Genealogy Chat

Below is a email I received today. Not about our normal subject. But definately worth a good read. Girls!!

For those of you who are not aware of 112 ... WORTH READING. IF YOU CALL 112 ON THE MOBILE THE SCREEN COMES UP WITH ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY CALL? This actually happened to someone's daughter. Lauren was 19 yrs old and in college. This story takes place over the Christmas/New Year's holiday break. It was the Saturday before New Year and it was about 1.00 pm in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put its lights on. Lauren's parents have 4 children (of various ages) and have always told them never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather wait until they get to a service station, etc. So Lauren had actually listened to her parents' advice, and promptly called No. 112 on her mobile phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there was a police car where she was and there wasn't and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back-up already on the way. Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her. One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground.........the man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes. I never knew that bit of advice, but especially for a woman alone in a car, you should not pull over for an unmarked car. Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a "safe" place. You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them (i.e., put on your hazard lights) or call No. 112 like Lauren did. Too bad the cell phone companies don't give you this little bit of wonderful information. So now it's your turn to let your friends know about No. 112. This is good information that I did not know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please pass on to any females that you know some more info received from a friend (female): 999 is the emergency services.... apparently the 112 number takes you straight to dispatch who can track the marked and unmarked police cars.... 999 wouldn't be able to be as quick or knowledgeable.... they probably also wouldn't know what to do if you called them and questioned them about the car following you.... - this is from personal experience, as they couldn't even find the Windsor Relief Road once when I dialled 999!!!! Plus the girl that sent me this called the number and checked it out and was advised to call them directly in these incidents.....

Thanks Christine, I will copy and paste and send to my female friends. Penny

very scary your instinct is to pull over isn't it? i will tell female friends

Thanks Christine, I've sent it on to my friends as well. Including the one who is married to a police officer. Kay

It's not only you ladies that are concerned...I am an LGV driver and hijackers use this ploy to stop trucks. The difference between 112 and 999 is summed up as follows: "Emergency Calls To make an emergency call, dial 112. This sets up a priority call to the emergency operator, cutting through any network congestion. 999 will also work in the UK, but may not get priority treatment from the mobile network. I understand that either number will get you through to the same operator but 112 MAY be a lot quicker. You should note that you will NOT be connected to a local operator and the person who answers is highly unlikely to have any local knowledge (this also applies to land lines). Some phone manuals or displays suggest that you can make an emergency call through another network if your network has no coverage, or with no sim card in the handset. Although the GSM specification requires this facility in the hardware, none of the UK networks will accept such calls. No sim, or no service from your network, and you can't make that emergency call!

Thanks for the tip Christine. I will certainly pass this info on. Kathy

Christine Thanks for the information - I didn't know that. Can I offer another piece of advice to you lone lady drivers out there. A friend of mine was once driving home from work one night. She stopped at a red light to let someone cross on the crossing but instead he tried to get in the car with her. Fortunately she was on the ball and drove off before he got in. Apparently its common for them to do it to nick your hand bag off the passenger seat also. If I have to stop at traffic lights at night I always lock my doors now. Anyway, to coin a phrase -'Don't have nightmares, do sleep tight'! Jeanette

Rosemary My other half always says that you shouldn't lock your doors incase you crash as the emergency services won't be able to get you out as quickly as they may need to. Do you think he's trying to tell me something about my driving?! Jeanette:-o

Rosemary Lock your doors...The emergency services would take 2 secs to break a window if they had to

Slightly related, the other week I stopped to answer my mobile phone. Sudenly the passenger door flew open and a bloke tried to get in. It was a total misunderstanding as he thought I was the taxi he had just ordered! Scared the life out of both of us! Does make you think though.

Thanks Bob,,, I didnt understand what 112 was actually for. You've made it a lot clearer and I am going to pass on the info to my daughters who's mobile phones are like an iron lung to them,,!!!

Just a comment about one of the many differences between the States and England......we always lock our car doors, even when driving kids to school, going on errands, etc. On the other hand, as recently as a couple of years ago, my brother, who lives 3 hours away from us, never even locked the doors to their house at night!

I lock my car door as soon as I get in and lock it when I go to pay for petrol!

Is 112 a free number like 999, and does it work even if you've no credit in your mobile?

I have to say I am extremely lucky that I drive a Renault Scenic. All the doors lock, but on the outside only, after you have driven a few feet, but they will automatically unlock once one of the doors has been open from the inside only. Brilliant idea and it's a pity that not all manufactureres have followed suite! Kim

Just another word of warning. My cousin was driving in a rather rough area when a youth threw a brick at her car. She stopped and another youth approached the car appearing to show concern. However he opened her passenger door and snatched her handbag which contained house keys, credit cards, cash, cheque book etc. She was advised by the police to get the house locks changed as soon as possible because her address was also in her handbag. They told her that in these incidents it's common for the credit cards and house keys to be 'sold' on and used in further crimes. Needless to say she no longer drives with her handbag visible and unsecure. I must admit that prior to this happening I was in the habit of putting my bag on the passenger seat, but not any more. My advice would be to think very carefully before stopping in similar circumstances. I have also gotten into the habit of locking my car doors when driving in built-up areas at night.

John made the point about locking his car when he goes to pay for petrol.....Remember that your insurance will NOT pay up if your car is stolen and wasn't locked. Thieves wait around busy petrol pumps for the fool who leaves the keys in the ignition and, of course, they get a full tank as a bonus.

Your totally right Bob that happen to my friends boyfriend 2 days before xmas last year, he thought to him self I'll only be a couple of minutes, he got to the door of the service station and that was it they got in the car and were away! He'd not even managed to pay for the petrol! they did get the car back about 3 weeks later but it was a bit of a state, the insurance company wouldn't pay out because the car had been unlocked and it ended up costing my friend £1600 to get the car back on the road, not a nice bill just after xmas I can tell ya! so beware! Alaina

112 is a FREE service