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I feel uncomfortable leaving without my phone, for one simple reason: I’m typically leaving with my pup, and if anything happens to either of us I want to be ab
by eyelidlessness 5y ago
I feel uncomfortable leaving without my phone, for one simple reason: I’m typically leaving with my pup, and if anything happens to either of us I want to be able to call for help. Pay phones are basically non-existent, people understandably don’t like to let strangers use their phone. It’s just a basic precaution.
- Invictus0 5y ago> people understandably don’t like to let strangers use their phone Sounds like you're projecting here. What's your data for this?
- cercatrova 5y agoI've definitely had this problem. There were times I lost my phone and had to get back home. No one would let me use their phone. It was not until I begged a gas station attendant to let me call someone I knew who could pick me up, that I was able to get home.
- eyelidlessness 5y agoOnly anecdata, but I’ve experienced it directly, and I’ve also helped other people out when I saw them experiencing the same. I’m a little surprised by this response to be honest?
- Invictus0 5y agoMy personal experience is that I have never had someone decline to let me use their phone. I believe people are default kind and interested in helping others, and it's hard to imagine that in a random sample of say, 5 people, none would let you use their phone for a few minutes.
- axg11 5y agoI have had this same thought in the past. I came to the conclusions that it’s a psychological trick we’re playing on ourselves. The mitigation against such a low risk event is not worth the price we’re paying. - sent from my iPhone
- apson 5y agoThis is so true!
- eyelidlessness 5y agoI mean, what price? It’s just a little extra weight in my pocket. I’m not using it while I walk my pup. It’s always on silent and I seldom notice the occasional buzz. - Sent from my iPhone, on my porch
- beefee 5y agoThe loss of pay phones over the last 20 years is a loss to society. We used to have widespread access to cheap and anonymous emergency calling.
- throwawayboise 5y agoI lived to my mid-30s before I ever carried a mobile phone. In that time I do not recall ever needing to call 911 on a pay phone. How often has a mobile phone helped you in an emergency? For me, never. I think this is one of those easy-to-imagine-but-in-reality-rarely-happens justifications. The local university here has these emergency call-for-help stations all over campus. They have a blue light on top so they are easy to find especially at night. A couple of years ago there was a little feature story in the newspaper about how they had never--not once--been used in a real emergency. But the university did not want to take them down because they provided a feeling of security.
- sidpatil 5y ago> A couple of years ago there was a little feature story in the newspaper about how they had never--not once--been used in a real emergency. But the university did not want to take them down because they provided a feeling of security. How many real emergencies occurred near one of these boxes?
- throwawayboise 5y agoProbably none, if they were never used. Again supporting the idea that they are better at creating a feeling of security than actually making any difference.
- sidpatil 5y agoMaybe no emergencies occurred because of the presence of these emergency call stations. (At least those perpetrated by other people, i.e. assaults, thefts, etc.—I presume potential perpetrators would be discouraged by the presence of these call stations.) Creating a feeling of security is as important as creating security—you need both.