Comments on: Turning off the cell phone before takeoff https://www.habitablezone.com/2011/06/10/turning-off-the-cell-phone-before-takeoff/ Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:45:24 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: VelociraptorBlade https://www.habitablezone.com/2011/06/10/turning-off-the-cell-phone-before-takeoff/#comment-1920 VelociraptorBlade Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:34:11 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=1580#comment-1920 Well, if they're anything like those sound control devices at my high school theater, then I can definitely see why they want them off. Often,during plays or musicals, you'd hear this BEEP BEEP BA-BEEP during them, and you'd know someone had their cellphone on. This happens with computers and radios too. Well, if they’re anything like those sound control devices at my high school theater, then I can definitely see why they want them off. Often,during plays or musicals, you’d hear this BEEP BEEP BA-BEEP during them, and you’d know someone had their cellphone on. This happens with computers and radios too.

]]> By: ER https://www.habitablezone.com/2011/06/10/turning-off-the-cell-phone-before-takeoff/#comment-1911 ER Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:50:48 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=1580#comment-1911 Some 20 years ago, I once had an airline stewardess request I turn off my headphone transistor radio because there was a possibility that RF generated in the thing's internal oscillators might interfere with the plane's electronic navigation systems. She didn't say it was a certainty, just that it was a precaution. That seemed perfectly reasonable to me. Why do people need to make such a fuss about a perfectly reasonable request, even if it hasn't been proven to be a danger? Even if it WERE BS, why are people so sensitive about these things? Some 20 years ago, I once had an airline stewardess request I turn off my headphone transistor radio because there was a possibility that RF generated in the thing’s internal oscillators might interfere with the plane’s electronic navigation systems. She didn’t say it was a certainty, just that it was a precaution.

That seemed perfectly reasonable to me. Why do people need to make such a fuss about a perfectly reasonable request, even if it hasn’t been proven to be a danger? Even if it WERE BS, why are people so sensitive about these things?

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