to 255 million, and 3.145 billion worldwide! Many places have adopted a "No Cell Phone Rule" while many people have still managed to disregard them and misuse cell phones in public.

"Wireless phones and other electronic devices have become so important to keeping people in touch with information they want and need. It's important to educate people about the proper way to use these devices so that they're still in touch but not annoying those around them." - Jacqueline Whitmore

Jacqueline's Tips - from her PR Leap article June 2007

1. Be all there. When you’re in a meeting, performance, courtroom or other busy area, let calls go to voicemail to avoid a disruption. In some instances, turning your phone off may be the best solution.
2. Keep it private. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid discussing private or confidential information in public. You never know who may be in hearing range.
3. Keep your cool. Don’t display anger during a public call. Conversations that are likely to be emotional should be held where they will not embarrass or intrude on others.
4. Learn to vibe. Use your wireless phone’s silent or vibration settings in public places such as business meetings, religious services, schools, restaurants, theaters or sporting events so that you do not disrupt your surroundings.
5. Avoid “cell yell.” Remember to use your regular conversational tone when speaking on your wireless phone. People tend to speak more loudly than normal and often don’t recognize how distracting they can be to others.
6. Follow the rules. Some places, such as hospitals or airplanes, restrict or prohibit the use of mobile phones, so adhere to posted signs and instructions. Some jurisdictions may also restrict mobile phone use in public places.
7. Excuse yourself. If you are expecting a call that can’t be postponed, alert your companions ahead of time and excuse yourself when the call comes in; the people you are with should take precedence over calls you want to make or receive.
8. Send a message. Use Text Messaging to send and receive messages without saying a single word.
9. Watch and listen discreetly. New multimedia applications such as streaming video and music are great ways to stay informed and access the latest entertainment. However, adjust the volume based on your surroundings in much the same way that you would adjust your ringer volume. Earphones are a great way to avoid distracting others in public areas.
10. Alert silently. When using your phone’s walkie-talkie feature, send the person you’re trying to reach a Call Alert before starting to speak. If you’re around other people, turn off your phone’s external speaker and use the vibration setting to minimize any disturbance and to respect your contact’s privacy.

These are simple rules you can follow to have expert mobile manners. Remember that it?s not just about cell phones either! Manners apply to all your mobile gadgets. Although it started in the US spread Cell Phone Courtesy Month and message for a well mannered mobile world!

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