This is, indeed, a bothersome trend. I am not sure that when I hear the guy at the adjacent urinal telling his buddy he’s “just hanging out” he fully understands my reaction. Judith Martin would agree that when talking on the phone you are obligated to say if you are “embracing your pride”.

With portable communication devices, it’s easier than ever to stay connected 24-7. That doesn’t mean you have to. Unless you’re W, or maybe run a hospital, I think most communications can wait until you are finished with nature’s call.

For that matter, if you’re in a space where others can’t conveniently escape, like a bus, grounded airplane, elevator, funeral, theater, or restaurant, cell phones shouldn’t be used.

To those of you who think it’s okay to make people waiting in line behind you wait longer while you chat: it’s not. Hang up while in a drive-through, in line at McDonalds, or while paying for your stuff.

What? You wear two cell phones? Give me a break.

This prop-twister has also noticed that folks talking on their cell phones think it’s okay to drown out other conversations with their loud, one-sided chit-chat. So as you’re trying to carry on a quiet conversation with your dinner partner, you find out that the 20-something 3 tables over missed her monthly visitor. I guess the murmur is dead.

Bad connection? Shouting doesn’t help…unless they are already within earshot. Stop yelling.

Between cell phone chats, texting, email, mobile browsing, twitter and the like, more and more folks feel the need to be talking to someone all the time … even when they are talking to you! Trust me: nothing kills your conversational skills more than carrying on an on-line conversation while simultaneously spewing pearls of wisdom from your pie hole.

What can you do? Well, confrontation has its perils…but sometimes a word or two can make all the difference. You could try something like, “Excuse me, perhaps you would feel more comfortable taking that call outside.” Some have taken to passive aggressive techniques like talking loudly themselves (to make a point). You might be surprised how saying “Hey buddy, can you pass me some toilet paper” will stop a phone call in its tracks.

Whatever our reaction, it’s time we dropped that polite, understanding look we exchange with someone when their cell phone rings in a meeting, concert, or movie. Cell phones aren’t new anymore. I had one back when Rick Astley’s "Never Gonna Give You Up" was a number one hit. (Sweet Baby James, that boy can dance!)

So here’s how it works…when someone calls, phones ring. That is, unless you turn them off, set them to vibrate, or flush them away. Also, nothing says lame more than an obnoxious ring tone. Trust me. Nobody wants to hear “Baby’s Got Back” on quarter inch speaker fidelity.

So from now on, if someone’s cell phone rings and they apologize with that “oops” shrug, I suggest we react as they deserve. They are obviously ill equipped to own such a sophisticated piece of technology.

And what makes these folks think that they can dial, chat, text, and more while driving? They can’t. Their one-ton killing machine gets that much more deadly when they are chatting. Thankfully, it looks like the law is getting on my side on this one.

Need more help on this? Probably not, but if so, I would suggest you ask your mother, start reading Miss Manners or check out this site, http://www.coudal.com/shhh.php.