Coming Soon To A Library Near You: Cell Phone Fines For Rudeness

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=2228603' target='_blank'>http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=2228603</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Turn that cell phone off before you enter a library in Huntington Beach -- or it could cost you up to a thousand dollars in fines. A new ordinance that takes effect September 15th bans all cell phone use in libraries. That includes talking, text messaging and ringing tones of any kind. First-time violators will be warned, then fined 250 dollars if they don't comply. A second offense gets a 500 dollar fine and third-time offenders will pay a thousand bucks."</i><br /><br />8O That fine seems a little excessive to me for a cell phone usage. I think it's more reasonable to start the fines at $150 and go to a max of $400. Either way, it doesn't really matter to me, as I'm always aware of my phones state, and I am always changing it based on where I am and what I'm doing. 8)

[Jerry Raia]

So if I get on a library computer and send an instant message will I be fined too? Seems stupid to me :roll:

[revolution.cx]

What's a library again?

[Kris Kumar]

This is not good. :-(

I use my Smartphone at the library to note down the name of the book or to take some quick notes.

I can see why they are doing it. Because some people may have keypad (press) sound ON. Which means that when they are text messaging, it can annoy the people.

[Mike Temporale]

What's a library again?

It's the other place you go to look things up. Not Google.

(of course, if you're lucky enough to have the Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia (http://www.revolution.cx/enc/Pocket-PC-Encyclopedia.htm), then you'll almost never need one. :wink: )

[Macguy59]

If the goal is to stop cell phone calls then why not set the fine high? I would like to see something similar for movie theaters.

[randalllewis]

Having a policy to ask people to talk outside or to turn off ring tones and key tones is fine and should be enforced by library security, but fines are overkill. I suppose the typing on computer keys and the whiring of the copy machines annoys some people too and it certainly breaks the illusion of silence in a library. I don't see how anyone silently text messaging in a library can disturb anyone else.

We are seeing more and more of this over the top backlash against cell phone users. There are plenty of boorish and thoughtless folks out there using mobiles but huge fines and civil infractions are not the way to fix the problem in a free society.