(Identity of loud passenger is protected out of courtacy)
I’m sat on the train on the way to the Thinking Digital Conference in Newcastle where I’m due to be holding a Web-Video workshop and giving a talk there. Thanks to train chaos, downed cables on the Northern Line and mayhem-a-plenty, I’m not only slightly ahead of time but I’m also not in my reserved seat enjoying 1st class hospitality.. I’m ignoring the normal rules of the rail and have almost become invisible to a system in panic.
Sat oposite me is a guy I wish was on an iPhone and not the old school brick of a smartphone he’s using. Why? Well if he had apps he would probably not be on the phone so much, shouting the same thing over and over again. Also if he was on an iPhone he could not be gassing at length as his battery would be flat by now.
As i type this all i can hear is “Hello!. Hello!.. Hello! Are you still there?”
I feel like saying. “I’m here.. and you are doing my head in.”
Whilst on this rather long leg into the North East of England I have not only fired off a barrage of emails, I’ve edited and shared a video with the family and responded to no end of conversations on twitter. Why not?.. This carriage has free WiFi and I have the MiFi as a back up.
On the guys 5th attempt to finish a loud conversation punctuated by loss of reception in tunnels, I asked him why doesn’t he email?
“Email?” he said “What if i want to find something out?”
I imagined he likened email to snail mail where it takes people days to reply so i asked about texting..
“Send a text.. Like kids do?”
At this point I put on my headphones and decided to write this.
From talking to texting to blogging to tweeting. Communicating is something we can all do on multiple levels. All we need to know is that the tools are there. If you need to communicate for work surely it’s in your interest to know all the options at your disposal.
I now know the guys name.. what he’s doing, where he is meeting and whom. What companies are involved (hint: Betfair is one) and the hotel he is staying at. It has taken him over an hour to complete a couple of simple calls and he is still at it.
There is a lot of money involved. I have no doubt he is on a tidy wage. Yet in my mind he is not doing half the job i feel someone who is equipped with the simple tools could do.
His food has arrived. I may take my headphones off and revel in a peaceful journey while he stops shouting into his phone and takes a few moments to stock up on the calories enabling him to shout a little more.
He’s not heard a peep from me. But you guys have.. 😉
I envy your restraint, dear lord people are so stuck in the dark ages ;(Hope he shuts up now
Some interesting thoughts … it’s got me thinking. What I find is that although we may be doing work, conversing with many, blogging, catching up with news, editing a photo or video or listening to music … people still moan at me for being on the iPhone too much.Why shouldn’t I be on the iPhone while my wife is reading a book? I can’t see the difference, my ‘book’ is just a hell of a lot more connected.Rich
I agree @RichardMackney Electronic devices are seen as antisocial to those who aren’t aware of their capabilities. I imagine this will change. The iPad is already making headway by removing the perceived barrier that is the upright screen..