Does it bother you when you see Cell phones out in a public dressing area?

Last night I was in a public changing room at our local public pool, changing from swimsuit into street clothes. There was the usual mix of adults headed home after a workout, the lap swimming crowd, and the kids and parents associated with the learn to swim program. Alot of parents are there waiting for the kids to get dressed, not changing themselves because they are there only to help the kids along. Thats all fine, no problems, but I started noticing how many of these parents had their cells out, texting or web surfing while they waited.

I don't suspect anyone was taking pictures, this would be a much different post if I had any suspicion at all. But I have to wonder, should there be a restriction on cell phones in places where children are changing clothes? Has anyone seen one posted? I see the restrictions posted at medical offices, I always assumed it was for privacy and because the staff didn't like waiting for conversations to end. Does anyone here work in a clinic setting that restricts phones for privacy reasons?

Just curious.

birdfromboat wrote in post #11432144
but I started noticing how many of these parents had their cells out, texting or web surfing while they waited.

I don't suspect anyone was taking pictures, this would be a much different post if I had any suspicion at all.

It's not just the parents you have to worry about! My wife used to organize fashion shows and one evening she notices a young boy hanging around near the entrance to the dressing rooms. She thinks he was about 13. Little bastard was aiming his cellphone at a mirror just inside the entrance way trying to get shots of the girls changing!

In this age of spy cameras built in to pens and widely available (saw them in a store this week) banning cellphones seems almost pointless - which is not to say I don't think it should happen.

There are corporations now who ban cellphone cameras on their premises. With it being almost impossible to find a cellphone without a camera they've had to come up with a high-tech solution: if you need to bring in a cellphone that has a camera in it they simply take a drill to it!

Rather than leaving a message on an online forum, you might try telling people not to use the phones when you think they should not be used. It would be interesting to learn how they react.

I agree though, people need to start applying some common sense.

One problem with these 'all in one' electronic devices is that people don't even think of the camera feature while texting. I will bet the fact that their phone is also a camera was not on the mind of any of those parents.

I've worked in some sensitive R&D areas. I love the look people get when asked to provide their cell phone to the guard before entry. They are told that the guard will hold their phone for them or he will drill out the lens of the camera and then they can bring it in.

Our gym does ban cell phone use in the locker rooms. Fine with me.

I work for GM and we have always been told that we were not allowed to have cell phones with cameras in the plant and they could take them from us if they wanted. I've never seen it enforced though.

To answer the question in the title, yes. You would think that this would be standard policy for liability reasons alone. It seems that common courtesy and common sense doesn't exist with many people when using cell phones.