Sprint did a survey on cell phone etiquette recently — you can read about the results here. Turns out almost everybody thinks that other people are rude when using cell phones — talking loudly in public, etc. — but nobody thinks that they are rude using their cell. Here’s the relevant bit:

Nearly three out of four (73 percent) U.S. adults surveyed said people are less courteous in general today than five years ago, and a full eight out of 10 (80 percent) reported they felt people were less courteous when using a wireless phone today than five years ago. However, 97 percent of those surveyed classified themselves as “very courteous” or “somewhat courteous” in their use of a wireless phone.

My hatred of cell phones is irrational in its intensity. I hate using them, and I hate people who use them — on the bus, in their car, on a sidewalk… basically anywhere but a hermetically sealed box. If I were emporer of the universe… and really, why aren’t I?… I would ban cell phones entirely. OK, maybe I’d allow cell phones that were only capable of dialing 911. But that’s it.