How strict is to strict?

If it's a busy apartment building with other people coming and going a guy sitting in his car looking at his phone shouldn't be a big deal. If he's just wandering around he could look suspicious like maybe he's looking for a car to break into. I think each provider and each client have their own expectations of how to behave pre-session. Unless it's unreasonable just do what the provider feels comfortable with and it shouldn't be that big of an issue.

This is just one more reason why I prefer to see a regular provider. You both know what to expect from each other and things like this are rarely a problem.

I think this is a case of where the provider and guy in question have to work a little with one another. For instance, I usually do my scouting/arranging from a laptop , and use google voice for calls. As such making a call/text from an actual phone can sometimes be a trick for me while driving around.

On the other hand I've gotten used to being looked at funny since the nature of my job has me driving all over, which means often sitting in my car in a parking lot working on my laptop (like I'm doing right now)....