Just seen what is possibly the stupidest piece of Facebook advice ever

[StealthPolarBear]

If you want to dial 911 but there's someone in the room with you, just call up and ask for pepperoni pizza. They'll know what it's about and send help.
There's so much wrong I don't even know where to begin. Shared by someone who lives in the UK BTW

Can just imagine some crazed murderer standing there really confused while his victim phones to order pizza.

In all seriousness though it is so risky to spread these lies across the Internet, police have had to issue statements to say that pepperoni pizza is not a code for needing help.

I assume it meant your oh rather than a crazed murderer but still :)

That's been around for years. It works because as a delivery you give your address, can let them know to knock quietly as not to spook the children that are around.
You can slip a lot of information without letting on to your abuser what your doing.

That's stupid as hell.

I think that's off the back of a lady who actually did that in America. There is a transcript and recording of the call on the net.

People sharing facebook shite is driving me mad at the moment. This is a whole new level of stupid though. Especially if it’s a UK person who doesn’t know what number to ring for the police here....

The holiday giveaways are particularly annoying at the mo. Just look at the bloody page and you can tell it’s fake ffs.

@StealthPolarBear I know, sorry that was meant to be an obvious joke

The other myth is that if someone forces you to go to a cash machine and withdraw money, you should enter your PIN backwards and it will let you withdraw the money, but also call the police. The idea was patented, but never put into action.

If you do need emergency help but can't talk, call 999, then dial 55.

I think that the 911 number should have indicated it was an American thing

OP On most phones, if you call 911 in the UK (or anywhere in Europe), it will connect you to 112. This also works the other way in the US and Canada.

Maddie :) sorry
Presumably the best thing would be for the police to have a text number?

Snopes links it to the original urban legend (true story?) of a woman who actually did it: www.snopes.com/fact-check/case-intruder-ask-911-pizza/

But the whole point there was that she supposedly used the conversation as a way to let them know she needed help and couldn’t talk. Not that the words ‘pepperoni pizza’ are a secret code.

There’s an SMS service for those with hearing or speech impediments: www.emergencysms.org.uk/index.php

But it really is only supposed to be used by those people: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/06/emergency-callers-warned-against-overwhelming-text-service-set/amp/

There was someone who ordered pizza online and asked them to call the police in the 'special instructions' bit...

Maybe it's an amalgamation of the two stories.

There’s lots of stupid things like this on FB unfortunately there are even stupider people that believe it

There is a way to text police/emergency services - sorry I don't know exact way but was told on recent safety training.
You have to register to use it by sending text to certain number

I'll just leave this here;
If you can't talk to emergency services, press the 5 key

If you are deaf or disabled, you can set up a text service. Unfortunately its not available generally, which is a shame. I can't imagine being trapped upstairs trying to call the fire brigade while the smoke alarm is going off.

"Emergency services - which service do you require: fire, police or ambulance?"

"Um, yeah, I want a pepperoni pizza, please...."

The obvious problem with this is that they already receive plenty of calls from idiotic narcissists and mentally ill people who believe that 999/911/112 is their personal wish-fulfilment helpline.

People who call because they can't find the TV remote, have a paper-cut on their fingertip, want to know when B&Q closes etc.

I'm reminded of a recent parking thread where somebody's elderly neighbour would call 999 every single time a car was (legally) parked on the public road outside their house.

If this were real, how many dingbats would waste valuable police time (and poop their pants) when an armed swat team hammered at their door instead of the delivery man bringing the pepperoni pizza that they had actually wanted....?!

On the other hand, however, not many people know that if you shout "Nobody move: I have a bomb!" at any airport worldwide, the security team will bring you complimentary donuts and hot chocolate before giving you a free upgrade to business class....

Wow! I will be trying that next time. I'll give you a wave as I'm led away :)