Sometimes I’m at the doctor’s office, at the library, or even at the grocery store and see an unused power outlet. My phone is dying. I feel weird plugging in, but I feel even weirder asking for permission.
Dr office, no in the waiting room, yes in the exam room. Library, no. Grocery store, yes. Any more?
Airport? Shopping mall? Restaurant? Parking lot? Stadium? Your friend’s house? The office? Classroom? Museum? Cinema?
Edit: I got it backwards, meaning these are what I’d consider acceptable places to charge your phone.
Airport? Yeah but use a no-data charging cable.
Mall? I don’t see why anyone would care about that.
Restaurant? If it’s under your table or very close by.
Parking lot? Do they have outlets?
Stadium? Where would they be charging it at a stadium, maybe where the bathrooms and concessions are? If it’s out of the way I don’t think that would bother anyone.
Your friends house? Yeah unless they’re running an off-the-grid setup or something.
The office? Yes fuck the man.
Classroom? I assume they can charge it somewhere while in class, I’ve been out of there for a while though.
Museum? Eh, feel like it can wait.
Cinema? No.
No, maybe, yes, no, no, yes unless you know better, no, depends how old you are, maybe, no so long as its off/silent.
Also, I’ll note in case anyone forgot, the original question was not “can you?”, but “is it rude?” Which are two different things.
Phones charging use such little power I’d really be surprised if anyone cared. It really depends on the place. A library I would have no issue plugging in anything without asking. I can’t say I’ve ever been at the doctors and considered charging my phone though I may ask out of courtesy if I did simply because I like my doctor. Overall I’d say it wouldn’t be a big deal either way.
I don’t think it matters
Libraries welcome you to do it! So definitely don’t feel weird there.
Will you drink a can of Coke™ lying around a stranger’s house without asking? No? Then, ask for permission as a matter of etiquette unless there are signs specifically saying it is ok to use them.
Well if they had some on tap piped into each wall of their house I would be pretty comfortable with filling up a bottle.
