Cell phones are annoying – all the more so because of their ubiquity. Sure, we’re all very attached to our phones and feel helpless without them but is there any good reason to be glued to the handset ALL the time?
Hold that thought while I go back to the ubiquity business I mentioned earlier. I find myself being practically assaulted by cell phones. If it’s not the cleaner at work playing that cheap Sheila song on his 2000-rupee Nokia and grinning lasciviously in the process, it’s the self important auntie on her 3G iPhone in the restaurant who must inform all and sundry that she’s had SUCH a busy week what with the partying, socialising and lawn exhibitions.
And this is only the tip of the iceberg.
I have told myself repeatedly that I need to be more patient, so fine, I will shut up when random people insist on having their personal conversations in public places, I will hold my peace when someone’s phone keeps beeping in the movie theatre, and I will try not to cringe when an annoying ringtone goes off in church. However, there are limits to everyone’s endurance and under no circumstances am I willing to tolerate cell phones on airplanes.
You would think that people would follow safety instructions to the letter when they’re flying at 30,000 feet in a big metal bird. But that would be the sensible thing to do and if we’re honest with ourselves, we will admit that good sense and Pakistanis have very little to do with each another. So, as I discovered on a recent flight to Dubai, plenty of passengers (all Pakistani, mind you) decided to ignore the crew’s repeated pleas to “switch off your phone” and one particularly cheeky man even filmed the clouds with his BlackBerry, circa 30,000 feet. What he plans to do with that footage is anybody’s guess. :konfused:
I wondered with disgust at what kind of person would endanger their own life, not to mention the lives of hundreds of others, all of the sake of a bit of self importance or rebellion (take your pick), until two fairly close friends admitted that they regularly leave their phones on in-flight. One of them calmly explained that he uses his cabin time to type emails on his BlackBerry! When I said that I didn’t ever want to be on a plane with him, he laughed it off saying that I was being silly and there is no proof that a cell phone has ever caused a plane crash.
To be fair he is partially correct; there are lots of independent studies on the subject and none of them contain conclusive evidence that cell phone interference has ever been responsible for an aviation disaster. However, there is no solid proof to the contrary either.
Now those who are familiar with the TV show Air Crash Investigations on National Geographic will know that it is extraordinarily difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of an air crash. It involves a great deal of time and money and it is precisely for this reason that most of aviation’s governing bodies have decided that it is not worth their while to investigate the link between cell phones and air crashes when they can simply get people to switch off their phones.
Some may say this is not the ideal situation and the industry needs to do proper research, others will say that some airlines allow cell phone usage so it really cannot be dangerous, and then you have the really mature lot of folk who say that rules are meant to be broken. These are the same people who will tell you that the reason they run a red light is because the cops are corrupt and the roads are bad and no one else follows the rules anyway. To this, my very mature response is: yeah right, whatever.
Ultimately people can come up with any number of excuses to break the rules but here’s my two cents worth of wisdom: first, is anyone really so important and indispensable that they cannot afford to switch off their phone for a few hours? If anything, it can be a liberating experience. And secondly, in the absence of industry accepted research and concrete evidence, isn’t it better to be safe than sorry? Does anyone really want to be responsible for an aviation disaster particularly when it means that they themselves could end up dead!
To my mind, switching off your cell phone on a plane is just common sense but then, what is it that they say about common sense?
Well Arleitter paai, the cause of your orgasm is quite obvious here. But yeah, I hate when people keep their phones switched on, and are even on the phones talking while they have been instructed multiple times to switch them off.
I hate when people do that on planes. Unko jitna bhi kaho ke cell phone band karlo they don't listen. I have no idea why they're so intent on keeping them on.
Most new phones have a "aeroplane" mode. It's the radio transmitter which causes interference in cockpit communications. In plane mode, it's perfectly safe to leave phone switched ON and use it's other features (like- making videos of clouds or air-stewards).
Most new phones have a "aeroplane" mode. It's the radio transmitter which causes interference in cockpit communications. In plane mode, it's perfectly safe to leave phone switched ON and use it's other features (like- making videos of clouds or air-stewards).
Haha, this is true.
As for the evidence, MythBusters did an episode on it and they did prove interference although modern aircraft Comms are pretty well insulated against such interference. Its a safety precaution, a Just-In-Case :)
So, as I discovered on a recent flight to Dubai, plenty of passengers (all Pakistani, mind you) decided to ignore the crew’s repeated pleas to “switch off your phone” and one particularly cheeky man even filmed the clouds with his BlackBerry, circa 30,000 feet. What he plans to do with that footage is anybody’s guess.
Oh this goes for South Asians (Indians included Arlietter) and Arabs.
I do not know then how some Airlines do have Mobile Phone Access facility during flight.
as Gidsa said, its not a real thread to keep the cell phone on. Its just a precaution.
Haviing said that, its amazing that how our people refuse to obey a simple law. That is one reason I love USA. forget about cell phone, if flight attendant says that you cannot get up as seat belt sign is on, people hold on to their pees for long time and keep sitting. Total obedience.
as Gidsa said, its not a real thread to keep the cell phone on. Its just a precaution.
Haviing said that, its amazing that how our people refuse to obey a simple law. That is one reason I love USA. forget about cell phone, if flight attendant says that you cannot get up as seat belt sign is on, people hold on to their pees for long time and keep sitting. Total obedience.
Word! And its also nice how the people have streamlined the process, the plane lands, everyone waits till the plane taxied and then once the doors open, everyone gets up right away, disperse in an orderly way; effective, quick, and civilized... That is how it should be.
once the doors open, everyone gets up right away, disperse in an orderly way; effective, quick, and civilized...
yes that always amazes me. People wait for the person in front of them to take the luggage out of the bin and start walking, no one breaks the line, no one cuts through anyone, they wait patiently.
FFS, I commented on that yesterday and my comment’s still ‘awaiting moderation’. I hate Dawn’s mods.
Anyway, it’s funny the writer has a problem with people using phones at 30000 feet. You only need them switched off during take off and landing. You can do whatever you want once you’re up in the air. Also reminds me of this :
yes that always amazes me. People wait for the person in front of them to take the luggage out of the bin and start walking, no one breaks the line, no one cuts through anyone, they wait patiently.
you know after you get used to seeing that, all it takes is one PIA flight make your blood boil! :D
you know after you get used to seeing that, all it takes is one PIA flight make your blood boil! :D
hahaha, that is so true. Few years ago I had this experience. On my way to Pakistan, I had a plane change at Dubai. When I re-entered the plane, one uncle was sitting at my seat. I said politely that he is sitting at my seat. Forget about him answering me, he turned his face away from me and refused to even acknowledge my presence. I got ticked but before I could say anything, his nephew who was sitting in the adjacent seat said 'bhai jaan, aap iss wali seat pe baith jain (pointing towards the middle seat).
TLK i hope u did not just take the middle seat, if there is one thing I can not stand its lack of courtesy and civility. I dont care if i have to tell someone off and then have to sit next to them for a 7 hour flight. it would be something if they make a request because the dude had some issue and has to go to the restroom frequently and thus needs to be in the aisle seat. I have seen this in certain flights that people sat down in seats that were not theirs but they just decided to do that, and its not just Pakistan, middle east is pretty bad as well.
I did. I guess I am that stupid. I had a window seat and uncle jee wanted to enjoy the view and totally ignored me. I was exhausted by an already lengthy flight so I just gave up.
Nothing like what I saw in another flight once. This was hilarious. This 40 year old aunty was totally flirting with every single male in the flight to Pakistan. No one was giving her a damn. Finally she sat in an empty seat next to an uncle and started flirting with him (you know the desi style of be-takalluf aunties). That uncle was also enjoying. In the middle of the night, he got up to went to the bathroom. As soon as he left, aunty jee lifted the arm rest between 2 seats, grabbed her small pillow and went to sleep using both seats. Uncle jee came back and was shocked to see the aunty grabbing both seats and snoring. He did not have nerves to wake her up. . He had to stand for couple of hours till that aunty completed her nap. hahaha, the price of flirting with aunty that he had to pay.
Haha. I’ve had that problem too, and this was also on a flight from Dubai. I specified my preferred seat at the counter (the one at the front with more legroom, window) and when I got on the plane, paindoo dickwad was sitting in my seat and had the nerve to tell me ‘koi baat nahi, aap peechey wali seat pe baith jayen’. I created a scene right there, told him (loudly enough for everyone else to hear) I specifically chose that seat since I’ve been travelling from London, I needed the legroom and there was no ****ing way I’d sit in the back row. The stewardess made him move back .
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He did not have nerves to wake her up. . He had to stand for couple of hours till that aunty completed her nap. hahaha, the price of flirting with aunty that he had to pay.