Cellphone user with no SA

Everskyward

Everskyward

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Everskyward
Everyone has a story about someone they have seen talking on a cellphone who is oblivious to everything around them. I think we witnessed the ultimate today.

There were were, taxiing to the ramp at an uncontrolled airport with a lot of construction going on. A guy was sitting on a box or some equipment next to the taxiway with his back to us talking on a cellphone. We have a pretty long wingspan and the taxiway is narrow so if we continued the wing would have either gone over his head or we would have knocked him off his box. I slowed down, then crept slowly forward hoping he would notice us and turn around. When the cockpit was about even with him he finally looked up and gave us this look as if to ask why were were stopping there and interrupting his cell phone call. Finally we pointed back at the wing which was still behind him. Even then he wasn't too quick in getting out of the way.

I want to know how he could possibly have been hearing anything on his cellphone since it's painful for me to be outside the airplane with the engines running. And how could he have not noticed the airplane?
 
Man, I sometimes wish for a horn on my plane...
 
I'm still waiting for Miss Manners to write the definitive protocol for talking on a cell phone in a public bathroom...
 
murphey said:
I'm still waiting for Miss Manners to write the definitive protocol for talking on a cell phone in a public bathroom...
Click to expand...

Used to hear that a LOT at truck stops, but it was usually just drivers. When I did hear the occasional idiot trying to make a business deal in the bathroom, I made sure to make as many noises as possible and/or flush to make it clear to those on the other end where the idiot was...

... And what's really crazy is, my current place in Milwaukee has a phone jack next to the toilet. So someone started breaking "the rules" a LONG time ago and even paid someone to facilitate it.

Sheesh.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
... And what's really crazy is, my current place in Milwaukee has a phone jack next to the toilet. So someone started breaking "the rules" a LONG time ago and even paid someone to facilitate it.

Sheesh.
Click to expand...

I used to work at a firm that designed hotels for John Q Hammons. John always hung a phone on the wall next to the toilet in his "up scale" hotels. He might still.
 
That's a difference between you and me Mari, I would have made an announcement to the Pax to "Look out to the left" and clocked the guy.
 
That's pretty incredible, Mari. He was probably wondering why you were making so much noise and interrupting his phone call.

Cell phones are a necessary evil, I just wish that people would use a tad more sense when using them.
 
murphey said:
I'm still waiting for Miss Manners to write the definitive protocol for talking on a cell phone in a public bathroom...
Click to expand...

heh - it's always so touching to walk into a bathroom, hear someone behind a stall door say "Love you!", followed by ka-whoosh!

--

I was leaving San Jose on a commercial flight. Don't know the airline, but the plane was parked on the outer portion of the terminal, opposite the runway. That particular situation means the plane (a B737 I think) has a tight taxi around the corner of the terminal to get to the taxiway. We had a wingwalker on each side to make sure we cleared any baggage carts, tugs, fuel trucks, fences, ... The guy on my side was on his cell phone the whole time.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Used to hear that a LOT at truck stops, but it was usually just drivers. When I did hear the occasional idiot trying to make a business deal in the bathroom, I made sure to make as many noises as possible and/or flush to make it clear to those on the other end where the idiot was...
Click to expand...

Oh, it's not juet the washroom.

I was in an airline executive lounge (you know, those pay-for "club lounges") in O'Hare one day and heard a gentleman having a loud conversation on cellphone. Listening for a minute I concluded that he was a private equity guy having a conversation with a colleague about funding a deal... they were discussing the potential CEO in somewhat unflattering terms - and I heard enough to know who the company was AND that the CEO was a friend of mine.

Idiots don't just live in restrooms....
 
I watched a guy at a strip mall walk across the very busy street without noticing the two cars that stopped to avoid hitting him. Then he tripped over the curb and kept going without interrupting his phone call. Shortly after that he walked into a post that knocked the phone out of his hand. He looked around like he had no idea where that post came from...and it wasn't one of those little thin metal street sign posts either. It was a concrete sqare pillars that are literally 2 feet wide that he ran into. Total dependence on others for his own safety and still ran into a big obvious stationary obstacle.

And people still say it's safe to drive while talking on the phone.
 
fgcason said:
And people still say it's safe to drive while talking on the phone.
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone claims that.

However, some people recognize that it is possible for some people
to talk on a cellphone and do other complex tasks at the same time
without creating an undue hazard for themselves or for others.
 
Everskyward said:
Everyone has a story about someone they have seen talking on a cellphone who is oblivious to everything around them. I think we witnessed the ultimate today.

There were were, taxiing to the ramp at an uncontrolled airport with a lot of construction going on. A guy was sitting on a box or some equipment next to the taxiway with his back to us talking on a cellphone. We have a pretty long wingspan and the taxiway is narrow so if we continued the wing would have either gone over his head or we would have knocked him off his box. I slowed down, then crept slowly forward hoping he would notice us and turn around. When the cockpit was about even with him he finally looked up and gave us this look as if to ask why were were stopping there and interrupting his cell phone call. Finally we pointed back at the wing which was still behind him. Even then he wasn't too quick in getting out of the way.

I want to know how he could possibly have been hearing anything on his cellphone since it's painful for me to be outside the airplane with the engines running. And how could he have not noticed the airplane?
Click to expand...

Might have been a good time for a runup (assuming no one was
behind you).
 
iNdigo, you inconsiderate pilot.....! (sigh).:incazzato:

I used to carry a can powered boathorn every time I went to 06C because of a certain lineman.....fits right through the little side window.
 
fgcason said:
And people still say it's safe to drive while talking on the phone.
Click to expand...

As with anything else, it's all about moderation and risk assessment.

I don't use my cell phone in the car when I'm in heavy or city traffic...and then only very short calls.

But, there are always irresponsible idiots out there - it doesn't matter if it's a cell phone or a gun or a car or a plane. You can't make a law that would eliminate idiocy.

Life is a risk, and dealing with morons is just another one of those risks.
 
fgcason said:
Shortly after that he walked into a post that knocked the phone out of his hand. He looked around like he had no idea where that post came from...and it wasn't one of those little thin metal street sign posts either. It was a concrete sqare pillars that are literally 2 feet wide that he ran into. Total dependence on others for his own safety and still ran into a big obvious stationary obstacle.
Click to expand...

Perhaps that pillar should have been padded. :D

Bob Noel said:
However, some people recognize that it is possible for some people to talk on a cellphone and do other complex tasks at the same time without creating an undue hazard for themselves or for others.
Click to expand...
For the life of me, I never understood the difference between a talking on a phone and talking to a pax in your car. At most you're tying up a hand holding the cell, but that's easily resolved that with a quick "hold on!" during accident avoidance maneuvers.

I will never understand how phones cause a lack of SA. They do for some people, but it's a foreign concept to me.
 
Henning said:
That's a difference between you and me Mari, I would have made an announcement to the Pax to "Look out to the left" and clocked the guy.
Click to expand...
Visions of all the safety reports I would be filling out were dancing in my head....

And the passengers were well aware of what was going on. We all had a good laugh over it.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Used to hear that a LOT at truck stops, but it was usually just drivers. When I did hear the occasional idiot trying to make a business deal in the bathroom, I made sure to make as many noises as possible and/or flush to make it clear to those on the other end where the idiot was...

... And what's really crazy is, my current place in Milwaukee has a phone jack next to the toilet. So someone started breaking "the rules" a LONG time ago and even paid someone to facilitate it.

Sheesh.
Click to expand...

I can only think of a few possibilities... :fingerwag:
 
wsuffa said:
I was in an airline executive lounge (you know, those pay-for "club lounges") in O'Hare one day and heard a gentleman having a loud conversation on cellphone. Listening for a minute I concluded that he was a private equity guy having a conversation with a colleague about funding a deal... they were discussing the potential CEO in somewhat unflattering terms - and I heard enough to know who the company was AND that the CEO was a friend of mine.
Click to expand...

Wow.

So what did he think when you told him? :eek:
 
Maybe the TRs would have gotten his attention. :D

Ooh, bet a 20 series Lear would have ended that call
 
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bbchien said:
I used to carry a can powered boathorn every time I went to 06C because of a certain lineman.....fits right through the little side window.
Click to expand...

LOL. I would love to see a video of that in action! :lol:
 
Pi1otguy said:
For the life of me, I never understood the difference between a talking on a phone and talking to a pax in your car. At most you're tying up a hand holding the cell, but that's easily resolved that with a quick "hold on!" during accident avoidance maneuvers.

I will never understand how phones cause a lack of SA. They do for some people, but it's a foreign concept to me.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm not sure what the difference is either, but there appears to be a significant difference:

http://www.switched.com/2009/10/21/clown-on-a-unicycle-goes-unnoticed-by-cell-phone-users/
 
rpadula said:
Well, I'm not sure what the difference is either, but there appears to be a significant difference:

http://www.switched.com/2009/10/21/clown-on-a-unicycle-goes-unnoticed-by-cell-phone-users/
Click to expand...

I think the difference is that some people are able to multitask and some aren't. I believe that pilots have cultivated the skill - because they must!. I certainly don't have a problem talking on a phone or radio while operating a vehicle (or airplane). Having said that, I don't make phone calls while doing either. I will answer incoming calls if the workload permits. On occasion I will take part in a conference call while on the road. They tend to be 95% listening anyway, and don't seem to present a problem.

I think another factor is emotional involvement. There is little of it in most business or coordination of activities communications. On the other hand, bad news or an argument can be riveting. Reasonable people will see to it that such matters are restricted to the proper time and place - but there are many who have not the sense to do so. Unfortunately, they are quite likely to get in your way (or you in theirs) while so preoccupied. About the only thing you can do about the situation is to exercise self control yourself - and watch out for those who are unable to do so.

Dave
 
rpadula said:
Well, I'm not sure what the difference is either, but there appears to be a significant difference:

http://www.switched.com/2009/10/21/clown-on-a-unicycle-goes-unnoticed-by-cell-phone-users/
Click to expand...
This, from the article, is what I think is the most significant difference.
Firstly, face-to-face conversationalists might be more aware of their environment since both parties are subject to the same variables.
Click to expand...
If you are talking to someone in the same car you are both aware when the conditions warrant paying more attention (unless the other person is a child) and hopefully the speaker will shut up. Someone talking on a cell phone to another person in a car has none of those cues that they might be distracting the driver.
 
Everskyward said:
Visions of all the safety reports I would be filling out were dancing in my head....

And the passengers were well aware of what was going on. We all had a good laugh over it.
Click to expand...


I never worry about paperwork, it's usually pretty simple. "Dumbass was where he wasn't supposed to be and wasn't paying attention, so he got clocked when I taxied by. This is why people aren't supposed to be walking around the runways and taxi ways, because airplanes present a hazard. It seems that the airport was lax in training and supervising their workers and contractors. Who the hell told him it was "OK" to be hanging around in aircraft movement and operations areas?"

Always put the burden of responsibility on the people who allowed the unsafe situation to occur.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Wow.

So what did he think when you told him? :eek:
Click to expand...

My friend took it into account as he was dealing with the guy. Come to think of it, my friend found another financial partner for the deal (and made the new financial partner very happy ;) )....
 
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