Cell Phone Rude-iquette

Today I spent half of my lunch standing in line at the bank. Apparently one of the entire crew of two tellers working was new and couldn't figure out how to use the computer, and the supervisor couldn't be disturbed while she performed the important task of inhaling smoke right outside the front door. So not only did I learn a great way to run a bank, I learned that some people are worse with their money than I am, and just about everything I might want to know about the girl ahead of me in line while she yakked to her boyfriend on a cell phone. Her friend Randy was just diagnosed with something terrible, she's going to Europe in three days, and the ATM machine at another bank ate and then shredded her bank card. There's more but I'll spare you. But what I really learned today was,

It really is rude to talk on your phone inside the bank.

I do it all the time, but I never realized how damn irritating it was. Thanks for the lesson, Brian's girlfriend.

I wonder why it's so irritating though. Would it be any different if Brian were standing in line with her while they discussed her stupid job? Is someone on their phone in a restaurant any more irritating than a large family having casual conversation at the table next to you? I don't know. Somehow it is, but I can't really figure out why.

And I thought this was interesting even though it's a bit dated.
Cell phone health risks for children.
(and rats)
(who are notorious for using their phone's while standing in the cheese line)