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Pedants' corner

020

88 replies

BarcodeZebra · 22/07/2008 20:31

Is the dialing code for London. Not 0207 or 0208. Jesus Christ! You LIVE there! You can't dial someone else in London using just seven digits. You HAVE to use eight. Therefore the dialing code is 020.

AAAARRFRGGGGHHH!

And breathe....

OP posts:
frumpygrumpyhasPMT · 22/07/2008 20:33

gwan, get it out

bergentulip · 22/07/2008 20:44

Can't blame people for getting it wrong though, when the old dialing codes were 0171 and 0181.....

AnnabelCaramel · 22/07/2008 20:45

The old dialling code was 01 [old git emoticon]

BarcodeZebra · 22/07/2008 21:02

bergentulip: Yes. Yes you can.

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bergentulip · 22/07/2008 21:08

Well, not much I can say to that argument really
Yes you can. I stand corrected!

BarcodeZebra · 22/07/2008 21:11

There is nothing more implacable than the towering, unreasonable rage of an angry pedant.

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SoupDragon · 22/07/2008 21:12

I had a thread about this at Christmas when I was doing something for the PTA. Every time someone wrote their own phone number incorrectly I seethed.

Habbibu · 22/07/2008 21:13

Bain't natural, though, BCZ. 'Tis a furrin invention, I'll wager. Seven is the true and natural complement for the number of the telephone, so say the sages.

SoupDragon · 22/07/2008 21:14

here you go 'zebra.

bergentulip · 22/07/2008 21:59

Aaah, but you know, now I think about it, it's an easy way for people who live in central London to show how clever they are. The same with postcodes, SE1, SW1, N1 etc.... all super cool.

Anything else, you may as well live in Timbuctoo (sp??!)
0207 - cool
0208 - not cool

(!) Just one explanation for why people insist of doing that??

StarlightMcKenzie · 22/07/2008 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Tinker · 22/07/2008 22:06

Amazingly, we don't all live in London and don't actually care

020
020
020
020
020
020

FabioThatFirggingCat · 22/07/2008 22:08

Some Laaand'ners have 020 3XXX XXXX.

Habbibu · 22/07/2008 22:09

BCZ doesn't live in London either... Why has it riled you, stripy chap?

bergentulip · 22/07/2008 22:23

I don't live there either!

lululemonrefuser · 22/07/2008 22:37

I know you are right in practical terms (i.e. how one dials within London) but BT lists London as three separate areas - Greater London 0203, Inner London 0207 and Outer London 0208.

I hasten to add that I didn't look this up now - I knew already as I had to look into it for a work thing. I am not that much of a pedant. Yet.

So you are not entirely right. Sorry.

hillbilly · 22/07/2008 22:59

God I so agree with OP!!!!

I hate it when people say 0207 or 0208!

By the way....I used to be 020 8 but now I'm 020 7!

BarcodeZebra · 22/07/2008 23:01

Hab: it bothers me because it's wrong. Do I need a better reason here of all places?

And as for 0203: Oh FFS!!!! Who let them do that???

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BarcodeZebra · 22/07/2008 23:06

Oh, and Tinker: I wouldn't care if I lived in London because then I wouldn't have to use the code. But I don't so I have to put up with great nancing London types who obviously are superior to me by virtue of geography reciting their phone numbers thus: "it's 0207 blahblahblah blahblahblahblah".

I'm sorry but IT DRIVES ME NUTS.

IT'S WRONG!!!!!!!

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Tinker · 22/07/2008 23:09

I had to fax someone in London the other day and got it wrong because I instinctively did 01207 without thinking. He was most put out when I explained, "But, it's a London number!" ie "How couldn't you have realised?"

SueW · 22/07/2008 23:33

We have the same problem in Nottingham.

Code is 0115

Numbers are 0115 8xx xxxx or 0115 9xx xxxx

BUT people insist on writing 01159 xxxxxx

WHY???

You can't dial 01159 8xx xxxx and get through to anyone. Grrrrr....

littlelapin · 22/07/2008 23:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hillbilly · 23/07/2008 10:17

You're right barcode, I don't have to use the code and so the numbers are 7 * or 8* * so it's quite obvious that the 7 or 8 is attached to the big number and not to the code!

God I love threads like this!

DeeRiguer · 23/07/2008 10:21

i think you are right, technically n all but i cant wont bring myself to do it..
agree 7 numbers is a phone number

BarcodeZebra · 23/07/2008 20:15

What about your mobile number?

What about the French? They have 8 digit telephone numbers and they are oh so very much cooler than us. Even (gasp) the Londoners.

I can't let it lie.

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