Non-motoring > foolish email Miscellaneous
Thread Author: devonite Replies: 24

 foolish email - devonite
Tonight, i found this email in my box, usually i delete Tosh such as this, but one or two
"claims" tweaked my curiosity:

here it is:


I know you don’t all live in Dorset but a mobile is a mobile where ever you live. I didn't know about 112 did you?

A bit of useful advice - verified by the Dorset Police.
The number does work from a mobile.
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 about 1.00pm in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend, when 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 remembered her parents' advice, and telephoned 112 from her mobile phone (hands free).
This connected her to the police dispatcher she told the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing blue light on his rooftop behind her and that she would not pull over right away but wait until she was in a service station or busy area.
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 police 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 do not have to 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 112 like Lauren did.
Too bad the mobile phone companies don't give you this little bit of wonderful information.
So now it's your turn to let your friends know about 112 (112 is an emergency number on your mobile that takes you straight to the police because 999 does not work if you have no signal).
This is good information that I did not know!
Please pass on to all your friends, especially any females.
As far as I am aware, 112 uses a system called triangulation so they can also pinpoint exactly where you are phoning from.

READ IT THEN PASS IT ON DON'T JUST DELETE - IMPORTANT

Well, whats your views? - is it likely that Dorset Police could have verified this (tosh)?
Can you still "connect" to 112 when you`ve no signal!!!!! ;-)

or,

has some misinformed "tattie" has confused the fact that you can still make emergency calls on a mobile even though you`ve got no credit??

or..........am I the "Tattie"?? :-)










 foolish email - Manatee
www.snopes.com/science/mobile.asp

www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/fakecop.asp

www.hoax-slayer.com/112-mobile-divert.html
Last edited by: Manatee on Fri 25 Jun 10 at 07:08
 foolish email - Iffy
I think 911 - the American version of 999 - can be used in the UK from a UK mobile.

Handy if you are a visiting American who has witnessed an emergency, borrowed someone's mobile to call the police, and forgotten which country you are in.

The rest of might as well use 999 - or 112.

 foolish email - sherlock47
When was the last time you heard the words 'police dispatcher ' in the uk? (other than on a tv show!)


Interesting comment raised on one of the 'dispel myth' sites, but is it true?
999 uses the phones normal service provider
112 can use any service provider with a signal

This could be the basis of one of the 'myths', albeit much distorted re 'out of range'.
 foolish email - midlifecrisis
If you don't stop, then the phrases 'stinger' and TPAC are likely to be used quite a lot ;).

Best advice I can give is pull over, but keep your doors locked and only wind the window down an inch until you're sure.
 foolish email - bathtub tom
>>999 uses the phones normal service provider
112 can use any service provider with a signal

I was involved in the way calls were routed by BT several years ago. There was absolutely no difference in the treatment of 999 and 112, I can't see the mobile 'phone network being any different.

IIRC 112 was added to the British emergency system because it's the emergency code for the rest of Europe.
 foolish email - R.P.
...and 911 doesn't work here.
 foolish email - sherlock47
bt
>>>>was involved in the way calls were routed by BT several years ago. There was absolutely no difference in the treatment of 999 and 112, I can't see the mobile 'phone network being any different.<<<

For interest you may like to read the 'facts' listed here
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_telephone_number

it appears that some phones/networks will accept emegency calls where no SIM is present. Hence it is conceivable that a mobile can use any available network?


p also ex bt
 foolish email - rtj70
999 and 112 are exactly the same, with the latter being what is used is Europe but works here. I believe 999 and 112 will even work without a SIM in the phone - but you need a signal from a network.

I assume people know that 112 and 999 can be dialled on a mobile when the keypad is locked. It remains locked until the last digit is entered. Get the last digit wrong and it ignores what you typed. Useful if having to use someones phone in an emergency you're not familiar with.
 foolish email - R.P.
101 works in Wales since last year - really useful that if you need to do a non-emergency contact.
 foolish email - bathtub tom
>>112 has been introduced as a common emergency call number during the 1990's

OOH! Was it that long ago? Doesn't time fly when you're retired. Perhaps I've got that thing where you can't remember stuff, I forget what it's called. ;>)
 foolish email - FotheringtonTomas
>> Well, whats your views? - is it likely that Dorset Police could have verified this
>> (tosh)?

Yes, it's a load of rubbish.


>> Can you still "connect" to 112 when you`ve no signal!!!!! ;-)

No signal = no signal.


>> has some misinformed "tattie" has confused the fact that you can still make
>> emergency calls on a mobile even though you`ve got no credit??

Someone's put this codswallop together for fun. Why, I know not.
 foolish email - sherlock47
>> Can you still "connect" to 112 when you`ve no signal!!!!! ;-)

No signal = no signal.

Not necessarily quite that simple! see my message above.

There maybe no signal displayed on your phone for your preferred network, but can the phone make calls using other available networks? If the phone will work for emegency clalls with no SIM it can obviously connect to any network - but will not show any 'signal' as available.
 foolish email - rtj70
But it still needs a signal, albeit on another network if need be.
 foolish email - Skoda
pmh is spot on, even though the phone may show no service, and there is no sim card in the phone, you can punch in 112 and your phone will connect onto any service it can see.

A related but bad side effect of this is that it's possible to (cheaply) setup a "fake" cell tower and route any or all local mobiles through your cell tower (and presumably via a landline where you ultimately pay for the person's phone call).

If it is done even half professionally, your phone will not seem any different and will not alert you to being on a "fake" cell tower.
 foolish email - spamcan61
>> pmh is spot on, even though the phone may show no service, and there is
>> no sim card in the phone, you can punch in 112 and your phone will
>> connect onto any service it can see.
>>
That is certainly how it's supposed to work but I don't think UK network operators have ever supported the feature.

>> A related but bad side effect of this is that it's possible to (cheaply) setup
>> a "fake" cell tower and route any or all local mobiles through your cell tower
>> (and presumably via a landline where you ultimately pay for the person's phone call).
>>
>> If it is done even half professionally, your phone will not seem any different and
>> will not alert you to being on a "fake" cell tower.
>>

I don't see how you can connect into any network operator's MSC/HLR to authenticate and hence set up any phone calls. No authentication = no phone call, other than 999/112 maybe as discussed above.
 foolish email - Skoda
>> I don't see how you can connect into any network operator's MSC/HLR to authenticate and hence set up any phone calls. No authentication = no phone call, other than 999/112 maybe as discussed above.

You're thinking about it the wrong way round. My fake cell is it's own VLR, and there is no HLR in my network. You are roaming onto my network. I am the most attractive cell to your phone.

When you try to authenticate, i just accept. If i'm even more sneaky i could work out the authentication key on your sim card due to flaws in the system as it's currently implemented. I can use that info to clone your sim card.
 foolish email - L'escargot
"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)............ "

Highway Code rule 116 says

You MUST NOT use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead.
Last edited by: L'escargot on Fri 25 Jun 10 at 12:36
 foolish email - Redviper
I got exactly the same email a few years ago it's complete rubbish and should be deleted

Also since when has a word like police dispatcher being used in this country unless you watch them American imports that endlessly clutter up our tv schedules.
 foolish email - John H

>>
>> Highway Code rule 116 says
>>


L'escargot, it does not matter what the Highway Code says. The email is a hoax, originating from USA at least as early as Marhc 2002. the snopes article referred in the second post says -

Variations:

* A March 2002 version changed the girl's name from Lauren to Lisa.

* An October 2003 version moved the action to Australia. Once again, 19-year-old Lauren barely escaped disaster, but she did so by using the "No. 112 feature" on her cell phone to summon help.

* A July 2004 version shifted the story to Canada. Yet again, 19-year-old Lauren barely escaped disaster, but in this instance she did so by dialing *677. (The number *677, aka *OPP, is the non-emergency cell phone caller line of the Ontario Provincial Police.)

* A March 2006 version shifted the story to Dorset, UK. As always, 19-year-old Lauren barely got away from the horror that would otherwise have befallen her, but in this time she did so by dialing 112. (Both 112 and 999 are emergency phone numbers used in the United Kingdom.)
 foolish email - Iffy
.....and 911 doesn't work here...

Just had a play with my Nokia handset - basic £40 one.

Pressing 911 brings up the message: "Attempting emergency call".

911 also 'cracks' the autolock on the keypad, as does 999 and 112.

I imagine the phone's software automatically diverts 911 to 999.

By the way, no danger of messing anyone around - no signal at the caravan in leafy North Yorkshire.



 foolish email - sherlock47
How did you determine that there was no signal?

No bars does not indicate that other operator networks are not available.

Use Menu - Settings - Phone settings -Network selection -Manual to see if other networks are available.

Also try it without the SIM inserted - my 6310i attempts to make the call even when SIM is missing.
Last edited by: pmh on Fri 25 Jun 10 at 19:32
 foolish email - devonite
Seems "Tosh" is not strictly true then! - there appears to be snippets of actual fact buried far beneath the surface! I didn`t know about the possibility of connecting to "other" networks either without Sim or Signal,but thats worth remembering. And although Lauren/Lisa appears to be a "well travelled" lass for a Nineteen year old, she appears to attract some bad luck! good job she`s got a reliable battery in her moby!!
 foolish email - Cliff Pope
>> How did you determine that there was no signal?
>>
>> >>

Sit inside a refrigerator. That will block the signal (and by the way also check whether the light really does go out).
Don't panic - even though there is no signal, you will still be able to make an emergency call to be let out.
 foolish email - Focusless
>> even though there is no signal, you will still be able to
>> make an emergency call to be let out.

You mean by screaming 'let me out'?
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