Are you a phone addict?

[Nick]

That explains why you are so far out of touch. (Seriously.)

[cromwell]

Judging by the recent coverage of the report by the HMIC, you'd likely be charged with lurking in a car park and dogging or, at least, making unnecessary emergency calls...

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/hundreds-if-not-thousands-of-serving-police-officers-could-be-corrupt-in-england/

Yes read that and could be and are amount to two different things.

That the questions are being asked and cops (or at least some) are prepared to dob in those of doubtful behaviour.

[papasmurf]

I won't be flying home from here until 15th Dec, admittedly I've got my lad with me on this trip but he only says something every 3 days so I might as well be on my own. I will be off to China around the 11th Jan next year for 3 months so my phone is a lifeline back to home and someone to talk to. I guess we all have varying needs when it comes to phones.

That explains why you are so far out of touch. (Seriously.)

[Nick]

I won't be flying home from here until 15th Dec, admittedly I've got my lad with me on this trip but he only says something every 3 days so I might as well be on my own. I will be off to China around the 11th Jan next year for 3 months so my phone is a lifeline back to home and someone to talk to. I guess we all have varying needs when it comes to phones. 

[patman post]

Many years ago before the world and his wife had a mobile I was meeting a few from work at a working mens club for Sat night entertainment.

Just two of us in the car park waiting for the rest to arrive,could see in to the foyer a good few people milling around and suddenly a bloke grabbed his female companion by the throat punched her  at least twice and headbutted her,he looked a real psycho.

I asked the bloke to come with me to help her but he just said "don't get involved" which seemed to be the same opinion of those in the foyer who carried on as though nowt had happened.

I went though more than a bit feaful too see if she was ok,she wasn't and I found a phone box and called the police whose reaction was it's a typical sat night and they didn't turn out.

The only difference I see today was everybody would still do nowt other than filming it all on their mobiles,though I also think to their credit police would turn out now and take a dim view of such behaviour.

Judging by the recent coverage of the report by the HMIC, you'd likely be charged with lurking in a car park and dogging or, at least, making unnecessary emergency calls...

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/hundreds-if-not-thousands-of-serving-police-officers-could-be-corrupt-in-england/

[cromwell]

Many years ago before the world and his wife had a mobile I was meeting a few from work at a working mens club for Sat night entertainment.

Just two of us in the car park waiting for the rest to arrive,could see in to the foyer a good few people milling around and suddenly a bloke grabbed his female companion by the throat punched her  at least twice and headbutted her,he looked a real psycho.

I asked the bloke to come with me to help her but he just said "don't get involved" which seemed to be the same opinion of those in the foyer who carried on as though nowt had happened.

I went though more than a bit feaful too see if she was ok,she wasn't and I found a phone box and called the police whose reaction was it's a typical sat night and they didn't turn out.

The only difference I see today was everybody would still do nowt other than filming it all on their mobiles,though I also think to their credit police would turn out now and take a dim view of such behaviour.

[Streetwalker]

Why do we always blame the Mrs when we're accused of having a new toy?

But I'm willing to accept that for us it's true.

As for your observation of couples' behaviour, I was recently sent a photo of Mrs and I and our two pre-teens sitting at a table in the open air, each of us looking at our individual screens!!!

What have we become...?

LOL  I tell you Posty I resisted having a phone for years after they bacame a thing , I hated the fact that I was contactable 24/7 . The barman shouting its the Mrs on the phone mate are you here ?  Became an annoying ring in my pocket  . The boss calling to see where I was ,what I was doing , can I work late ect meant the early years of mobile phone ownership meant it was turned off until I needed  to make a call .

But yes its become a necessary evil in our lives and I suppose I would admit I would be lost without it even if I do rarely use it 

[Barry]

I live in a "not spot" with either bad reception or none at all.

Yes, I think you've told us once before.

--------------------------------------------

I love my phone which is a Samsung Android. I buy my phones outright, they usually last 3 years until the battery dies or the memory fills up. I have an older one which is 32GB. Mrs has a 64GB version, which she just bought. 
I use the phone for puzzles, Telegraph newspaper, and lots more. I rarely make calls but keep in touch a lot using WhatsApp. I have Twitter app on my phone but not Facebook.

However, I love my laptop more. It's my office, memory, diary, filing system, etc.

[patman post]

The Mrs has just updated mine from 3g to 5g (whatever that is) she says my old phone would have gone dead soon hence the new one . But no I hardly ever use it , I only have family and the current job number on it ,probably make one maybe two calls a week and a couple of texts .. I never use the internet thingy .  Its just a retro flip top nokia  ,does me .

Its a common observation though cromwell , I even see couples texting each other in the pub sitting opposite each other ,giving an occasional smile ,a finger wag or a kick under the table .  Well at least they are keeping it to themselves .

The mind boggles

Why do we always blame the Mrs when we're accused of having a new toy?

But I'm willing to accept that for us it's true. 

As for your observation of couples' behaviour, I was recently sent a photo of Mrs and I and our two pre-teens sitting at a table in the open air, each of us looking at our individual screens!!!

What have we become...?

[papasmurf]

The Mrs has just updated mine from 3g to 5g (whatever that is) 

I live in a "not spot" with either bad reception or none at all.

[Streetwalker]

The Mrs has just updated mine from 3g to 5g (whatever that is) she says my old phone would have gone dead soon hence the new one . But no I hardly ever use it , I only have family and the current job number on it ,probably make one maybe two calls a week and a couple of texts .. I never use the internet thingy .  Its just a retro flip top nokia  ,does me . 

Its a common observation though cromwell , I even see couples texting each other in the pub sitting opposite each other ,giving an occasional smile ,a finger wag or a kick under the table .  Well at least they are keeping it to themselves .

The mind boggles 

[T00ts]

I have a phone simply because my kids like to know where I am. I actually prefer to disappear but there you go. It's almost the latest model but sadly underused. I have a landline rarely used but also a plug-in ancient phone kept in a cupboard for power cut times.

[patman post]

I always have my phone charged and close to hand.

The house phone is rarely used — in fact, I'd say never used. The main reason we have it is that the deal Mrs P got with Virgin included a "landline". More expensive without. But as it's now connected over broadband, one of its plus points is gone — ie, it won't work in a power cut.

I've also usually got an iPad with me — it's easier for email than iPhone, and lighter than a laptop. Though it's got a slot, I've never bothered to instal a sim, and use Skype and Apple s/w if I/we want to call.

So, overall, I guess I'm a phone freak...

[srb7677]

Had to go in to Manchester city Centre today (unfortunately) dropped my wife off for her appointment then had to navigate the array of road closed,buses?taxis only no entry?left?right turn or roads only open to ordinary traffic in the middle of the night and the warning of cameras to relieve you of your cash because bloody Burnham failed to get his congestion charge (yet) so needs revenue elsewhere.

Anyway once parked up and people watching I was struck by the numbers nattering on or perusing their phones whilst riding bikes crossing the road or attempting to navigate the pavements with some rather funny fails.

I have endless minutes on my phone but hardly use any,my wife says I'm abrupt.....Yes/No.thanks goodbye

Are you addicted to yours.

I have never owned a smart phone and only ever use my mobile for texts and calls. The only reason I have it is to receive necessary texts from work for code numbers to access work related sites and to have a phone in my car in case of emergencies. So no, am definitely not addicted to a phone.

I have always relied on a laptop at home to access the internet, and yes I am rather addicted to that, spending hours of my downtime online.

[johnofgwent]

I'm probably worse than Nick but that's because a quarter of what I do in my day job is software development aimed at one or other mobile platform.

And I use it to wander round places like this while the interminable build engine cranks snail like forwards to oblivion