To expect a call to the police on the non emergency number 101 to be free?

[Pseudonym99]

Just received my mobile phone bill. It was 30p more than the fixed price for my bundle. I was charged 15p for 2 calls to 101 I made when I called in a horse on the loose, then again to report it was no longer a danger after another responsible member of the public stopped their car to deal with it? It was dark, on a county lane and icy, I considered it a danger to traffic so thought I'd better report it.

WIBU next time to ring 999 or just not bother? Shouldn't Vodafone and the police advertise the fact that you have to pay for these calls?

Calm down, Narky!

I'm perfectly calm thank you. Just pointing out that you are inconsistent in your statements.

What is 999 for, then?
Last week DH was called to a house fire. 2 adults and 5 DCs in the house.
They rescued them all. It took them 12 minutes to get there with the engine. 4 of those minutes were from the moment the dad called 999 to the moment my DH's beeper went off.

He said a minute later and they counld not have accessed the youngest boy's room.

But hey ho, call 999 next time to save 30p

I dont care about the 30p but when I was burgled last month I tried to ring 101. The phone company wouldn't connect me because it was a premium rate number. I have a call package and am blocked from phoning numbers that aren't included in that package. Its my only phone so had to go around to a neighbors and beg ask to borrow theirs.

Neighbours number was then automatically in the system and connected to my case. The next day at work the neighbor then started getting calls from the police about what time they were coming around to check for finger prints, victim support and texts about the reference numbers etc. There was no way for me to return the call and even after I had told then to change the number they still kept ringing neighbor trying to get me.

Next time I will just ring 999 for all my communications.

anon and when you do that and it is not an emergency you will be told to ring 101. The 999 call handler will not take details of a non emergency on an emergency line.

You can also get your phone to provider to unblock it so you can ring 101.

anon
Next time I will just ring 999 for all my communications. really? Even after reading my post?

PM me your address OP and i will send you 30p and then we can all move on.

Vodafone
Doesn't work for me

To those saying find the number of your local station, there are no direct lines now you have to ring 101 and it links to your local station.

Yes you can. I put a link to the alternative numbers earlier on in this thread. I have had to call the police non urgently a few times now and have a full phone number saved in my phone so I don't have to look it up each time.

You can also get your phone to provider to unblock it so you can ring 101

Have asked the phone company to unlock 101 and they told me they could but it would mean all premium rate numbers would be unlocked. Unfortunately I can't do this due to a previous issue with unauthorized charges. So am still stuck with 999 or nothing.

Then you will need to borrow a phone or go to a phone box. Not wanting to unblock 101 doesn't mean that you can ring 999 when it isn't an emergency.