I think it's rude and people need to learn cell phone etiquette. If you are visiting somebody, that means that you are not available to take calls, they can leave a message.

I have a cell phone for MY convenience, for emergencies mostly, I hardly ever have it on and very few people know the number. If somebody calls my land line and I am not home, which means I am not available to talk to them, they can leave a message and I will call them when I'm home. If they are annoyed because they think that I should always be available in this cell phone age, that's too bad.

People on their cell phones while they are driving, shopping, eating...I just don't get the need.

We have a basic rule of no cell phones during meals. The kids are so used to technology but since he and I have been together their time on screen has been reduced. They aren't old enough for their own phone yet but at their grandmother's all they do is play on the pc or tablet. I honestly don't think they have any toys there. With us though they rarely ask for them now. He use to just hand his phone to them all the time be it a short trip in the car, at the store, or out for dinner but it upset me. I talked about how we agreed not to be on phones at meals and the kids could engage with us or color or anything else. For the most part now they don't get the phones or tablets unless it's the car ride back to mom's which is an hour at night. I think he just needed information that there was something else and that he really is the one in control. The youngest tried to whine about it at first but has stopped now that he knows it doesn't work.

They are suffering from CPDD--Cell Phone Dependent Disorder. People with this disorder: Have problems maintaining healthy 1-on-1 relationships, exhibit impulsive behavior, and have an exaggerated sense of self-importance, a requirement for constant attention and a sense of entitlement. In other words, pretty much every young'n, and as someone said below, middle aged a$$holes.

ETA: There is also CPWD--Cell Phone Withdrawal Disorder. People with this disorder actually exhibit the same symptoms as someone going thru drug withdrawal!

I also hate it when I call people and they answer, even though they can't talk. Before my dad got rid of his land line, I only called his home number, figuring if he's not home and it's not an emergency...

But, now, no land line so I have to call his cell. He answered once when he was at a basketball game, couldn't even hear each other. Seriously, know when to answer the phone and when not to.

I hate them.

My dinner table is a phone free zone. For everyone who sits at it. I have a basket that anyone who is dumb enough to not believe me's phone goes into.

My SS's are horrible about this. Whenever MSS would complain that we didn't do anything together like play games or watch a movie, he would sit there and hold up the game or ignore the movie while on his phone. I have found that DH is the same way. We have a family gathering at our home on Easter. The last two years he has sat at the kitchen table surrounded by HIS family and been on his phone. I typically will give him the evil eye or text him that he is being rude to get his attention.
And the SS's also stay on their phones the entire time they are at our house, my parents house or even the whole time we are driving in the car.

I enjoy playing games and keeping connected as much as the next person. But during dinner, family celebrations or family time, my phone is shut down and put away.

How do I feel about cell phones?

They are a waste of money, a distraction for drivers and rarely used to make telephone calls. Kids that have them AND adults cant seem to keep their chins UP to actually have a real discussion. I could care less if I had one or not.

Our minor kids are NOT allowed to have a cell. They don't need them.

I have one. But I DO not give out my cell number to anyone other than family and dear friends. Anyone needs to call me or my husband can call the land line.
No stupid random callers, no scamming calls no 800 calls, no junk calls. I LOVE IT.

OP your family that visited you with their heads in their phones are rude.

Ahhhh the good old days when only the very wealthy had car phones and drove a Mercedes. It meant something then.

Not now,,,

While I appreciate the intrinsic usefulness of them, I despise it when I am in the middle of a conversation with SO and he stops to chat with someone. I always interject and ask who that is and what do they want. Or I get up and start blowing up his phone with MY texts. LOL. I get pretty obnoxious when these kinds of things happen. I get that it might be something really super important, but seriously, I doubt that anything is THAT important.

SD17 doesn't have a working phone right now (daddee is buying her a used one for her bday ina few weeks). And SD10 doesn't have a phone and BOTH her ipad and tablet are somehow broken. LOL. Too bad!

My step kids are like that too. It really pisses me off. They are both out of the house. My SD stops by to visit sometimes, usually around meal time and was always on her damn phone. Right after she eats she gets a text and says gotta go! What I did a couple of times when I knew she was coming I would purposely not start dinner. When I see her arrive I ask a friend to text me, I tell my husband "so and so texted and asked if we are free for dinner, since I ran late today and didn't start dinner lets join them" I tell SD "sorry we are going out, you can help yourself to leftovers, just make sure you clean up after yourself". She complained to my husband that she hardly gets to talk to us and he told her she is always on her phone anyway so what difference does it make if we are there or not. She has gotten better since them but my husband has to remind her sometimes. My SS lives far away but even when he visits or we visit him he is glued to his phone so it doesn't make sense to visit him. I told my husband if he wants to go visit him, go, i'll take what my share would have cost and go have a Spa day or something. Even as adults they are a pain in the butt!

sammi - you know you can get a device you plug into your wall, somewhere hidden in your house, that cancels all cellphone reception out...

we have such a thing in the boardroom.... yeah in the boardroom your cellphone is useless... I want one for my house lol.....

So 2 times in the last year the same store in the company i work for has been robbed. BOTH times the cashier was on their cell phone at the register not paying attention. 2 different cashiers.

I always have my phone on me. It is actually never off either. I used to get a bit upset that my kids father would be playing on his phone instead of watching the show we were supposed to watch together or the kids would be trying to get his attention and he is just looking at facebook.

I have actually got in the habit (need to break it ) of looking at random crap on my phone before bed. Articles or reading on my tablet. My eyes in the last few months have got terrible. Blurring signs while driving or words on the tv looking fuzzy.

At my physical last week the dr told me to go to an eye dr. I have never been but i have to do something. I am going to need glasses i think.

The dining room is a phone free zone. DH and I only take our work cells if on call or working with folks in different time zones. I take my personal cell with me in case DD needs to reach me but she's only contacted me once with good reason during a dinner or outing with friends.

I can't imagine the rudeness. I would not invite someone into my home who behaved that way. In fact, now that I think about it, there are two couples we don't socialize with because both husbands are like that.

Your home, you can collect them and turn them off as you deem necessary.

Cell phone signal blockers are not legal in the US.  Unfortunately.

I hate them. DH watches TV while scrolling his phone. I tell him "nobody gets to the end of their life and thinks - I wish I had more time with my phone"

BM got the skids every gadget known to humankind. No limits. I tried but.. with DH and BM being plug them in parents I just gave up.

Now I have a DS and I have rules for screen time. It really bothers me when skids come and sit on their phones. I've set the rules and DH agrees but never enforces. So every visit skids fo against my house rules, DH is an ostrich, and I'm the bad guy.

Its ridiculous. I wish I could be 100% in control of the vibe in my home but I have Tech Invaders trying to poison our world with attitudes.

I hate that part of my life. My DH agrees during heart to hearts but he's all talk no action.