O/T VERY important information for all lone drivers!

[Chili]

Something I've just received - worth knowing......

It's worth reading and passing on if you have the time.
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 mobile 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.
This is good information that I did not know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please pass on to all your friends, especially any females.
Take care when you are driving ladies!

[stallyon]

hold on...if you dial 112 to check out if the unmarked police car behind you is legit then wouldnt you get done for using a mobile phone while driving?

[thetank]

I think it's justified in this scenario stallyon.

[Chili]

   Good point stallyon but i for one would take that risk!!  Do you think they would use common sense in this instance? Who knows!!

[Graham C]

shocking story - a good bit of advise/info there

Keep safe Blondes

[AndrewT]

That's odd - last time I saw this email 'Lauren' was American.

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/lauren-677.html

I thought the email didn't ring true - who has ever heard of anyone referring to a 'police dispatcher' in this country?

EDIT: Now I come to think of it, I think the original American mail got mixed up with the urban myth which circulated just after the London bombing last year which said that if you couldn't get through to 999 you should dial 112 as that 'uses satellites'. It's a fascinating thing to follow these types of mails as they go round the internet.

[Chili]

Hey Andrew dont ruin a perfectly good piece of advice!  No matter where it came from, i called 112 to verify and indeed does get you in touch with our emergency services.  So its still something i am thankfull of keeping in mind when i drive around on me tod!

[Decider]

So they are also getting loads of calls from folk checking that they are the equivalent of 999.

These mail hoaxers have a lot to answer for, how is the next lady meant to get through to 112 when everyone is calling to check what it is. 

[AndrewT]

Here's a fuller account of how the email changed over the years - it's been circulating for about four years, apparantly.

http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/policestop.html

Chili - 112 just acts as a link to 999, the only difference is that 112 may be able to connect to a mast from another phone network if there are none of your particular network nearby. I'm not having a go at you for posting it - you only had other people's best interests at heart - I'm just giving people the full story of the email.

One of the most interesting things about these types of emails is seeing which ones 'take off' and circulate for years and which ones are a damp squib and go nowhere. Very often, the long-lived ones concern stories which impart some sort of information which could prove valuable to the person the mail gets sent to (remember the 'I picked up a wallet which an Arab dropped and he was so thankful he warned me to stay away from Birmingham/Manchester/wherever this Saturday' mail which went round after the 9/11 attacks?).

Anyway, 112 connects to the same people as 999.

[Chili]

Ok guys, i understand there is a lot of hoax e-mails that make the rounds and alot of rubbish that needs to be ignored....but if someone picks up ONE bit of advice from this post then i am glad i posted it.  All i know is that if an unmarked car tried to pull me over before i read this then i would probably just have pulled over.  Probably nieve of me but i live and learn.

[Chili]

right ok, i get the picture.  Call 999 

[AndrewT]

So, to summarise.

1) Don't stop for unmarked police cars.
2) 112 is the same as 999
3) We all love Chili because she loves us.

[thetank]

 (remember the 'I picked up a wallet which an Arab dropped and he was so thankful he warned me to stay away from Birmingham/Manchester/wherever this Saturday' mail which went round after the 9/11 attacks?).

I love that one


Grateful Arab : Stay away from Manchester.

Wallet returner : Why? Is there going to be an attack?

Grateful Arab : No, it's coz it's a dump.

 

[MPOWER]

Good story Chilli and yes if someone gets a bit of advice so much the better.

There was a story in Nottingham years ago after a chap left the Black Orchid.

He had a drink with some asian doctors who offered him a lift home. He woke up next morning in a field
with a Kidney missing.

I love the Urban Myth stories anyone got any more.


Regards

M

 

[Chili]

Yep, heard that one M but i didnt tell people on a forum