The Real Simple Reader Etiquette Poll

Is It Rude to Pursue a Friend Who Hasn’t Responded to a Phone Call or an E-mail?

Readers say:

Yes, it’s rude. People have lives: 60.9%

No. It’s your friend. You can nag her: 39.1%


 Experts say: “If it’s really important, then it’s fine to follow up,” says Will Schwalbe, a coauthor of Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better ($20, Knopf, amazon.com). “Your e-mail may have been caught in a spam filter or your voice mail may have been accidentally erased. But if you are just feeling insecure, don’t pester! Everyone is busy and deserves a few days to get back to you.”