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'Bored' Teen Sends 15K Texts a Month

Dad had unlimited plan, but still plans crackdown

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 12, 2009 4:21 PM CST
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(Newser) – A California dad whose teenage daughter logged an astounding 14,528 text messages in one month was tickled at first, the New York Post reports. “I laughed. I thought, ‘That’s insane, that’s impossible,’” said Greg Hardesty. “And I immediately whipped out the calculator to see if it was humanly possible.” It is—but required daughter Reina,13, to send a text every 2 minutes she was awake.

“It was winter break and I was bored,” said Reina, who sends texts to a core group of four friends, even when she’s sitting next to them. The national average for a 13-17-year-old is 1,742. Dad had an unlimited-text option—otherwise, he estimates he’d be out more than $2,000. Still, the father and his ex-wife have put restrictions on Reina’s usage.

Texting while walking is necessary to rack up such a big number, but also proves very dangerous.
Texting while walking is necessary to rack up such a big number, but also proves very dangerous.   (AP Photo)
Reina Hardesty's text feat resulted in restrictions on her usage.
Reina Hardesty's text feat resulted in restrictions on her usage.   (AP Photo)
A teen texts.
A teen texts.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
k850i
Apr 2, 2010 5:13 PM CDT
Didn't she have a school to go to?
Guest
Sep 16, 2009 7:22 AM CDT
Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick! Why the hell would you text somebody you're sitting next to?
Guest
Sep 15, 2009 11:39 PM CDT
I can't take credit for Jumping Jesus On A Pogo Stick. It's from a Dead Milkmen song called Stuart. I'm glad you liked it though. Take it, use it, make it your own.

Global study shows teens text 10K times a year
Telegraph (UK)

On one teen who did rack up a $1,000 bill
Washington Post

"Sexting" on the rise
Gothamist

 
California • cell phones • text messaging addiction • text message • telephone • teenager • phone bill

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