The news that Ryanair is leading the way in developing a system where passengers can use their mobile telephones while travelling at 35,000 feet fills me - and, I suspect many others - with despair. As someone who chooses to use public transport, I choose to plug in my headphones and escape to the sounds of my IPod whenever mobile phones inevitably go off on buses and trains. Now, the one place where you can escape the curse of modern technology will soon be ringing - literally - to the sound of irritating ring tones and loud and quite often gormless conversations that intrude on one's privacy. I can see it now, as soon as the flight to a week in the sun hits the required altitude after take-off and the flashing 'you can unfasten your seatbelt' sign beeps, not only will there be the usual rush to the loo of those who have consumed more alcohol than it necessary in the airport departure lounge but dozens of ringtones will burst into action.
'Hullo? Hi, it's me. Aye, I'm on the plane' I should really put these words in block capitals as, in text speak, this means shouting. As many people tend to do whilst using their mobiles.
How did we cope all these years ago without mobile phones and the internet? I thought about this the other night whilst texting a very good friend. Being a man, texting about two topics at the same time meant I became disorientated at one point and completely misinterpreted a couple of text messages. At one point I thought I had offended my friend to the point where she was never going talk to me again, a frightening prospect. Thankfully she soon put me right and then asked the bleeding obvious - 'Why didn't you just call me?' She was quite right, of course. That's what phones were invented for - the art of conversing, an art which - in this age of internet, text, social networks, messaging services - seems to be dying.
My daughters will probably not get the point of this rant. At times it seems like I communicate with Laura only via her Bebo page and Michaela through texting. Michaela even text me from the bathroom a wee while ago asking me to put the kettle on. In an age where many mobile phone companies offer unlimited texts it seems many people prefer to press a few buttons on a keypad rather than make the effort to engage in face to face conversation.
I realise, dear reader, the irony of me putting my feelings into a blog. But I was going to visit my elder daughter later today and phoned to confirm she would be in. But she has her voicemail switched on...
