Five Reasons Why You Should Not Use Cell Phones in Public Restrooms

Have you ever been in a public restroom and someone's cell phone rings.  And then they actually go and answer it?

Or have you yourself answered your cell phone while using the public restroom?

Take the poll.  We want to know how common this phenomenon is.

Well, here are five reasons why you should not use cell phones in the public restrooms.

If Emily Post, American author on etiquette, was alive today, she would probably say that it is bad etiquette to use cell phone in public restrooms. However, she died before the cell was invented. She lived in the days when you cannot bring a phone with you. Remembered those days? If they could survive without answering every single call, then you can too. Or at least wait until you're done with the use of the restroom first, before phoning back.

The International Center for Bathroom Etiquette website (also known as icbe.org) says "Stop talking on the darn cell phone in the bathroom!" It gives two reasons why which you can read for yourself here. And yes, there are websites about bathroom etiquette -- this one has been around since 1995.

It is rude to the person inside the public restroom with you.

Sometimes the space is cramped and other people are trying to wash their hands. You're not helping if you have your phone to your ears and elbows out.

The tiled floors and walls acts as a echo chamber. So your cell phone voice becomes even louder, and hence more annoying. There is not enough room in there for the sound to dissipate.

One exception is if you happen to find yourself in one of those large luxury public restrooms where they even have a separate section with a couch for you to sit on, then it might be okay. Often they are labeled as woman's lounges, rather than restrooms.

It is embarrassing for the person on the other end of the phone when he or she hears toilet flushing in the middle of a conversation.  And if you do talk while using the restroom, try not to make comments like "Oh shoot, I'm out of paper."

If no one else in the public restroom makes loud noises or flushes the toilet, then you might be be able to get away with it.  But if you make comments like that, it would make it too obvious. And the other person on the other end will not know what to say.  They might not ever call you back again.  Next time they might e-mail instead.

The only thing worse than hearing a toilet flush, is to hear the phone dropping into the toilet. And if that happens, forget it. Your phone is a gonner. Even if it still works, who is going to use it? I certainly wouldn't touch such a phone, much less put it next to my mouth to call.

Even if you managed not to drop it.  Your hands are dirty.  That is why they have sinks in the restrooms.  If you start using your phone before you wash your hands, then it defeats the purpose of the sink.

Now your phone is dirty.  Or more precisely, it is dirtier.  Because cell phone are already quite dirty.  Did you see the study that says that cell phones "come into contact with more parts of our body and a wider range of bacteria than toilet seats!"

If you are talking on your cell phone in one stall and another person is in another stall, there is a potential for possible misunderstanding. Since one person cannot see the other person holding a phone, they might think that you are talking to them.

Here is a funny tale of cell phone use in public restroom found on Snopes.com.   Associated Content also has a similar story.