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 carry mine to different rooms in the house! I have to take it to the shops as it’s how I pay for things, and on a walk I’d worry something might happen and I wouldn’t be able to call for help. So I do take it everywhere.

You drive, so have keys in your pocket anyway. What difference does one extra key make?

And yes, my phone goes everywhere with me. I need to be contactable for my family. Use it to pay, music, navigation, calendar, lists, addresses.
I don’t take it from room to room at home, but it is always in my bag when I’m out.

I’m in HA as well so I get what you mean about not having anything worth nicking, but it’s not just your telly, it’s your fridge, your cooker, have you got a washing machine? A microwave? Cups, plates, cutlery, blinds?

God forbid, but if you had a fire tomorrow and had nothing except the pyjamas you were standing up in, could you go right out and buy yourself a winter and summer wardrobe? Just the price of a basic multi pack of cotton drawers from Asda has gone through the roof. and on top of that, you need a bed, bedding, a wardrobe, carpets and curtains. Even stuff like shampoo and soap and the contents of your freezer will need replacing. Insurance of less than a tenner a month means you won’t be working overtime to pay for new Tupperware and an iron this week because you spent your wages on three saucepans and a cushion. Just walk around your house and mentally tot up how much it would cost you to replace everything in it if you lost it all tomorrow.

And if you decide to get cover, then ffs get into the habit of locking your door cause they do not like paying out and you do not need to be handing them reasons not to.

This is exactly why I don't take mine everywhere - I hate being contactable.
I'm with you, OP ❤️

Yes the phone goes everywhere 😅 weird you don’t OP. That’s crazy!

You just walk out your house. No keys, no phone, no wallet, no shoes? 😭

But could you afford to replace your belongings? A decent TV and computer alone are ££££. Add in furniture, kitchen equipment, clothes etc.
Plus sentimental items you may have, jewellery for example.

Back in March, in the middle of the night, I tripped and fell and hit my head and broke my arm - only I didn’t realise I had done either.
I was just on the floor, unable to get myself up.
Ordinarily, I leave my phone in the living room, but that night I had taken it into my bedroom.
I kept trying to get up, but couldn’t, at various points during the night. And then I remembered:
My phone was on the bed right next to where I was on the floor. Oh - I’m in California.
”HEY SIRI CALL 911”
The emergency people sent an ambulance and I was saved.
I am never without my IPhone now. Ever.
Siri saved me that early morning.

😂

As some PPs have already said - to me, it’s not just a phone. I use it for all my lists (shopping, to do, etc), to check there’s money in my account before I pay in a shop or to compare prices online to check if it’s a good deal before I commit, and I have an awful sense of direction so often use it to find my way places too. In answer to your query about when did this happen - I started uni in 2008 and all of us had our phones on us all the time then. This was before we were using phones to pay for things etc but when you’ve just moved to a new city and are a young woman in a strange place, it certainly helped you to feel slightly safer. Perhaps a skewed view as we were all 18 and away from home for the first time so lots of close friends and family to keep in contact with, as well as new social opportunities with new friends that no one wanted to miss out on?

I nearly always have my phone, but I leave it at home whilst walking the kids to and from nursery, I simply dont need it in those 10/15mins. Also leave at home for kids swimming lessons, I'm in the water with one of them.

It goes absolutely everywhere else with me. Its my maps and camera at the very least. Tesco clubcard too.

I used to carry my phone everywhere but for the last couple of years iv stopped. I dont use it infront of toddler and leave it in the house when popping to shops or doing things locally.

Yes I take it to shops as I use Apple Pay. I take it on walks in case I have a difficulty and need to phone for help.. Isn’t that the whole point of them?

Go absolutely nowhere without my phone. Except the gym.

People who don’t have their phone on them and leave it lying around out of earshot are the most annoying people to attempt to contact.

Do you know anyone who has been burgled? I don't have much of value either, but i couldn't afford to replace items damaged in a burglary.

I know several people who have unfortunately experienced this. The burglars have trashed their homes, smashed glassware and crockery looking for valuables (because some people hide things in different places). One person i know had their bedroom furniture destroyed with a hammer by burglars who didn't find anything in the underwear drawers, but still broke them up. Burglars don't search carefully.

They wouldn't find anything particularly valuable in my home, but equally I could not afford to replace a the damaged items in one go. Although you shouldn't pay for insurance if you refuse to lock your door because the insurance would be invalid.

Btw it isn't accurate to assume burglars automatically break windows. They will go for the path of least resistance often trying several door handles, if a property is unsecured they will obviously target that one. If all are secured, they will choose the easiest one to access. I imagine your neighbours are very thankful you don't care about security of the property you don't own because that makes theirs a little safer.

Do you know anyone who has been burgled? I don't have much of value either, but i couldn't afford to replace items damaged in a burglary.

I know several people who have unfortunately experienced this. The burglars have trashed their homes, smashed glassware and crockery looking for valuables (because some people hide things in different places). One person i know had their bedroom furniture destroyed with a hammer by burglars who didn't find anything in the underwear drawers, but still broke them up. Burglars don't search carefully.

They wouldn't find anything particularly valuable in my home, but equally I could not afford to replace a the damaged items in one go. Although you shouldn't pay for insurance if you refuse to lock your door because the insurance would be invalid.

Btw it isn't accurate to assume burglars automatically break windows. They will go for the path of least resistance often trying several door handles, if a property is unsecured they will obviously target that one. If all are secured, they will choose the easiest one to access. I imagine your neighbours are very thankful you don't care about security of the property you don't own because that makes theirs a little safer.

OP someone I worked with lived in a flat and didn't think she needed contents insurance. She knocked over a candle or something and lost all her stuff in the fire. We had to have a whip-round at work to help her out! (This was in the days before people doing go fund me to help them out of stupid situations of their own making. I do realise there are go fund me pages for great causes as well before anyone starts!)

I'm like you. I only take my phone with me if I'm on holidays.
I only charge it if I'm going away for a holiday or wish to take a photo..
While on holidays I accept only restricted calls (I have the sound off) and I never phone out. The phone is for emergencies and photos.

I work with a fixed line phone in an office. My home has a fixed line with a message bank and I use plastic credit cards.

I actively make sure that my life is not infiltrated by mobile phones. I resent people I am with taking calls, willy nilly, while out with me. I refuse to drive my children if they have long conversations in my car with others who are not present.

I find people on phones while dining to be extremely rude.
I like to focus my attention on the people I am with.

I only take it with me if I am out all day, which is very rarely. Otherwise it stays at home.
I know someone who does not have a phone at all. Refuses to have one.

If you own a phone you're contactable. Doesn't matter if it's in your pocket or on the table at home.
Just because you have your phone with you, you dont have to answer it!. Put it on mute if you're enjoying a walk etc. You're in control of whether you respond or not.
It feels like cutting off your nose to spite your face leaving it at home because you want to be uncontactable.

Loool it's 2025 are you new here ?

I take my phone and my house keys everywhere I go.

I use phone to pay for things, track where I am/where I’m going if I’m on a walk, available to phone 999 if I have an accident or god forbid someone tries to attack me. Take photos that I share with my sister in Canada. Listen to podcasts/music.

i know I’m a tad addicted to it, but you’ll have to drag it from my cold dead fingers.

I always take mine if I'm going out in the car, in case I break down. But I don't take it with me when walking the dog or going to see friends in the village - the signal in our village is sporadic anyway.

You would hate to have something you could use to actually phone someone if you needed to? Very odd

I spent a night with DH recently at a hotel. A family member babysat. I asked DH to leave his phone behind because he is always on it. We had dinner booked in the restaurant and also planned on using the spa. I phoned home and gave them the number of the bedroom for emergency and the number of the hotel reception if they needed to call the restaurant or spa. In the morning i phoned home to see how things were. This was the normal thing not so long ago, yet we seem to have forgotten that we can do this. It made me realise how silly we all are sometimes to feel we need it all the time.