Thanks to the law Gov. Mills signed into law last week, it will soon be 100% illegal to use a handheld cell phone while driving. So you have no excuse in that capacity. Whether you agree or disagree, it's not up for debate. Even police officers will have to learn to abide by the law. But aren't there other spots you should just hang up your phone?

This morning I was out to breakfast, and there was this guy a couple seats away that was yakking away full tilt on his phone. About. Nothing. The weather, some restaurant he went to the week before, and then 3 more dumb phone calls just like that ensued. Totally the type of call that if I received, I'd either ignore the call, or excuse myself and go outside, like a gentleman. Unlike the slack jawed troglodyte down the way.

It got me thinking about other painfully obvious places that you should be a normal human, and stay off the phone. Here's my personal Top 5:

  1. Restaurants - It would seem l;ike this is perfectly obvious, but this guy showed me this morning that ignorance of others has no bounds. Maybe I should swing by his place at dinner, and practice my drums outside his window?
  2. City Forest/Hiking Trails - The Bangor City Forest is such a quiet, peaceful place. Til Johnny or Jenny iPhone starts asking husband/wife what they need to pick up for the baby at Target.
  3. Gym - I know I'm not alone on this one... Are you hear to exercise your mouth? Are your jowls getting a good workout? How many reps up and down did your lower jaw do today?
  4. Checkout Aisle - This one kills me. As a friend pointed out to me on Facebook, how many times have you been behind someone in line, only to have them answer the phone just so they can tell the person that they're in line and can't talk on the phone?!
  5. Public Bathroom - Seriously....it's gross on so many levels. Have you never heard of airborne fecal matter? And not just the crap coming out of your mouth either. Your covering your phone in poo cells. Cell phone indeed....

Now here's the thing... There is always an exception to the rule. If you're parents and the sitter calls, that's a no brainer. Emergencies are always the exception. That's what cell phones are for. Or answer it, and gracefully exit the room to take the call. But if you can't tell that other people around you hate what you're doing, maybe you should close your mouth and open your eyes, bub.

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