Cell Phone Etiquette

Stretch

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't know about you, but i enjoy pool in order to get AWAY from the world and play some stick. Now i don't mind if a random call comes in during a set with a friend but it kind of pisses me off when the phone becomes a go-to gadget every time back to the chair. More and more i see players not even follow the play and would rather just stare into their phone the whole time until their turn to play comes up. I find it very disrespectful, maybe it's a shark move? It's sad to see all the phoneaholics out there in the pool halls. I kind of miss the days when the phone would ring behind the counter and everyone shouted "I'm not here!".
 
I don't know about you, but i enjoy pool in order to get AWAY from the world and play some stick. Now i don't mind if a random call comes in during a set with a friend but it kind of pisses me off when the phone becomes a go-to gadget every time back to the chair. More and more i see players not even follow the play and would rather just stare into their phone the whole time until their turn to play comes up. I find it very disrespectful, maybe it's a shark move? It's sad to see all the phoneaholics out there in the pool halls. I kind of miss the days when the phone would ring behind the counter and everyone shouted "I'm not here!".
I won't play 'phone pool'. Phone comes out i walk. I'm not going to play where i have to tell some moron its his shot.
 
Only time I'm annoyed by a cell is if I have to wait for them to get done with whatever so they'll shoot or the loud cell phone talker guy
 
From our APA local bylaws....

Cell Phones.... If a player answers a phone call or is using their cell phone in any way during a game, it is considered a time out regardless if it is their turn at the table or not. If a player has already had their maximum allowed time outs, this will be considered a sportsmanship violation and repeated offenses may lead to a loss of game situation. Be courteous, do not use your cell phone for phone calls or texting while playing a match.
 
if he wants to watch his phone he misses my shots. thats on him. fine with me. but im gambling not playing funzies.

besides if you dont like playing someone dont play him.

and if someone goes to light a cigarette, i just walk away. or if they go and answer a call while we are talking and dont say its important excuse me, i also just walk away. no big deal.
 
In the old days you had to check your guns and knives at the door. Today it should extend to cell phones.

In 53 years of playing I’ve only walked away from a table twice. The second time was last year when I was playing with 3 guys in their 30’s or so. I looked up and all 3 of them were tapping away on the cell. I then quietly unscrewed my cue, put it in my case and bid them good evening.
 
I don't have a problem with a distracted opponent. I consider it an advantage. As long as the priority is to address their turn at the table when I point it out to them, then whatever. Once the match becomes the secondary activity then I'll start barking.
 
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I don't know about you, but i enjoy pool in order to get AWAY from the world and play some stick. Now i don't mind if a random call comes in during a set with a friend but it kind of pisses me off when the phone becomes a go-to gadget every time back to the chair. More and more i see players not even follow the play and would rather just stare into their phone the whole time until their turn to play comes up. I find it very disrespectful, maybe it's a shark move? It's sad to see all the phoneaholics out there in the pool halls. I kind of miss the days when the phone would ring behind the counter and everyone shouted "I'm not here!".
It used to bother me, but it’s so common now among younger people. If they keep me waiting when it’s their turn, then it becomes a problem, but as long as they are still facing the table and ready to get up and shoot when it’s their turn, I’ve learned to live with it.

What bothers me more, when you ask someone who is practicing by themselves on the next table if they want to shoot some, so we do. Then, when I’m at the table shooting, they think it’s OK to continue practicing on the next table between their shots on our table when I’m shooting.

I don’t mind telling them that is very disrespectful to your opponent to be doing that, and if they don’t stop, I will tell them just to go back to playing on their table and I will never ask them to shoot again.
 
I find it extremely unpleasant.

If I'm competing then I don't care. I am only there to do whatever it takes to reach the finish line. My opponent can do whatever they want, I am focused on me doing what I need to do to win.

If I am playing for enjoyment (sparring or practicing with a friend, etc) then I won't allow this. If they insist on being on their phone then I'll terminate the session and not play with that person again.

This extends beyond pool as well. I don't enjoy spending time with cell phone zombies. Do what you want on your own time, but for me to spend time together I need to rank higher than your facebook feed. Boundaries.
 
Real social experiences are rarer these days so I cherish those times.

I can look at a screen at home alone.

We have a teammate that isn't there with our team. He's on the phone during every spare moment. It takes a team to win.


Jeff Livingston
 
I find it extremely unpleasant.

If I'm competing then I don't care. I am only there to do whatever it takes to reach the finish line. My opponent can do whatever they want, I am focused on me doing what I need to do to win.

If I am playing for enjoyment (sparring or practicing with a friend, etc) then I won't allow this. If they insist on being on their phone then I'll terminate the session and not play with that person again.

This extends beyond pool as well. I don't enjoy spending time with cell phone zombies. Do what you want on your own time, but for me to spend time together I need to rank higher than your facebook feed. Boundaries.

This.
 
i dont play for fun. but if i did and he was on the phone fine, i would just say ill keep on shooting while you do your phone thing. whats the problem.
do you expect a person to have to have a personal relationship with you while you shoot pool.
if you do then yea, just quit and find someone else with your values to hang with.
 
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