Anyone else hate phones?

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Well, using them, anyway. I try to avoid social interaction where I can, especially if I think I'm going to end up in over my head. The phone, though, that seems to bring the worst out of me. I can't even say what, specifically, makes it so much more difficult than having the same conversation in person.

Case in point, a month ago, I made a call about a possible cleaning job, easy stuff. I told him why I was calling and gave him my name. He told me to call back when I had my s**t together and hung up. This was supposed to be the same guy who was going to interview me.

Technology should have just gone from the telegraph to texting and email.

Anyone else want to share the hate?

I don't hate it, but there's a certain fear when I have to use it. I don't know where it's from and it's rather ironic as the telephone leaves out the body language for the NTs as well. ah well... We've got texting (never get any) and e-mail (never get any).

I hate using the telephone and avoid it whenever possible.

Yes, car horns too. They have their place but but I hate the sudden loud noise.

That, or sudden barks of dogs >.>

I hate, loathe and despise telephones. Sometimes I have lived without a telephone at all - what peace! There's an old joke - "It's just cabin in the woods without any conveniences, except that it doesn't have a telephone."

My phone is set for my answering machine to pick up after two rings. If I had my way it would pick up immediately. I only answer if the person leaving the message is someone I feel like talking to at the moment. I don't...run for the phone. I might just stop and perk up my ears, but it doesn't stop me from what I am doing. It had always bothered me that I could be in the middle of something and be expected to stop it and run for the phone. Then it would take me forever to get the person off the phone and hopefully get back on track to what I was doing.

I hate texting and e-mail much, much more than using the phone. I hate checking for e-mails which are mostly junk or spam because no one I know writes to me anyway, and I can't think of anything good to write to them. The phone is easier because all you do is talk, you don't get carpal-tunnel from typing constantly. Home phones have been around a long time so I'm used to them. But cell phones, ugh!
They're fine as long as they're used responsibly but most people don't. They walk around blabbing nonsense into the ear of whoever's on the other end not caring that it annoys the people around them. And we all KNOW they cause brain tumors!! ! And don't get me started on talking on the phone or texting while driving! Sometimes I think there's a disease that's making people more stupid and that's why they do such things.

Me too. I don't mind fixing them. I just hate talking on them.

I don't "hate" phones but I hate the sound of a landline phone ringing, they're really shrill and annoying. mobile/cell phones i don't mind so much because you can personalise the ringtone

I like phones. I tend to end calls quite soon, cos I feel it kinda spoils it when you've run out of things to say.

I used to be scared of phones-- whenever I had to call someone I didn't know well (make a dentist appointment, call a friend's house phone with the chance of a parent or sibling picking up, etc.) I would spend up to half an hour mentally preparing for a two-minute conversation. I'm better at it now, even though I still say weird things out of nervousness (I had to call my bank the other day and I said: 'See you later!' to the lady on the other end of the line). I never call my friends to have a conversation on the phone, I'd much rather message them on facebook or email them or meet them in person.

Texting is also difficult for me because I don't understand the social mechanics behind it. I got my first phone when I was eleven and I still haven't figured out when you can ask someone's number (I always thought that was reserved for couples or good friends but apparently people exchange numbers all the time for no good reason) or why some people text all the time to talk about nothing. My NT friends do text me random things sometimes but I'm usually too preoccupied/forgetful to respond. I only text when I have a question or when I want to meet up.

Like so many things it always baffles me how others just know this stuff, but it has taken me about six years to learn it.

I don't use the phone. I absolutely loathe it, which is something that has been kind of debilitating in life, seeing as sometimes speaking on the phone is necessary, but when I do have to use the phone I generally tend to end the conversation as promptly as possible without small talk occuring. I have no issue with text messaging, e-mail, or forums, but I just simply cannot wrap my head around using a phone for communication. That, and I don't even have a voicemail box because having to check my phone irritates the heck out of me.

Me too. Making calls is utterly stressful to me, and I don't do it unless there is no alternative. I don't like to disturb people - I prefer to write or sms them, so they can reply whenever they like. Face-to-face conversation is also preferable, especially if scheduled in advance. It is hard to interpret what the person means because I can't see the body language and I can't go through the words again.
Being called is just annoying. I never manage to get to the phone on time, and I don't know whether I'm supposed to call back - so, every time someone asks me for my number, I tell them to email me instead, and give them my business card. I also deactivated the voicemail when I figured out how - before, the answering message was like "Hi. Please don't leave a message, but either call me back or send me an email."

Is it a common aspie thing to hate phones?

That's what I'd like to know. It doesn't seem like a leap to say that ASD-related communication issues could make using the phone problematic.

Is there any way to explain that you have difficulties using the phone, and so would prefer sticking to email or texting without sounding suspicious? Does it help to mention having an ASD, or is that just making excuses?

I'm not really sure if it's better to call and come off all wrong, or to just be up front.

I think that calling is something that gets better with practice. I had to do cold calls and have long conversations on the phone for work, and since I was totally clueless in the beginning I asked my boss to show me. I still don't like the phone, but after several attempts it worked. Writing down a little speech helped a lot. I also keep paper & pen always at arm's length, so I take notes during important phone conversations, in order not to get lost in it or forget afterwards. Also, a headset is more comfy than a phone in one hand, and being in a quiet room helps focusing on the other's voice.

I avoid telling random people that I have issues with the phone, because it simply sounds unreasonable. Instead, as there might be several reasons why one would rather use emails (spending a lot of time in the library/the car/the classroom, being busy, etc.) I don't think it would sound suspicious to ask (politely) to be contacted that way. I wouldn't say the same for texting, since it is quite informal. My friends/family know that I answer faster in writing than I pick up the phone, so they act accordingly