Nein! Nein! Nein! - 999 no more

Hom3r · 06-11-2005, 20:24

Those idiots in europe want us to scrap 999 and use 112. If we don't they'll take us to the European Court of Justice and be fined.

Well I say

tell the to sod off
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This story was in todays mail on sunday

**Paul M** · 06-11-2005, 20:24

Who's Justine then

I can't see 999 being scrapped, no matter what the idiots in europe may want.

marky · 06-11-2005, 20:26

999 was the number picked for ease of dialing on the old dial phones, and i still think that it is the best one to use, 3 numbers the same avoids missdial.
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ps.. your vote is missing an option

Hom3r · 06-11-2005, 20:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by markyps..

your vote is missing an option

What question, perhaps a mod can add it

jellybaby · 06-11-2005, 20:29

112 should always be used from a mobile....it gets directed differently

marky · 06-11-2005, 20:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by david.ewles

What question, perhaps a mod can add it

Keep 999 and Dump 112 so people dont get confused

Hom3r · 06-11-2005, 20:36

112 was introduced just in case vistors from europe needed help.

would 911 work here in the uk

quadplay · 06-11-2005, 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by marky

999 was the number picked for ease of dialing on the old dial phones, and i still think that it is the best one to use, 3 numbers the same avoids missdial.

Not quite, by my understanding. I believe it was chosen because it's hard to dial accidentally on a rotary phone, and unlikely to be accidentally dialled by a faulty phone. The pulses that make 112 are far too easy for a faulty line/phone to imitate, causing unneccesary phantom calls to the emergency services.
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Quote:

Originally Posted by david.ewles

112 was introduced just in case vistors from europe needed help.

would 911 work here in the uk

I think it works from a GSM phone (i.e., mobile) but not a landline, same with 08 (an emergency number in some parts of the world). I haven't tried it out though!

marky · 06-11-2005, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo

Not quite, by my understanding. I believe it was chosen because it's hard to dial accidentally on a rotary phone

The number 9 was the last number on the phone so it was picked because you did not have to see to be able to dial it, eeeee them were the good old days

Hence why i said dial and not button

quadplay · 06-11-2005, 20:53

Hmm... I wonder which of these reasons is the real one!

marky · 06-11-2005, 20:59

A quick google found this, so i was a bit wrong

WHY 999

The 999 system came about via the Metropolitan Police in London as they found that their Police Stations were being overrun either by visitors to the station alerting them to emergency situations or trying to phone them in the growing trend of using the new invention, the telephone. Not every one could remember or knew the telephone number of the local Police Station. In November of 1927 the general public in London were advised " if you have an emergency dial 0". When the operators answers ask for the service you require. The Metropolitan Police maintained this service till 1934 then they introduced their Information Room with the famous number of Whitehall 1212. Where all emergency calls ended up. Emergency calls via telephone kept increasing and telephone operators were unable to identify emergency calls from other operator service calls.

As is normal a disaster of some description was required to prompt government action. In November of 1935 a fire occurred in London in which five people died, in the inquiry which followed it became apparent that a system was required that alerted telephone operators to emergency calls. A parliamentary Committee called the Belgrave Committee examined the problems and set up various experiments in London. A great deal of discussion took place between the Home Office, the Police and Post Office. It was decided not to use 111 as this number can be dialled by phones which are faulty. 12 was not a good idea as at that time any one wanting a number on the 12 exchange would be barred because of the emergency calls. The same could be said for 222, this would have closed a big exchange in London and that could not happen.

999 was used because the numbers could be remembered easily, that they were all at the same end of the dial. It was relatively simple to convert coin boxes to accept 999 calls with out charge. The 999 system open in London in July 1937, it was 1938 before it reached Glasgow. It was the first service of its type in the world.

spiderplant · 06-11-2005, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by marky

The number 9 was the last number on the phone so it was picked because you did not have to see to be able to dial it

Ummm... but 9 was the second-last digit on the dial

The phone book used to tell you how to dial 999 in the dark or smoke by finding the endstop then counting 2 holes to the left.

Back on-topic, do you have any reliable references to this (i.e. not the Mail)? How can having an extra emergency number be illegal?

Halcyon · 06-11-2005, 21:18

I say keep the 999.
Most people know 999 and dont know about 112.

Its mostly for people that travel accross Europe that 112 is useful, that works in every country.

SMHarman · 06-11-2005, 21:19

Why not both in parallel, that happens now on mobiles and I'm pretty sure on BT too.

As an aside, did you know 212 was chosen as the NY area code as it was the quickest to dial on a rotary phone.

marky · 06-11-2005, 21:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Ummm... but 9 was the second-last digit on the dial

The phone book used to tell you how to dial 999 in the dark or smoke by finding the endstop then counting 2 holes to the left.

Back on-topic, do you have any reliable references to this (i.e. not the Mail)? How can having an extra emergency number be illegal?

Why post that 20 mins after i said i was wrong