On Tuesday night, New York Philharmonic’s orchestra featured the “Marimba,” but the music didn’t emanate from the instruments on stage.
Instead, the distinctive, mallet-like “Marimba” jingle could be heard loud and clear playing from an audience member’s iPhone (News - Alert) above the hushed notes of the Philharmonic’s final movement of Gusta Mahler’s Ninth Symphony, which is known for its quiet sections played solely by strings.
Yet amid loud jeers, clapping and hollering from all sections of the Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, where the performance was held, the incredibly inconsiderate spectator allowed the ringing to continue. The culprit? An audience member in the front row who would not admit his wrongdoing and silence the chiming, even after music director Alan Gilbert showed signs of displeasure at the noise and finally stopped the orchestra mid-performance to address the audience member personally, according to the Wall Street Journal. Of course, as the show must go on, Gilbert had the symphony pick up where it left off and play until the very last note.
I must say, Gilbert’s reaction -- and his calling out of the rude spectator -- brings music to my own ears. As a self-proclaimed advocate for etiquette in performance venues – be it a Broadway play or the local movie theater – I support any and all repercussions to spectators who ignore the very basic -- and very simple -- rule of silencing a phone.
Inspired by this story -- and because I like to think I am a pretty considerate person when it comes to my mobile device -- I’d like to take this time to offer my two cents on the proper use of cell phones in public places.
In the movie theater: There’s a reason all of today’s movie theaters feature a disclaimer regarding cell phone manners. So learn from the above story and silence your phone. Even better, turn the dang thing off! No one wants to hear a peep out of you; even the dull vibrations of your mobile device clanging against your purse or the bright glow of your screen as you hold your phone up to read the latest text message can offend. Bottom line: If you have to take a call, take it outside the theater and be careful not to interrupt other moviegoers as you walk from your seat to the door.
On the train: For all you commuters out there, this one’s for you. I cannot count how many times I’ve started to drift asleep during a morning or evening ride into New York City only to have the person behind me take a call and blab so loud the entire train car knows both sides of the story. If you have to take a call, head to the part of the train near the doors and speak softly so as not to disturb other tired passengers.
Walking through busy streets and malls: A few nights ago, I was taking a relaxing walk with friends down Lexington Avenue in New York City, only to encounter a woman who so was engrossed in her phone she nearly walked right into me. Already thrown off by this accidental encounter, I was even more surprised when I turned around to observe her continue on her way without any acknowledgement of the incident. So, when it comes to walking and talking/texting, the rules are simple: Keep your head up and ears open, and limit the texting to a stand-still setting.
At work: We read blogs upon blogs of what not to do in the workplace, but we rarely hear about the rules of personal calls on our mobile devices. Plain and simple: Keep your phone on silent so you don’t interrupt anyone’s thought process, or even worse, a meeting with the boss. Additionally, keep personal calls at your desk short and sweet. However, if you have to stay on longer than expected, take the call elsewhere, like the hallway or outside your building.
At the dinner table: OK, I admit it – I’m guilty for this one. It’s rare you’ll find me at the restaurant dinner table amongst friends without my phone out in front of me. While it’s a habit I’m trying to break and texting isn’t entirely off-limits, I do hold myself to one rule: Not to take calls at the table. No one wants to hear your conversation above other conversations, so excuse yourself politely and walk away to take the call.
On the treadmill: Ever since I found myself running on the treadmill next to a woman broadcasting to the entire gym that her ex-husband is full of it, I’ve sworn to myself that I’d never let my workout and cell phone antics cross paths. When I’m in the zone, I want nothing – and I mean nothing – interrupting my flow. Unfortunately, with many of us having a mobile phone that doubles as a music player, taking calls mid-workout has become all too easy for us gym-goers. Maybe if we could all put our phones aside during activities that involve extreme concentration and dedication, we could to reach our personal goals sooner than we think.
So, please, please, please, for everyone’s sanity and enjoyment, leave the blaring cell phones, texting while doing other things, and obnoxious gossiping to the privacy of your own home and amongst friends and family with whom you are comfortable and just as phone-guilty as you are.
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Tammy Wolf is a TMCnet web editor. She covers a wide range of topics, including IP communications and information technology. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Rich Steeves
