In Switzerland, when out to dinner with a group of people, if one person spends most of their time on their mobile phone, either SMS or voice calls, is this considered rude? I certainly find it annoying.

No, its culturally acceptable here.....it comes from the days when cow farmers used to ring their bells under the table during fondue sessions

Actually, that's a lie...I just wanted to give your thread some legs

Rude, inconsiderate and arrogant. Take your pick.

Ha ha. Real farmers are the quietest ones at the table. They usually nod off between the main course and dessert.

Don't know why this would be confined to Switzerland. It's rude in any neck of the woods, anywhere.

Possible exception is if someone is "on call" (picket) and has an ongoing issue. My brother in law is often on call but can go out in the evenings during this time so long as he doesn't drink (in case he has to drive) but can sort out some problems from his phone.


EDIT: Just curious but why is that expats see some random example of "anti social behaviour" and immediately attach a Swiss label to it? Doesn't the rest of the world suffer from ill mannered idiots any more or did they just all move here?

all three, I think

And I for one, let them know it

I often wonder about this myself.

Then again, that behavior and similar kinda irk me anyhow so it's something that is memorable for me since people started carrying anything smaller than the old "bag phones." It's a little bit of a shame that cellphones have come so far, I'm sure if people were still lugging those around, they'd not be so pervasive as they are now. (Gosh that makes me feel like an old lady to admit!)

Actually, I was asking if it is was considered rude here. I never said that this is a specifcally Swiss problem. It's something I came across when out with a mixed group of people from several countries ansd the person concerned was not Swiss.

Extremely rude in my book - here, there or anywhere.

The other day we were in a restaurant at the next table. She was texting on her phone the whole time and I really wanted to tell her what I thought of it - but of course didn't! Made me wonder how I'll react if our little ones ever do that to us (they are now 2 and 5!) - hope that their parents will teach them that it is just not acceptable and so rude. You'd expect adults to know better.

What was your relationship with that adult? If prospective employer and boss, a very difficult situation. If a friend, I'd stay cool but tell them how you feel about it.

Just a casual acquaintance, I hadn't met her before. She is from Spain so maybe that is normal behaviour in her culture? I don't see the pont in being out with some people though while wanting to chat to someone else.

Plain rude- I really would have quietly told her and left (certainly NOT paying her bill that is for sure).

My OH is Portuguese, and at the beginning of our relashionship he'd do that quite a lot, and would get sincerely surprised when I got mad about it. He's stopped now (I'm terrible when I'm crossed ) but I noticed his other Portuguese friends also do it a lot. Might be cultural?

Its simple... Be with who you're with. Be in the moment.

In the US, I feel it is worse- I've watched two people walking together, both talking on cell phones to people not there, ignoring each other...

If I go out, I leave the mobile phone at home as I'll probably end up losing it.

Can't understand people who go out to the pub with a group and spend the time Facebooking. You can stay at home and do that.

Cheers,
Nick

Either the food, the service , the atmosphere , the guests or the conversation is crap. Get 3 of them good and no one will worry about phones.

not just rude, but simply primitive and childish

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Who tells you that it is acceptable here ?
And do you regard your "humour" as "culturally acceptable" ?

I think it is cultural. They do that also in meetings and during presentations. It is not considered rude here. My Turkish husband used to do that to when we began to go out and it is not the case anymore. It is something I can not tolerate.

Same as seeing a couple eating out and one of them reading the newspapers... If you want to read the newspapers, you won't see me sitting there when you'll have finished.

It is rude for you, in your culture, or your education. Not rude in other culture.

I don't like it either. But to use those words? If the person who does it is from same background and culture, fine. If the person is from a different culture, let's try to find out first before to use strong words like these.

Cultural? I wouldn't say so, if you'd ask some Spaniards they'd most probably would day it's annoying and they wouldn't do that. Still, when in Spain you'd notice a lot of people do that. Why, because people are more laid back, they don't feel the urge to point a finger at each other, thus, one can easily get away with this sort of "rudeness"..
I personally would not be too quick to conclude something is "cultural".
It also must be something related to one's age, and it is known that older people know better good manners. Ah, and with the increasing "strong ego syndrome" that becomes more and more prevalent nowadays.