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Original poster

What would you do with no phone or wallet in a strange town?

79 replies

SnuggyBuggy · 19/12/2018 07:02

Kind of inspired by a dream (or nightmare) where I was in a strange town (seemed to be UK based) a managed to lose my phone and have wallet stolen.

What would you do? I can't remember anyone's phone number. I mean this must have happened to someone. Would you have to hitch hike?

Does anyone have any experience?

OP posts:
FlibbertyGiblets · 19/12/2018 07:05

The staff at the police station would help surely. Tell your dream brain that.

Herja · 19/12/2018 07:05

Depending on the time of day I would find a library and look at maps. If it was rural, I would hitch hike ( more expected and feels safer for some reason), more urban and I would jump a train and hope for the best. This has happened. It's a bit annoying.

Toomanybaubles · 19/12/2018 07:16

No I wouldn’t hitch hike, I would go to a public building, police, local authority or a church and ask for help.

I know that our receptionists have helped an elderly tourist in this situation by calling HR who bought him a train ticket home, printed it out, arranged for his daughter to pick him up at the other end (old fashioned BT directory enquiries) and gave him enough cash for a cup of tea. His daughter wrote to thank us afterwards.

I work in a public sector building.

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 19/12/2018 07:22

How does directory enquiries work, can you find a landline based on address?

The other idea I came up with was finding enough discarded coins and trying to find an internet café and emailing DH.

OP posts:
Grobagsforever · 19/12/2018 07:24

Ask someone to borrow their phone, log onto Facebook and email and ask ppl to fetch me. Simples

Birdsgottafly · 19/12/2018 07:27

"The other idea I came up with was finding enough discarded coins and trying to find an internet café and emailing DH".

You could beg, but as said, if you went somewhere for help and knew Email addresses, which would be in your Hotmail etc. Or phone numbers in your Cloud etc, then accessing them would be easy.

It's one instance were being Female would work to your advantage.

Sausagefingers9 · 19/12/2018 07:29

I’d go in to a friendly looking shop and ask to ring my dh or dad (the only numbers I can remember).

SilverApples · 19/12/2018 07:30

Police station, reverse-charge phonecall to someone who would help.

zippey · 19/12/2018 07:33

There is a scene in David Fischer’s film called “The Game” which resembles this. He doesn’t know where he is and gas no money, wallet or his normal clothes. It gave me the creeps.

Oblomov18 · 19/12/2018 07:33

In this day and age, with most having a mobile phone, most/a few might - strangers would let you make a call.

Toomanybaubles · 19/12/2018 07:36

Directory enquiries - search for daughter’s name in daughter’s town and up pops the number.

You wouldn’t find any discarded coins or an Internet cafe where I live but you could use the tech at the library or in the LA offices.

The old man was not tech savvy, hence he came to ask for help.

nordstrom · 19/12/2018 07:39

This happened to me as a teenager 😳
I reverse charge called my parents and got them to book me a hotel room. They came and collected me the following day. I was a shit!

sashh · 19/12/2018 07:48

Depending on where I am and when, police first to report wallet missing.

I had my bag stolen in London many many years ago and they gave me a crime number that the bus and tube accepted and let me travel home for free.

I always wear a watch and a couple of pieces of jewelry I could either pawn or leave as a surety to get a bus/train.

I would consider asking for help at a council office / town hall or a religious place, church, mosque etc.

If the library was open I might get internet access. I may well come on here and ask what to do.

I can also remember my dad's phone number so I could place a reverse charge call, he could get a one time code to let me take cash out of his bank account.

If my phone is with an operator who has a shop I would ask them to replace my sim card and sell me (or lend me) a cheap mobile - the cost would be on my next bill and I could use the phone to access my own bank account.

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 19/12/2018 08:43

I'm wondering if I should get a tattoo of DHs mobile number

OP posts:
TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 19/12/2018 08:49

There aren't as many police stations as there used to be so that one might not be so easy.

Romanmonkey · 19/12/2018 08:52

I’d make the effort to learn a couple of phone numbers!!

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 19/12/2018 08:53

I also don't think I'd let a stranger use my phone. I'd worry they would run off with it. Maybe I'd let them dictate an email or something.

OP posts:
beenandgoneandbackagain · 19/12/2018 08:56

Depending on time of day - either find a branch of company my OH works for and phone him, or police / security person etc.

LovesLaboursLost · 19/12/2018 08:57

Just memorise a couple of phone numbers. Then you’ll never be in that situation.

Dowser · 19/12/2018 09:03

I can remember my daughters house phone. I know where my son in law works
I can’t remember my fb password
Gosh what a nightmare
I could get the phone number for my grandsons school..he could ring his dad

Dowser · 19/12/2018 09:05

I could ring the taxi company I always use...they would pick me up
They would be happy to wait for their money

AornisHades · 19/12/2018 09:09

I managed to get cash out of the bank recently without my wallet. I was able to remember enough to convince them I was me. So with that and the few numbers I know I should be OK.

Original poster
SnuggyBuggy · 19/12/2018 09:12

I've never been any good at memorising or remembering anything I don't use regularly. Maybe I should write DHs number in my shoes or something

OP posts:
crrrzy · 19/12/2018 09:32

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

Reallybadidea · 19/12/2018 09:41

@Toomanybaubles

Ahhh that's a really lovely story Smile

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