Cell Phone Jammer Use On The Rise

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/40168.htm">http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/40168.htm</a><br /><br /><i>"Unsuspecting cellphone users may find themselves saying that more often now that cellphone jammers — illegal gizmos that interfere with signals and cut off reception — are selling like hotcakes on the streets of New York. "I bought one online, and I love it," said one jammer owner fed up with the din of dumb conversations and rock-and-roll ringtones. "I use it on the bus all the time. I always zap the idiots who discuss what they want from the Chinese restaurant so that everyone can hear them. Why is that necessary?"</i><br /><br />A part of me can sympathize with users of a jammer. I got behind some guy at the dry cleaners the other day and the man behind the counter was unable to conduct business with the guy because he kept saying "pardon me" and yammering away with someone at this office. Meanwhile, the line behind him was growing, and I was in it. If I had access to a jammer, I'd have flipped it on. :devilboy: <br /><br />Still, it is illegal and can cause a risk to lives because they interfere with emergency equipment. It wouldn't be a problem if people were just considerate and wouldn't talk so loudly and just blather on and on about nothing in the middle of public places. :?

[shawnc]

I know its wrong, both legally and morally, I also know people have a right to hold conversations in public places in whatever manner they please, but if I could get my hands on one of these I would buy one in a New York minute. Inconsiderate, rude people tend to drive reasonable people to act unreasonably.

[gorkon280]

I can see how someone would be mad, but I think that these jammers are just as likely to get someone mad as well! ;) Even if I had one, I would only use it in extreme situations. I find nothign wrong with people yakking on thier phone on the bus, so long as they are quite about it. I tend to not use my phone on the bus because sometimes it just is difficult to use it on the bus because of the bus. Buses are the noisiest things concerning RF and I have had many a dropped call when on the bus.

[juni]

...and I have had many a dropped call when on the bus

Maybe you got jammed? ;)

[PDANEWBIE]

OMG where do you buy these jammers... I wouldn't use it on others.... I would just use it on my wife to get a meal where we actually talk without her answering her cell! That and the fact that she has thought about implanting a phone earbud and mic into the side of her head!

Sign me up for any law that says its okay for one spouse to jam another spose in order to have a decient conversation! :)

[Silver5]

This isn't about technology, this is about people. People are generally not that sensible, nor sensitive to others around them, and will do whatever they feel is pleasing at the time. My main issue with cell phones is that people show more respect to the person on the other end of the line than they show to the people in front of their face. I don't like the idea of jammers. They are going to end up causing problems instead of really helping, but I really do understand why people would want them.

[ppc_kiwi]

While it has merits, the demerits out weights the merits. I can see a dummy accidentally activating a jammer while on a plane. Or on a live 911 nearby, somebody jams a call intended for another and jamming instead the 911 call...etc.. And so the reason why it's illegal to purchase jammers. (IMHO) 8O

[dedman]

I would love to see this kind of thing used "legally" in movie theaters!!! I don't think I've been to a movie in the past 3 years that at least one cell phone hasn't gone off.

[scottb100]

Do a google search and you will find many.

[Jonathan1]

Hmm now if they can invent one that also jams iPods I'd be one happy fellow. Had some idiot standing at the fast food counter at the Mall of America ordering food while they were listening to something. It took about 15 seconds for the rep to actually tell the person how much their bill was. She ended up pointing to the LCD on the reg. She and I both had A LOOK as the idiot walked off. :?

I would give such a crap about cell phones, PDAs, and, iPods if it wasn't for the fact that common courtesy seems to have gone right out the freaking window.

Seem the only way to get people to act a tad decent is to at least force their hardware to be. That shouldn't be the cause but here we are. :worried: I see rude people everywhere. They are rude. They just don’t know they are rude and don’t care.

[Jonathan1]

I would love to see this kind of thing used "legally" in movie theaters!!! I don't think I've been to a movie in the past 3 years that at least one cell phone hasn't gone off.

What is the range of one of these things? Could I take one into a theatre and successfully cover the room? :D

Edit: Never mind. Google is a wonderful thing.

[Jon Westfall]

Its probably out there, but what I now want is something that can detect the jammer. That way, if I need to make a call in public (i.e. emergency, etc..) and someone is jamming my phone, I can easily locate the device and uh.. disable it... with my fist.

Also probably out there, and way more useful to me, would be a general cell signal enhancer, since my house is in the borderzone of coverage. Anyone know where I could get one of those?

[Jonathan1]

Its probably out there, but what I now want is something that can detect the jammer. That way, if I need to make a call in public (i.e. emergency, etc..) and someone is jamming my phone, I can easily locate the device and uh.. disable it... with my fist.

Also probably out there, and way more useful to me, would be a general cell signal enhancer, since my house is in the borderzone of coverage. Anyone know where I could get one of those?

Umm doing some googling the range is something like 30-50' for the portable devices. If you can't walk that distance its not that important to you.

[Jonathan1]

Also probably out there, and way more useful to me, would be a general cell signal enhancer, since my house is in the borderzone of coverage. Anyone know where I could get one of those?

Don't know about cell phones but WIFI signal boosters are as illegal as scramblers.

[buzzard]

Next I want to see a grocery cart that's large enough to slam into and totally destroy someone else's shopper's cart that has been inconsiderately blocking an aisle and the owner cannot hear "excuse me" on the 3rd attempt. After that I want to drive an Abram's tank because there are always inconsiderate drivers on the road. Having done all of that, a shoulder launch missle for use in a theatre at the offending cellphone ringer (some precision needed here for the sake of the other people in the area). :devilboy:

[stlbud]

I'm all for it and will buy one soon. Many have cited the same reasons I have. Sitting in a restaurant trying to enjoy a meal while some jerk at the next table is loudly blathering into their phone about backed up sewage or a failing business deal is not my idea of a pleasant time. And don't get me started about theaters. I payed good money to enjoy the show, I don't care about your mother's bunions!

It really is a matter of inconsideration and just plain rudeness. Cut them off. They will never understand why they can't be allowed to yack any time they want.

It's sad that so many people are so insecure they can't break away from their phones while enjoying good food or good entertainment. And no, I don't care about the color of your kid's puke this morning!

Bill B.

[Paragon]

If you can't walk that distance its not that important to you.

It is if I'm out somewhere with my wife and there is an emergency at home with one of the kids.....The person who jams that call will find his jamming equipment in a new home, in a shady spot where the sun don't shine!!!

Emergencies exist in our lives and thanks to the rise of cellular use we can handle those situations much better today. I will never willing step backwards because some folks out there are annoying with their use of cell phones. Given time our culture will come to grips with this issue in a way that is much less obtrusive to everyone on both sides of the fence.

Dave

[DaleReeck]

I'd like to know who thinks they have the right to block other people's cell phone signals on a public site like a bus. That's way more arrogant than some inconsiderate cell phone users.

[Rob Alexander]

I would love to see this kind of thing used "legally" in movie theaters!!! I don't think I've been to a movie in the past 3 years that at least one cell phone hasn't gone off.

There is a device that business owners can install to create a cellular dead zone. I'm pretty sure we discussed it here last year and that it's legal if properly shielded. I would be perfectly content if my local movie theater installed one.

The personal jammer is no solution for anything, though. There have always been rude people and there always will be. Retaliation of this sort is a poor response and is at least as bad as the original offense. Someone may be obnoxious for 'sharing' their phone calls with the surrounding community, but you are no better if you take it upon yourself to unilaterally police their behavior. As others have pointed out, you can't know the full consequences of your jamming and you could cost someone their life by unintentionally preventing an unknown person from reaching help in an emergency.

[PDANEWBIE]

Personally I think some places should be okay and others not. Things like a bus you should be able to talk if you want something like a resturant or a movie you should not. Theres a fine line between communication and obnoxious but I don't see why being on a bus means you should get scrambled. Unless your my wife who won't stop to talk to her husband because she is too busy on the cell phone. :devilboy:

Anyone sense my theme here? Oh yeah and my wife is gonna read this when she gets home too :)

Oh yeah and I read this on a webpage -

http://www.newhousenews.com/archive/story1a092200.html

Surreptitiously cutting off cellular telephone access is like snipping off the burning tip of a cigarette because you object to secondhand smoke, jammer foes say. "The answer is etiquette, education, making sure people are using their cell phones in ways that don't invade other people's space," Larson said.

The funny thing I found about this article (where this statement is more for PRO cellphone use) is the US government has banned smoking in most public venues!

[PetiteFlower]

Smoking bans are a state-by-state thing, some places it's illegal to smoke anywhere public and some places you can smoke whereever you want. But if someone's breaking the law, you find a police officer, you don't go after them with a pair of scissors--if nothing else, then because the smoker is likely to pop you one! These cell phone jammers are dangerous because they're anonymous, they can be used with little to no personal risk, which means people are going to be much more likely to jam first and ask questions later.

It's also illegal in many states to talk on the phone while driving, unless you're using a hands free device. But if you see someone doing it, you're much better off writing down the license number and calling the police when you reach your destination then just jamming the call. He'll be a lot more deterred if he gets a big fat ticket in the mail then if he just loses one call for one thing, and for another he's likely to start driving even MORE dangerously as he tries to redial over and over again!

[PDANEWBIE]

My point is talking on the phone in these places where people shouldn't be talking on them is not illegal! People don't have any type of legal cubbyhole to place these cell phone talkers and so the public has taken it upon themselves (in a shoddy way) like you stated in BOTH your cases there are LAWS out there and you can report it to someone (whether or not it will be addressed). I want to see one person tell a cop that someone was using a cell phone during dinner. The cop would laugh at you and walk away.

While I am not condoning that these jammers are in use (except in the case of my wife, yes I had to throw it in there). I do think that there needs to be strict technology use laws. I mean people can get prosecuted for taking recording devices into classified areas, people can be prosecuted for smoking in a non smoking section, why oh why can't cell phone users be prosecued for interrupting my dinner?

I am just saying I see both sides of this arguement as I probably have been on both sides of it at one point or another. I just think if they are gonna use a comparrison to push for their point they should not use something that is outlawed in many states (whether its federal or state doesn't matter the comparrison is absurd).

[Paragon]

There is a device that business owners can install to create a cellular dead zone. I'm pretty sure we discussed it here last year and that it's legal if properly shielded. I would be perfectly content if my local movie theater installed one.

Here is were I have a serious problem with this issue. If I'm in a theater with my cell phone set to vibrate I can't get a call because you want to block the idiot who doesn't.

There are tons of people in the world who just want to get away from a situation for a bit of a break. Like friends or family who are sick or in the hospital you just can't be out of touch. Going to a movie is a great way to release. We've all been there, or will be at some point, but because some inconsiderate people want to block our phones that won't happen. Ever been in a busy office? Phones ring constantly, yet we can carry on with everyday business. Geez, maybe you need a break from all that but there is that one important phone call you can't miss. Well don't go to the restaurant next door that jams you signal.

I think it is as rude to jam cell phone signals as it is to annoy people by using them improperly.

Dave

[Jonathan1]

If you can't walk that distance its not that important to you.

It is if I'm out somewhere with my wife and there is an emergency at home with one of the kids.....The person who jams that call will find his jamming equipment in a new home, in a shady spot where the sun don't shine!!!



Tell me how parents ever survive before the cell phone? :roll: Oh I remember. Trusting the baby sitter to call the cops\firemen\etc. It’s a shame that we live in a world where people are so incapable of dealing with everyday life where they are unable to do so without being tethered to a phone.
Or where people are so self absorbed where they think they need to be reachable 24/7/365. (This is going beyond you Paragon, I'm talking people in general.) Cell phones for the majority of society are actuality a perk not a requirement. It falls back to how the word NEED has replaced WANT in our society, one of my biggest pet peeves, but that’s another discussion for another day. It’s amazing how we survived all this time without the mobile phone. I’m surprised that society didn’t implode in on itself. :roll:

[ctmagnus]

imho, cell phone usage is not necessary in many situations. Businesses have phones that customers can use in the case of emergencies. With a little foresight, an individual will know where he/she will spend their dinner/evening/whatever and if they feel that someone absolutely needs to contact them (ie, babysitters) they will tell that somene beforehand where they will be. If something happens on transit, the driver has a radio with which they can get in contact with dispatch.

The line has to be drawn somewhere. It's simply a case of common sense and common courtesy.

And signage could be used as well. No smoking areas? Why not no cell phone usage areas? Then citizens that respect a little bit of peace and quiet would have a leg to stand on.

[mmidgley]

WBIC! There's no point in saying "we used to live without it, so why don't we now?" With that attitude we wouldn't have a restaurant or theater, right?

My cell phone is on vibrate about 99% of the time. The only time I turn it off is when I'm sleeping or entering a facility that asks me to not use it (hospitals, etc). I do not recieve many calls, very few actually--but the point is that I can, and I choose to answer responsibly. When I'm at the theater, you wouln't be able to distinguish me from the guy that is leaving to the foyer for a restroom/etc break.

Perhaps the theaters, churches, etc could benefit from the cell phone industry adding functionality to phones to automatically silence ringers in the presence of a certain short-range signal. That would fix the problem, and allow emergency calls to proceed. I think the amount of persons that would illegally/immorally modify their phones to ignore such a signal would be few.

btw, the hospital nearest to my residence has removed their requirement to turn cell phones off--their new equipment can deal with the RF noise. but to be considerate my phone remains on vibrate. its really quite simple.

[the vibrator in my iPAQ 5555 is a different story. i usually have it on vibrate as well, but when i turn it on and the battery is low, it hums loud enough for the guys in the cubes around me to know what is going on. i also learned not to put it on the headboard at home, as it seems the vibrator hits the resonant frequency of that furniture and wakes up the wife].

m.

[Paragon]

Tell me how parents ever survive before the cell phone? :roll: Oh I remember. Trusting the baby sitter to call the cops\firemen\etc. It’s a shame that we live in a world where people are so incapable of dealing with everyday life where they are unable to do so without being tethered to a phone.
:

Spoken by someone who is very likely NOT a parent :).....If the baby sitter has to call the fire department I damn well want to know about it! There are far too many ways that cellphones have had positive effects on our lives to let some very inconsiderate people who don't use proper etiquette force others into doing stupid things like jam cellular signals.

Dave

[shawnc]

It is if I'm out somewhere with my wife and there is an emergency at home with one of the kids.....The person who jams that call will find his jamming equipment in a new home, in a shady spot where the sun don't shine!!!

Dave

What's this mean, you going to beat someone up? Somehow I don't think this will be much of a deterrent :roll: .

At the risk of stating the obvious, talking on the phone in public places is not the problem (with the exception of movies, theater, etc), and that includes being out to dinner. What do I care if the selfi-important person next to me insists on holding a meaningless conversation. The problem is when your conversation disturbes others. Most folks are stretched to the limit with working excessive hours, dealing with kids, etc. When we get a chance to relax and enjoy our spouses company for the rare evening out, the last thing we want to have to listen to is someone else mindless blather. Similar situation with riding the bus. Nothing wrong with holding a conversation, but no reason why I should have to be intimately involved in every intimate detail. It's just a matter of basic courtesy. The problem is (and we all know this is true) that the folks who we are talking about realize they are being rude and simply don't care. Even worse, many of them are aware of it and thrive off of the attention.

So lets not frame this discussion as though the only people who will be harmed by the use of jammers are well-meaning parents whose only time on the cell phone will be discussing little Jimmy's tempature of 102 degrees. PLEASE!

And most of all, don't imply physical violence. Trust me, many folks are fed-up to the point that they would relish the opportunity.

[Paragon]

It is if I'm out somewhere with my wife and there is an emergency at home with one of the kids.....The person who jams that call will find his jamming equipment in a new home, in a shady spot where the sun don't shine!!!

Dave

So lets not frame this discussion as though the only people who will be harmed by the use of jammers are well-meaning parents whose only time on the cell phone will be discussing little Jimmy's tempature of 102 degrees. PLEASE!

And most of all, don't imply physical violence. Trust me, many folks are fed-up to the point that they would relish the opportunity.

Shawn, anyone with a speck of intelligence, which includes you, knows that I was being a bit colorful, nothing more.

As for the list only including well-meaning parents...absolutely not! That was merely one example, from a very long list. But you knew that too, didn't you. ;)

Have a good evening, Shawn. I think I'll personally move on before it gets out of hand. I've already done enough to inflame it. ;)

Dave

[shawnc]

Shawn, anyone with a speck of intelligence, which includes you, knows that I was being a bit colorful, nothing more.

As for the list only including well-meaning parents...absolutely not! That was merely one example, from a very long list. But you knew that too, didn't you. ;)

Dave

Dave,

You give me too much credit. Really you do. Either way, after close to 1,000 posts, there is the occassional one that you look back on and feel bad about. This was one of them. I apologize :oops: .

[jimski]

My cell phone is on vibrate about 99% of the time. The only time I turn it off is when I'm sleeping or entering a facility that asks me to not use it (hospitals, etc). I do not recieve many calls, very few actually--but the point is that I can, and I choose to answer responsibly. When I'm at the theater, you wouln't be able to distinguish me from the guy that is leaving to the foyer for a restroom/etc break.

Perhaps the theaters, churches, etc could benefit from the cell phone industry adding functionality to phones to automatically silence ringers in the presence of a certain short-range signal. That would fix the problem, and allow emergency calls to proceed. I think the amount of persons that would illegally/immorally modify their phones to ignore such a signal would be few.

m.

My sentiments exactly on both points. I only get 30-40 inbound calls a week, but I choose when to answer and when to let voicemail work it's magic, and that includes calls from the President of my firm. I will always call back in a reasonable period of time (5 minutes to an hour) depending upon who called. Reasons for passing on a call; being in a movie theater, doctor's office, standing at a checkout counter, trying to get into the bank before it closes, having a personal conversation with someone who deserves my undivided attention, driving and not having a hands-free unit available. Basically my cellphone is a convenience and I carry it with my 99% of the time. But it does not give me the right to inconvenience others.

On your second point I remember reading several years ago about the potential for Bluetooth in our modern world. The author theorized that all cell phones would be Bluetooth equip (as they all should be by now) and funtions like setting all ringers to vibrate in a movie theater or turning off all phones on a plane would be as easy as having one person press a button. But at the speed that Bluetooth is progressing, guess I have another 10-20 years to wait for that fantasy.

[ricksfiona]

My cell phone is on vibrate about 99% of the time. The only time I turn it off is when I'm sleeping or entering a facility that asks me to not use it (hospitals, etc). I do not recieve many calls, very few actually--but the point is that I can, and I choose to answer responsibly. When I'm at the theater, you wouln't be able to distinguish me from the guy that is leaving to the foyer for a restroom/etc break.
m.

My sentiments exactly on both points. I only get 30-40 inbound calls a week, but I choose when to answer and when to let voicemail work it's magic, and that includes calls from the President of my firm.

Jammers are not the answer and I agree with these two gentlemen wholeheartly.

Now with large capacity SD cards, I listen to music via my PPC and pretty oblivious to anything else around me, especially to rude jerks talking too loud on their cell phone.

I was on the train this afternoon enjoying Stone Temple Pilots on my PPC. When I took off my headphones, I noticed that some boy was playing his boom box in the back of the train car. It was loud and pissing me off. I got out of my seat to look at the schedule and when walking back to my seat, gave him a nasty look. He got the hint and turned it down to a non-annoying level.

God only knows how long this guy was playing his boom box in the train car that was about 80% full. The bigger problem I had is why no one else didn't do anything about it. There was a guy sitting across the aisle from me that could've done something. There must have been other guys in the train car that could've done something.

The point to my story is why don't people speak up these days? What's the worst that can happen? Someone telling you to shut-up or go away? Big deal. Maybe others would back up the one speaking up for everyone else. I know I would. I put Jammers in the same category as vandalizing someone's property in the middle of the night.

We'd be in better shape as a country (in the U.S) if we weren't so passive-aggressive. People will be obnoxious with their cell phone habits cause our society allows them to....

[allenalb]

i think one of the local theaters has a jammer installed here in South FL. it seems to even have some kind of after effect. when you are approaching the theater and in the lobby the phone will work. when you are in the movie it won't, and after you leave the theater, sometimes you have to get 2 blocks away to get service again. i would think it is just my lame mpx200, but my friend has the nokia that looks normal but unfolds to reveal half a keyboard on either side of the screen, and he has the same problem. i also had the same problem with a CDMA phone in that theater...

[saznpins]

I heard this topic being discussed on my local radio station this morning. Apparently jammers are becomming very common in NYC.

One caller made a good point -- these can be a great tool for criminals. Someone breaking into a home can cut the land line and put on the trusty ole jammer so that the victim inside has no way to call for help.

Or the battered wife who has a restraining order and carries pepper spray and a cell phone for emergencies. The bad guy jams her cell phone... well, she'd better have good aim with that pepper spray.

There's a reason these jammers are illegal, and as much as I'd like to see the inconsiderate phone users cut off, I don't think that this is the solution.

[Damion Chaplin]

The point to my story is why don't people speak up these days? What's the worst that can happen? Someone telling you to shut-up or go away? Big deal. Maybe others would back up the one speaking up for everyone else. I know I would. I put Jammers in the same category as vandalizing someone's property in the middle of the night.

We'd be in better shape as a country (in the U.S) if we weren't so passive-aggressive. People will be obnoxious with their cell phone habits cause our society allows them to....

Thank you Rick!

This describes the problem quite well. If you're annoyed by the moron yaking away into his phone, why don't you do/say something about it? Scared? Afraid they might yell at you and tell you to mind your own business? Big deal. Everyone ought to know by now that in this world you don't get what you don't ask for. When was the last time you didn't have to ask for a raise? Or extra ranch sauce with your chicken?

People are rude, self-centered a**holes. Even I am from time to time. :wink: Unfortunately, it's a fact of life.

Stick up for yourself and your fellow citizens and you'll be amazed at the results. TANSTAAFL.

[shawnc]

I was on the train this afternoon enjoying Stone Temple Pilots on my PPC. When I took off my headphones, I noticed that some boy was playing his boom box in the back of the train car. It was loud and pissing me off. I got out of my seat to look at the schedule and when walking back to my seat, gave him a nasty look. He got the hint and turned it down to a non-annoying level.

You gave him a look, he must have been shakin in his boots :lol:!

The point to my story is why don't people speak up these days? What's the worst that can happen? Someone telling you to shut-up or go away?

Never having had the pleasure, I don't know what things are like in San Fran, but where I'm from you risk quite a bit more than a tongue-lashing if you approach someone and tell them to get off of the phone, or turn their music down.

But then again, giving them a look, well that might just be the answer :wink: .

[Paragon]

Shawn, anyone with a speck of intelligence, which includes you, knows that I was being a bit colorful, nothing more.

As for the list only including well-meaning parents...absolutely not! That was merely one example, from a very long list. But you knew that too, didn't you. ;)

Dave

Dave,

You give me too much credit. Really you do. Either way, after close to 1,000 posts, there is the occassional one that you look back on and feel bad about. This was one of them. I apologize :oops: .

No worries Shawn. I was pretty much responsible for setting the tone.

I wish I only had one post to look back on that I felt bad about.

Dave

[PetiteFlower]

Movie theaters don't usually block signal, probably too expensive. Places that do are casios (so I've heard, too much potential for cheating), high security businesses like Lockheed Martin, stuff like that. Airplanes don't have to because you can't get signal at 30.000 feet anyway....but you should leave it off even so! Some crazed woman on a flight with me the other day kept trying to turn hers on because she thought she'd be able to check the time, and then didn't understand why the flight attendant was yelling at her. Sheesh.

[Janak Parekh]

The point to my story is why don't people speak up these days? What's the worst that can happen? Someone telling you to shut-up or go away? Big deal.
New York is a lot safer than it was in the 80s, but I have to say, I'm nowhere near brave enough to do that over here. Perhaps if I was a bigger person... :lol: SF sounds a bit more "tame"; maybe that's the difference?

--janak

[ricksfiona]

The point to my story is why don't people speak up these days? What's the worst that can happen? Someone telling you to shut-up or go away? Big deal.
New York is a lot safer than it was in the 80s, but I have to say, I'm nowhere near brave enough to do that over here. Perhaps if I was a bigger person... :lol: SF sounds a bit more "tame"; maybe that's the difference?

--janak

The guy with the boom box had the whole 'hood' look going, so I can understand a bit why someone might not approach him or give him a 'look'.

But like in picking someone up, it's all about the approach. From what I've experience, a respectful, confident and firm tone will persuade just about anyone to respect your request. At the very least, no one is going to kick your ass for that.

[eric815]

Will it work while driving at high speeds? I want to pull up next to the shmuck driving while talking on his cell phone, kill his call, then peep a beep at him and smile while holding up a sign saying "DONT TALK AND DRIVE!"

--Eric

:devilboy: :devilboy: :devilboy:

[epc]

Both can be obnoxious and annoying. As I travel frequently around the country, I witness an increasing amount of rude , uncivil behavior. It is rapidly getting much worse. On every flight that I am on there are several persons who violate the cell phone rule during landing/taxiing; not to mention the unsafe idiots while driving etc.

While I do not condone legislating behavior the question then becomes what recourse other then jammers, violence do we have ?

Perhaps the question really is:Has technology made people more impersonal and uncivil? One will say or write statements remotely that they would not do in person. :evil:

[kphett]

This is to all those that think its their god given right to drive with their cell phone. YOU ARE COTTON PICKING CRAZY if you think you can (at least while Im on the road!) The research clearly shows cell phones and driving are a lethal mixture (common sense would of told you that!) Hell, its worse than drunk driving for that matter and dont get me started on drivers that text. Thats just an invitation for me to put a person in a whole lot of hurt:)
But having said that, my recent phone jammer purchase makes those annoying idiots driving with their phones nearly an afterthough:0

[Ed Hansberry]

This is to all those that think its their god given right to drive with their cell phone. YOU ARE COTTON PICKING CRAZY if you think you can (at least while Im on the road!) The research clearly shows cell phones and driving are a lethal mixture (common sense would of told you that!) Hell, its worse than drunk driving for that matter and dont get me started on drivers that text. Thats just an invitation for me to put a person in a whole lot of hurt:)
But having said that, my recent phone jammer purchase makes those annoying idiots driving with their phones nearly an afterthough:0

In general, I agree with your sentiments, but in practice, if you think you have no culpability if you are the cause for an accident because you cause someone to get disconnected, cause someone dialling 911 to drop a call, etc, you should consult with an attorney before you continue driving around with that jammer.

[kphett]

Thanks for the well-intentioned advice, Im fully aware of the situation of what Im doing and the legal technicalities behind my behavior. The point I would like to make is many people no matter how hard you try to win em over with a good presentable logical argument on the riskiness and dangers of driving and cell phoning, they will still obstinately do it, damn the potentail consequences. At that point it becomes, if thats the situation, then sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire (I know this is only "rationalism" at its finest, but it gives me that fuzzy feeling inside)

Not to mention, the mouning evidence that cell phone use (long-term) could be a potential health disaster waiting to happen. (Google and Youtube George Carlo to see what Im talking about)

[Ed Hansberry]

Thanks for the well-intentioned advice, Im fully aware of the situation of what Im doing and the legal technicalities behind my behavior. The point I would like to make is many people no matter how hard you try to win em over with a good presentable logical argument on the riskiness and dangers of driving and cell phoning, they will still obstinately do it, damn the potentail consequences. At that point it becomes, if thats the situation, then sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire (I know this is only "rationalism" at its finest, but it gives me that fuzzy feeling inside)
Would it give you a fuzzy feeling knowing you may have caused an accident because someone yammering on a cell phone got disconnected, then in trying to redial/reconnect, they veered off into another lane and hit someone? Would they be charged? Absolutely. Would you have had a part in it, whether known by anyone else or not? Absolutely.

But to each his own. Some people bomb abortion clinics because they think the long term benefit is worth the possiblity of casualties. Some people spike trees to prevent them from being cut down. If that causes a bit of harm on occasion when steel cutters meet steel spikes, then that is the cost. They have warm fuzzies too I fear.

Just don't see how breaking the law to make someone else stop breaking the law (real, moral or otherwise) makes it better.
I'd seriously lose sleep over that, especially if someone was hurt or worse.

[kphett]

[quote=kphett]Thanks for the well-intentioned advice, Im fully aware of the situation of what Im doing and the legal technicalities behind my behavior. The point I would like to make is many people no matter how hard you try to win em over with a good presentable logical argument on the riskiness and dangers of driving and cell phoning, they will still obstinately do it, damn the potentail consequences. At that point it becomes, if thats the situation, then sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire (I know this is only "rationalism" at its finest, but it gives me that fuzzy feeling inside)
Would it give you a fuzzy feeling knowing you may have caused an accident because someone yammering on a cell phone got disconnected, then in trying to redial/reconnect, they veered off into another lane and hit someone? Would they be charged? Absolutely. Would you have had a part in it, whether known by anyone else or not? Absolutely.

I would lose sleep over the fact the individual in your proposed scenario who got hit, would cause my conscience grief but I have absolutely NO SYMPATHY for anyone who drives with a cell phone, PERIOD. If someone who does that runs into a brick wall for being an idiot, then by God, I will get down on my knees and praise Jesus for one less stupid person in this world. The problem really started though when people fail to realize the prospective danger they are putting others in thanks to their self-indulgent "gotta talk" mentality on the road. But thats probably asking too much from people considering all the excessive low level radiation exposure these cell-phone addicted individuals are subjecting themselves to, which probably explains the destruction of their brain responsible for logic, common sense and reasoning.