Why You Should Leave Your Cell Phone at Home When on a Date

 Why You Should Leave Your Cell Phone at Home When on a Date

Should you take your cell phone with you on a date? Absolutely not! Leave it at home if at all possible.

If you get a call while you're on a date, it is considered rude and bad manners to be talking on the phone while you're with your date. You need to be devoting all your undivided attention on her rather than talking on the phone.

I've got a male friend who carries his cell phone with him on dates thinking that women will be impressed that he's a businessman who's real important. It's really an ego trip for him. I can assure you that the majority of women could care less if you have a cell phone. It's not a big deal anymore. Lots of people have them now.

Let me lay down a few rules of cell phone etiquette if you insist on bringing your cell phone on dates:

1. If you have to make a call while you're on a date at a restaurant, just excuse yourself and find someplace private to make your call. Don't make your call at the table. This is inconsiderate and rude and the people at the other surrounding tables won't appreciate it either.

2. It would be considerate to inform your date in advance that you have your cell phone on in case of receiving an important call or emergency call.

3. If you absolutely must answer a call, speak softly if you are in public.

4. If you are at a movie theatre, turn your cell phone off. It is so rude to answer a phone call while others are trying to watch the movie. This is just as annoying as a baby crying in the theatre.

5. If you are not expecting an urgent call, just turn off your cell phone. As a back up you could keep a beeper in your pocket and set it on the vibrate mode.

I'm sure you have heard of the Zagat Restaurant Guides. According to their online survey of diners they found that cell phone-free dining a top issue for both diners and managers of restaurants. The survey asked about the importance of cell phone-free and smoke-free dining. (The survey did not separate the two experiences.) It found that 95% of respondents wanted a separate section in the restaurant for phoning and smoking.

"It's an issue that seems to be a hot button among dining patrons," said Mike Sheinfield, vice president of corporate communications for Zagat. "The majority would prefer a cell phone-free section."

So, what does this tell you guys? Cell phones are very unpopular in restaurants and you should leave yours at home when out on a date.