E-mail i recieved.. 112.. Well i never knew that!

[Lorns]

Subject: FW: Fw: Important Information - Police Warning[scanned]


A bit of useful advice - it is true, someone has asked the Dorset
Police. It's been said that this number works in the UK
Thought you should know this....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 the Saturday before New Year and 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 . This connected her to the police dispatcher. She told the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red 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 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 112.

[Gavin Scott]

112 is the *original* mobile equivelant of 999.

Dialing 999 works on all UK mobile phone networks now, so you can forget 112.

The advice is sound enough - but as usual it is peppered with the usual internet relish.

Its all a bit "OMG " ridden for me, but I'm old fashioned about matters of common bleedin sense.

[Gareth]

112 should also work from landlines also

112 has been designated by the European Union as the "emergency number" ie if you go into any EU country you should be able to get hold of the emergency services on 112 as well as a local equivalent (eg 999 in the UK).

[Nick Harvey]

Can't remember the date, but 112 completely replaces 999 (by stupid EU directive) within the next few years.

Currently, during the changeover period, both 112 and 999 have to work from ANY telephone, fixed or mobile, in the UK.

When 112 first came in, 999 would be answered by somebody who probably only spoke English, but 112 HAD to be answered by someone who spoke, at least, English, French and German, so our EU "friends", when in the UK, could report an emergency in a choice of three languages.

[Neil Jones]

112 is the *original* mobile equivelant of 999.

Dialing 999 works on all UK mobile phone networks now, so you can forget 112.

112 is European wide so best not forget it. You're supposed to use it in the UK as well and, as previously posted, is the Brussels standard.

Of course, this opens up another can of worms such as "what's wrong with 999" and "why can't we just standardise on 911".

[Gavin Scott]

Well I stand corrected.

It's neither here nor there to me. I don't find myself in perilous situations.

I like to orchestrate them.

[Nick Harvey]

Of course, this opens up another can of worms such as "what's wrong with 999" and "why can't we just standardise on 911".

Before the signalling on the network went digital, the "9" level used to be used for, what were called, "toll" calls from "main" exchanges.

To dial to an adjacent main exchange, the local codes, 91, 92, 93, etc., etc., would be used.

The code "99" (YES, just TWO digits) was used for the emergency service.

On "subsidiary" exchanges, off the main exchange, the code "9" was always used to go "up" one level to the main exchange.

Thus, "999" worked from anywhere.

If you were already on a main exchange, the third 9 was ignored by the old "clockwork" system; if you were on a subsidiary, the first 9 took you to the main and the other two 9s gave you the emergency service.

Once 999 is discontinued and 112 takes over completely, the whole "9" "level" will then be open for customers' numbers, thus freeing lots more numbers into the system.

[Gavin Scott]

Of course, this opens up another can of worms such as "what's wrong with 999" and "why can't we just standardise on 911".

Before the signalling on the network went digital, the "9" level used to be used for, what were called, "toll" calls from "main" exchanges.

To dial to an adjacent main exchange, the local codes, 91, 92, 93, etc., etc., would be used.

The code "99" (YES, just TWO digits) was used for the emergency service.

On "subsidiary" exchanges, off the main exchange, the code "9" was always used to go "up" one level to the main exchange.

Thus, "999" worked from anywhere.

If you were already on a main exchange, the third 9 was ignored by the old "clockwork" system; if you were on a subsidiary, the first 9 took you to the main and the other two 9s gave you the emergency service.

Once 999 is discontinued and 112 takes over completely, the whole "9" "level" will then be open for customers' numbers, thus freeing lots more numbers into the system.

*little impressed noise*

And *I* shall be 9999999.

With call screening, obviously.

[Nick Harvey]

*little impressed noise*

<grin>

Well, you HAVE got me onto one of my specialist subjects!

In the sixties, I used to be able to dial from Trowbridge in Wiltshire to Acton in London, just using a string of "toll" codes, one after another.

It was best part of a hundred numbers and the call was EXCEEDINGLY quiet when you finally got through, but it DID work and was charged as a local call.

I also used to frequently talk to the emergency operator by mistake, as calling work from the girlfiiend's place (on a subsidiary) was 991-366, but calling from home (on the main) was just 91-366.

If I'd forgotton I'd gone home (don't ask!), I'd bung in the extra 9 without thinking and then dial the remaining 1-366 into the emergency operator's ear.

[Sput]

I'm confused, Nick. Why did you need to use the phone when you could have called down through the clouds?

[Nick Harvey]

I'm confused, Nick. Why did you need to use the phone when you could have called down through the clouds?

Ah, that was the swinging sixties (though I didn't inhale (much)(don't ask either)), before I'd been pontificated!