Anyone else hate phones?

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I used to hate phone calls a lot more than I currently do, but I still far prefer text based communication, whether it's SMS or e-mail or [insert whatever IM app is popular this week here].

YES. YES YES YES YES. I always find that I'm better with some things with particular people than I am with others. For example, I can only hug my boyfriend and my best friend (of the few friends I have ha); I can only do phonecalls with my boyfriend and my mum, that sort of thing. I prefer text-based communication because everything is all in there - if you want to emphasize a word, you put it in capitals or bold or italics instead of having to listen for tone of voice or body language. If you're being sarcastic, you use a smiley, and they're easy to find out the meanings of if you don't know. But I'd still rather talk face-to-face than on the phone. I really really hate phonecalls. I used to work in an office (for all of 3mths until I got fired) where I had to take care of my normal typing and admin duties but also answer the phones to take calls from customers etc. I always have to prepare myself to answer the phone. I think everyone else thought I was slow but I always had to take at least a few rings to just get it into my head that the phone was ringing and I had to answer it. I also don't answer phonecalls at home from unknown numbers, or numbers that aren't in my ID list, not unless I'm feeling particularly adventurous that day. This has got me into some trouble with bill companies thinking I don't want to pay them. But if they leave me a voicemail then I can remember who it is for next time or put them in my ID list. I hate that you never know who it is or what they're going to say when you answer the phone. Especially when it was at work - it could be absolutely anyone, wanting to say absolutely anything. I also thing sensory-wise I have trouble hearing things properly over the phone, and recognising people. At work I used to pass people on to the wrong people in the office... people get offended if you don't remember who they are after a certain amount of time (whatever that certain amount of time is) so I always tried to figure out who was calling just from their voice. But most of the time I'd pass on the call and then someone else in the office would buzz me to tell me that it wasn't who I said it was at all I just really, really hate phonecalls... i also think I'm better at reading body language than tone of voice, which would be something else that makes it worse. If I have to make a phonecall to a bill company or something it can take days for me to work up the courage. Such a simple thing. i don't know why it bugs me so much.

As faerie_queene87 said, it gets easier with practice. I kept trying to delegate phone negotiations to others, but that doesn't seem to work anymore, so I've gotten used to phone calls.

What really irks me, is waiting for a bus, and everyone is on their phone madly texting someone or web surfing away. I do it myself, but I don't care, I still don't like it. Hypocritical?

I really hate talking on the phone. I usually let it go to voicemail and then deal with it. If I'm making the call, I write my objectives down first, sometimes even what I want to say, verbatim. I hang up on people a lot, which is really, really bad, and I don't linger with goodbye. I just say "bye" and hang up. I get seriously put out if I have to wait on hold for more than 3 minutes. Tech guys hate me.

I'd rather email because I can edit myself at my leisure - no pressure. It helps that I can type fast.

BUT... I remember when phones were hooked to the wall. That was different. I used those all the time without much difficulty. I think cell phones make my head hurt. I get agitated easily so I keep my calls short. Anyone who knows me has been told so if they don't understand, then, they don't.

I do like being able to call anywhere at anytime from just about anywhere. Cell phones made having teenagers easier and harder. It is what it is.

"Hate" isn't a strong enough word -- I despise the telephone, I loathe it. What's worse is that I've never been able to pinpoint exactly why I take issue with it.

It could be that, over the phone, people's voices come out fuzzy and distorted, and I often have the hardest time deciphering their moonspeak. Nobody else seems to have the same trouble understanding whoever's on the other line, at least not to the extent that I do.

I have this theory that, despite what everyone says about Aspies and their love of routine, there is some sort of Aspie trait that manifests itself as a hatred of routine-speak, and that could be one of the reasons why small talk is such a dreaded chore for me and for a lot of others with AS. So that might also figure into a general dislike of phones.

I hate duplex radio phones. I do like simplex radio phones, however.

Well, being pedantic for a moment, I love my "phone" in its role as a pocket Linux laptop with pervasive wireless network connectivity, but yeah... I really hate making voice phone calls. I've never been able to figure out exactly *why*, but I just get badly stressed out by them. At work, when I'm forced to endure a long call, I have to put on my headset and pace around the office. When people call socially, I'm OK for about 19 seconds, then I start rolling my eyes and internally screaming, "Alright already, get to the point. I can't take this anymore."

Calls from my best friend are the worst of all. He talks on his phone nonstop all day, and when he calls, he's constantly being distracted and interacting with others. It's pure hell trying to carry on a conversation with someone who keeps stepping aside for 30 seconds at a time to talk to somebody in the room with him, and whose call waiting goes off literally every 3-5 minutes.

Um... yeah. You might have heard of it. It's a fringe, unpopular platform known as "Android"