OUR VIEW: Basic courtesy rules still apply to texting

Back in the day – way back – there was a time when the phone would ring and, unless you were eating dinner with the folks, you’d answer it.

Then came an avalanche of technology. Caller ID gave people the chance to be selective when answering. Meanwhile, call waiting, pagers and cellular phones connected everyone to a 24-7 grid of can’t-get-away-from-the-world availability.

And then one day, came the text message.

The very first text message probably read something like this: Hey, you called me, but I don’t feel you’re important enough to strain my vocal chords for. So what did you want?

The response was probably something along the lines of: OMG U R A QT! What R U going 2 do L8er?

Whether you believe text messaging is the first sign of the apocalypse, or you’re racking up phone bills of $250 a month, the time of the text is upon us. So let’s establish some text-iquette.

The ABCs – If you’re using the letters Q and T to say “cutie,” you may need to expand your text vocabulary beyond junior high yearbook signatures. LOL.

Bad vibrations – For many cell phone users, vibrate and silent mean the same thing. Unfortunately, this doesn’t hold true for the professors and students around them. There is a problem when the sound of a phone vibrating is louder than its ring. Better yet, keep phones out of classrooms altogether.

Messy messages – Text messaging is a form of writing. If you send a text message with no periods, or commas, it could be difficult. to read This college. Punctuate properly.

Cowardly courting – Don’t use text messaging as a way of securing a date. It’s cowardly. Conversely, don’t use text messaging to end a relationship. It’s more hurtful.

Be mobile – Don’t respond to text messages while you’re driving. If you’re planning on receiving messages in the car, get a designated driver. Friends don’t let friends text and drive.

Our society may have hit a point when face to face contact is almost extinct, while simultaneously, no one is ever without the means to stay in touch, all the time, instantly. But that doesn’t mean the basic, age-old rules of communication such as courtesy and kindness shouldn’t apply.

Happy texting.