Phone Pipe Etiquette

[mso489]

So you get on the phone, and you are mid-bowl on your pipe. Unlike conversing, people can't see

you puffing and making eye contact. Do you let the pipe go out? Explain the pauses in your

conversation by saying you are smoking your pipe, or just puff and talk and don't explain?

 

[transmutated]

I think it's better to explain. Otherwise who knows what they'll think you are doing.

 

[papipeguy]

Good question for Ms. Manners.

 

[lordnoble]

Way to date yourself, papipeguy! LOL!
-Jason

 

[agnosticpipe]

For me getting on the phone is a choice to begin with. I usually check caller ID and then decide if I want to interrupt my smoke to talk with the caller. We don't get that many calls every day, so it's not a big issue. If I do answer, I usually put down the pipe and relight later when done, because if I answered, it means I actually care to talk to whoever called.

I don't know what Ms Manners would think of this, but then, I probably wouldn't care anyway. Yeah, I know I'm a cranky old guy... :nana:

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I've gotten pretty good at just talking with the pipe in my mouth. My pipe doesn't interrupt my conversations, and visa versa. But, it gives a strange bend to my already slight Southern Drawl and they think that I'm just being reflective before responding (or slow and dense, ha ha).

 

[jbbaldwin]

Good question for Ms. Manners.

Way to date yourself, papipeguy!

She's still around. Her column appears at least two days each week in the Washington Post.
(I know this because my dear wife reads it to me...)

 

[zekest]

15 years ago, I worked a year and a half working an 1-800 tech support line; to this day, I never answer a ringing phone unless the call was scheduled, as in a pre-arranged meeting (I often work virtual - as in from home).
YMMV

 

[papipeguy]

Hah, Jason;I'm not as out of touch as you think.

 

[mso489]

Judith Martin (Ms. Manners) would probably have a sharp, pithy response to this question, but so far as I know,

she never smoked a pipe, so wouldn't have a pipe smoker's answer. Having said that, she may join Forums

and have strict opinions about Oriental blends and how many pipes to smoke at one time.

 

[settersbrace]

Speaker on when talking with a pipe. The other party may hear my lighter here and there. I rarely talk on the phone these days even though I'm in the old guy catagory, I prefer to text short, to the point conversations.

 

[simnettpratt]

I'm with agnostic - a ring on the phone or a knock on the door is a request, not an order. I would have no more of a problem talking on the phone and smoking, as I would answering the door with a pipe in my mouth.

 

[necron99]

Don't know much about why its a problem to smoke and converse at the same time. I do know this though, if you answer the phone while having sex the woman gets upset and who ever is on the line gets weird.

 

[redbeard]

When I'm on the phone with someone I know I puff away and they have come to learn that the pause is me puffing on my pipe. Before that I would let them know I'm smoking so they would know to expect some dead air every once in a while. If it's a call that is somewhat professional then I just let it go out. If you were to say " I'm puffing on my pipe sorry " who knows what would run through their head.

 

[condorlover1]

A long time ago in another country I was told by my boss to take the pipe out of my mouth whilst talking on the phone. A short time later he called the house when I was in the middle of an unmentionable with the girlfriend at the time and I picked the phone butt naked and he asked me 'If had anything on?' to which I replied 'No. Not at all.' this was followed by the well come on out for drinks. Totally ruined the girlfriends night!

 

[rangerearthpig]

Easy. Don't answer the phone. :lol:

 

[necron99]

Call me twisted or sick even, but I like to answer the phone at a time that makes the caller uncomfortable.
Be glad you can't see me while I post on this forum.

 

[allan]

If it is a business call, I'll take the pipe out if my mouth
Otherwise, I just puff away

 

[blueeyedogre]

I speak pretty grumbled English to begin with so I just keep puffing and talking. Only one to every call me on it is my wife..... She always knows and tells me to knock it off. Lol

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

I'd keep puffing, while they're talking is the opportune time to draw. Obviously it doesn't make much sense to stop mid sentence and take draw and then continue on with your thought.
We have a term for this in the Navy: Nuking it. Which means to overthink something to the point of being unable to move forward.