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dear prudence chat q: what's the new phone etiquette with caller ID? still answer "hello?" or just say "hi, so and so"

Posted by moles (aka chris) May 31 '11, 11:59

phone etiquette (old way vs. new way)

My husband, Tom, who is in his mid-40s and who is an otherwise polite, hip, and modern guy, has one annoying habit which is old-fashioned and maybe even rude---he always answers his cell phone with "Hello?" even after he has looked at the screen and knows who's calling. I have repeatedly suggested to him that, since he knows who's calling, he should say "hi" followed by the name of the caller when he answers his phone (for example: "Hi, Fred" or Hi, Mom"). That kind of greeting lets the person on the other end know that he already knows who it is so that introductions can be skipped, and the conversation can begin. Tom completely disagrees. He claims that it would be impolite to say the caller's name because then that person would know that he had checked to see who was calling before he answered the phone, and Tom feels that screening calls is rude. WHAT?! I mean, who DOESN'T check to see who's calling before answering a phone these days and who DOESN'T already assume that everyone who can screen their calls is doing so? Please help. Tom says that the only way he will even consider greeting his callers by name is if you side with me.

Responses:

The clear compromise is to switch to "A-hoy-hoy." -- nm - con_carne May 31, 12:07 3
- "Oh, it appears you are having some trouble operating your telephone machine ..." -- nm - Beryllium May 31, 12:08
- This was my thought. -- nm - Mop (204 lbs) May 31, 12:08
- YYYYellow. -- nm - loosilu May 31, 12:07
I do the same. I just say "hello?" -- nm - Don Homer May 31, 12:07
OFFS -- nm - Spawn May 31, 12:06
Holy crap. Why do you care? -- nm - ty97 May 31, 12:04 4
- I think David got it right. It must be about something else. -- nm - loosilu May 31, 12:05 3
  - Good point. Let's brainstorm bigger issues: He forgot to cut her sandwich in triangles. He chose plastic over paper. He bought fat-free mayo. -- nm - ty97 May 31, 12:07 2
    - she fucked the doorman. -- nm - loosilu May 31, 12:07 1
      - he fvcked the doorlady -- nm - Beaker May 31, 12:08
I can't trust the etiquette opinion of anyone who uses all caps three times in one paragraph. -- nm - TFox May 31, 12:04 1
- But Jesus man, this ISSUE is INCREDIBLY important!! -- nm - Beaker May 31, 12:05
She needs a cell phone to the side of the head. -- nm - JaxSean May 31, 12:03
Screening and not answering is rude, if I know the person saw my name and still answered I'm like "Holy fuck I'm looooved!" -- nm - Guigue May 31, 12:01 3
- how could you possibly know whether the person hears the ring, screens it, and chooses not to answer? -- nm - loosilu May 31, 12:02 2
  - I frequently test my friends by following them in a trenchcoat, call them and see if they answer -- nm - Guigue May 31, 12:03 1
    - I think I hear my phone ring about 1/3 times. -- nm - loosilu May 31, 12:06
I think that this fight *HAS* to be about something else. -- nm - David May 31, 12:01 1
- You would hope so. Otherwise, this woman is ten notches past FWP. -- nm - ty97 May 31, 12:08
I wish my life was perfect enough to care about crap like this. -- nm - Strongbad May 31, 12:01
she should obviously divorce him cause this issue is massive1 What a bitch. -- nm - Beaker May 31, 12:01
"hello" -- nm - James Bond (aka Igor) May 31, 12:01
Whenever I call my wife, she answers "What do you want?" I think she's dropping a hint. -- nm - Mop (204 lbs) May 31, 12:01 2
- followed by "again??" -- nm - loosilu May 31, 12:01 1
  - "My BMI says I'm no longer 'obese'. Will you love me now?" -- nm - Mop (204 lbs) May 31, 12:09
I think they both need to chill, ffs. -- nm - loosilu May 31, 12:00

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dear prudence chat q: what's the new phone etiquette with caller ID? still answer "hello?" or just say "hi, so and so"

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