What Do You Do If...

We all know that when confronted with an obnoxious and loud cell phone user, we should smile and say, nicely, "Could you keep it down?" But what if they are rude back?

"Discreetly find a person of authority—a maître d', a concierge, a guard, anyone who is employed to keep order—and calmly ask them to help you out."
— Harriette Cole, syndicated columnist and author of Choosing Truth

"I've heard this exchange with enough frequency to know that it almost always results in a hostile mess of harsh words. Consequently, I opt for the high road as often as possible: I look for a new seat, I cross the street, I bite my lip, but I don't engage unless there is no other possible option."
— Tim Gunn, Project Runway's critical eye and the chair of the Department of Fashion Design at Parsons at The New School for Design