Why do people have phones if they don't answer them?

[YellowRubberDuckie]

Does this concept drive anyone else absolutely MAD?! So, I have some friends and family who leave their cell phones off and don't answer their home phones. No,it's not a caller id issue. They just give out their numbers to people....And then they don't answer the phone. It's highly frustrating. I do not understand why these people have phones and give their numbers out when they aren't going to answer anyway. :shrug:
Duckie

[Nicole]

1. So they can call people when they want to.

Sometimes I don't answer my phone for days at a time unless it's my kids.

If someone gives me their number that doesn't mean they have to answer the phone if I call. It doesn't bother me at all. I just figure they don't feel talking at that time. :shrug:

[Redstone]

2. Well, sometimes people don't FEEL like answering the phone.

It used to make people nuts, back in the days before everyone had an answering machine, when they'd see me ignore the phone ringing. They'd say: "What if it's an emergency?" and I'd reply, "If the phone rings again within five minutes, I'll know."

Or they could be, you know, busy. There are some things more important than answering the damn phone.

Redstone

[YellowRubberDuckie]

18. No No....That's not what I'm talking about...

I'm talking about NEVER answering the phone. I can understand people not feeling like answering the phone...But I'm talking about the people who NEVER answer the phone. No matter when or who it is.
Duckie

[treestar]

29. Are they older?

Some older people don't really like the concept of the cell phone. My mother has one but calling it is useless. It's just for emergencies, apparently. Like if her car breaks down, she might actually have it with her and then it might be useful.

[wildhorses]

3. because sometimes i feel like transmitting but, have no desire

to be receiving.

[outofbounds]

4. Maybe

they are running out of minutes. Some folks just don't buy enough.:shrug:

[SPKrazy]

5. i dunno

lots of reasons

too busy?

my sister does this to me and it drives me nuts

but we eventually connect, even if it just by text

:eyes:

I've done it too though, although, for me, it is usually i just don't want to, or i see who it is and figure i can talk to them later

:shrug:

[TreasonousBastard]

6. My phone is for MY convenience, not...

yours if you feel bored, insist I hear the latest news, or want to talk to me for some other reason.

I feel the same way about caller ID, btw. It's not YOUR privacy that's being invaded when you call and I know who you are any more than if it would be I ask who you are when you knock on my door. You called me.

Having said that, however, I realize that it has become a polite social convention to pick up the phone and pretend that you're happy to hear from someone no matter that it's in the middle of putting screaming kids to bed, making dinner, fixing a water leak in the cellar, having great sex, or just plain vegging out.

[swag]

7. Because they are forced to by their employer.

I must confess, though, that I don't answer any phone if I can avoid doing so.

[some guy]

8. Why? For my convenience.

Apparently you're the only person in this thread whose phone owns them. :shrug:

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. There is no requirement that one answer one's phone - it's an interruption,

and therefore the one being interrupted has the authority as to when to respond.

I don't answer the phone if I don't feel like it. It's not my responsibility.

[RandomKoolzip]

10. I only have a phone so I can call my drug dealers.

Oh, and so I can call those who've wronged me in the past and pretend I'm long-dead relatives of theirs.

As far as "friends" go, though: fuck 'em. I know what they're gonna say in advance - "Dude, where's my money?" It's always the same, you know?

[Joe Fields]

11. That's why I don't have one. 'Cause I wouldn't answer it.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

12. I'd drive you mad then. I almost never answer my phone, and rarely respond to a message

that was left less than a day or two ago unless it was really important. It's because I hate talking over the phone. It's a borderline phobia for me :)

[DS1]

13. I have a phone. And a mobile phone.

If someone calls my mobile and the number isn't recognized I won't answer it.

If someone calls my home phone during the weekend before 9 pm, I won't answer it.

If anyone calls with something important, they'll leave a message, and I'll get it and call them back if needed.

Too many times I've answered the phone only to hear the clickety-clacks of keyboards and telemarketers.

Again, if it's important, a message will be left.

[enigmatic]

14. I hate phones

And almost never give out muy number because of people who seem to think that calling me up "just to talk" many times a day is something I should be required to do....

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. The phone is for my convenience, not anybody else's.

I pay for it; therefore I get to decide whether to answer it, or not. If I don't pick up, leave a message.

[Blue-Jay]

16. Just leave a message.

If they like you, they'll call back.

[Omphaloskepsis]

17. I am a SEX MACHINE...

And I don't answer the phone because I can't hear it. And I don't care.

[TommyO]

19. A ringing phone is not an order to answer, it is a request

If I'm doing something that I don't want to interrupt, I'll let the phone ring and go to voicemail.

[crim son]

20. I hate the phone and usually don't answer it.

If the caller leaves a message I will call them back. There are a thousand good reasons to have a phone, but one of them is NOT to be dragged out of bed, or away from the dinner table, or out of a good book, to talk to somebody when I really don't wanna.

[kid a]

21. i screen, i screen, we all screen...

that dude again?

[zanne]

22. But what if they catch on?

I always look at the Caller ID and decide which call to answer. I have one friend who calls regularly with absolutely nothing to say for at least an hour at a time. (BTW she's also a cousin so I can't just blow her off). I prepare an excuse every time I don't answer her call, but it happens so often that my excuses get mixed up and I can't remember which one to use. Am I just a bad liar, or is there a better way of doing this?

[kid a]

24. give that callr a particular "ring" , like SILENT..

Use the same excuse - over and over and over - " i gotta poop"
then they will start to think that they have the "bowel movement effect" on you!
:evilgrin:

[Sanity Claws]

23. Wow, I'm surprised at the answers

I didn't realize there were that many people who don't ever take calls. Many times I don't answer because I'm busy or don't feel social but I almost always return calls if a message is left. If I don't, it's because I don't the friendship or whatever the relationship to continue.

[Connonym]

25. I don't answer the phone if I don't feel like it

My family knows this and if it's an emergency they'll keep calling until I answer. I generally don't answer the door unless I'm expecting anyone. I can understand how it's frustrating for other people but when I'm relaxing with a book or whatever I don't want to be interrupted. Half the time it's a solicitation or something anyway. I used to unplug the phone when I felt like being alone but my mom's been hospitalized too much lately for me to feel comfortable doing that.

I refuse to be a slave to an appliance. I think that's why I like the computer. I can be social if I want to be and if I don't feel like talking to anyone I can just leave it off.

[Darth_Kitten]

26. So we can screen the calls..........

If I hear my phone ring (which is rare because I'm on dial up internet still) I let it go to voice mail, THEN I can see if I'll call back.

I only pick up if I'm expecting a call or it's one of those middle of the night emergency calls. :(

[Deja Q]

27. I screen telemarketers. The other half the time, I'm

so willfully isolated I do not wish to answer; or when I do answer, I do not know how to converse a real-time conversation within a socially acceptable standard of time due to inherent slowness.

Predefined conversations are always easier; experience via rote.

[Inchworm]

28. I rarely answer phone

Additionally, I got so sick of clearing my answering machine of telemarketers that I use a feature on machine. I was so happy about 3 months ago when I figured out how to get the machine to say (something like) "no one is available to receive your call and this number is not receiving messages."

If it's something important my friends/family know I am like that, so they repeatedly call and I'll pick up.

:hi:

[skygazer]

30. I have a phone so I can call out

I have voicemail so people can leave a message. If it's important, I'll get back to them. If it's not, chances are I won't. I don't like talking on the phone - I can think of about 10 million things I'd rather do.

What's so desperately important that you have to get in touch with these people at that exact moment?

[graywarrior]

31. I sit and laugh like a maniac at my phone when it rings .

Mr Gray answers the phone because he is on stage 24/7 and likes to fuck with the heads of sales people. Cept we haven't even set ours up yet since we moved in.

As for my cell, I keep forgetting I have one til it rings and scares the fuck out of me, then I shut it off.

[Crabby Appleton]

32. I hate phones - what a fiendish device

I almost never have my cell on, and I almost never answer the landline. If I wanted to talk to someone I would have already called them.

bah humbug

[Skittles]

33. because I need the phone for certain reasons

chit-chatting about nonsense is not one of them...and it's easier to give your number to family and friends than explain to them why you don't want to talk to them

[leftofthedial]

34. so they can order a pizza

[hippiechick]

35. Because we have to *have* them ...

... I turn my cell on maybe twice a week to check messages.

My home phone - I only have it because I have DSL and having a land account with AT&T/Yahoo is mandatory to get the cheap internet rate. But I only have the most basic of phone plans.

I don't like to talk on the phone. I don't particularly like people.

In today's world, phones etc are "mandatory". Ugh. :(

[BarenakedLady]

36. I only answer

if I know who it is and/or I feel like talking. I have to "have" a phone for emergency purposes.

I dislike the phone immensely*















*except in one instance

[Withywindle]

37. Because I'm not obligated to answer in any way.

I agree with the "I pay for a phone for MY convenience, not anyone else's" attitude. I also agree that I'm the one who gets to decide whether I'm going to interrupt what I'm doing or not. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't; it's arbitrary and whimsical. And I am pretty good about returning calls if someone leaves a message, most of the time. But sometimes I'm just really into my book, or my TV show, or my internet flame war, or my nap, or my wank, or my simply sitting and staring into space, or what have you.

[Silver Swan]

38. I'll answer, but don't expect me to call you...

If I am home, I always answer my phone. I don't have caller ID.

If I'm not home, it can ring forever, because I do not have an answering machine.

And I won't call you, if I can help it. I hate making phone calls. If you want to talk to me, it's up to you to call me.

I have a cell phone, but it's for emergencies. If you call my cell, it is most likely turned off, and I will not return missed calls. (Besides, only three people know my cell number..)