Not sure this is the correct group for posting this message, but here
goes anyway:
This afternoon I saw what appeared to be an armed robbery at a
jewellers in a quaint Sus. town (hence ny "name"). Around 100 other
people watched it take place with me. Once the alleged "offenders"
had gone into the shop, I dialled 999 on my mobile from the relatively
safe distance of about 30ft. Had never dialled 999 before. Was asked
which emergency service I required. "Police" was my reply. 30
seconds passed. "Alleged" bad men still in jewellers. "Still putting
you through" (or words to that effect) came the reply. "It is quite
urgent" I said. "Yes I know" came the response. Another 30 seconds
pass. Then the "alleged" bad men emerge from the shop and peg it
towards me. I am still on the phone. I hang up and run. Around 20
minutes later Suffolk police call me asking if I had made an emergency
call. They tell me that they have the "northings and eastings" of my
phone, but it is a long way from Suffolk. I tell them "Yes I know, I
am in Sus.". "Oh, well it sounds a bit the same," they reply. I
then give them my name, address and a brief description of what
happened and we end the conversation.
Anyway, apolgies for all the pre-amble, my main point was: when one
makes a 999 call from a mobile phone, then why the chuff does the
operator simply not ask where one is? Do they really try to trace you
by contacting the mobile phone provider, asking them where the signal
is coming from, and then f*cking it all up by confusing sus. with
suffolk? The operator could simply have asked me where I was calling
from. Anyway, rant over. Grateful for any views. |