To hate people who only let the phone ring 5 times then hang up?

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

I have no inclination to run to the phone, and I always have to do 1471 and call them back.

My MIL is the worst culprit, and the worst bit is she'll hang up then call again, so I 1471 her and get an engaged tone, and she gets an engaged tone from me and so it goes on for bloody ages, until we eventually connect and he asks why I'm ignoring her calls.

Argh.

Oh yes. Or call, don't leave a message (mainly because we have a roving phone that likes to hide) then moans that you never answer the phone (we don't have caller ID either),

My mother deliberately lets phone ring only 3 times that way she knows I will have to call her back - tight old bat!

But what gets me most with MIL is when I'm deliberately ignoring the phone (i.e in the bath, or bathing the children) she lets it ring forever, and I mean seriously 50 times. You would think she'd assume we are out or busy and hang up. She only does this when I am busy, how does she know!?

MILs and indeed mothers have a knack of phoning at the most inconvenient times and then talking utter doggerel.

YANBU, especially when they have also withheld their number

If it is important they'll ring back...

Whatever you do, don't ring 1471 and then 3 to call them back. BT charge you extra for that, the rob dogs.

i have given up running for the phone. it is even worse when you dash downstairs for it,they give up, then decide to ring your mobile which is upstairs or lost.

i am a bit of an offender on the 5 rings thing - either because i inadvertently realise that i have rung the wrong person or because ds needs his bottom wiping Now mummy

Our answer machine cuts in after about 6 rings so I rarely manage to heave myself off the sofa to answer it in time. Nobody bothers to leave a message half the time but at least it stops those irritating people who just ring and ring and ring....... I'm feeding the baby ffs!!!!! ( Or mumsnetting! )

you PAY for 1471(3) ?

Are you sure it's not BT answer service? My Dad was getting really pissed off with people doing this until he found out that it answers after 5 rings and couldn't be changed.

Correct.

Tis cheaper to use 1471 to get the number(that's a free service), write it down, hang up then ring it yourself.