Stop talking so loud on your damn cell phone! That’s what I’d like to say to every annoying person in public who talks so loud that everybody in a nearby radius can eavesdrop on their “private” conversation. Apparently cell phone etiquette may soon be tested in court.

According to a story in Tuesday’s Washington Post, a transit police officer thought that the woman was disturbing the peace with loud cell-phone talk and eventually wrestled her to the ground. Police said the woman was cursing into her phone, but she said she cursed after she’d been grabbed, according to the newspaper.

It seems odd that any cop would just “wrestle” a cell phone gabber to the ground. The article continues:

Peter Post, great grandson of etiquette maven Emily Post and director of the Emily Post Institute, said the cell phone has warped people’s sense of politeness. When the little brick rings, he argues, people lose sight of how they might be bothering others.

I would agree that some (I won’t say “most”) cell phone users are inconsiderate to others and do disturb the peace yammering on about whatever on their cell phones, however I don’t think that any sort of legal involvement is going to be a good use of the judicial system. This should be one of the things parents teach their kids at an early age: use the cell phone for primarily emergencies and do not gab on it in public places! Take it outside, or to a private place and talk quietly there.

• China arrests 221 people, shuts down nearly 600 “obscene” websites
• Microsoft enters the cell phone OS game
• High tech cell phone stalker
• Vibrate people, vibrate! Hang up on ringback tones
• Camera phone foils teen abduction
• Easier cell phone URL and code randomizer php script