PSA on Cellphones
AN OPEN LETTER to the person shouting into her cell phone on campus the other day, so that I could understand her conversation perfectly, outdoors, from over fifty feet away…
If you spoke into my ear from two inches away,
I would hear you.
Your cell phone can easily pick up your normal voice from that range, too, so WHAT MADE YOU THINK SOME COMPLETE STRANGER FIFTY FEET AWAY WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR PRESCRIPTION AND DOCTOR VISITS?
I apologize for shouting, but I wanted to get your attention, as you got mine the other day. Did you know that your cell phone automatically adjusts microphone sensitivity? You never thought about it before?
I don’t suppose you paid attention in science class when they talked about the ‘inverse square law’? No? I’ll spare you the details but the upshot is that you are speaking MUCH louder than necessary into your cell phone. Please get in the habit of speaking in a normal voice into your phone. It takes a bit of conscious effort at first, but everyone around will appreciate it.
Please feel free to copy this picture and share with others.
(Model: MrsDoF)
Ugh. Speaking as someone who just recently got a job taking delivery orders, people need to speak clearly and at a reasonable volume level into their shitty cellphones. Especially when they are so trashed that they can hardly speak and are in a basement at a party. Wait, maybe they just shouldn’t order food in that case. (Lucas shakes fist)
Uh-oh, that’s trouble. A ‘reasonable volume level’ means ‘appropriate to your surroundings’ which requires some thought. They might actually need to shout at a party because the phone mic automatically reduces its sensitivity in loud environments. Of course, if they were sober they’d know to step into a quiet room and speak in a normal voice.