Surely you don't carry your phone everywhere?

[SEmyarse]

Every time there's a discussion about civil liberties, for instance at the moment with ID cards, people always say, why are you worried they can track you by your phone anyway. But that implies that people are always carrying their phones.

I have a phone, I have to for work, and it's very useful outside work as well. I sometimes use it for navigation, and on certain instances I might take it with me if there's a chance I'll need to liaise with someone while out. Super helpful technology.

But surely people aren't taking it to the shops, or on the school run, or out for a walk in the countryside?

I mean, I’m glad I had my phone on me when my car spontaneously broke down in the middle of a small village. No phone boxes, no one walking past to borrow a phone to call the AA.

I’m glad I had my phone on me a few years ago when a man crashed into the back of my stationary car. I was able to take photos, take his details. (Because who carries a pen and paper with them at all times?)

I’m even glad I had my phone on me when I was at Lidl yesterday, because I have the Lidl app and was able to scan my app code at the checkout for some free veg and free bakery items.

But yeah, we’re the sad ones I guess.

My phone is always in reach, always. Mainly because it’s not just a phone, it’s a mini pc and I use it for a lot more than texts & phone calls. I take photos & videos with it daily and often upload to social media. I browse the shops through their apps. I research stuff for work and my personal interests and development. I use apps to identify plants, flowers, rocks. I hear an aircraft, look up, and wonder where it’s going, so check a radar app. I also check the weather, the news, my calendar. I make lists, voice notes and draft correspondence or even the odd poem. I track what I eat, how much exercise I do, how well I sleep, what my health indicators show. I order groceries, gifts, pay bills, check my bank accounts. I even read books on it! I wouldn’t be without it.

Let’s be honest there.
Im 55yo and I’ve never been in situation 1 and 2.

If we had someone in the family with complex medical needs, risky health issues (like a child with severe allergy/epipen etc…) then I’d probably be more sensitive to it. But that’s not the majority of people.

Also fwiw when I get injured myself, no one stopped and help anyway. Let alone used their phone to get help.
It WAS helpful when I had a car accident.

Old fashioned phone - landline?

The only time my phone is not on me is when I’m in my house. I need it for directions/shopping list/music/phone calls/paying for shopping/paying for parking/bus or train ticket/checking time etc.

I take mine everywhere - especially on walks in the countryside actually because I use the OS maps app to plot and navigate routes in remote areas. My phone is also my camera, my map, my torch, my watch, my radio, my bus timetable, my notepad etc. Carrying my phone saves me having to carry a lot of other things.

Don't if im just popping out to the shop or school run, short dog walk etc, but if at work or in the car somewhere I would 9/10 have it with me. Do like to shut it off and ignore it from time to time though for like a day or so.

Now, that sounds weird. Does your insurance company know about it?

She said ‘without a phone’, maybe that means a landline as well?
I don’t have a landline, I don’t need one as I have a mobile.
Carrying my phone with me when I leave the house is no hardship. It’s literally really, really easy. I can’t actually see any downsides to having it in my bag, but I can see lots of benefits to having it there if I need it.

I carry mine everywhere. Even into different rooms in my house! May I listen to podcasts a lot! I have two phones, a work one and personal one, so often have to take two with me when I’m working.

I have a phone but rarely use it. It's useful for receiving texts from people like the GP's surgery, or for looking up how late the buses are running, and if I ever need to dial 999 it will come in handy. I don't use it for banking or antisocial media or anything like that, and rarely use it for calls.unless I'm stuck on a stationary bus or train, When it rings, I feel ever-so-slightly cross!

<on edit> We do also have a landline, for what I think of as "normal" use.

That’s really unusual. I’m nearly 61 so same sort of age cohort. I don’t know anyone without all those. Most of my older friends and family also have them all

I find it strange that people are saying they don't take a bag anymore because instead of a bank card, they just take a phone and keys. I would say a phone is heavier and more bulky than a bank card.

We could all ‘manage’ without one, but they do make life massively easier.

Not even buildings insurance?

Well yes, but I don’t need both.

I take mine everywhere I have to admit. Maybe not always when I was taking the children to primary school.

I listen to podcasts a lot, I use Google maps and OS maps, I take photos, I use Apple wallet, I like to have it for emergencies or just in case school need to contact me (though that’s not very likely).

I got my first when DD was a baby/small child so I didn’t need to faff when I went out - family who were baby sitting had my number that didn’t change instead if having to find the numbers for anywhere I was going (or being in contactable when in places like shops/countryside)n
DD is 30 in the new year, so it’s a while ago…

You must be aware that the fact you've never had to call 999 or had a family member who had an accident or sudden serious illness (e.g. heart attack, stroke) can change at literally any moment? I was that person until my mother had a stroke, and as I was out and about I was very glad I had my mobile on me. Plenty of us have elderly relatives who are more vulnerable.

Where will you go? Lots of other countries have ID cards with digital connection too.

I’m not worried about them. I just know if they did happen I have a way of solving them.

Yep take it absolutely everywhere (can’t think when I go out without it other than putting the bin out)😆 But for me, there’s a big difference between taking it and using it everywhere though. We are out on long walks most weekends, so I would always have it with me in case of emergency. For the sake of putting it in my pocket or rucksack, totally worth it for the slim chance anything ever happened. Same as work - always have it with me in case school urgently phoned, but hardly comes out my bag.

I think most people do take it everywhere these days.

I do now. I missed calls from my brother to say he’d been rushed to hospital with what turned out to be terminal cancer. I missed one from my son saying DIL was rushed to hospital and was about to have an emergency caesarean, baby was born 9 weeks premature. Finally 2 months ago I missed one from the hospital offering me a last minute slot for an operation I’ve been waiting months for. They gave it to someone else.

I would take my phone with my for shops, school run or country walk.
I don't take it everywhere but it's more of an exception. Like I don't take it if going for a swim on the beach, or for a run. Also sometimes I simply forget and leave it at home.
I would resent HAVING to have it. Even though I mostly always do.

Yes I would:

if no one was home and expecting a delivery, i can monitor my doorbell camera.

Or if there was someone home, I can keep family updated on how long I’ll be especially if it’s around lunch/dinner time, expecting guests 🤷‍♀️ lots of reasons why it would be more beneficial to bring my phone than leaving it home

Sometimes conversations involves us going through messages/emails, showing photos , research something on the spot, sending contact details for a tradesmen or taking notes and reminders, checking calendar dates for the next catch up