On The Toilet - Ring, Ring

[Dr. Shane]

Does anyone else hate it when they are on the toilet and the cell phone rings? So is it impolite to flush when on the phone?

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Don't you wash your hands before you use your phone after being on the toilet?

[Dr. Shane]

Me? I end up answer the phone while on the toilet. Hoping the call won't take too long. Yes, I wash my hands. That buys me a little time. However, even after washing my hands I am often still stuck on the phone. So the question becomes,,, to flush or not to flush?

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

If you wash your hands before using the phone, your question becomes obsolete.

Best solution: don't answer the phone when you go to the can.

[GreatLakesGramma]

I don't answer the phone in the bathroom, unless it's my husband, one of my kids, or my parents. I check as soon as I'm done to see who called and call them back (IF I actually want to talk to them). That's at home with the landline phone. The only people that have my cell phone number are my husband, my kids, and my parents.

Come to think of it, I don't think I gave my parents my new cell phone number. I had to change it when I switched from Verizon prepaid to Boost Mobile prepaid, just a few months ago.

[Dr. Shane]

Answering my cell phone is part of my job. Most hours of the day I am on the phone or computer. Often times I get calls from people I have been trying to get a hold of or from my boss, that I have to take regardless of what I am doing.

[Amelia]

Nothing is so important that it can't wait a few moments to finish things up and return the call. IMHO it's crude to talk on the phone in a public restroom stall. YUCK!

[GreatLakesGramma]

OK, if you have to take all calls, what do you do when someone calls while you are talking to someone else? Do you have some kind of call waiting feature on your cell phone, or does it automatically go to voice mail? If it goes directly to voice mail when you're on the phone with someone else, would they even know you were not on the phone with another person if you turned it off for the few minutes you're in the restroom and let it go to voice mail? You could turn it right back on the moment you were done, and call them back in a minute or two.

And what about losing your signal? My husband isn't always in a place where his work cell phone has a signal, and if the system can't find him it goes to voice mail. If these kinds of things happen, you're already not answering it immediately every single time, and you don't get in trouble for that, do you?

If there's really nothing you can do about it, I would definitely avoid flushing while on the phone. If it were me on the line, I would not want to hear that. Being a visual person, my mind would automatically conjure up an image I would not want to have there.

So in answer to your original question, yes, it is definitely impolite to flush while on the phone, and that is putting it mildly.

[Dr. Shane]

My line of work is kind of like adult daycare. I run anywhere from two to four projects with anywhere from 20 - 25 subcontractors and suppliers on each one. I am basically the boss's boss because most people I work with own their own companies. Some of them don't answer the phone when I call and don't return my phone calls. I have to employ all kinds of tactics to get them to fulfill their contractual obligations. When they do finally respond to me, I need to take the call.

When someone calls me and I am already on the phone, I have the option of sending them a text message that tells them I will call them back. That is what I do. If it is one of my disobedient, I obviously take the call and put the other one on hold.

[GreatLakesGramma]

Then I guess your best option is to not flush until the phone call is done. Either that, or put them on hold or mute the phone while you flush.

[Woody]

Flush and then get the ring.

That's the natural way.

[phkrause]

Flush and then get the ring.

That's the natural way.

Ah!!! no comment. LOL

[Dr. Shane]

Muting is a good idea. I am not sure how to do that on my phone, but there must be a way.

[Outta Here]

It's okay to flush if you're in the construction business--but anything else, forget about it.

[Dr. Shane]

Have I just been insulted?

[Outta Here]

No

[Dr. Shane]

Oh good. I feel better. pals

[Overaged]

What good is the phone without the computer?

[Woody]

I have to agree with you on that Overaged.

Some people's brains work best while they are on the throne.

[Overaged]

LOL, thanks! It is an old picture I found somewhere - in this modern day and age I imagine that monitor would be a flat panel instead of the big ol antique one in the pic!