[MR] suggestion for new cell phone rules at events

[Anne Ramey]

I too agree and disagree with much of what has been said.  As for re-visiting pre-cell-phone plans, you are asking folks to sit by a home phone or go into work when our current technology no longer requires that.  Basically, you would be excluding them from the SCA.  I think that extreme is unnecessary.  

I think setting some basic rules for expected cell phone courtesy then (wait for it...) *enforcing them*, is all that is necessary.  Rebecca said we already have rules that don't work.  I didn't know there were any rules on the books.  Perhaps it is simply a matter of education? To try and make cell phones invisible is important and completely understandable.  To say you can't have one at an event unless some random person says it's ok or you have to pay more money than you could possibly afford if it rings is a little extreme.  If you don't want cell phone calls in court and one rings and they actually stay in court, someone should ask them to leave.  If a cell phone rings on the side of the tourney field, the same.  We are a society based on courtesy.  We have ways of dealing with individuals that continually don't follow rules or basic courtesy.  This situation shouldn't be any different, IMHO.

My 2 francs,
Jehanette de Provins


----- Original Message ----
From: Olwen the Odd <olwentheodd at hotmail.com>
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Sent: Tuesday, November 6, 2007 12:50:24 PM
Subject: Re: [MR] suggestion for new cell phone rules at events



I have read a few of the posts on this subject and agree and disagree
 with much of what has been said.  It is a valid point that in an
 emergency situation, a key person on call for work, someone waiting to hear
 about a transplant, etc, but I must say here that even my agreements send
 me to the quandary of what the heck did these folks do before cell
 phones??  Perhaps they should consider re-visiting those plans.
 
I believe the real issue here is that in today's world where everyone
 feels they walk around in their own insulated private world in their
 lack of respect of others (or themselves apparently). Folks simply choose
 to entertain themselves with public conversations on any and every
 subject in any and every public arena.  Why someone will stop mid sentence
 in a conversation with, basically everyone, to answer a ringing phone
 to discuss a shopping list or where to meet for drinks simply dumbfounds
 me.  Isn't that what voice messages are for??  This is one of the
 reasons for so very many establishments being forced to post a sign that
 states 'No Cell Phone Conversations While Transacting Business' or
 similar.  How sad that people have become so isolated in their own world that
 they have given up simple courtesy and manners.  
 
In any case, my suggestion would be for the Autocrat of an event to
 clearly state: 
 



 
No Cell Phones, visible or not, are to be turned on at this event
 unless cleared by the Autocrat in advance.  Gentles who disregard this
 directive will be asked to leave the site immediatley.
 
 
Then, when those pre-cleared persons arrive at troll they will be given
 a sticker or something to put on their cell phones with the
 understanding that those phones MUST be set to vibrate and stongly suggest they
 respond to phone calls only from the entitiy who is the reason/contact
 for the special request. 
 
Just my opinion.
Cariad a heddwch (love and peace)Dame Olwen the Odd Laurel to Lady
 Katherine O'CarrollOrder of the Pearl Deputy, Bright Hills Cooks Guild
 House Blackstar Barony of Bright Hills Kingdom of Atlantia! 
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