Because I was out to dinner.
I didn't want to interrupt the conversation with thirty seconds of "Thanks! I'm having a great birthday" and then pleasantly begging off the phone call. I deemed it to be far more rude to take the calls than to muffle them, get voicemails and return calls later.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Thu 18 Oct 2012, 17:01, 2 replies)

I think the guy had a point.
Nice that you didn't spoil your dinner by answering your incessantly ringing phone though.

I'd have jammed the expensive wine bottle up your arse long before my friends could grab hold of me and remove me from the restaurant.
(username failed moderation, Fri 19 Oct 2012, 8:53, closed)

*shrug* So be it, I guess.
I don't make a habit of being confrontational in restaurants, even when I find someone else's behavior irritating. I was polite, apologetic and reasonable in the face of his drunken rage, and when acting like an adult didn't work I let him dig his own pit.

The phone may have been irritating, but a) I didn't have much of a choice about having it switched on, and b) I did what I could to keep the noise to a minimum. Having it ring for the half a second it took for me to clamp my hand over it and muffle it doesn't strike me as being that terrible. If that was enough to enrage you to the point of violence, then I pity you indeed.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 19 Oct 2012, 9:29, closed)

Hah.
I get like that when I've had a few.
(username failed moderation, Fri 19 Oct 2012, 9:45, closed)

Maybe that's the trouble.
When I drink I don't get easily angered, so I really can't relate to those who do.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 19 Oct 2012, 10:15, closed)

You had plenty of choice whether you could have it switched on.
Why not do what we all did before mobiles arrived and wanted to remind everyone how self important we are:

"I'm off out tonight, if you need me in an emergency, call the restaurant on 555-12345."
Then on arrival, slip the Maître d' a tip and mention that there's a slim chance someone might call for you should your kids be involved in a terrorist attack or whatever the hell it was you were worried about.

For your mobile to be ringing four or five times is just taking the piss and plain rude. Especially if it was "a fairly posh restaurant".

I hope you don't mind if I tweak a quote of yours:
"Look, it's a restaurant, not a playground your living room. Letting your kids race around mobile repeatedly ring in the restaurant, even if it's a crappy diner somewhere, is worse than irritating to the other people there- it's teaching them showing you to be self-centered little twats who can get away with about anything as long as the parents are otherwise distracted it suits you."
( Pig Bodine., Tue 23 Oct 2012, 14:16, closed)

Guess you got that wrong.

( Wet-chinned bag shanker Cannot parse Wogan, Fri 19 Oct 2012, 9:44, closed)

Evidently.
But there's no telling what would have happened if I'd answered, either. He might have taken exception to that as well.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 19 Oct 2012, 10:14, closed)

Probably not though.

( Wet-chinned bag shanker Cannot parse Wogan, Fri 19 Oct 2012, 14:04, closed)