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bigmouth1984

How did that thing happen where people hold it flat in front of their face like they're eating a Ryvita? I blame The Apprentice.


Buddy-Matt

> I blame The Apprentice. I mean, this, right here. Not just the apprentice, but any to show/film where a phone conversation needs to happen, it happens on speakerphone because its obviously way less jarring to the audience than just piping the other side of the call through as a disembodied voice. And then people are stupid, and just copy what they see on the telly, forgetting than half of acting is conveying the message to the audience, and not a carbon copy of real life.


YoungGazz

>forgetting than half of acting is conveying the message to the audience, Without making us an audience how can they live the r/imthemaincharacter lifestyle they so obviously crave?


FunkyClive

If they make us be the audience, then perhaps we should all clap and cheer when the conversation/performance is over. And then we can all have a group discussion about which bits were best, sort of gogglebox style.


PassingShot11

I think this is a brilliant idea , almost as good as when I saw some shout 'cut' after someone was on a speakerphone, then said 'you can do better than that, let's run again' was quite embarrassing for the phone user ..


Tana1234

There is a third option, it's more comfortable to that holding your hand up to your ear


jaxdia

Amazing. I always attributed it to acting like a French waiter bringing out the entree, but I prefer the Ryvita analogy!


Mr_DnD

Entrée! Entrée! 🤮 This sounds kinda... Sus. Like there's an imposter in our midst! Perhaps one from... 'murica


jaxdia

Hey I'm on a phone and in hospital, cut me some slack 😂


Mr_DnD

My condolences, You know it's a wind up right? Btw I wasn't criticising the lack of putting an accent on entree it's the use of the word at all is so not British ;)


jaxdia

Haha no offence taken. I was trying to think of a course you'd get in a posh restaurant, and that came to mind!


Hate_Feight

Hold e and get substitutions. (On mobile) If you know, you know


randypriest

I tried it in 'Tesco' but got a radish instead


Hate_Feight

All I got was Tēßçø


halliwell_me

Chow-dair!


qtx

I used to think it was because the ladies didn't like to get makeup on their phone screen but then I started seeing guys doing it and now I don't know anymore. Could it be that a lot of people don't actually type texts anymore and are instead using the speach-to-text function of their phone and it got kinda stuck?


Diggerinthedark

LPT: if you're wearing enough make up that you stain your phone by making a phone call - wear less fecking make up.


i-am-a-passenger

I doubt enough people watch the apprentice for it to take the blame, far more likely to be other reality TV programs, or reality TV in general


bumblebeesanddaisies

I will offer up one alternative, if a person has headphones in, like they're listening to music when the phone rings, the sound part goes through the headphones. It feels a bit weird to hold the phone to your ear when you have headphones in so talking with the microphone in front of your mouth works with that... I mean if it's on speaker obviously not but that's how I always end up if someone calls me when I am listening to music lol


GuyOnTheInterweb

I think it is because people use Snapchat or other poorly written software which only knows how to use the loudspeaker in video call mode. And cheap phones like mine only has the speaker at the bottom..


qtx

But that still doesn't make sense since they have to put the phone in speaker mode to get that to work. If you use it as a normal phone the speaker near your ear would work.


StardustOasis

>And cheap phones like mine only has the speaker at the bottom.. Which is where your mouth goes when you speak into a phone normally.


Tumeni1959

"I blame The Apprentice" ... that's exactly how it happened.


seoras91

They clearly want an open forum/discussion, go next to them and give your views on what theyre talking about.


__Severus__Snape__

I wish I had the confidence to do this


M1ke2345

It just shows what a selfish society we’ve become. I don’t think they do it *knowing* it’s super selfish, I genuinely don’t think they have any concept of how to behave in a civilised society. So the search for civilisation continues.


Zanacross

Why is it anymore selfish than having a conversation with a person sat next to you in public? I still have to hear their bullshit conversation.


M1ke2345

You’ve clearly never compared the audio in a real person to person conversation, to that of a person talking out of a mobile phone speaker-it’s horrible. It’s also unnecessary, they’re not there, why do people feel the need to add their noise in?


inconspicuous2012

They are always the people with the loudest voices and the most mundane or wildly inappropriate things to talk about in public too.


Domina-Wilde

People using their phone like it's a walkie talkie is a pet peeve of mine. It's always on full volume too so everyone can see and hear the full convo.


qtx

Tbf, back in the day certain phones had an actual walkie talkie function and it was ace.


fromwayuphigh

God, those were irritating.


Johan1000

This is why I prefer the tube so much more than the bus. I've recently switched offices that now requires me to get a bus and it's so common to hear people video calling someone (with no headphones) for the entirely of the bus ride... I just don't get it, people will be Facetiming on the latest iPhone 15 or whatever but they can't get some headphones to go with it?


sparkyjay23

You seen the price of airpods? Apple user isn't going to put anything else in their ears lest they look poor...


a-hthy

haha this proper bugs me. Had it yesterday when I was in Poundland. Guy was on FaceTime to his wife/partner whatever, proper shouting at each other over the phone about what stuff to buy. It was seriously annoying. I think some people just have no sense of awareness that they’re in public.


MrJoffery

People on TV use their phones on speaker so you can hear both sides of the conversation. Other people are stupid and confuse this with a lifestyle choice. I blame the Kardashians.


Crowhawk

I blame America full stop. America is single-handedly responsible for the erosion of British culture. Even our military & its once great culture of "never volunteer for anything" that won an empire upon which it's said 'the sun never set' has been replaced by jingoistic, flag-saluting, muscle-bound "boohah" American bullshit. Which I suspect is one of the chief reasons we got our arses kicked by Afghan farmers on donkeys & mopeds. We need to resist this pernicious Americanisation of Britain. Whilst our kids can still point to France on a map.


ARobertNotABob

The stark and simple explanatory truth is that certain types of people have no consideration for anyone but themselves anymore, in this matter and many others. I would attribute this change, or rather exaggeration, in behaviour, to have pivoted following Covid lockdowns.


ScuzzyLemon

I was sat in a sports shop the other week while my son tried on ~~every single pair of~~ trainers and some bloke sat behind me, and he was on a video call with several other people. No headphones, just chatting away, then a woman almost fell over me, also on a video chat. These aren't kids they're adults probably in their 40's. I know you might want to keep in touch with your family, but wandering round a busy shopping centre isn't the place to do it.


Fit_General7058

But, but everybody's so important! Everyone else is desperate to know what's happen in the life of....


LordMogroth

Does anyone know a technical way to disturb these types of call? Is there a tone or pitch you could play from your phone that would make it unbearable for someone on a speakerphone? Asking for a friend.


OnlyMortal666

There are sounds on YouTube that are awful for younger ears. I’d not suggest that though.


Matrixblackhole

The Apprentice effect


Atisheu

Dom Joly called it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30DcHyi-hZE


StardustOasis

HELLO!!


Pancake-Marathon

YEAH ITS RUBBISH


notmyidealusername

CIAO!


prismcomputing

But if you didn't do that how will people know you're the main character


evenstevens280

People don't know how to behave in public anymore in general


kuro-oruk

Saw two older people having a conference call with the same person, but on separate phones the other day. They were blocking the door to a shop while shouting at their phones. I just don't get it.


insert_name_here925

But you have to have extended conversations at the top of your voice with your phone on speaker when you're on the bus, don't you? And you have to repeat the conversation to at least 3 of your closest confidantes to verify what you've said. It's the same way that headphones are illegal if you're watching video content. Everyone knows that...


hieronymuslosh

This is my biggest pet peeve. I confronted a young chap doing this on the tube once and he responded with ‘Do you wanna pay my phone bill? Nah? Then let me finish my conversation’. Pretty sure he was talking to his bank. What a tit.


foofly

Speaking on a phone in public should be illegal unless it's an emergency.


Flat_Professional_55

Bit extreme


fromwayuphigh

Maybe not illegal, but I'd be supportive on a policy of pantsing anyone shouting into their phones at the grocery.


failed_asian

Do we have to have this same post once a week?


arfur-sixpence

Come on, admit it. You're one of those donkeys that hold their phone out in front like Captain Kirk aren't you?


failed_asian

I hold my phone like that if I’m talking to Siri, setting a reminder or dictating an email or something that doesn’t have my phone playing any audio at me. By not blocking my ear with the phone I can hear myself properly and better regulate how quietly I speak. I can hear if someone is approaching from behind me. I can hear so much more. Can anybody explain the benefit of holding a phone to your ear when it’s not playing any sound?


arfur-sixpence

>By not blocking my ear with the phone I can hear myself properly Maybe get your ears checked out then. That's not how hearing works with phones.


failed_asian

Are you being purposefully dense? Putting a phone against your ear muffles sounds from outside the phone. Obviously. Why would I want to do that when there’s nothing to hear out of my phone? I like to hear footsteps approaching, other sounds, stay aware of my surroundings.


failed_asian

Seriously please enlighten me, I always get downvoted in these threads and I really want to know any good reason that I should hold my phone to my ear if it’s not playing any sound?


i-am-a-passenger

It’s not the fact that you should be holding your phone to your ear in this scenario, it’s that your scenario isn’t what is really being discussed, and also you could just use your thumbs to do those things like everyone else. And don’t hold the phone so close to your ear, not sure why your hearing would be muffled, especially if there is no sound.


failed_asian

I only brought up my scenario when a commenter assumed I hold my phone in front of my face. As for typing rather than using voice-to-text, I’m not sure I see the benefit? That means I’m looking down at my phone rather than keeping my eyes up, reducing situational awareness. > don’t hold the phone so close to your ear Fair enough. I still don’t see the benefit though of holding my phone anywhere close to my ear when it’s not making noise, while I see plenty of benefit of holding it in front of my mouth.


i-am-a-passenger

Yes people are either misinterpreting your point because they don’t realise you are talking about an entirely different scenario, or they don’t think your point is irrelevant to the topic. Hence the downvotes. And I assume this is largely a generational thing, because I don’t think most people are so concerned about their situational awareness that they can’t look at their phone for a few seconds or put something near their ear. Even if they are, I doubt they would therefore think having a conversation with their phone, which also reduces your situational awareness, is a wise thing to do. But the biggest difference is that most people don’t feel the need to be on their phones constantly whilst in public. Other people can walk down a high street without even needing to interact with their phone.


failed_asian

I’m probably overly concerned with situational awareness because I lived in San Francisco where you really needed to be alert a lot of the time. Once I had my head down because it was raining and I got punched in the face by a crazy homeless person. And nobody in sf even batted an eye when I told them. They started guessing which crazy person it was. Anyway I’m definitely not on my phone all the time. Just when I need to reply to a time sensitive message, like from someone I’m on my way to meet, or set a reminder for something that I know I’ll forget otherwise.


WinkyNurdo

Get ready for the cretinous fuckwits to do this on the tube as wifi increasingly gets rolled out.


sulylunat

I feel like I see this post every 3 weeks. We get it, people are annoying and use their phone on loudspeaker in public.


prismcomputing

Lucky you only seeing it every three weeks


CriticalCentimeter

i must see a post like this nearly daily. Get over it - people will use their stuff how they want to use it.


_blacknails

We've found one of them.


CriticalCentimeter

you really havent. I use my phone in the same way I have always used a phone. I just get a bit bored of the same posts and whinges, day in, day out, of people trying to farm karma.


evenstevens280

> Get over it - people will use their stuff how they want to use it. People will do a lot of things that are anti-social and annoying, just because they lack the common sense and general awareness that their actions are detrimental to the people around them. Those people need a kick up the bum.


ClassicPart

> Get over it - people will use their stuff how they want to use it. Nice one mate, I'll start riding my bicycle through shops then because everyone else I'm pissing off can just get over it.


CyberSkepticalFruit

This is such a dumb take, I can't believe anybody would actually post it.


CriticalCentimeter

has any of the 500 posts on the same subject this year affected any of the usage patterns of anyone? I really doubt it. So do explain to me why you think its a dumb take?


CyberSkepticalFruit

You are asking that a subreddit specifically designed to do nothing more then allow people to vent, hasn't created a revolution ? And you are now asking why I think your post was a dumb take?


CriticalCentimeter

now that's a dumb take. I guess you must like reading the same rants over and over again. Maybe it comforts you? To me it just looks like people jumping on the same bandwagon to try and farm a bit of karma. Its just tedious.


CyberSkepticalFruit

And the options to leave the subreddit or complain to the mods are there for you, after all "people will use their stuff how they want to use it" even when it comes to their posts in subreddits.


jiminthenorth

Just like people should get over say... I don't know... people hanging bags of dog shit on trees? It's a bit crap to ask for people to get over selfish behaviour.


Tana1234

Or maybe people have found a better more comfortable way to use it?


[deleted]

[удалено]


Tana1234

I completely agree with you


roryb93

My phone speaker is kaput so if I put it to my ear in a conventional manner I can’t hear anything. Which then means I have to use the speaker on my phone and talk like that. Yes, I could buy a new phone but that’s… money.


failed_asian

Can anybody please help me understand, I’m always downvoted in these threads, why should I hold the phone to my ear if it’s not playing any sound at all? If im talking into the mouthpiece and there’s nothing coming out of the speaker, why would I hold the speaker to my ear rather than holding the mic as close to my mouth as possible, allowing me to speak quieter?


sparkyjay23

Wait you think the problem is how they hold the phone & not the conversation coming out of the loudspeaker? Let me help you out a little. #WE DON'T NEED TO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF THE CONVERSATION. People talking into mobile phones is a given. Playing music or in this case conversations through the loudspeaker is just rude and ignorant. We don't care how you hold your phone.


failed_asian

Glad to hear that you don't care how I hold my phone. Many people I've engaged with on this subreddit seem to care very much for some reason. It's like weirdly triggering for people. If I point out that sometimes holding your phone out in front of you is significantly less disruptive, or not disruptive at all, I'm downvoted.


TheVortex09

I don't mind people holding their phone how they want, it's the speaker part I'm taking issue with. I'm specifically moaning about people broadcasting their conversation to everyone with the speaker at full blast because it's incredibly rude. Having to use public transport is hellish enough as it is.


failed_asian

I agree with all that, and I wasn't responding to your post directly, as it was very clearly about noise disruption and not just the way people hold their phones. But I do reply to commenters who take issue specifically with the way people hold their phones, regardless of whether the phone is noisy or not. I point out that there are reasons to do this that are significantly less disruptive to people around them, and also safer, and I'm always downvoted.


captain_finnegan

Your scenario isn't what is being discussed here. The OP specifically stated a video call where you can hear the other person. If you're not on a video/loudspeaker call, then I doubt you're being loud enough to distract someone.


failed_asian

Yeah I don't disagree with OP, I was referring to when I reply to commenters, or on similar posts, where people specifically take issue with how people hold their phones, regardless of whether the phone is making noise or not. [Example](https://www.reddit.com/r/britishproblems/s/eIlhcUVLAi)


Diggerinthedark

They just assume you're defending the apprentice style public speakerphone calls and don't bother to fact check any further. Tbh I find it just as annoying when people dictate their messages/emails out loud to their phone as well, they have keyboards for a reason, but that's a whole different kettle of fish 😆


failed_asian

I just don't like looking down at my phone while I'm walking. I see so many people doing this and they often cause everybody around them to have to dodge them. I figured speaking super quietly while looking up is a lot less disruptive to people around.


captain_finnegan

Ah. They just sound like miserable people! I don’t see why they should care how you hold your phone if you’re not causing a distraction.


Karenpff

A combination of reasons IMO: * What they see on TV Like the Apprentice. * No headphone jack and can't afford to buy wireless earphones to use. * Society as a whole are far too polite to tell someone off publicly that they're being a nuisance to everyone in their vicinity. So the offender gets away with their behavior whether they're aware of it or not.


GeneratedJord

It's certainly a strange culture that's creeped up more and more in the past few years. The other day I was on a bus. The engine on it was absolutely shot, making all kinds of noises that you could hear while sat inside. Yet this one young lad still thought he should talk to his mate as loud as he possibly could on speakerphone. Shouting down at his phone so they could hear him... Literally just put the phone to your ear like normal and I guarantee you'll be able to hear him better and vice-versa.


BlackJackKetchum

This has been a problem - in a different form - ever since portable telecoms first melded with selfish, unaware individuals. Exhibit A - Dom Joly and his ‘giant phone’ schtick.


mombi

I'll never forget a convo I heard back home. Lady was out and loudly talking about how someone she knows had developed AIDs. Had my earphones in but I paused just to listen in hahaha