Do you ever fake talking on your cell phone, and if so why?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
One out of every 8 cell phone users admits to faking it. We're talking about cell phones here.
A new pew poll shows 13% of cell phone users say they've pretended to use their phone so they'd look busy... and not have to talk to others.
People under 30 are more than twice as likely to fake using a cell phone.
The survey also shows about 83% of Americans have a cell phone. So that's a lot of faking.
People use their cell phones for everything from taking pictures and videos to texting, playing games, listening to music, e-mailing, emergency situations or entertaining themselves when bored.
Many say they need their phones to live... more than 1 in 4 people say that they've come across a situation in the last month that was more difficult because they didn't have their phone with them.
Yet despite all these advantages - almost a third of those polled said they needed to unplug once in a while. These users turn off their phones for a while just to get a break. They are the sane ones among us.
Maybe they need a break because a lot of them are also frustrated with their phones. They complain their phone takes too long to download something or that they've had difficulty reading something on their phone because the screen was too small.
But we digress. I want to know more about faking it… when it comes to cell phones.
Here’s my question to you: Do you ever fake talking on your cell phone, and if so why?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Linda in Kentucky:
No, Jack but I see people who do all the time. It's quite obvious when they are doing it and I really think that they are just trying to look "important." Everyone seems like they want to be somebody these days – real or fake. Not me, the more people who don't notice me, and the less my phone rings, the happier I am.
Dee in New York:
I only did this once several years ago. I was on a secluded beach in the off season with my husband. I was reading a book while my husband was using his metal detector. He had wandered out of sight and I believe earshot. A guy started to approach me. There was no one else in sight and the guy was creeping me out, so I flipped open my phone and instantly the guy turned on his heel and walked away.
Mary in Louisiana:
Yes. I set an alarm to go off and faked my husband calling to get away from an over-eager car salesman.
Sam:
Sometimes it's more productive to fake a call for 10 seconds than be pulled into a nonsense discussion for 10 minutes.
Manny:
All the time when I take a break at work. I am a systems engineer and a vast majority of individuals in my company know this. 90% of unavoidable interactions end up with problems that the user is experiencing with their desktop, operating system, or application. I'd like to get away from work during my break.
Stephanie:
I fake-talk when I'm walking home alone at night. Walking down empty city streets makes me feel anxious and eerie leers from men on the sidewalk unnerve me. Fake talking makes me feel safer.
Carol on Facebook:
It's the only reason I carry a cell phone.
Jim in Oregon:
Only if I see you coming, Jack.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
Sometimes it's more productive to fake a call for 10 seconds than be pulled into a nonsense discussion for 10 min.
I do it any time when I don't want to talk to a certain person.
no ,thats funny why would some do that
jim avilla mo
Only if I see you coming, Jack. Just kidding ....
JimH
Oregon
I've done it to avoid talking to strangers who approach me in public. If I think someone is coming over to give me a sales pitch or to make small talk and I am not in the mood I just pull out my phone and fake talking to someone. It's not the most polite thing to do, but it's more polite than telling someone to "get lost."
No Jack. I'm to poor to own a cell phone, and I'm never used one either. One record I am quite proud of. While it may seem a disadvantage, it does avail me of one advantage, time to think.
That's a great question and "No" I don't. I know it's old fashion, but I think cell phones are rude especially the blue tooth where you can't see the phone and you think the person coming toward you is talking to you – a complete stranger – or is nuts.
All the time when I take a break at work. I am a systems engineer and a vast majority of individuals in my company knows this. 90% of unavoided interactions end up with problems that the user is experieincing with their desktop, operating system, or application. I'd like to get away from work during my break.
No not that sick.
When people fake a cell call its like sticking ear phones in pretending you are listening to music and not or picking up a magazine on an airplane and pretend to read it to avoid chat. The bottom line, its an impolite way of turning people off to you. Sometimes its like turning off the sound on CNN when you are discussing Sarah Palin, Michelle Backman etc. You cant see what i am doing, but it makes me feel better to ignore it.
I sometimes talk to myself but never had the urge to fake talk on a cell phone for any reason. I might be stupid but I'm not crazy.
I fake talking on my cell phone to avoid people.
That seems like a question to ask kids one would think that an adult would be past the pretend stage
No, I can't say that I do. I try to avoid using it as much as possible.
Only if I am driving and want people to get out of my way.
No. I only carry a cell phone in my car, if I can remember it, "just in case," so rarely find the need to even turn it on.
No but occasionally i hear voices. Usually that is someone wanting me to move out of the way though. Jack your grabbing at straws today. Perhaps you came up with this question pretending to talk on your cell phone. If that's the case try hanging up once in a while.
No, Jack. I'm not nuts.
No, because I don't believe in incessant talking on a cell phone in public. I'm from the old school: my phone conversations are private unless I choose to share them. I don't need fake conversations to avoid something I can figure out how to handle the normal way;.
I do think both enjoying repeating Obama name so much, he dose not need to spend on advertising, One vote for the bail out,
the other except it to pay his state, one show off his booths and the other show off her eye brows.
No. It's easier to just be honest.
Jack,
I don't own a cell phone. If I did, I don't know if I would use it to "fake talk" if I ran into someone I wanted to avoid.
Yes. I set an alarm to go off and faked my husband calling to get away from an over eager car salesman.
Have we reached the point where ego and the desperate need of self esteem has reached a level of this absurdity ??
No Jack but I do understand that sick people do sick things so we need to recognize that our society is about being popular and "in". This is just the tip of the iceberg of things to come.
No I get way to many calls and have to make as many. Maybe the ones that fake calls just want to seem important because they have no one to call.
No, never, Jack! I have more important things to do with my life besides annoying the few friends I have.
I only did this once several years ago. I was on a secluded beach in the off season with my husband. I was reading a book while my husband was using his metal detector. He had wandered out of sight and I believe earshot. A guy started to approach me. There was no one else in sight and the guy was creeping me out, so I flipped open my phone and instantly the guy turned on his heel and walked away.
Don't own a cell phone. Waste of money.
tampa, fl since i don't own one of those unhealthy, time consuming, things with little buttons that allows the govt to know exactly where you are and what you are saying, it would really make me look silly to those govt agents that are following me around.
This may sound funny, but I don't own a cell phone!!
Jack, I'm 75 and 2 years ago my kids gave me a cell phone. I've used it twice in two years. It's continually charged and stored on a kitchen shelf. I never carry it and some day I might even learn what my cell phone number is. In the meanwhile, I think people who walk around with cell phones in their ear are obnoxious jerks. If I had more time I'd tell you how I REALLY feel.
Gary in Scottsdale, Arizona
No, But when I was a little child I used to pretend to be talking on my play phone.
In a parking lot I was hit by someone talking on a cellphone when attempting to operate their SUV. I have a cellphone. I use it only for calling out and never while driving...not ever. If people would make believe they were talking, they'd drive better and would be less likely to run people down. I ended up with a broken shoulder, and a nice five digit settlement. I would like to do some stuff around the house, perhaps I should call her and schedule a meeting.
Mr. Cafferty, fake talking on a cell phone is fantastic way to avoid having a live conversation with a liberal.
Jack
I must confess, that particular comandment is the only one I've not broken. I do find myself taking to myself, I get more attention and better answers.
No, Jack but I see people who do all the time. It's quite obvious when they are doing it and I really think that they are just trying to look "important". Everyone seems like they want to be somebody these days – real or fake. Not me, the more people who don't notice me, and the less my phone rings, the happier I am.
Jack,
The idea of pretending to talk to someone to avoid talking to someone else is really dumb, immature, (and a few other adjectives that the FCC frowns upon!)
Rick,
Medina, OH
I have set my phone off to get away from a sales person who would not shut up! and pretended to answer the call and walk away.
Fountain, Colorado
No, I never have. I think it's childish to do so. I hate listenning to people on cell phones, especially the loud ones in quiet places. The last thing I need to listen to is a fake conversation. Hey Cell Phone Idiots, grow up.
No. I don’t use a cell phone. Call me old fashioned, but I am secure enough that I don’t need to be constantly assured that people still love me 24/7.
On second thought, maybe I’ll get me one of those things, now that they’ve found a use for them.
Personally I do not.
But you may want to ask my wife, she seems to fake everything else.
I never fake using one......I don't use one at all. Have lived 66 years without having to have some electronic gadget attached to my ear or spend hours a day clicking some idiotic portable devise.
So people don't use them enough as it is....they have to pretend to use them. How dependent is that?
If someone is tailgating me on the highway I'll pull out my cell phone and hold it high enough so the party can see it and pretend to be calling 911. This generally works. Works good too for wild truckers who want to intinidate people. They are not sure if you are calling their company or the police. It puts some manners on aggressive and rude drivers.
Can't respond right now, I have a call coming in on my cell.
There's nothing fake about it, when I'm yelling at my "smart" phone from a "fruit company". When the stupid thing keeps on dropping my calls. I hate this phone!!!! Why do we need them??
Jack, I am old school. I don't own a cell phone!
Jack,
It must be a slow day for the media if this is one of your questions.
No, I don't fake talking on my cell phone. I have only had a cell phone for the past 5 years, have one of those contractless phone services, and rarely use it. It is a basic phone–I can't take pictures with it, I don't think I can text with it, and it won't sew on a button, boil water for an egg, or let me track terrorists. It is a basic phone.
You know Jack, not that long ago we didn't have cell phones, and we managed to survive. I grew up in the 1970's–before computers, email, cell phones. Our bosses couldn't call us when it was our day off and email work to us via our Blackberries. If you were going somewhere and you were running late or something happened (like a big accident on the Pike) that tied up traffic, well, you were late. If you knew you were late, you called ahead from home or from the office.
Today people don't seem to have any common sense re when to unplug. Unless you're a doctor on call, you don't have to answer your cell phone. Today people use it for ridiculous things, like the young man who was talking on his cell phone saying "I'm walking past the library now". Why not just wait until he arrives at his destination to give his friend the minutiae of his life?
NO...It must be a slow day at the studio.
Can't say I've ever done this but the device is now a bigger addiction in our society than drugs, alcohol, etc. Don't know if it was marketers who made this one of life's necessities but whoever did unleashed a monster we now can't ever seem to get along without. It has played havoc with real-time conversation. Not to mention one extra expense.
We have only scratched the surface of how strange humans can be!
Savages, would be refreshing compared to this.
Hi Jack.
I'm glad it's not a political question this time. I'm very into politics but your anti-Obama rhetoric lately makes me very tired. So about the cell phone. I've never faked it yet. have't needed to but I've always thought that if I were in some precarious situation, like a parking garage at night and felt that I was being followed/watched. I would definitely "use" my phone to convince whoever it is that I can report everything that is happening to the "person" I'm supposed to be talking to. 🙂
Only to make bad drivers think I am reporting them to the police.
Well, Jack, if i do someday fake talking on my cell phone, just who will I be fooling? We got big brother out there watching my conversations? Or are all those strangers on the sidewalk really curious about how busy I am?
Nah, this is a Monday question.l
Yes I do in my car: to pretend I'm reporting speeders and tailgaters to the police. The effect on the drivers in question ranges from green to purple in the face. Note: I'm posting this from Germany where the highways are full of people who don't give a dime about their or other people's lives.
I don't because I feel talking on a cell phone in any inappropriate location for any reason is plain ignorant. Using it to appear otherwise occupied is the same thing. I used to ride a commute train and the conductor used to announce that if anyone needed to talk on their cell phones to please come to the vestibule in the center of the car as no one was interested in listening to how important you think you are.
No Jack, I'm still figuring out how to answer the damn thing!
Yes, to keep from being bothered. Like I just faked this comment.
I fake talking on my cell phone to interrupt anyone who is imposing on my privacy or bending my ear with inane conversation. It's more politically correct than being rude (especially @ work) and acceptable in this day and age.
BTW, I am 64 years old.
My ex faked headaches for years, now is that not the response you wanted?
FAKE IT?? I am retired. I carry a cell phone for health reasons, and emergency road service. I blocked text messages, and I don't want to talk to you. NUFF Said.
Jack,
When, and if, I get a cell phone, I'll let you know if I ever fake a call, and why.
No, it's bad enough that people grab their phones before backing out of a parking space. Why someone would fake a phone call is beyond me. What's next? "Honey, I couldn't answer the phone because I have a headache."
Stafford, VA
I've pretended to be speaking on my cellphone for security reasons–when walking through an empty and/or dimly-lit garage at night, if someone who makes me uncomfortable is walking behind me for a while on the sidewalk, etc. I suppose it's a false sense of security, the rationale being that one is less likely to be attacked if *with* someone else, and someone on the other end of the line gives that impression. But often being safe is about feeling safe, and as a single woman in a large city, every little bit helps.
Yes, I often do that when my liberal friends are walking by at work.... saying something like, "Yeah, but Obama is the only snake-oil salesman who actually drinks his own snake oil."
Nope, it's kind of like faking something else.
Mr. Cafferty:
"Fake" seems to be the new reality here in the last 15 to 20 years. Anyway, I question...Why do they call it a Blue"Tooth" when They have it stuck in their ear?
People lie. Why does it surprise anyone that people would fake talking on their cell phones?
I would do that to cover the fact that I am talking to myself. It can be embarrassing.
I fake-talk not to avoid normal conversations, but when I'm walking home alone at night. Walking down empty city streets makes me feel anxious and eerie leers from men on the sidewalk unnerves me. Fake talking, if I can't really call someone at that hour to talk, makes me feel safer – the thought of "She can tell her phone buddy to help her if I try to hurt her" – puts me slightly more at ease.
Absolutely! If you see someone you don't want to talk to, it's very tempting to just grab your phone and pretend you have just received an important text or phone call.
I've only faked it to get rid of a Jehovah's Witness at the door.
Sometimes you are just sitting there and it would look strange if you aren't doing anything, so you "talk" on the phone to look occupied.
OF COURSE! Working at Wal-mart meant requiring a cell phone to fake a call as you left the store so no one would bother you on the way home!
Jack – I absolutely fake it, but not to "look busy". I will routinely fake talking on my cell phone if it's dark and I'm walking to my car alone so that a person would think twice about trying to attack or rob me!
I have only once; and it was because my friend was starting to discuss about watersports. Trust me on this Jack, if you know what that term means you probably would have done the same thing in order to avoid hearing it.
A few years ago before I had my own car, (I am 20 now) I would walk home alone in the dark and if people or cars ever went by I would pretend to be on my cellphone so that it would ward off people who would want to kidnap me, as stopping me during a phone call would be suspicious. But I have also done it for avoiding talking to someone I don't particularly care to listen to.
Hold on Jack, I'm on the phone.
Fake talking on a cell phone? Sorry, does not compute.
I've done it. My most memorable time was so that I didn't get stuck with the "not so attractive" friend. oh well, what do ya do?
Everytime when im confronted by a pan-handler I coincidentally get a phone call. This is not fool-proof though.
I don't like talking on cellphones when there are people on the other end of the line (don't like the sound quality), so I'm sure not going to stand around pretending.
I've never ever faked a conversation because i didn't want to talk to a certain person. If i don't want to talk to someone, i have the guts to say "Hey, I don't wanna talk to you". I have however faked playing video games or lost myself on my phone, usually my facebook app, when I'm in a boring or awkward situation.
I'm a medical resident and I fake a call many a time in the hospital to walk past a troublesome patient's room, or to leave their room!
Yes, I'm guilty of that. When I'm walking alone at night sometimes I'll hold the phone to my ear just to look like I'm talking to someone so I can get help right away if needed.
Yes, guilty as charged- I do it to avoid people I don't have time to talk to and are well known for being long winded- I'll also do it at work when I see someone heading towards my office and I am concentrating on a project with a hot suspense. I don't "fake talk" however, just act like I am listening. Horrible I know.
Yes. I am clearly mentally disturbed as is anyone who engages in this pathetic antisocial behavior. You can refer Wolf to my therapist.
The small percentage of people who do that don't have the balls to tell the person that they are avoidning to get lost...
Mr cafferty i fake talk on my cell phone all the time. When I come home from work and want to avoid my wife, i fake talk on the phone. Just for some piece and quiet.
No why would I want to fake frying my brain
Yes I do it when I'm in a store or other public places and don't feel comfortable with the people surrounding me i.e. creepy men, etc.
Yes I play with my phone at least twice a week to avoid all sorts of people and situations, it works every time.
Jack, they’re probably the same people who used to drive around town with their windows rolled up to make you think they had air conditioning. Although I can understand why a woman here in New York might pretend to be talking on a cell phone to keep from being bothered by a stranger.
I have faked talking on my cell phone while passing by a man or group of men who hit on women walking passed them on the street.
Yes, every time I'm in the mall. Those mall kiosks make me feel like I'm in a third world marketplace these days with the people attacking you to try to sell you something. I sometimes will pretend I'm talking on the phone to get them to not bother me. It works.... sometimes.
No can't say that I have...seems like a sad and lonely thing to do.
Jack, Im faking right now
excuse me I'm on the phone !
I'll tell you what it is, Jack. It's social anxiety disorder. That's why people don't want to talk to other folks in person
I pretend to be checking my messages when the sidewalk fundraisers for various non-profits are staked out with their clip boards on the sidewalk near my building in NYC – they are equal-opportunity sidewalk spam, and it's easier to get past them if you look like you're busy with your phone and don't make eye contact.
Jack, I don't think they're faking.....I think they hear voices on the other side.
Jamez – St. Petersburg, FL
Only when my wife comes in the room or when she calls my name from some other part of the house Jack.
I don't fake talk on the phone that much, but I did when I was was downtown one night with friends and was passing someone who had been harassing others on the street and cursing at anyone who wouldn't give him money. So fake talking for my own safety? It worked, no confrontation.
I fake talk to get away from my wife. Guess this would be the once she watch this on TV.
Yes, I've faked it on a cell phone, but not for the usual reason. I used to work at a store that made employees park at the far end of the parking lot. When I worked late at night & was coming out by myself, I pretended to talk to someone, so if anyone had the idea to rob me or worse, they would think someone talking to me would report that something was wrong. A parking lot can be a scary place for a woman at night, & if it made someone think twice & leave me alone, I'm all for it.
Yes, I mostly fake talking on my cell phone when walking across the area on my college campus where several Mormons try to sell me their Jesus. This way they leave me alone.
I fake when this one guy who has cancer and just wants to take up my day for a pitty party bugs me at work Ive got stuff to do and you arnt the only one on my dance card.
I walk the beach early in the morning to see if sea turtles have nested during the night. We then tape off the nests so that they won't be disturbed. Generally, I'm alone out there. If I see anyone walking toward me, I often pull out my phone to appear that I'm in contact with someone. It's a safety tool.
Do it all the time! Most recently, I was waiting for my friend at a bar, I pretended to talk to her making sure to say "ok so you're almost here" so I wouldn't be bugged by drunk creepsters!! Not a bad idea for any girl that finds herself out alone.
I do when walking alone at night and someone shady looking is walking near me, so they think I am connected to other people and could get help to quick to be an easy target for crime.
Colorado
yes – lot's of times. Why? I usually start faking a cell phone call when I see a Democrat coming towards me and I just know all I'm gonna hear is how wonderful this president is and how well he is handling the economy and that it's all president Bush's fault, it's all the other president Bush's fault, that it's all Reagan's fault, that it's all president Hoover's fault, etc
I agree with Sam who says "Sometimes it's more productive to fake a call for 10 seconds than be pulled into a nonsense discussion for 10 min."
Not only am I guilty of doing this with my cell phone, but I do it with my wireless headset at work to avoid being pulled into a conversation I would rather not be a part of. I usually will point at my headset and whisper "I'm on the phone".
I almost always have my phone to my ear when I answer my front door. If it's a salesperson or someone wanting to pray with my I am conveniently on a business conference call. I go to the store to buy things and I pray on my own.
Oh my god yes! It is a simple but effective way to keep my distance. To avoid a certain woman who spews nothing but negativity I would fake an, well, you get the picture.
I have. When I go downtown to this one area there are tons of beggars looking for hand-outs. I find that if I'm on my cellphone they normally don't bother me. So I've both faked it and actually called home to have someone speak to me while I walk by that area. Plus as a female by myself downtown I also do it for safety reasons.
Jack, I faked it just once. I was near a bank and alone when I noticed a surly character hanging around. I pretended I was on the phone with a demanding spouse who wanted to know where I was, what I was doing, who was around me, and if I wanted him to call the cops.
It never ceases to amaze me how immature our society has become! I never even thought to do that until your question today.... and what ever happened to good clear communication, FACE to FACE?
Like saying, "Im busy at the moment, maybe we can talk later". cheeeesh!
I fake talking on my phone to avoid dealing with panhandlers and people hawking things that i don't need like credit cards, newspaper subscriptions, satellite TV systems, etc. I can either waste 5 minutes trying to politely say no, or I could be a jerk, or I can pretend to have a good reason for them not to engage me in the first place.
Fake talking on a cell seems nonsense just to avoid someone. Im going to try fake texting and see if that works.
I only get hit on by ugly and fat women so yea I absolutely fake phone calls, but since I have a hands-free bluetooth device its more like faking a retard.
When I went to visit my grandmother in a retirement home I was getting talked to by every fifth or sixth person. Some thought i was their lost son others to tell me how there day was. After i visited my grandmother I decided I was gonna pull out my cellphone and pretend like I was in a conversation with someone. I would just smile put my thumb up and wave. This was truly saved by the cell phone because I was already late to a meeting.
I indeed am a chronic call faker. I do it to avoid making contact with, say estranged friends or avoid weird situation with people. I fake texting to look busy in case there is awkward silence in the room. Adrian. Kenya.
I only use a cell phone for work and I would not own one otherwise. I believe excessive cell phone use is creating social zombies and texting furthers the living dead characteristics. To say that such a large percentage of zombies are using their mobiles to ignore others doesn't surprise me. What surprises me is that there are still great opportunities to make real conversation, with the living.
When I first heard this question, I thought it sounded ridiculous. I have a cell phone, but usually only use it for emergencies, because I refuse to make the phone company any richer than they already are. Honestly, you've opened my eyes. Now I will have a paranoid feeling each time I walk up to talk to someone, and they pick up their phone. Thanks!
I was on a walk one day and happened to check my facebook on my phone just moments before I heard a voice call "Hey girl" and saw a man approach from a nearby yard. I immediately acted as if I was making a phone call and the man continued to call out, acting more and more irritated. I turned to him with a puzzled look on my face and into my phone I said in as loud a voice as I could without seeing frightened or obvious "Hey, hon, I forgot to call you back. Oh, no, everythings fine, I am taking a walk on such and such road and a man came out of such and such house trying to get my attention." As he heard me, the man stopped dead in his tracks and slowly backed away saying, "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else."
No, I can't find my cell phone half the time. If some one needs to talk to me no matter how menial it maybe I was raised to respect and lesson to others. Cell phones and smart phones are the reason the new generations have no communication skills or respect.
I'm not the best at reacting to the moment but I would say it's not a supprising reaction to fake a call. Nobody is best friends with everyone they meet. There's going to be people in your life that you most likely never want to see again and there's a good chance you will run into him/her again. The easiest thing to do is whip out the phone that your probably already holding, say a few words, and move on with your life. Yet another reason to get a phone- fake calling...
Evan from Seattle, Washington
Many of my friends pretend to send text messages in order to prevent looking idle. It's a sad sign of the times that kids will do anything to prevent being unplugged and actually engaging with other people.
I wish more people did. Cell phone users have little to no respect for the general public. I am tired of being disturbed by some rude person talking away in front and behind me at the same time in a public venue. My advice to them is slap your toy on the side of your face, shut-up, and look stupid. Bob in AZ.
No. I find that cell phone addicts are making a futile attempt at feeling important at the risk, unknown to them, of being a jerk!
At a young age in a the teens I would say faking a call is more a social issue when your in an acward situation. Since these kind of situations are way more likely because of the drama that's going on, I think it explains the statistic of people under the age of 30 fake calling twice as much. People under thirty years old barley form business relationships with others so they really have nothing to lose.
It would be my luck that my cell phone would ring nad that could be very embarassing
I have never faked but I will if I meet Jack or Wolf. I would hate to hear someone tell me "this is situation room" when on the streets of Washington DC.
yes, i have faked a phone call, especially when i go to a store and someone is asking for donations or money, seems like everyone is selling something or asking for money, if there is no side door i can sneak in i just start talking on my phone and they don't even bother...
chris
houston