January 6, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Smart Phone Etiquette.

Ken and I were sitting adjacent to each other at a table in the charming Mexican restaurant.   When I looked at Ken, I could not avoid  noticing the couple at the table just the other side of our table at Ken's back.  I could see both the man and the woman at any time I spoke to Ken.  

The couple were about 45.  They came in and immediately looked at their smart phones.  This continued until the waiter came to take their drink order and to give them the menu.  The phones were left on the table.   Then the phones were turned on again and continued working until the food arrived.  The arrival of the drinks did not stop either of them from looking at their e mails.   When their food was in front of them and they were eating, the phones were turned off, but as soon as the food was finished, the phones came out.  Twice during the meal, the lady made a phone call from the table.  Conversation between the man and the woman did not exist.  It was an addiction.  They just could not leave their phones alone.

Today at noon while Ken was getting his meal from the buffet table, I sat at the table looking at the ocean.  The restaurant was not crowded.  All of a sudden, I heard what sounded to be a television station, except there is no TV set in the area.  After a few minutes, I began to be curious, so turned around to see the source of the noise.    It turned out that a man was listening to his voice mail messages, thus we were listening too.  When he saw me look for the source of the noise, he turned it off.  I think he was not aware that he had turned on his speaker. He was just wanting to listen to his messages, just as he would do at home.  

Etiquette for cell phone use is evolving.  Many restaurants prohibit the use of phones at tables.  At  some point, people will stop being tied to their phone.  But it has not happened yet.  I am waiting.