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would you let a stranger use your phone?


Alpo

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On the NCIS I was watching last night, Gibbs is undercover, and has dumped everything that could identify him -wallet, badge, phone. So while he in the bad guy are at the gas station, the bad guy goes into pay and Gibbs walks up to this woman and tells her did his phone has died and he needs to call his wife and tell her that he will be late, and could he please use her phone for a quick phone call.

 

She gives him her phone, which was necessary for the plot of the television show so that's fine, but I wonder how many people would have actually let a stranger use her phone?

 

Many years ago, when I had my first cell phone, someone asked to use it while I was in a store. I told them that I did not have a signal in the store, which was true. Outside yes, but apparently it couldn't get through the steel walls of the building. But I was willing to let them use it, it just wouldn't work. And that was back when it cost me 10 cents a minute. I'm pretty sure that I would not let some random stranger use my phone today.

 

Would you?

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Depends on the circumstances.  One time when I had spun out on a slick road, and smacked against the kerb causing 2 flat tires, then watched another guy, not just spin out, but overturn, I let him use my phone to call his wife and a tow truck.  

A random under ~25 in a store?  Not likely.  

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“Give me the number. I’ll call for you and relay the message.”

 

 

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In certain cases, yes. One morning not long ago there was an old beat up pickup across the street from my house with the hood up. I noticed a man asleep in the front seat. I knocked on the window to see if he was okay and I noticed the crutches when I looked a little closer. He woke up and rolled down the window and told me that his truck had broke down up at the little grocery store and liquor store up the street about 1/4 mile. He was in their parking lot and the property owner called the sheriff's department to make him move the truck. The deputies gave him a jump start and got the truck running but as he got near my house it died and he pulled over. His cellular phone was dead and there is no cell service where he was parked, and it was very late at night so he elected to stay in the truck for the night. 
 

I noticed when he got out of the truck that one of his legs was very atrophied and that was the reason for the crutches. I gave him a ride up to where there was service and I let him use my phone to call his wife and a tow truck.

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If I owned or carried a cell phone, I would certainly make a call for someone in distress.  It is what I would ask someone to do for me in a dire emergency.  

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Before I answer, a little background.

 

I worked as the 'ground guy' on a 65' reach bucket truck for an electrical company repairing parking lot pole lighting and such for 3 years. Some of these parking lots had people arriving in Lamborghinis and some had people stealing shopping carts when they left.

I heard a lot of bs stories from a lot of grifters over those years...you could tell by the way they approached you. I never trusted strangers anyway, those years reenforced that mistrust 100 fold. 

 

No, I would never hand my cell phone to a complete stranger for any reason. Based on my own assessment of the person asking, I would either call the number myself (as Blackwater said) or tell them to beat feet. For emergencies, sure, of course, I'd call 911.

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It wouldn't do me any good, as I've got maybe three phone numbers committed to memory, and one of them is 911. I don't even know my two daughter's numbers - I tell my phone to call them, and it does.

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For those that replied yes, here is a circumstance you might consider following  @Blackwater 53393's comment. ;)

5 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

“Give me the number. I’ll call for you and relay the message.”

Late night, dark outside, your door bell gets rung and a stranger outside your front door tells you their car ran out of gas and could they use your phone to call for assistance. Would you open your door and loan them your phone? I think not. :angry:

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14 minutes ago, Father Kit Cool Gun Garth said:

For those that replied yes, here is a circumstance you might consider following  @Blackwater 53393's comment. ;)

Late night, dark outside, your door bell gets rung and a stranger outside your front door tells you their car ran out of gas and could they use your phone to call for assistance. Would you open your door and loan them your phone? I think not. :angry:

Years ago,yes. Today, not a snow balls chance in hell.

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NO , did that once in college , ended up [aying for willeys LD phone call to florida to talk to his girl , 

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5 hours ago, watab kid said:

NO , did that once in college , ended up [aying for willeys LD phone call to florida to talk to his girl , 

In The Thin Man, they are in New York City. The Charles are having a Christmas party in their hotel suite and this big fat guy is crying. He tells Nick that he wants to call his mother and wish her a Merry Christmas, and Nick asked him WHY DON'T YOU, and he said that he did not have any nickels. And Nick waved at the phone sitting on the coffee table and told him he didn't need any nickels. To use that phone. Then he goes over and picks up a tray of drinks - he's playing waiter at his own party - and as he walked back past the guy he hears him asking long distance for San Francisco. "Hello Ma?"

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14 hours ago, Father Kit Cool Gun Garth said:

For those that replied yes, here is a circumstance you might consider following  @Blackwater 53393's comment. ;)

Late night, dark outside, your door bell gets rung and a stranger outside your front door tells you their car ran out of gas and could they use your phone to call for assistance. Would you open your door and loan them your phone? I think not. :angry:

 

To get to my house, the stranger would have to drive down a posted DEAD END dirt road, get through a security gate at the end of that road, go past a highly reflective NO TRESPASSING sign, and then drive another half-mile of dirt road past four other houses, so I'm not only going to refuse them a phone, I'm letting them know that I have 9-1-1 in one hand , and 5.56 in the other.

 

(Did I mention that I live in the last house on the left? Never a good omen.)

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19 hours ago, Father Kit Cool Gun Garth said:

For those that replied yes, here is a circumstance you might consider following  @Blackwater 53393's comment. ;)

Late night, dark outside, your door bell gets rung and a stranger outside your front door tells you their car ran out of gas and could they use your phone to call for assistance. Would you open your door and loan them your phone? I think not. :angry:

would you let a stranger use your phone?


It would depend on the situation, regarding the use of my phone away from home. I would probably do what @Blackwater 53393said if I felt something was shady. 
 

Regarding a knock at the door. I have had this happen several times. Each time I was armed. Each time the person was legitimately in need OR they saw the situation and placed a bogus call anyway so as not to get shot. 
Having a couple of nice sized dogs also was a swaying force. 

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When I wasn’t traveling I had a universal 3 to 1 extension cord, plug it in anywhere and plug anything into it. Good for most electronics because they can figure it out. Not good for things like hair dryers. I’d find an outlet in airports and charge my and anyone else’s phones.

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On 6/19/2024 at 3:45 AM, Alpo said:

In The Thin Man, they are in New York City. The Charles are having a Christmas party in their hotel suite and this big fat guy is crying. He tells Nick that he wants to call his mother and wish her a Merry Christmas, and Nick asked him WHY DON'T YOU, and he said that he did not have any nickels. And Nick waved at the phone sitting on the coffee table and told him he didn't need any nickels. To use that phone. Then he goes over and picks up a tray of drinks - he's playing waiter at his own party - and as he walked back past the guy he hears him asking long distance for San Francisco. "Hello Ma?"

i remember that one , i like the thin man series 

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