TankerDriver

Doesn't surprise me. Cell phones have become ingrained in our culture. We live in a new generation that is obscessed with electronic communication/social media. I won't be surprised if it becomes a disorder and makes its way into the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) one day. Cell phone addiction has been compared to compulsive buying and credit card misuse.

I hooked a guy in my unit (KC-135) a few months ago during his pre-instructor pilot upgrade training because he was texting while we were taxiing to the runway for takeoff. I'm in the left seat playing "student" when I just happen to look over at him and notice him texting away like a madman (the girlfriend, of course). So I decide to start drifting left of centerline to see how long it's going to take him to notice us heading toward the grass. I look back at my boom operator and another pilot in the JS to give'm a winky-winky and they both smiled. Well I get about as far left of centerline I can before our #2 engine is about to hang over the grass before I yelled, "Yo!" over interphone. He looks up like a deer in the headlights at me. I said, "Is someone close to you about to die or have a baby right now?!" and he said, "Um, no." and I said, "Ok, let's put the phone away then!". We flew the mission and he got an ass-chewing during the debrief along with an unsat for the ride.

tomgoodman

Ah, but don't forget who will be editing the DSM in the future. It's more likely that someone who avoids those devices will be considered abnormal, and diagnosed with a new syndrome like "hypotextive celluphobia".

EMBFlyer

I can't figure out the point that our society became so obsessed with being connected. Commuting 2 work, 2 "Precious Metals" occupied the aisle seats near me. On their phones from the moment they stepped on board until they were chastised by the FA for texting while taxiing out. Once the FA walked away and we sat in line for a few more minutes, they both disregarded the rules and turned them off Airplane Mode and went right back to texting.

I, for one, enjoy being "off the grid" for couple of hours commuting to and from work.

windrider

You say my airplane, step on the brakes and set the parking brake until he's off then explain if he does it again we can all discuss with the CP. the only time I am ok with it if is we pull off and set the brake but not while actively taxiing.

EMB4Ever

Impossible, it's nearly impossible to operate a flip phone while a super 80 is in motion.

Packrat

Who said anything about a flip phone?

Rabid Seagull

You're really not having a good night tonight. Try to absorb, just try.

Name User

It was funny, let it go.

Hrkdrivr

The former for sure.

You're sitting at a red light a few cars back and the light turns green. Nobody moves. Stranger yet, nobody honks their horn. Remember when the light wasn't even green yet and people were laying on the horn? Because everybody is on their damned phones. Everybody. So nobody's pi$$ed about the green light wasting away while nobody is moving. Except me. Nobody texts me anyway.

Hrkdrivr

That's pretty ballsy right there. I didn't even want to breathe funny on OE. Wow.