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Tom, I read your posting earlier today and found myself throughout the day trying to nail down in my mind exactly why so much public cell phone use is so annoying. First, I think, is the sense of violation of personal space-and-boundaries that a cell phone conversation represents. Where a conversation is going on between two people who are together, a bubble of a certain kind is created around them and I can remove myself, knowing who the participants are. With a cell phone, the user seems to be addressing the “universe” and at the same time announcing, “The space we are in is MINE and if you (the bystander and forced listener) don’t like it, tough!” OR, “I choose to obliterate you (the bystander and forced listener) in this space. You don’t exist. Drop dead.” I am being involved whether I like it or not. We have long standing even unconscious norms of behavior for personal conversations being conducted in public, but no norms have been created for cell phone conversations in public. Tone of voice, choice of topic, duration (God, am I going to have to listen to this all the way to Washington D.C???) Etcetera. It is the world of technology forced on the hapless passerby. No, to answer your question, having a cell phone conversation is not the same as talking to a friend who may be walking alongside you. The “message” for an observer (or forced listener) is different. For me, at least, the cell phone conversation is sending an infinitely more narcissistic message to the “universe” such as "I matter, and you don't (exist)." The subliminal message is Drop Dead. Thanks for raising the issue, though. Many days I would like to stand atop a fire hydrant and rant about this. But that might violate the personal space-and-boundaries of passers-by, don’t you think? Or the cops might haul me off to Bellevue.