DEAR ABBY: Ring, ring! Cell phone etiquette question. Certainly there must be some.
Every time I have one particular family member over, she brings her cell phone and normally has the ring tone on loud. Regardless of the volume, her calls always turn into a long, drawn-out conversation with one of her friends or other relatives. The volume of her cell phone isn't what bothers me as much as the fact that her visits are disturbed by her social life.
If it were a call from work, or some emergency she was expecting to hear back about, or even a child that needed attention, perhaps it wouldn't seem so offensive. I have my own phones at the residence but, unless I am expecting an important call, I normally don't answer it when I have guests over.
What can I say to people who think it's OK to take all their calls at my house during our visits, short of not inviting them and their phones into my home? -- "HUNG UP" IN SEATTLE
DEAR HUNG UP: Yours isn't a question about cell phone etiquette as much as it is about basic good manners. Explain to your family member how insulting it is when she carries on long, involved conversations while you sit there. A quick "I'm at my ( )'s, and I'll call you later," is permissible.
You could also post a sign on your front door that reads, "No Cell Phone Zone." Others have done it with some success.