Smart/Cell Phone Distraction

[kingddd]

Recently saw this video and got me thinking a bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHixeIr_6BM

How often are you distracted by your portable phone or other peer's phones? Do you own one?

As the world is now invested in computerized phones, these devices are everywhere. Some owners that own these devices have been very dedicated to using these devices almost to the point of it being the one thing some users cannot live without it. Because of this, some users are so distracted by it so much that many are not focusing on their current situation.

Do you take out your phone immediately when you get a notification? Chatting with face to face conversation only to have them take out their cellphones just to check a text message when a notification sound clicks in? Walking down their street with their phones out in their hands? Meetings where co-workers are more interested in their phones then the suppose task at hand? Movies where people take their phones out? Lectures and class interruptions? Work interruptions?

Of course eventually these distractions have consequences as many of us believe that they themselves can multitask but in reality we are bad at it. Our mind can only process and focused on one thing well no matter how much we are disillusioned by the belief of multitasking.

What do you think of this current issue?

[Gaia]

I honestly believe that the people who do this need some serious self control. I mean, come on, do you need to check your phone every 10 minutes. I may just be speaking from a biased perspective though, as I've never had a phone in my life. I do know some people who I've seen use their phones in class, though.

[AMCC4728]

I think this is Bull...*Buzz Buzz* Hold on, I got a text.

[Ciarre]

Airplane mode/do not disturb OP

I have a habit of not checking my phone often so that's not me. (or it's on airplane mode) Whenever I don't have my phone with me I find it pretty inconvenient because a smartphone is useful for a lot of things like internet/calculator/camera/etc. but I could probably live without it.

[Sunwoo]

I outright refused to use the text message function and had it disabled on my old phone. When I get a call in the car (which is very unlikely in the first place) I either have my passenger answer it, pull over and answer it (only in a neighborhood), ignore it, or use the hands-off feature. The only text message program I use is something that seems to only be used by Koreans (and therefore I only use it when I can't get ahold of my parents by calling).

Perhaps this is just me, but I never quite understood the attachment that so many people nowadays have with their phones. And I see drivers on their cellphones who've done unsafe things on the road (for example, one driver pulled out of a gas station in front of my friend's car when my friend had the right of way, I am almost certain that driver was on a cellphone) and whenever I see people driving around campus with a cellphone I get nervous.

[Parrhesia]

I have a regular phone, and wouldn't use it while driving.

[eclipse]

Texting: WTF is that (mine's more-or-less disabled). Also, illegal here.

Answering the phone: Illegal here, unless it's on Bluetooth.

Since I'd have to break the law to answer the phone/text, and that's a really bad idea while controlling a half-ton of metal going faster than my running speed, NO. It will wait until I park my car.

[deleted35362]

the problem is probably not so much an addiction but that driving alone is boring as all hell.

[Phoenix Wright]

driving in general is awful.

[eclipse]

Say something about the topic, or don't post.

[Wen Yang]

The only reason I even HAVE one of these is for work issues.

Otherwise? I'd rather not have one. They're too annoying.

[Raven]

I have a sticky pad thing where I can rest my phone if someone calls me whilst driving; chuck it onto speaker phone and place it down, talk as though the person was in the car with me. But only if I'm stationary do I bother picking up the phone at all. If the lights turn green when I'm using the phone, I immediately stop using it.

There are many people who do not respect the fact that vehicles and the road in general are one gigantic fucking deathtrap, and someone pays the price for their ignorance, be it themselves or someone else.

[jiodi]

Yeah texting and driving is super dangerous. I'm one of those who checks their phone every half second, even if it's to look at the time. It's one of my ADHD spazzy ticks (like shaking/bouncing my leg when I'm sitting).

I have almost been in numerous accidents so I've been able to curb the spazziness to a degree, but man it is difficult even when I know it's an issue.

[Darros]

I honestly believe that the people who do this need some serious self control. I mean, come on, do you need to check your phone every 10 minutes. I may just be speaking from a biased perspective though, as I've never had a phone in my life. I do know some people who I've seen use their phones in class, though.

When I'm not driving I will literally check my phone every 5 minutes. Even in class. It's a great device for keeping in contact with people constantly and versatile. However, I would never ever ever ever ever ever use my phone when I'm in the car. Instead I just get my passenger to read it. I was actually driving once and I was offered concert tickets to Tegan and Sara, who are among my favorite artists, and I didn't check my phone. By the time I was home I texted my friend back and she'd given them to someone else. It was horrible, so now I just have my passenger read the text for me when I'm out driving. It works great.

[Moira]

Yeah I check my phone every time I get a notification. I almost never get notifications so it's probably important when I do. My phone is a pretty good watch too when I'm not near a clock.

[Shin]

I pretty much use a phone as a watch, with a side function of sometimes being able to contact me if you're lucky. I tend to have it on silent, forget to bring it out with me, leave it my bag or just general not notice I've been sent a message. The chances are if I'm that inattentive to my phone outside of a car, the chances are I'm not going to touch it whilst driving, something that takes most of my attention anyway!

[Ciarre]

Oh is this topic about phones while driving?

Then yeah, I won't even pick up my phone until I get out of the car or a red light or something. I have do not disturb on 24/7 so I don't get sound notifications.

[kingddd]

Oh is this topic about phones while driving?

Then yeah, I won't even pick up my phone until I get out of the car or a red light or something. I have do not disturb on 24/7 so I don't get sound notifications.

This is phone distraction in general.

[Kiriane]

Do you take out your phone immediately when you get a notification? Depends on how important the text is that I'm expecting
Chatting with face to face conversation only to have them take out their cellphones just to check a text message when a notification sound clicks in? Sometimes they do that. I only do when I'm expecting something important, and it can always wait until I finish my point and say, excuse me for a second.
Walking down their street with their phones out in their hands? Bad bad bad idea.
Meetings where co-workers are more interested in their phones then the suppose task at hand? Seen it.
Movies where people take their phones out? Lectures and class interruptions? They're usually good enough to keep it on silent, and sure, I spent most of my lecture hours in school only half listening at best.
Work interruptions? Not sure what you mean, people use their phones for work all the time.

In short, there's always the question of how important is the text you're expecting? Important enough to do something relatively impolite in company?

[MacLovin]

I try not to get fully latched to my electronic leash.

I don't have a twitter/instagram account for that reason.

[Bluedoom]

I used to just stick to using a normal nokia set because I didn't see a reason to use a smartphone.

The problem was that my biology lecturer in high school sent most of her notes/ important information on a whatsapp group which I wasn't part of because my cell phone didn't support whatsapp. I missed out on a lot of good stuff and struggled for the whole of senior year but I manages to get good marks in the end.

So then I bought a smart phone just so that I can be prepared for situations like these and its also a good way to keep in touch with my former classmates but I'm not addicted to it. I think a lot of people make their lives dependent on their cell phones that it really puzzles me but it can easily be avoided.