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Original poster

Has phone tracking ever seriously helped you?

53 replies

inso · 13/08/2018 12:00

I have been reading through the phone tracking threads and, although I'm aware of it, I haven't ever used it. My children are too young for a phone currently and my DH is either with me or at work pretty much!

For anyone who has tracked someone through their phone has it ever been an emergency or the person has been in trouble/difficulty?

I've heard a lot of people say they use it to make sure the other person is safe so interested to know how often the other person hasn't been safe and the tracking has been beneficial in that sense?

I once had SOS on my phone but I kept pressing the button in error which sent photos, audio and my location to my parents, husband and friend. This happened a few times and my Dad nearly had a heart attack the first time. I had to cancel it!

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 13/08/2018 12:02

Me and DP track each other. Not for emergencies, but just to see if the other is on the way home etc to see when to time dinner etc.

Helpimfalling · 13/08/2018 12:05

My sons in Egypt for the whole of the six weeks holiday with his dad he's done a bit of country Hopping the first few weeks

It has put my mind at rest no end to be fair not sure I'd have wanted him to go without the tracker on

dementedpixie · 13/08/2018 12:07

We do it to dd (14) when she is out and doesn't answer him phone as she's forgotten to put the ringer on! The find my phone thing makes it ring even if the ringer is switched off

dementedpixie · 13/08/2018 12:07

Her no him

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 13/08/2018 12:08

Me and DP track each other. Not for emergencies, but just to see if the other is on the way home etc to see when to time dinner etc.

^^
See, this makes no sense to me. If it matters so much what time dinner is, why can't one of you drop the other a text or something? It just seems so intrusive.

I have nothing to hide but would hate the thought of anyone - partner, family, friends etc knowing my whereabouts. It's nice to just do your own thing, go off the radar if you want or just have a bit of privacy.

ThePricklySheep · 13/08/2018 12:09

Dinner, I can see if he’s stuck in traffic. He can’t text while driving.

Emergencies, I don’t see how it really helps.

sickmumma · 13/08/2018 12:10

I have used it a couple of times on DH, once when he was travelling back (driving) from Switzerland and couldn't really call so I just was seeing how far he was, another time just to check how far he was so I could order dinner in!

I think once the kids have phones and start going out themselves we will use it to occasionally check up on them for peace of mind, especially since the boys both are diabetic so I think that would reassure me. I think though once they've gained our trust we would only use it in an emergency.

Jammin3 · 13/08/2018 12:10

I am fine with DH access to my location. I work very late nights and my job would attract undesirables. I've even had weird taxi drivers that make me feel uncomfortable because of where they have picked me up from.

Also dinner is ready when I come home. lol.

The only time I view his location is to check if hes driving home long distance - i refuse to call him while he's driving.

ChristmasArmadillo · 13/08/2018 12:11

In a way. I have some anxiety and DH is a pilot so I use it to see that he landed safely when obviously he can’t text me. It gives me peace of mind. The app tracks my phone also but I’m 99% sure DH has never looked at it.

AlexanderHamilton · 13/08/2018 12:11

Yes.

Not so long ago I got very lost going to a campsite (postcode on sat nav took me to a different place). Dh was able to track me to find out where I was & guide me in.

There have been numerous times one of us had mislaid our phone eg Ds left his on a coach I was able to track it to the depot & make it ping (coach depot couldn’t find it as it had slipped down beneath a seat)

I was able to find out once that Ds was somewhere he was forbidden to go to.

And once when dh & Dd has to go down to London in horrendous weather (snow) I could see where they were just to reassure me that they were getting there ok.

NoLogicInThis · 13/08/2018 12:13

Yes currently teaching my son with special needs his to be a bit more independent using buses.
I can see where he is on case he forgets to get off the bus or gets lost.

WrongKindOfFace · 13/08/2018 12:17

Yes, I lost my phone and was able to go back to the location and pick it up.

catlady34 · 13/08/2018 12:27

A few months ago, I drove to a friend's house for a night out, about 40 minutes from where I live with DP. I got bladdered before even leaving friend's house, was sick, ended up going and sitting in my car and calling DP to come get me, then promptly falling asleep without texting him the address. He found me by tracking my location on find friends and then spotting my car. Not my finest moment.

Notthisnotthat · 13/08/2018 12:29

DH and I have Find Friends, and i have him and a few work colleagues. Our commutes and work involve driving so I check that he isn't driving before i call, or he will check I've left to pick up the kids so he doesn't need to do it. Works for us.

Cherubfish · 13/08/2018 12:29

I lost my phone and was able to track it from DH's phone and find it.

Spam88 · 13/08/2018 12:39

I use it to see how far away he is so I can put tea on. Less faff than him trying to call me on the hands-free and doesn't distract him from driving.

He doesn't use it to see where I am (despite me telling him every time he calls me to just use the app...), but I couldn't care less if he tracked me every second of the day if he felt so inclined.

SerendipityFelix · 13/08/2018 12:40

DP and I have it on

It’s helped us work out where I’ve left my phone on more than a few occasions Grin

I check it when he’s travelling over to mine to gauge what time he’ll arrive and plan accordingly, I know he does similar sometimes (like the time I was driving to a family party and he was already there and waiting outside for me, I was nervous about going in). It actually feels less intrusive to me/us than texting “where are you? How long will you be?” Etc

He also works a v risky job so it’s reasurring if he’s home late to see that he’s back at base and not at the scene of some disaster on the news.

It’s definitely not controlling, abusive, invasion of privacy in our hands. The only way I can see it would be if someone was coerced to use it. The app itself isn’t controlling. Personally I feel no need to go off radar from DP (nor I presume, him from me).

airbnbshowsnoresults · 13/08/2018 12:48

Yes, my mum was showing as at home but she was meant to be meeting someone in town and travelling there via bus. The person rang and said my mum hadn't shown, I knew she was still at home, got there , had to talk hr through unlocking door. She had had a fit , and didn't know who we were or where she was and had luckily decided to stay home rather than walk down to the bus as she had felt a bit off.

airbnbshowsnoresults · 13/08/2018 12:51

My mum also used it to see where I was when I was coming to visit her , we live in a city with v bad traffic so it's useful all round.

pinkandbluestripes · 13/08/2018 13:15

Use it for children's devices which they regularly misplace (in the house). Alert is nice and loud.

Have checked DDs phone a few times to see she's in school ok on the very rare occasion she's not dropped to the door.

She also left it behind one day when she was out with a friend and the alert meant a staff member found it.

DH and I aren't linked up to track each other. That's a bit much for us.

mangocoveredlamb · 13/08/2018 13:17

On WhatsApp you can share a live location for up to 8 hours.

I recently had to drive our two children back from the south of France, solo, as my FIL was on his deathbed and DH has flown home. It was very useful for DH to be able to see where we were as he was worried about me doing all that driving in a highly emotional state.

MrsBlaidd · 13/08/2018 13:27

My daughter is not currently reliable with her phone. We agree it's a sensible thing for her to have going to secondary school that is walking distance away but she's in the habit of leaving it on silent in random places.

Using the tracking feature helps pinpoint where she left it last. I can see it being helpful when she's walking home from school too.

Her finish time is 30 minutes before DD2 but the school is in the opposite direction. She has my location available too so if she arrives home before me checking how far away I am will be really easy and help her decide whether to walk to meet us or just stay put for 5 minutes. Likewise it'll help me check if she's heading straight home or walking the long way around to gossip with her friends.

DH and I have never bothered though, he's either where he says he'll be or he's not. I trust him, if he breaks that trust he knows there's no come back. The same applies vice versa.

wombatron · 13/08/2018 13:28

DH and I track each other - useful when out drinking and get separated. I've also shamefully gotten a bit too happy and confused as to where I was (living in a new city) and sober DH came and found me - was almost home!

DParents track me, useful when stuff is going down in London where I live and work so they can see I'm nowhere near it.

They don't use it daily, but it provides reassurance!

RedneckStumpy · 13/08/2018 13:32

Emergencies, I don’t see how it really helps.

DH will go off into the woods on his own with the chainsaw collecting firewood. I track him so if he get into trouble I can find him.

I may go for a ATV ride where I am miles from anywhere if I brake down DH has used it to find the nearest road to park up and come rescue me.

When he has broken down He called me and asked me to bring some tools, I used that feature to easily drive to him

Original poster
inso · 13/08/2018 13:40

I like idea of using it when I lose my phone! Which is often...

@airbnbshowsnoresults that's a great example of the benefit of it

OP posts: