Techscope.

(An Occasional Survey of Comment & Events)

Stopping an Epidemic of Bad Etiquette reprinted with permission from The Standard (on-line).

We recently took a look at legislative efforts aimed at cell phone users. Now we examine the private sector, which has seen its own share of campaigns.

Places like restaurants, theaters, and other gathering spots are a prime target. Popular eateries such as Moose's and Dine in San Francisco encourage patrons to go outside if they must talk on the phone during dinner, while Vox 646 in Manhattan has a special lounge area just for cellular users.

Arts patrons are asking cell users to show some restraint as well. Museums around the country, like the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, have requested that visitors refrain from using their mobile phones. In an often-repeated story, Laurence Fishburne stopped a scene in the Broadway play "The Lion in Winter" to chastise an audience member whose phone was ringing. Fishburne received an enthusiastic ovation from the audience.

Even small venues are taking notice: Caffe Roma in San Francisco has posted signs warning callers who hold up the line that they will be charged an extra $1 for their latte. Manager Anthony Azzollini says that while the warnings are partly humorous, he is serious about the message--in a business where people count on getting their coffee in 2-3 minutes, even small delays can affect the bottom line. Azzollini says the policy has helped, because "it makes people stop and wonder, and they get off their phone."

Requesting that all phones, or ringers, be turned off before meetings is also