Some Need a Lesson in Phone Etiquette

* So California is in a panic over the arrival of Caller I.D. People are running scared, afraid that their privacy is about to be invaded.

What about my privacy? I’m sorry, folks, but the minute you pick up “your” phone and call “my” number, you’re invading my privacy. In that case, I have every right to know who you are. If this bothers you, then don’t call me.

Our family is anxious to sign up for this service. Our phone number is one digit off from a major Thousand Oaks department store. We get at least 10 misdials a day. The people who call wait until we pick up the phone and identify ourselves, and then they hang up without saying a word.

We subscribed to Star-69, a service that calls back the last number received, so we could call these rude people back. But due to a fluke in the system, Star-69 does not include Thousand Oaks.

With Caller I.D., we would be able to find out who these people are, call them back, and educate them on phone etiquette. We wouldn’t mind if the caller would at least say something. Perhaps an apology, or admit they made a dialing error. Instead, we get hang-up after hang-up.

JOHN LARSEN

Port Hueneme