Do you use your answering machine to screen calls (deciding whether to pick up only after hearing who is calling)?

I have bell atlantic voicemail. :)

It just happens sometimes, since we don't rush to answer the phone generally.

I said "sometimes", 'cause there wasn't an "almost never" category.

I screen calls if I'm on the toilet, or in bed, or in the middle of something that really shouldn't wait, but mostly I just answer the phone. lots of people don't leave messages, so screening doesn't really work.

Hey! I don't have answering machine! I'm a neardenthal?

I just answer the phone at home but at work I will let the call go to voice mail so I can screen it and be prepared for the client. I don't think that there is anything wrong with it and I do call them right back.

I am harrassed by too many telemarketers -- I always let my machine pick up first.

i don't have an answering machine. :)

No, I rush to the phone and pick it up as soon as I can when it rings (my girlfriend doesn't tend to leave messages, she just hangs up and calls back later if there's no answer).

I only do it on occasion...but I look at my call display and decide wether or not to pick it up. But I do feel guilty sometimes when I do it. --Twanger, don't answer for a awhile or call her back and she will start leaving messages.

No, only because it hasn't got a speaker. It just records, and plays back. If it's a telemarketer, I just start talking, very friendly, so they can hardly get a word in.

There are times when I'm totally psyched to talk to steve, but not at all psyched to talk to my boss or another friend. I won't let the phone interrupt me or dictate my responses.

But I hate it when people do it all the time. Annoys the hell outta me. Hello? Hello? HELLO? PICK UP THE DAMN PHONE ALREADY! *beep* And then I slam the phone.

I don't do it, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

Sometimes I do. I don't want to put up with salesmen or ass holes that I used to date.

Only when I'm really, really busy.

No, and I dislike it when people do.

I don't have an answering machine so this doesn't apply to me.

theres almost no one in the world i want to talk to. the few people i would want to talk to (famous writers and musicians) dont have my number

...most the calls coming in are for someone else who lives there...I don't pick up the phone unless I know it's for me ... and I block my number too!

far too many salespeople call for me to feel bad about this

I use caller ID

I don't always, but often. I see nothing wrong with it, either.

Actually I use Caller ID

Yep, and there's nothing wrong with it. I may want to avoid talking to a particular person for any number of valid reasons. I may want to avoid talking to everyone except one person for any number of valid reasons. Favorite answering machine message: "Hi, we're home right now, but there's someone that we're avoiding talking to. Leave a message, and if we don't call you back, it was you!"

If the answering machine gets it, then that is fine, I dont' have to get up. when it was working that is. there was usually the mad dash to get the phone before the machine kicked on. my roommates and I are perfectly capable of telling off anyone we need to if they are harassing us in some fashion.

I us caller ID to screen

Tough to do with voice mail. I do use caller id though.