[IP] cellphones on planes

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

AMTRAK has the quiet cars  djf

Begin forwarded message:

From: Ron Guerin <ron@vnetworx.net>
Date: March 25, 2007 6:11:15 AM EDT
To: dave@farber.net
Subject: Re: [IP] cellphones on planes

David Farber wrote:
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: "Mike O'Dell" <mo@ccr.org>
> Date: March 25, 2007 12:39:34 AM EDT
> To: David Farber <dave@farber.net>
> Subject: cellphones on planes
>
> Bob Frankston undermines his own point with an extrapolation into the
> ridiculous.  It's not about technology or Luddism, it's about polite
> behavior in a public space and reasonable concern over the expected
> escalation of impoliteness that would result from turning an airliner
> into a communal phone booth. The state of "Modern Air Travel" has
> already made "Greyhound in the sky" a charitable description of the
> experience - the addition of numerous people shouting at invisible
> parties would make it seem all the more like The NY Port Authority Bus
> Terminal, not merely a bus ride.

In theory, one could have it both ways.  I deal with cellphones on the
commuter rails, and I find the ringtones worse than the conversations,
which are pretty annoying.  However, a possible compromise from the not
so distant past may be worth considering.  The railroad used to operate
a smoking car, where those who cared to, could go inhale the exhaust of
 a hundred or so other smokers through their cigarettes.

I would welcome a "cell phone car", where those who think that loudly
sharing with strangers their ringtones and household instructions to
their spouse is a wonderful thing can be together... away from the rest
of us.

- Ron

(for IP if you want)


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