Remember when annoying phone conversations were confined to the length that a phone cord could stretch? With the proliferation of cell phones, annoying phone conversations can irritate more people than ever thought possible. But that's not all. Cell phones make it possible to annoy people while writing emails, instant messaging, or surfing the Internet. Just because it's easy, however, to annoy more and more people doesn't mean that you should. This Gullo Ford of Conroe - The Woodlands guide to cell phone etiquette should help.

Shouting. Back in the day, it may have been necessary to shout while talking on a rotary phone to someone with a bad connection. Today's technology generally makes shouting—even while talking to someone halfway around the world—unnecessary as long as you’ve got a good signal on your phone. It's not only annoying to the people around you, it's probably annoying to the person you're actually talking to. Simply speak in a nice conversational tone and you'll have more friends.

Too much information. Your dear friend may be interested in your fiancée’s gastrointestinal issues, but chances are that nobody else is. If you're talking on a cell phone and other people are around, they can hear you, and they don't want to hear that.

Checking your phone. Except for extreme cases—your wife's having a baby or your child has just had a lung transplant or your favorite football team is playing—there is no reason not to wait four seconds for the person you're speaking with to finish what he or she is saying before answering your phone or checking a text message. If the call is that important (hint: very few calls are that important), offer an “excuse me,” an apology, and possibly an explanation when interrupting a conversation...unless it's a movie, in which case, never answer the phone. Those people sitting next to you paid $11 to see it.

Texting. Texting allows you to relay information to people with whom you'd rather not talk. Texting while driving allows you to relay information to people with whom you'd rather not talk while becoming dangerous to both yourself and other drivers. Pull over. Send the text message. Recommence driving. It's simple.

Toning down the ring. It's really exciting that you enjoy the poetic crooning from the popular artist who sings about people's derrieres, but having it as a ringtone says more about you than you want others to know. Make sure your ring tone is appropriate and at the appropriate volume.

Keeping it real. Always turn your phone off or, at the very least, on silent while watching a live performance. Annoying fellow spectators is also a good reason to turn your phone off during live performances. They paid a lot of money to see this comedian/singer/cellist/acrobat.

Common sense. There are certain places you should never take a call. Examples include movie theaters, while driving, in the bathroom, in bed with your significant other, while in line at the grocery store, while on a date, and more. Use common sense.