Inconsiderate mobile phone use has become almost as common as the phones themselves. So much so that the city of San Diego and mobile phone manufacturer Nokia recently teamed up to declare mobile phone Courtesy Week. This initiative helped raise public awareness of the issue by identifying "Cell Phone Free Zones" where mobile phone use is prohibited. But outside programs like this one, it's not getting any quieter.

Mobile Phone Explosion

Once an expensive rarity for corporate executives, mobile phones are now in the hands of ordinary Americans. According to Nokia, 94 million people in the United States own a mobile phone, or roughly one in three. In places like San Francisco and New York, so many people carry phones that muffled ring on a public bus makes every passenger check their pockets and bags. Falling prices, cheaper and better service, and real convenience have helped weave mobile phones into the fabric of our daily lives. But at what cost to our already-strained civility?

The appeal of mobile phones is that you can take them anywhere; that's also the problem. You don't have to step into a phone booth to make a call, or be in your kitchen or at your desk to receive one. You might be shopping, eating, or walking down the street. The unwritten laws of civility are different in these public places than at home or the office – and they don't explain what to do when your phone rings.

Respect People's Public Space

As might be expected, etiquette experts have stepped forward to define the rules of mobile phone courtesy in public. Marjabelle Young Stewart, author of The New Etiquette (St. Martin's Press), puts it in simple terms: "You have to respect people's public space." This means be aware of where you are, and be discreet and considerate in your mobile phone usage. Below are some rules of thumb for being a courteous mobile phone user:

Try to find an out-of-the-way place or a designated "mobile phone area" if you need to use your phone in public. If you're in a small room, try the hallway, lobby or street.
If you can't get away, ask those around you if they mind if you use your phone.
Remember that with a good modern phone, you usually don't have to shout. Use low, clear tones when talking in public.
Set the ringer to "vibrate", if possible, when in restaurants, theaters, or anywhere that a ringing phone might disturb your neighbors.
If you're expecting a call while with others, tell them, then excuse yourself and retire to a private spot when you take the call.
If you use your mobile phone while driving, use a headset or speaker phone to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.