Aspies For Freedom

I dislike that people are so dependent on cell phones but I have one and use it (not constantly though)No phonbia for me!

I also hate using a phone

If a call really has to b made i get my mum to do it.

So glad we have e-mail and text!

I will answer my mobile if it is my mum or my sister calling on the caller id, if its a witheld number i will ignore it.

Sometimes when the phone rings, I just about jump 3 feet in the air.

^I hate the sound of phone rings too. Why do they have to be so high-pitched? Don't even get me started on the "cute" custom ringtones on cell phones.
I never had a problem with the phone till a few years back, mainly because I never called anyone except relatives and the (very occasional) friend. Then this person chewed me out for sounding "rude" on the phone in a work situation. After that calling strangers or for anything work-related started to freak me out.
I had a boss for a while after that who wouldn't let me answer the business phone....she did at first but then changed it....I never had the nerve to ask if I'd offended someone, but it didn't help.  So now I only make calls when absolutely necessary for my job.
Answering machines and voicemail really bother me, because my voice sounds bizarre recorded, and i'm always afraid of sounding stupid or saying the wrong thing and then having it RECORDED beyond hope of denial or taking it back. :0

The phone is a horrible, despicable beast and I can not even imagine having to own one. Even as a teen, the ring made me jump like a frightened cat. I hate talking to people on the phone, having to hear them breath... the worst is that I then get intimidated by having to speak to them and begin to slur, and then have to repeat myself dozens of times. It's hard enough to speak to a human normally, but I find it MUCH harder on the phone or with a webcam, for reasons I can't really discern.

If you want to contact me, I tell my "friends", then you'll have to write. What's wrong with writing? I regret that snail mail is getting "out of style".

I don't mind using the phone, but I just sometimes find it hard to hear what the person is saying, particularly if the person has an accent that is hard to understand.  Personally, I prefer email.

I hate phones also, and ironically, when I happen to have some time alone in my house, I always get a few phone calls. It's just as bad as talking with person.

correction: "with a person."

I agree I hate phones too. My brother rang me at the weekend and complained that he always has to ring me, and that we hadn't spoken for ages. I just can't talk properly on the phone, I get easily distracted even though I actually need to concentrate harder to hear (understand) what is said, like trying to talk to someone in a noisy pub. My family always thought a video phone would be good for me, but I don't think it would help. At work I mostly email people or go and see them if they are in the same building. Luckily most people phone me so I don't have to try and ring them which is doubly hard.

If I have to ring someone I usually have a set time for it like first thing in the morning. I like automated systems but doubly hate answer phones - I have a ring three times system before I leave a message.

My boyfriend also has a bit of a problem with phones and he says the main problem with phone calls is that it doesn't give you enough time to think.

i hate phones.i can never hear what the other person is saying properly.
in some sort of...stand,i refuse to carry a mobile EXCEPT at the Glastonbury Festival,where it is necessery to have some form of comms equipment.

if somebody wants me for something,you can damn well messege me..

Paradoxically, when I do end up in a good conversation with somebody over the phone, it can end up lasting for hours. But, making calls has always been a challenge and I think bad experiences with making calls has knocked my confidence around.

There seems a component of social regulation here: knowing when and how to start and end conversations, particularly with people you don't know (or don't know well) and this could tie in with the executive dysfunction many of us have as a part of our autism.

Eureka Moment!

whoo! 40K,what army does he field?
i field the Dark Angel Deathwing.Terminators,Dreadnaughts and Landraider units only.small,but you try killing it..

The phone phobia is really causing issues for me now. I will have some problem and other people will advise me to make a phone call. I say that I can't. Then they get annoyed that I didn't follow their advice. They don't realise how terrified I get. I'm not just a little bit scared - more like stark raving panic!

I don't just want to be told to make a phone call as it makes me feel that they are saying I'm too stupid to think of the idea myself. Every time they press me and don't seem to believe, I get into a bad crying fit.

The day that all businesses have e-mail addresses for customers to contact them on will be a very good day indeed.

Ordering pizza from Little Caesar's is something I've gotten down to an art... I don't like talking on phone, and I don't think the main guy working there does either. My call always goes exactly like this:

Guy: "Thank you for calling Little Caesars, how may I help you?"
Me: "Hi, I'd like to place an order to go."
Guy: "OK, what would you like?"
Me: "One Italian Cheese Bread, and that's it."
Guy: "Alright, see you in ten minutes."
Me: "Thanks."
[hang up]

The whole call takes like seven seconds. I order from there so often when I'm at home that he doesn't even ask for my name/phone number or tell me the total anymore. It's amazing.