Turn your phone ringer to low, off, or vibrate when in a public area. Always speak in a low voice on public transportation. Never use devices in theaters, restaurants, or meetings. Excuse yourself to a private area if you must take or make a call. Read a Time magazine article to find out how Miss Manners feels about cell phones.
Some teenagers carry their own cell phones.
Since teens as a group tend to highly value their contact with peers and have always been fond of telephones, it's not surprising they enjoy the added convenience of cell phones. It makes their friends more accessible to them at a time in life when friends are important, and they're usually pulling away from family ties to some degree. Many people believe that society as a whole is becoming ruder, ranging from mundane bad manners to the more serious misbehavior in schools. To help curb this trend, parents have begun sending their children to etiquette classes. Sometimes it's a new friend.