To not let a stranger on the streets borrow my mobile phone?

[Whitlandcarm]

I was out in a city that I don't know on saturday. It's a snooty city known as a sanctuary for rich londoners etc, so obviously the vast majority of people were very smartly dressed. (Not of course that matters)

Anyways, I was walking with my partner and we were approached by a man and a woman who looked a bit er dodgey if that's the best way I can describe them

She asked if either of us had a phone she could borrow for a minute.... my partner apoligised and said we'd left it at the hotel

I had been carrying my phone in my hand at my side, so tried to slip it into my pocket discretely

But she spotted it and shouted annoyed at us with "he says as you slip a phone into your pocket"

I don't know whether I feel guilty as she genuinely could've been in need and a minute on the phone costs nothint these days. I sure know I'd hope someone would help me out in a time of need.

But then the other half of me is saying, what if they were to run off with the phone? (Iphone- so not a cheap throw away)
Could they not ask the museum/cafes/shops/hotels around the square to use their phone? There was even a red telephone box nearby.

Where we being unreasonably selfish? Overly cautious or right in out reaction?

Trust your gut, noway. Their reaction was all that you needed, you were most probably right about them.

I think you just know when the situation is genuine. Something just let's you know.

I had a young lad about 14/15 ask me could I get my map out and see where this park was. I said I think it's that way and pointed in a direction. He looked at me and went no it isn't just get your maps out. I responded if you know it isn't that way you don't need my map. He responded with just get your fucking maps out.

I knew it was dodgy, his voice had changed and his demeanour had become aggressive, so i charged ahead into a chippy and hid. Not my finest moment a grown woman hiding from a teenager 😂

A woman in Liverpool once asked my friend and me whether she could borrow a phone. She said she was a human rights activist whose phone was being tracked and she had information which could save someone's life.

My friend asked for the number and phoned it for her, then asked the person on the other end whether they would take the call from her. They said no.

We googled her name for images later that day. She was who she claimed to be.

YADNBU. And if your mobile phone insurance is anything like ours, it won't cover you if you hand it over and someone legs it.

I have called someone for someone before, in an emergency, when my instincts told me they were ok, but I'd never hand my phone over. I have had agro once about that, but it was my work mobile and I work in a sensitive area and no way am I handing that phone over to anyone (unlocked too!).

If someone asked to borrow my personal phone on the top of a mountain or something, I'd probably do it.

I was in the same position a few months ago. I felt terrible as it was an older man who was probably homeless, or had been at some point. I was helping in a homeless shelter at the time which made it worse. The danger wasn't just stealing the phone, his friend would then have my number. A youngish woman isn't not the best person to ask, being more vulnerable. I thought about carrying a cheap phone in case it happened again, but keeping it charged and taking it everywhere is overkill for a very occasional request.

There was a scam going round not so long ago where they called a number and it racked up a horrendous bill. So you definitely did the right thing!

If I had a mobile phone, which I haven't, I wouldn't have lent my phone in the circumstances you describe. I'm curious to know the name of the "snooty city known as a sanctuary for rich londoners" though.

I would have said let me make the call for you, what's the number and what's the message.

Had similar near a train/bus hub. Woman sobbing and asking me for money for her train home. No problem I said, let me buy it for you, where are you going to. She went away.

As someone else said, instinct is a powerful thing.

No. In fact someone asked to borrow my phone a few months back and I said no. £600 phone that took me a year to pay off? No.

shockers how did she react when the person wouldn't take the call? (Just out of sheer nosiness)

KungFu are you sure he said get your maps out?!!!

Her comment = proof it was a scam imo.

Nah i think YABU and judgemental.
I'd always lend a hand/do a favour to someone in need, and I wouldn't not because they seemed "dodgy" (i.e. Poor and not middle class).

Nb. I bet loads of the people who wouldn't lend the phone voted Corbyn too...so hypocritical it blows my mind.

I had this a few weeks ago in Manchester. The bloke asked me if he could borrow my phone and my instinct was to say no, he said that he knew it was odd to ask so could I call and let him speak on speaker phone. I did and he spoke to his partner and everything was sorted.

I did feel guilty at saying no but I would have been more upset if he'd legged it with my mobile!

I wouldn't care what they looked like, they ain't getting my phone! Who the fuck does that? 'Can I borrow your phone?' 'No.' Can't believe people fall for that shit. Duh!

YANBU. You do not have to lend your phone to anyone. I wouldn't. I would say 'use a bloody phone box!'

I don't use my phone very much (cheap old non-smart-phone), and occasionally forget to bring it with me or let it run out of battery. I have been in a tight corner a few times- for instance, at a remote bus stop waiting to pick up my daughter who was very late, or in a foreign country where my phone doesn't work, and unable to find the friend I am meeting.

I have been lucky enough to meet kind people who don't mind letting me make a quick phone call.

It is EXTREMELY hard (impossible) to find working phone boxes these days.

I would always let someone use my phone; it is a very simple kindness which costs nothing and can be a real life saver for someone in a pinch.

I've let people a couple of times, but it is a stupid thing to do really. They could easily run off.

Once, a guy pushed his, I assume, mother over in her wheelchair and told me I could hold on to her while he used my phone so I know he can't run. The person didn't pick up so he just asked me to pass on a message if the person called back. They didn't, thank God.

I dialled the number for the girl that asked me, and then handed it over when her Mum answered. She seemed genuine, I was in a good mood and calculated I could probaibly outrun her . But I think you did the right thing.

This has happened to me. I was sitting waiting at a bus stop near my house when a rather,erm,unsavoury looking woman approached me and asked if she could borrow my phone for 2 minutes to make a quick call. I had never seen her before in my life,don't think she was a local,and she smelt strongly of cannabis. I wasn't worried about the cost of the call as I had loads of free minutes,but I was worried that she might leg it with my quite expensive phone. I'm disabled and would have no chance of running after her,let alone catching her. So I just said sorry I was out of credit. She accepted this with no argument to my surprise. No YANBU OP.

Just to add to my message above: I am very grateful to the kind people who have let my children use their phones to call me on the few occasions that they have lost their phones, left them behind, or let them run out of charge.

I am so gle=ad that most people are nice about this in real life, which isn't the impression I get from this thread.

'I would always let someone use my phone; it is a very simple kindness which costs nothing and can be a real life saver for someone in a pinch.'

It could cost you a lot if someone legs it with your phone and it's a smart phone. Could you not just dial a number for someone and then put it on speaker? That would be the logical alternative.

I would have no idea what anyone's number was! I don't know what I'd do without my phone.

And if you need your life saved, you can walk into a commercial place and ask them to dial a number for you, too.

I had this. A gobby teenager who was with her mother and aunt (I think) anyway it wasn't urgent. She just wanted my phone for some reason that I still can't work out. She got really shirty with me when I politely declined to give it to her.
I have also been stopped outside a train station by a man asking me for money for his train fare. I gave it to him, then watched him disappear into the pub.