Pacers and Yalkers
Jul 8, 2018, 7:58 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: Delta-Million miler
Posts: 1,312
I have been a very busy academic scientist for the past 40 plus years. I write a lot, analyze data a lot and travel a lot. I hardly make 5 calls from my cell phone in a month and except for tele-marketerrs' calls, rarely receive any calls on my phone. I don't find fault with people who use phone and laptops extensively while traveling. The points that I was making were, talk without disturbing others (pacing up an down the gate area, loud conversation, too personal conversations etc). I do carry my iPad/laptop whenever I travel but rarely use them for business related activities in the airport or in the plane (other than gogo for entertainment). In fact, as an academic scientist, I discourage the use of USB drives, laptops etc for storage and analysis of unpublished data. I am quite sure, there is a ton of lost USB drives or laptop/ipads in airports and in planes.I doubt whether a couple of hours would have added to my productivity/business. My work is mostly mental and I use my brain a lot during travel and use the idle time to read published literature that I keep in my iPad.
Jul 8, 2018, 6:18 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA
Programs: SA Air, Air Canada, KLM, BA,Lufthansa, United, AA, Hawaiian, Air New Zealnd, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic
Posts: 777
The ones that annoy me the most are those that are texting while walking very slowly in the center of the walk way. Pull over and let others pass.
Jul 9, 2018, 6:30 am
#18
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: Rapid Rewards, AAdvantage,
Posts: 120
That said, looking around a place where a lot of people are gathered and seeing 80% of them with their noses buried in a screen does not bode well for the fate of mankind.
Jul 9, 2018, 9:07 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
I also find the pacers a bit obnoxious, especially since they're usually also screaming into the phone. I wonder if they need to heed the call of nature, and are caught between whether they can hold out or if they need bring the phone into the rest room with them.
Jul 9, 2018, 9:21 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: Delta-Million miler
Posts: 1,312
Two suggestion technology minded people:
1. Is there an app or gadget that would make phone (or other phones) microphone unidirectional so it won't pickup other sounds?
2. Could one device a setup (like a voice box that patients who can not speak use) that one could attach to the throat that will pickup (Like Dr. Sephen Haukins) and directly transmitter to phone without an actual voice?
1. Is there an app or gadget that would make phone (or other phones) microphone unidirectional so it won't pickup other sounds?
2. Could one device a setup (like a voice box that patients who can not speak use) that one could attach to the throat that will pickup (Like Dr. Sephen Haukins) and directly transmitter to phone without an actual voice?
Jul 9, 2018, 7:04 pm
#21
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,884
Just as a data point, I am a "pacer". For me it comes from a pretty serious ADD problem - if I keep moving while I am talking (or worse, listening) on the phone, I am less likely to get distracted by something (email, web browser) and lose track of the conversation. Luckily, I am also hearing impaired, so I always pick somewhere private and quiet to do my walking and listening.
Jul 9, 2018, 11:48 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 969
As well as the "pacers" and "talkers", there are also the "standers". They can be the ones who stand right in front of you, staring at you as if they are talking to you not the person on the phone, or the ones who keep the elevator door open to finish their phone call in case they lose the signal inside.
Jul 10, 2018, 6:23 am
#23
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Germany
Posts: 71
I'm fascinated about the derailing of the topic in this thread.
BTW if you find spelling mistakes or odd wording in my posts you're welcome to keep them as I'm typing on my phone and not a native speaker. Alternatively you can show them to me so I can learn better - as I said it's a foreign language for me.
Back on topic: pacers are especially a problem if they are doing it between the seating at the gate. Anyone else been very tempted to stick out a leg and trip a pacer who has been pacing through the seating area for more than 15 minutes and continously bumps into people? Sometimes it's soo hard to ignore that urge! I haven't done it yet but I have occasionally snapped at the moron.
BTW if you find spelling mistakes or odd wording in my posts you're welcome to keep them as I'm typing on my phone and not a native speaker. Alternatively you can show them to me so I can learn better - as I said it's a foreign language for me.
Back on topic: pacers are especially a problem if they are doing it between the seating at the gate. Anyone else been very tempted to stick out a leg and trip a pacer who has been pacing through the seating area for more than 15 minutes and continously bumps into people? Sometimes it's soo hard to ignore that urge! I haven't done it yet but I have occasionally snapped at the moron.
Jul 10, 2018, 8:03 am
#24
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
Anyone else been very tempted to stick out a leg and trip a pacer who has been pacing through the seating area for more than 15 minutes and continously bumps into people? Sometimes it's soo hard to ignore that urge! I haven't done it yet but I have occasionally snapped at the moron.
Jul 10, 2018, 8:39 am
#25
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Germany
Posts: 71
Oh to be honest I know the urge is wrong but so is the person bumping into people because he has to talk and pace. I was waiting for a Ryanair flight once and a guy kept pacing and screaming into his phone (not sure how important his business was considering he was flying Ryanair on a route that has more prestigious connections) in the matter of maybe 15 minutes he'd stepped on my foot twice, pushed over the next persons carryon rolling suitcase bumped into at least four other people seated close to me and I reached the end of my patience when he hit me in the face with his messenger bag. I only verbally lashed out but I've never been so tempted to just stick my foot out a few inches further so instead of stepping on it he'd fall over the leg.
I've been tempted on other occasions but never that strongly. I think the fact that low cost airline waiting zones at gates sometimes seem to be a bit more crowded and designed cheaper / with less aisle room between the seats might be part of the reason I've witnessed that kinda bad behavior more often, as I usually go for Ryanair flights to the UK.
I've been tempted on other occasions but never that strongly. I think the fact that low cost airline waiting zones at gates sometimes seem to be a bit more crowded and designed cheaper / with less aisle room between the seats might be part of the reason I've witnessed that kinda bad behavior more often, as I usually go for Ryanair flights to the UK.
Jul 10, 2018, 9:46 am
#26
Moderator: Travel Buzz
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Sunny San Diego
Posts: 3,099
Moderator Note: Several off topic replies have been removed. Consider this a gentle reminder that OMNI exists and many of the derailed conversations in Travel Buzz would be more appropriate in Omni. Thanks!
Jul 11, 2018, 10:52 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,918
Two suggestion technology minded people:
1. Is there an app or gadget that would make phone (or other phones) microphone unidirectional so it won't pickup other sounds?
2. Could one device a setup (like a voice box that patients who can not speak use) that one could attach to the throat that will pickup (Like Dr. Sephen Haukins) and directly transmitter to phone without an actual voice?
1. Is there an app or gadget that would make phone (or other phones) microphone unidirectional so it won't pickup other sounds?
2. Could one device a setup (like a voice box that patients who can not speak use) that one could attach to the throat that will pickup (Like Dr. Sephen Haukins) and directly transmitter to phone without an actual voice?
2) There used to be a bluetooth headset called a jawbone (I think Jabra made it) that in theory picked up your voice through your jaw bone (hence the name) to help clarify what it's microphone picked up and to eliminate other noises. It didn't really pick up as far as I know... Maybe it'll be resurgent again?
Jul 11, 2018, 10:57 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,884
1) Not that I know of as that would require a change in physics (unidirectionals are usually through the use of physical characteristics such as parabolic dishes) -- I could be wrong
2) There used to be a bluetooth headset called a jawbone (I think Jabra made it) that in theory picked up your voice through your jaw bone (hence the name) to help clarify what it's microphone picked up and to eliminate other noises. It didn't really pick up as far as I know... Maybe it'll be resurgent again?
2) There used to be a bluetooth headset called a jawbone (I think Jabra made it) that in theory picked up your voice through your jaw bone (hence the name) to help clarify what it's microphone picked up and to eliminate other noises. It didn't really pick up as far as I know... Maybe it'll be resurgent again?
Jul 12, 2018, 6:22 am
#29
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
Modern phone technology is pretty good. There is no need to shout even in a noisy environment. Speaking in a normal tone close to the microphone is sufficient.
Jul 12, 2018, 9:43 am
#30
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
My personal favorites are the ones who keep the phone on speaker as they pace up and down the gate area, so we can hear BOTH sides of the conversation. I am hoping to get some good investing tips...some insider information...something I can use.