Why do people phone in Admirals Club no cell phone zones?
 

This is not intended as a rant, but as a question. As two of us were sitting in the "quiet area - no cell phones" in the LAX Admirals Club today six more people sat down. Within 10 minutes all six had started cell phone conversations. A couple weeks ago I was alone in the Miami Admiral's Club and within 20 minutes there were 9 people sitting around me all using their cell phones. And the same thing repeatedly happens in the main Chicago Admirals Club room that is specifically set apart to exclude cell phones. All of these areas have signs posted every few feet asking one not to use cell phones. I'm trying not to be snarky, but if you are one of these people, why are you using your cell phone when you have been courteously asked to refrain?

+1
* Tho I wasn't alone as the MIA AC was crowded, but I noticed a zillion people not seeing or disregarding the no-cell phone/quiet signs.

i am probably guilty of being one of those people on occasion. you enter the club and have calls to make, a limited time frame and you are just not paying attention to your surroundings and the signs. a quick word and i am on my way to the appropriate part of the club. i also think that when you see others on the phone your really don't think twice about it. imho you are absolutely correct to point out the signs and you will receive an apology from me.

make it a point to point it out to the offenders. more often than not they will quickly oblige

Why are you rolling over and playing dead? I smile and politely but firmly point to the sign(s). Violators are usually embarrassed and either hang up or move elsewhere. In the rare case of recalcitrant behavior, I am happy to complain to the front desk, That generally does the trick.

^^

I would report the offender to the desk. On more than one occasion, I've personally witnessed the LAX agents at the AC enforce the rule, by asking the offenders to immediately cease the use, or move.

I think it is better to point out the rule breaker to an AC agent (I would not like to get into direct confrontation with an offender), let the agent be the "bad guy":p

Good for them. ^

It's not just the cell phone zone.
LAX has a "quiet area" and there are often noisy groups of people there.
In all of the cases I see this kind of behavior in, there is enough availability in the rest of the AC. These are probably the same people that don't want their cigaretter smoke in their car, so they hold it out the window toward your car. This is especially bad if they are in an big SUV and you are in a Miata with the top down, because they don't give a damn where the ashes go.

This is why people should not be on cell phone calls while driving.

This is no different than the people who don't turn their phones off, even after the 5th announcement, the ones who turn their phones on while the aircraft is on final and hasn't landed yet and the ones who stand up before the fasten seat belt sign is off. I always want to ask them what is so important that they can't follow the rules. Is a minute longer really going to matter that much? I think it is because it is a "me" society now, and there are people who just DGAS, that think that the rules don't apply to them! They are probably also the cigarette smokers who flick their butt out the window, but think that they are not littering.

Add to that the number of people that come into the tv area or tv room and start screaming away on their cell phones (here's an idea, learn how to use the text feature on your cell/iphone/blackberry). Can't tell you the number of mornings I am trying to watch CNN and cannot because some idiot is ranting on his/her (usually a him) phone. And typically I tell them to please pipe down.

+1 I, too, have seen AAngels enforce the "no cell phone" zone. The AAngels are very professional and polite, but also firm that there are other areas of the AC where cell phone conversations can be conducted.

Actually, there's a big difference. I, am general, am not a rules follower -- I don't agree with your premise that all rules are created equal -- but I do (in general) follow rules that are intended for the courtesy of others, such as not disrupting a quiet area.

(I am typing this while riding in the "quiet car" on Amtrak's Acela train, where it irks me to no end -- and I'll often say something -- when other passengers don't follow the rules. At Steve Martin's wonderful bluegrass performance this week at Carnegie Hall ("I've always dreamed of performing at Carnegie Hall," Martin said, "and tonight I feel like I'm one step closer to realizing that dream!"), I had to turn around and tell the obnoxious women sitting behind me that they should go outside if they wanted to have a conversation.)