ArchAngel21x
MacFan Pro
Premium
join:2001-10-28
Lincoln, NE
 ·Internet Nebraska
| OT: Is This Cell Phone Feature Real? I got this forwarded to me. Anymore I take forwarded stories with a block of salt. It seems urban legends are spread this way now.
Subject: #77 On Your Wireless Phone
#77 On Your Wireless Phone
Lauren was 19 yr. old and in college. This story takes place over the Christmas/New Year's holiday break. It was the Saturday before New Year's and it was about 1PM in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on.
Lauren's parents have 4 children (high school and college age) 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 a gas station, etc., so Lauren had actually listened to her parents advice, and promptly called #77 on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there where police cars 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 cop 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 about the #77 Cell Phone Feature, but especially for a woman alone in a car, you should not 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 #77 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 #77.
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Death Is Irrelevant. | |
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jlhugh
Premium
join:2001-09-07
Wichita Falls, TX
clubs: | Re: OT: Is This Cell Phone Feature Real? I got the same one as you did. I don't know if it is real or not. | |
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INTENS1
Never Stop Trying
Premium,MVM
join:2002-04-21
Midwest
clubs: | #77 - Doesn't work on my phone.. | |
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jlhugh
Premium
join:2001-09-07
Wichita Falls, TX
clubs: | It sounded like a true story, now we know.
Thanks bjdbest | |
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bjbdbest
Premium
join:2003-03-23
OuttaMyMind
clubs:
| Re: OT: Is This Cell Phone Feature Real? said by jlhugh  :
It sounded like a true story, now we know.
Thanks bjdbest
You're welcome...sometimes it's difficult to separate the truth from the fiction...:)
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mfwizard
Bobby's Cool
Premium
join:2000-11-10
Huntsville, AL
clubs: | You actually need to check with your cell provider in your area. In my area #47 will get the police, and #48 will get the state troopers. I think it needs to be standardized, but each cell company does it differently. | |
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slash
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-01
Boston
clubs: | In Massachusetts, #77 on the cell connects you to the State Police dispatch center.
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Why not? | |
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KevNYC
Premium
join:2002-03-31
Seattle, WA | #347 is Florida Highway Patrol | |
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Taoron
I Fly the Flag
Premium
join:2000-10-22
Phoenix, AZ
clubs:
| I'll post a link to this in the cell phone forum. They may be able to help.
Edit: Here's the topic: »#77 Provider Specific? (Police Dispatch)
[text was edited by author 2003-08-29 12:27:26] | |
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simplykristi
Cancer Sucks
Premium
join:2001-11-28
Metro KC | It is an urban legend.
Kristi | |
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Taoron
I Fly the Flag
Premium
join:2000-10-22
Phoenix, AZ
clubs: | Re: OT: Is This Cell Phone Feature Real? said by simplykristi :
It is an urban legend.
Kristi
Nope. | |
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RXDOC
You want what?
Premium,MVM
join:2002-03-13
Palatine, IL
clubs: | How about 911? | |
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simplykristi
Cancer Sucks
Premium
join:2001-11-28
Metro KC | Re: OT: Is This Cell Phone Feature Real? That will not work on my phone... It really depends on your cell phone service provider. Mine is Cingular. I just got my phone a little over two weeks ago.
Kristi | |
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mfwizard
Bobby's Cool
Premium
join:2000-11-10
Huntsville, AL
clubs:
| Re: OT: Is This Cell Phone Feature Real? said by simplykristi :
That will not work on my phone... It really depends on your cell phone service provider. Mine is Cingular. I just got my phone a little over two weeks ago.
Kristi
Do you mean that 911 doesn't work? If that be the case, your carrier is in serious trouble. That's a federal law they're violating. If you mean #77 doesn't work, you are probably right. As mentioned, all cellular carriers are supposed to support 911 and all emergency responders are as well. | |
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mfwizard
Bobby's Cool
Premium
join:2000-11-10
Huntsville, AL
clubs: | Re: OT: Is This Cell Phone Feature Real? I thought that was what you meant. I was just trying to clarify. I'm sorry if I offended you. | |
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Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL
 ·Comcast
| said by mfwizard :
said by simplykristi :
That will not work on my phone... It really depends on your cell phone service provider. Mine is Cingular. I just got my phone a little over two weeks ago.
Kristi
Do you mean that 911 doesn't work? If that be the case, your carrier is in serious trouble. That's a federal law they're violating. If you mean #77 doesn't work, you are probably right. As mentioned, all cellular carriers are supposed to support 911 and all emergency responders are as well.
Please check your facts before posting. All cellular handsets have the ability to dial 911. When you receive any cellular handset nowdays, the Speed Dial 9 key is turned off, or otherwise specified by the manufacturer on the handset.
If a rural area, or in between towns, 911 will route you to the nearest police agency (could be county, city, State Police).
Cingular is not in violation of these rules, and it is not a federal mandated rule that all cellular carriers have to have this feature, it is an ability that was first implemented when cellular handsets where first introduced back in the early 80's. | |
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Optimized
Premium,Mod
join:2001-05-03
Pompton Lakes, NJ
clubs:
Host:
RCN
Patriot Media
Cellphones, Provid..
Other Manufacturers
| Hmmm, I decided to research this a little further and found this. »www.macombsheriff.com/articles/131/
#77 Cell Phone Email Hoax MacombSheriff.com Web Team
September 24, 2002
There is an e-mail circulating that claims that everyone should be aware of a little known emergency cell phone number: #77. Actually, the e-mail gives an account of a someone's daughter who was saved by knowing this number which connected them to the local highway patrol or sheriff's office and help was dispatched immediately to apprehend a dangerous criminal stalking their daughter. This may well be true, and I couldn't verify this one way or another. However, the particulars of the story are not that important. What does matter is whether the advice is sound.
There are various emergency numbers for cell phones in different states ( they don't all connect directly to a highway patrol or police station). For example in Louisiana and Mississippi you dial *HP, in Missouri and Oklahoma you dial *55, and in Iowa there is no short number so you have to call 1-800-555-HELP. Due to a federal law signed under President Clinton all of these will have to convert to 911 and only 911.
Interestingly, this e-mail gives details that let's us know that the incident in question allegedly took place in the state of Virginia. Virginia has now converted to 911, and as a result #77 which is mentioned in the e-mail may no longer be functioning. If it is still working don't count on it for too long.
Even if the story was based on a real life incident it points out how the road to Hell can be paved with good intentions. This inaccurate advice could have someone counting on #77 to help them when, in fact, their state never used this number, or no longer uses it. It could put someone in a very bad position. Don't pass on stories like this unless you know with 100 percent certainty that it is true.
[text was edited by author 2003-08-29 17:15:09] | |
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Smokey
Even drunk on a bet ya make it to Canada
Premium
join:2003-05-20
Va Beach
clubs:
·Cox HSI
| Re: OT: Is This Cell Phone Feature Real? you hit it one the head here. But there are some problems. the new E-911 systems are not working in most areas yet, and even the one in Fairfax dose not work like it is meant to. Then there is the problem of having all the phones that are on the market now. All most all area can take 911 calls, but many do not go to the right department to be handled. Case in point was last year we got a call for a car fire and accident with injures. the information was a little off, but what got to use was that it was on "some Queens" street. Well we went to the only Queens drive in our town to find out that the call was in Tucson, 80 miles away. Thats the problem with the current 911 set up. there making progress but not fast enough.
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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."-Edmund Burke"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."-Albert Einstein | |
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