No one 'didn't get your text'

Technical Ettiquette.

Coming up on 2010, it is finally clear that we live in a time where text messages, emails, phone calls, and voicemails don't get lost. There is no cyber graveyard where lost messages end up. In the late 90's early 2000's, it was common place for people to deny receiving a message by claiming they 'didn't get it'. This excuse has been proven fictious almost 100% of the time now, and thus, is a dated excuse. If someone tells you they didn't get your message, but your phone or computer clearly states otherwise, then chances are they got it and are lying about not getting it. The same applies to phone calls and voicemails. However, it is not yet appropriate to argue with someone who claims they never received the message. Best thing to do is to check your message history, possibly show it to them, and move on, now suspicious of the person.

NOW, quiet often we received messages that we do not want to respond to, and thus, don't. Where doing this may feel good at the time, it can come back to bite us; especially if we bump into the person who sent the message.

The reason for not texting them back could be a number of things; you're trying to avoid them, you forgot to text them back, you just didn't get around to it yet, etc... nevertheless, chances are texting them back hasn't surfaced as one of your priorites.

How not to look like an A-hole when you bump into someone who has been texting you but you DON'T want to text back.

When you bump into a person who has been texting you, but you haven't been texting back, it is important not to discuss the texts. Approach the situation with an over zealous and excited attitude; you're excited to see them! Make sure to find new topics, possibly the weather or something in your immediate surroundings, that can be easily discussed without having to take silence breaks (these are openings for them to bring up the unanswered texts). While engaging in this conversation, look for times to drop statements that hint that you've been super busy recently. This conversation will not only keep the person distracted because they have to talk about the topic at hand, but will also explain why you haven't gotten around to texting them back. Ultimately, your goal is to control the conversation by keeping it immediate and up beat. At worst, this tactic will puzzle the person who has been texting you, as well as temporarily relieve them of the embarassement they are experiencing. Also the fact that you appear happy to see them makes up for the 'no response'. If they bring up the fact that you haven't been texting them back, simply reply that you aren't a reliable texter, and a bunch of your other friends are mad at you for that as well. Make a joke of it, and be on your way.