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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If I said to you "My phone does not work reliably inside the house so please contact me via email and I will get back to you" Would you...

40 replies

D0oinMeCleanin · 31/03/2012 16:39

a) contact me via email or FB
b) Repeatdly phone me
or
c) do b and then a and then berate me for not answering my phone?

Most people manage to do A or phone or if they don't have email they phone or text someone who does. One person in particular can only manage to do C Confused

And yes, I need a new phone. I am looking into upgrading mine soon, but really if it is an emergency people have my address.

OP posts:
ChaosTrulyReigns · 31/03/2012 16:46

Is that one person your mom?

[wise]

TerrierMalpropre · 31/03/2012 16:51

You must know my MIL, Dooin.

Lexie1970 · 31/03/2012 17:05

Stupid question but...... do you have a landline?

Original poster
D0oinMeCleanin · 31/03/2012 17:07

No it's not, my mum manages to text my sister who will then FB me and waits patiently until I phone her back.

It's DH who lives in the same house as me and experiences first hand the issues I have with my phone. He also has the option of D) pay for early upgrade and purchase me a new phone, if it bothers him so much.

OP posts:
Original poster
D0oinMeCleanin · 31/03/2012 17:09

No Lexie. Well, we do, but the dog ate the phone and it's on my list of things the dog has eaten that need replacing, which is a long list Grin

Though when it works I don't often answer it. I don't like being contactable 24/7 which is why my mobile issue doesn't bother me enough to fix it.

OP posts:
Hebiegebies · 31/03/2012 17:12

Given the fact that you can't be bothered to buy a new landline phone and so your mother has to involve another family member to get hold of you I think you are being rather selfish.

Why should a second person need to involved and why should others waste time trying to get hold of you?

Original poster
D0oinMeCleanin · 31/03/2012 17:14

My mother could learn how to use FB herself or shock, horror wait until she sees me in person to rant about what Doreen at work has done now.

As I said if it is an emergency people have my address. My phone works outside of the house, so if I'm not in I'm contactable. I might not answer but people can leave a voicemail and I'll respond if it's important.

OP posts:
WhyPanicLaterwhenyoucandoitNow · 31/03/2012 17:19

I do think that if you just don't want people to contact you at certain times or in certain ways, you ought to tell them this rather than setting up or taking advantage of an infuriating system of contact chess.

Think about how you want to be contacted, and then try to find a telephone/computer/pigeon mail system that suits your purposes, but don't expect people to understand that this is a problem you are not even trying to fix, because they won't. And it's really awkward for them

Just say please don't call me, I don't like it.

Hebiegebies · 31/03/2012 17:28

It comes across that you rather like having control over other people and being are almost selfish

Sandalwood · 31/03/2012 18:23

"As I said if it is an emergency people have my address"

But telegrams are a bit old fashioned.

Unless you think if someone's having an emergency they should spend their time going to your house.

Bunbaker · 31/03/2012 18:29

And if it is an emergency physically going to your house may not be an option - what if your mum or husband has a car accident and the police want to get hold of you? I assume you don't have children at school because the school might need to get hold of you.

Stop being so ridiculous and get a new landline phone or mobile phone. This is the 21st century, it shouldn't be so difficult to keep in contact.

MmeBucket · 31/03/2012 18:34

I hear you. I will give people my cell phone and landline, and always tell them to call me at home on my landline first, as I am a SAHM and my cell doesn't work at home. I don't know how many people insist on calling my cell phone first. I finally just stopped answering my cell altogether and giving out that number.

onemoreminute · 31/03/2012 18:41

What about school or childcare?

TheSecondComing · 31/03/2012 18:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

undercoverPrincess · 31/03/2012 19:11

My mum lives abroad. I have arranged a phone package so that I can phone her for free evenings and weekends yet always end up with missed calls from her at 10am when I can't return them without it costing me a fortune.
I have asked her to email instead so many times so I can reply straight away (from phone or laptop) but she isn't grasping this lol....
I refuse to call back until 7pm when it's free though as it's never important and always looonnnnnggggg.......

oldmum42 · 31/03/2012 19:13

We have the same problem with ANY mobile phone in our house (and TV reception!) - but we know which bits of the house do get a signal - in front of the windows, so the mobiles are always put on a window sill. Have you tried finding the "good" reception areas in the house?

BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte · 31/03/2012 19:17

I once had an email from an eBay seller with whom I needed to arrange a transaction (long story) 'Given that I live in such a rural location, my phone reception is reliable only from my bedroom. Please try not to call when I may be asleep.'

I insisted on meeting in a very public location!

frostyfingers · 31/03/2012 19:47

I'm in the same boat as MmeBucket - crap mobile signal at home, so although it is on when I'm at home I often don't get the messages until I'm outside or go in the car. It's amazing how many people say they tried me but got no answer and when I ask did they try the landline I get a blank look.

Most of my friends know to try the landline first, then the mobile but not all, and it's really irritating when you're waiting for an important call!

startail · 31/03/2012 19:50

In my experience b)
Or try and text my landline without leaving a name or number.

It doesn't matter how often you say email or the landline has an answer phone. People still use my mobileAngry

Original poster
D0oinMeCleanin · 31/03/2012 19:52

The good reception area is upstairs so I don't hear it from downstairs.

Dh is the only person bothered by ky phone he could buy his own house a phone if it really upsets him.

OP posts:
startail · 31/03/2012 19:52

I always put landline first mobile in brackets on Guide forms etc, but people still call my mobile first- why???

Bunbaker · 01/04/2012 11:10

I don't give out my mobile number except to friends and school. I always give my landline only to organisations and never put my mobile number on forms.

ragged · 01/04/2012 11:45

If there's no reason why that person should urgently need to get in touch then they are being completely U. Personally I would consider you a fairly difficult person to contact, though.

Original poster
D0oinMeCleanin · 01/04/2012 12:04

Ragged it's actually quite easy to get in touch with me providing you don't need me immediately. My phone works intermittantly inside the house. I go out with my phone several times a day and if you get me on FB I'm bound to reply within half an hour. I leave the PC running while I'm pottering about and notice that someone has messaged me if I'm walking past.

You can generally always get hold of me within the hour.

OP posts:
Bunbaker · 01/04/2012 14:41

"You can generally always get hold of me within the hour."

Do you have children at school? An hour would be no good if it was an emergency. A telephone set for a landline isn't expensive.