Rudeness, Interrupted

Tech Etiquette
As the holiday travel season begins, here is how to make your trip more pleasant for you and those around you.
BY JULIO OJEDA-ZAPATA
Pioneer Press

Peter Shankman was on a U.S. flight recently when the person beside him pulled out a DVD movie to watch on his laptop computer.

That's hardly unusual nowadays, except that "it wasn't the most … um … family-friendly movie," says Shankman, head of New York-based travel-service company AirTroductions. "I didn't care so much, but I could only wonder if he'd do the same thing if he was sitting next to a five-year-old."

Shankman isn't the first traveler to run into a glaring breach of "tech etiquette" — when portable technology is used in a manner that is potentially bothersome or offensive....

For the complete article, click here: http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/13416597.htm

Here's an excerpt of the technology do's and don'ts for travel:

Headphones. Use them with all gadgets. They may still be audible, so regulate the volume carefully. If you're listening for a flight announcement, keep one of your ears free.

Laptops. They're fine for work on the go, but save sensitive stuff for home, office or hotel. If you really must pull up that top-secret work memo, use a laptop privacy filter.

Pick your material. When watching movies or playing video games, weigh whether these might offend a seatmate. R-rated flicks and M-rated games might not go over well.

Don't be nosy. "It is not proper to look over someone's shoulder to see what book they are reading or what they are typing," says veteran traveler Dianne Daniels. "It's rude."

Don't disturb! Someone using a laptop and/or phones probably doesn't want to be bothered, so don't, says seasoned traveler Peter Shankman. "It screams, 'Leave me alone!' "

Typing technique. Don't type noisily with fingernail tips, says Laurie Puhn, author of a "Rudeness, Interrupted" blog (lauriepuhn.com). "Use the fleshy part of your fingers."

Bright screens. These can annoy others on night flights. Dim the screen (it will remain perfectly legible in the dark) and angle it away from a sleeping or reading seatmate.

Be space-considerate. Use of an extra-wide laptop doesn't entitle you to more elbow room. If there's a laptop user behind you, show some mercy and keep your seat erect.

Seek more space. If your flight isn't crowded, move to a more secluded seat. At a Wi-Fi hotspot, position yourself with your back to a wall, says traveler William Kotis III.