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I think people view the cell phone, not as having a person walking beside them but as having something better;the ability to extract from the privacy of one's pocket, an instant and personal conversation at the press of a button. You never hear anyone make or answer a call loudly and say, "yes dear... I know but... you're right... I"m sorry." If a call like that were taking place they would talk low and try to end it as soon as possible. Technology has brought the ease of living room conversations into the streets and if you happen to be a captive audience for someone's conversation, your only recourse is to take out your earphones and listen to music. There was a time on the Metro North when courtesy announcements would include the request to keep cell phone conversations low and at a minimum so as not to disturb other passengers. Not so on the buses or in the aisles of department stores; and there's talk of providing service on the subways! It is against the law to play radios loudly and I laugh sometimes to see people, old and young, bobbing their heads to the music coming through their earpieces, but if this subway access becomes a reality and folks start talking even louder to overcome the noise of the trains, I'll have to whip out my earphones and join the head bobbers, even though it's kind of hard to snap your fingers to Yo Yo Ma. (I learned how to put music on my phone from the Oats Advanced Computer Class, with Rob as instructor.) Both cell phones and ipods have the potential danger of slowing down your responses to what is happening around you and that could be harmful.