Was Life better before Mobile phones became common ??

by TRUSSMAN66 Mon Nov 04, 2013 1:00 pm

Remember the blissful days when your wife straightened your tie, gave you a kiss on the cheek and then you knew you had 8 hours of escape until the next time you were destined to converse...

You remember when you could drive to work without some dozy chick nearly walking in front of your car whilst texting out viciously some banal needless statement on her blackberry..

You remember when you could have a conversation with someone without an irritating bubble gum ringing tone going off during the conversation......

Remember when you could leave the house in peace without getting 8 texts about what to bring in when you're on your way back, how much money your son wants from you or an irate red head looking to prolong the argument which was the reason you left the house in the first place..

Yes you have the the whole world in your hand and a means to communicate with who you like whenever you like..

But is it worth it........??

by Guest Mon Nov 04, 2013 1:05 pm

For every scientist with the ability to instantly share his important work with a colleagues on the other side of the world, there's some **** who decides it's worthwhile telling everyone just how amazing bananas are!

Sadly as there are more banana obsessed ****s than scientists doing important work (by the way, creating a longer lasting mascara ISN'T important science in my book, I don't care if you do have a white coat and work in a lab) so yes, life is worse due to the proliferation of idiots with access to the internet on their phones.

by TRUSSMAN66 Mon Nov 04, 2013 1:07 pm

Very well put..........I like your style..

by kingraf Tue Nov 05, 2013 4:36 pm

The truth is - I don't know!

by **ShahenshahG** Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:00 pm

Yes. Yes it was.

by Luckless Pedestrian Wed Nov 06, 2013 8:47 am

Before mobile phones became common, if you were going to meet someone, you designated a time and a place to meet; if you were running late, you had no way of letting the other person know, so you did everything you could to turn up on time. The problem now (in my experience) is that because people have mobiles and can let you know if they're running late, they don't make the same effort to arrive on time. That's one of the downsides of mobiles.

by Lumbering_Jack Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:16 am

Depends not reason you use it. My girlfriend doesn't pester me with stupid comments because I refuse to respond. So for me life it better for having a mobile as I don't use it for things which annoy me such as Facebook, Twitter and taking pictures of my tea.

by Mind the windows Tino. Wed Nov 06, 2013 10:27 am

It was my birthday yesterday. My brother, who is older than 12, sent me a text to say happy birthday and put a smiley face on it.

I'm with Shah. Yes. Yes it was.

They are not as excruciatingly feckless as Tw*tbook but still allow grownups to act like di*ks.

by Rowley Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:20 am

Happy birthday for yesterday Tina. How old are you, 36 if I have been paying attention.

by Mind the windows Tino. Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:22 am

Rowley wrote:Happy birthday for yesterday Tina. How old are you, 36 if I have been paying attention.

Thanks mate. 36 is correct.

I don't look a day over 35 though.

by Rowley Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:25 am

Any chance you will be celebrating by putting the next round of the cup up?

by Mind the windows Tino. Wed Nov 06, 2013 11:28 am

Rowley wrote:Any chance you will be celebrating by putting the next round of the cup up?

Tomorrow morning will herald the final round.

ChequeredJersey has sent his pick now so I will get it all sorted for the morning. The excitement is unbearable.

by The Fourth Lion Fri Nov 08, 2013 7:30 am

I am at a stage of life where I can reasonably play the senile idiot who doesn't know how a mobile phone works, and play that card to my advantage.

When I choose to ignore some fool who has texted me for whatever reason, and they pick me up on it later, I smile my apologetic "Oh dear, I must have pressed a wrong button or something and deleted it. I'm so sorry" smile and see the look in their eye that suggests they're thinking "daft old git" whilst saying "It's alright, it wasn't that important" (which I knew already, anyway).

A mobile phone is a good servant, but a rotten master. I frequently turn mine off when I don't want to be disturbed (say, when I'm at the library). I can catch up with any texts I want to read, or voicemail messages when I turn it back on. This also shows consideration for others who may not want to hear my ringtone whilst they're trying to read Proust.

As for those who wander out into the road in front of taxis whilst texting, well, they might learn the error of their ways when they end up as some cabbie's bonnet mascot. And that really would be a case of Nobody But Themselves To Blame.

Take charge of your mobile. Show it who's boss. It has an 'off' button, you know.

by Champagne_Socialist Fri Nov 08, 2013 7:49 am

I use my phone as a sat nav as it has one built in to it.

by dyrewolfe Fri Nov 08, 2013 4:30 pm

I don't know about life in general, but I think people were definitely better before mobile phones became common.

A while back a friend and I helped a lady motorist whose car had packed up at a junction, pushing it to a nearby garage. During the whole time (a good 10-15 minutes) she had her phone glued to her ear and didn't even stop to thank us, or even acknowledge our assistance.

Last time I do that for anyone...

Similarly, its quite annoying having people bump into you, or having to take evasive action, due to idiots so busy talking or texting, or checking their Facebook pages, that they're not even watching where they're going.

by Mr Fishpaste Tue Dec 03, 2013 5:14 pm

People are more anxious because of mobile phones. In the past, if I was driving from A to B, no one would be concerned if I didn't let them know about my progress every hour. Now, if you don't answer your phone, are tell people where you are, they assume the worst and panic.

by Mr Fishpaste Tue Dec 03, 2013 5:16 pm

Oh yes:...and I'm sick of people interrupting a conversation to answer their mobile. If the person who was phoning were to arrive in person, they'd have to wait until the prior conversation ended before butting in - but somehow, if you butt in by phone it's fine...

by **Biltong** Tue Dec 03, 2013 9:48 pm

As I get older the more I value my privacy.

There are times when you wish for some quiet time or a break from society and with the ways of communication open to modern society these days it is very difficult to get away from it all.

Even when I am on holiday and I switch my phone off, the guilt of knowing my clients expect me to be available at all times inevitabky forces me to switch on my phone to listen to my messages.

by CFCNick Tue Dec 03, 2013 10:02 pm

I remember going to my mates house and finding out he's out somewhere. So for the next 3-4 hours I'd knock on his door about six times. I remember playing out from about 7am, we'd always plan to meet up that early on the weekends, and come home in the mid afternoon to find the whole family had gone out. So I'd sit alone for what could be 30 mins to 2-3 hours. Playing games with anything in the front and back garden.

I feel sorry that kids won't have the kind of childhood I had. Feel like I was part of the last group of the pre-tech generation. Everyone I've spoken two even 5 years younger than me had an alien upbringing compared to mine.

by Luckless Pedestrian Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:57 am

I know what you mean, Nick. Making your own entertainment, or just sitting and contemplating, seems to be becoming a thing of the past. And with it, in my opinion, goes original thought.

by **Galted** Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:32 am

Yes and no, will use a recent example.

Had a date at the end of October and, unsure where we were going to go, we decided to meet up on the stairs leading down to the fountains at Trafalgar Square. Unbeknownst to us there was a big Diwali festival on, including a concert, and the whole area was rammed. Pre-mobile phone it would have been virtually impossible to find each other but a couple of texts solved that problem. On the flip-side though, watched a bit of the concert from the balcony in front of the National Gallery and the crowd was just a sea of smartphones, they all seemed to be filming the concert instead of actually watching it, presumably to put it on Facebook so all their friends could Like it without bothering to watch it either.

by Luckless Pedestrian Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:35 am

I have a couple of cousins who I swear don't do anything without photographing it and putting it on Facebook. What makes them think anyone cares? I don't even take photos when I'm on holiday!

by Il Gialloblu Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:57 am

Galted wrote:Had a date at the end of October and,

by **Galted** Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:00 am

Il Gialloblu wrote:
Galted wrote:Had a date at the end of October and,

It was with Rowley but don't let on.

by **seanmichaels** Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:21 am

Rowley doesn't have a mobile?

by **Galted** Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:32 am

Oh sh1t, the web of lies is unravelling.

by Rowley Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:38 am

seanmichaels wrote:Rowley doesn't have a mobile?

Who needs a mobile when you have pigeons.

by **Galted** Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:42 am

Rowley wrote:
seanmichaels wrote:Rowley doesn't have a mobile?
Who needs a mobile when you have pigeons.

Don't know if that makes the Trafalgar Square scenario more or less likely.

by **ShahenshahG** Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:45 am

Galted wrote:
Rowley wrote:
seanmichaels wrote:Rowley doesn't have a mobile?
Who needs a mobile when you have pigeons.
Don't know if that makes the Trafalgar Square scenario more or less likely.

Pigeons have their advantages though, if they coo at you, you can snap their necks and get another one. Tried that with my aunt and now i'm living in Tommy Robinson's shed

by TopHat24/7 Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:48 am

CFCNick wrote:Feel like I was part of the last group of the pre-tech generation. Everyone I've spoken two even 5 years younger than me had an alien upbringing compared to mine.

You're 23....????!!

by **seanmichaels** Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:52 am

I remember one bloke in my 6th form had a mobile. That was 1997

by Rowley Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:58 am

A guy who works in our London office does not have a mobile phone. I have nothing but admiration for him. I resisted for as long as humanly possible as I don’t particularly like them. I lead a reasonably dull life and am either at work, at home or out. If I am at either of the first two people close to me will be able to get hold of me, if I at the latter I do not want to speak to anyone so really did not see the need for one.

Only cracked when I bought an old Vespa and as anyone who has ever owned such a machine will know they are not the most reliable of things and so it’s fairly flexible approach to actually working made a mobile phone a necessary evil.

by Guest Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:02 pm

Went to see Andy Parsons in Burnley last month and he made a comment about the futility of people constantly checking Facebook for updates. In a pre-Facebook era, it would be the equivalent of going to your front door every five minutes just to see if anyone was there.

by Luckless Pedestrian Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:12 pm

Rowley wrote:I lead a reasonably dull life and am either at work, at home or out.

Where else could you be? Headscratch

by Rowley Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:13 pm

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:
Rowley wrote:I lead a reasonably dull life and am either at work, at home or out.
Where else could you be?

Fair point.

by Guest Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:17 pm

Do you class the trip between home and work as being "out" or is "out" reserved for things you do in your spare time?

I'm either out, at home, at work or en route.

by TopHat24/7 Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:19 pm

seanmichaels wrote:I remember one bloke in my 6th form had a mobile. That was 1997

I remember getting my first mobile aged 16, just before sitting my GCSE's, so that was early-mid 2000. Quite a few people already had one by then from memory.

by **Galted** Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:26 pm

When I'm at one of the following I wouldn't class myself as being at work, at home, or out:
off-licence
Sainsburys

by Guest Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:28 pm

Galted wrote:When I'm at one of the following I wouldn't class myself as being at work, at home, or out:
off-licence
Sainsburys

Couldn't you get your beer from Sainsbury's thus freeing up valuable to time to be somewhere else?

by **Galted** Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:32 pm

I could but Sainsburys operate a less alcohol for more money policy. And I have to pass the offie on the way back which could cause some awkwardness.

by Guest Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:39 pm

In reference to my comment on the "3.9 million families in debt" thread

May I suggest shopping at Aldi?

They operate a "look at the state of everyone else shopping here, they're in no position to be judgmental" policy

by **Galted** Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:52 pm

Just went onto their website and, randomly, decided on cheese, only to be confronted by this...

Don't be cheese bored!

At this stage I though to myself, "f**k you, Aldi".

They don't even have halloumi.

by **seanmichaels** Wed Dec 04, 2013 1:06 pm

Galted wrote:Just went onto their website and, randomly, decided on cheese, only to be confronted by this...

Don't be cheese bored!

At this stage I though to myself, "f**k you, Aldi".

They don't even have halloumi.

Aldi is cracking. The three things I enjoy buying most are significantly cheaper - alcohol, plants & firefuel.

Cheese isn't bad there in all fairness. Olive oils, jarred pickles etc all very reasonable as well. They've just started a 'tesco finest' sort of range on meats. I'm reliably informed their steaks are top notch.

Only criticism is that my cats won't eat their food. That would save me a bloody fortune if they did.

by Guest Wed Dec 04, 2013 1:11 pm

seanmichaels wrote:
Galted wrote:Just went onto their website and, randomly, decided on cheese, only to be confronted by this...

Don't be cheese bored!

At this stage I though to myself, "f**k you, Aldi".

They don't even have halloumi.
Aldi is cracking. The three things I enjoy buying most are significantly cheaper - alcohol, plants & firefuel.

Cheese isn't bad there in all fairness. Olive oils, jarred pickles etc all very reasonable as well. They've just started a 'tesco finest' sort of range on meats. I'm reliably informed their steaks are top notch.

Only criticism is that my cats won't eat their food. That would save me a bloody fortune if they did.

"Top notch" might be stretching it a bit but they're certainly very good. I'm quite happy to buy their steak as well given that after my wife's finished torturing it, it all tastes the bloody same whether whether it's from Aldi or Harrod's. I love her dearly but cooking is NOT her strong point.

They do a decent line in beers and I'm tempted to shell out on their Malt Whiskey this Xmas.

by Luckless Pedestrian Wed Dec 04, 2013 1:24 pm

seanmichaels wrote:
Galted wrote:Just went onto their website and, randomly, decided on cheese, only to be confronted by this...

Don't be cheese bored!

At this stage I though to myself, "f**k you, Aldi".

They don't even have halloumi.
Aldi is cracking. The three things I enjoy buying most are significantly cheaper - alcohol, plants & firefuel.

Cheese isn't bad there in all fairness. Olive oils, jarred pickles etc all very reasonable as well. They've just started a 'tesco finest' sort of range on meats. I'm reliably informed their steaks are top notch.

Only criticism is that my cats won't eat their food. That would save me a bloody fortune if they did.

My dog's happy enough with their dog food. But then she'd probably be happy enough with their cat food.

by The Fourth Lion Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:01 am

CFCNick wrote:I remember going to my mates house and finding out he's out somewhere. So for the next 3-4 hours I'd knock on his door about six times. I remember playing out from about 7am, we'd always plan to meet up that early on the weekends, and come home in the mid afternoon to find the whole family had gone out. So I'd sit alone for what could be 30 mins to 2-3 hours. Playing games with anything in the front and back garden.

I feel sorry that kids won't have the kind of childhood I had. Feel like I was part of the last group of the pre-tech generation. Everyone I've spoken two even 5 years younger than me had an alien upbringing compared to mine.

You are not alone. We dinosaurs lived in more innocent times and were none the worse off for it.

I remember teaching my nippers how to make a 'telephone' out of two tins and a length of string. Typical females..... couldn't get 'em off it for hours.

Oh, and the Me'm Sahib wanted to know why there was a Tupperware container full of cocoa on the kitchen worktop.

Happy days.

by TopHat24/7 Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:40 am

The Fourth Lion wrote:
CFCNick wrote:I remember going to my mates house and finding out he's out somewhere. So for the next 3-4 hours I'd knock on his door about six times. I remember playing out from about 7am, we'd always plan to meet up that early on the weekends, and come home in the mid afternoon to find the whole family had gone out. So I'd sit alone for what could be 30 mins to 2-3 hours. Playing games with anything in the front and back garden.

I feel sorry that kids won't have the kind of childhood I had. Feel like I was part of the last group of the pre-tech generation. Everyone I've spoken two even 5 years younger than me had an alien upbringing compared to mine.

You are not alone. We dinosaurs lived in more innocent times and were none the worse off for it.

I remember teaching my nippers how to make a 'telephone' out of two tins and a length of string. Typical females..... couldn't get 'em off it for hours.

Oh, and the Me'm Sahib wanted to know why there was a Tupperware container full of cocoa on the kitchen worktop.

Happy days.

'We dinosaurs' - I believe you're at least twice his age, 4L!! He's your daughters' generation!

by **ShahenshahG** Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:48 am

Aye we used to play with strings and cans at age four/five we'd wait by the alleyway next tp the shop just out of sight of each other and talk nonsense, then ever so often a posh boy would walk past and we'd turn the toy into a garrote and relieve him of his lucky bags.

Brings a tear to my eye.

by Il Gialloblu Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:50 am

I bet it did him too, depending on what you mean by 'lucky bags'.

by **ShahenshahG** Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:54 am

Just a packet of sweets and little toys for kids in a big yellow bag designed to make children so annoying that it was bought for them to save the hassle.

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