' Is it right to call 999 over mattress in the road?' blog discussion 15 March 2011 at 2:14PM edited 15 March 2011 at 2:23PM in Martin's blogs & appearances & MoneySavingExpert in the news 78 replies 10.6K views

Former_MSE_Helen

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "Is it right to call 999 over mattress in the road?" Blog.

Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.

real_woodworm

Yes, absolutely it is right! If some following scooter rider had been faced with either hitting the debris or swerving into the path of a lorry I'm sure they would agree!

immoral_angeluk

I always believed that 999 was for if there was immediate danger so I'd say definitely yes!`

Evilm

I probably would have used the local police number (a list here : http://website.lineone.net/~familykeens/policeno.htm) and reported it that way. Or used what our local force called the "nuisance" number : 101.

Yes, it needs to be reported urgently but I would err on the side of caution and not tie up the emergency lines. It does help that I would usually be a passenger so could make the call right away though.

Dudley_1066

999 was definitely correct. You may have saved 10s of lives by preventing a major accident.

spadoosh

wouldve gone with highways agency myself. those guys just dive out in the road a drag it away. the police will now have the A40 shut for 3 days whilst a full investigation takes place.... cue angry emails to martin :P

grahamm

I'm a biker and I've called 999 over eg diesel spills or a branch on a country road which had fallen down and was sticking out at 90 degrees almost at my head height, so I'd have had no qualms about calling 999 over something like this which was causing a danger to you and other road users.

BTW I don't know if you use Sat Nav, but my Tom Tom Rider V2 has a "Help Me" function on it where it will give the exact geographic location (latitude and longitude) of where you are and also details of the road you are on and distances eg 800 yards from road X and 100 yards from road Y to help emergency services find where you are.

clockworkpurple

Way back when my Dad was moving me back home from halls of residence and had filled the boot full to bursting. Unfortunately he'd not closed the boot properly and it came open on the M40 and a (small) box flew out. We went along the motorway a couple of times before we saw it, and then called the police (non-emergency number) as it was half in the fast lane, half on the central reservation.

Once the copper had come and retrieved the box he said that we should have phoned 999 immediately as it's a hazard on a main road. If I was told that for a box of no more than 2' x 1' x 6" then I'd say it's definitely the case for a mattress!

king100

Evilm wrote: »

I probably would have used the local police number (a list here : http://website.lineone.net/~familykeens/policeno.htm) and reported it that way. Or used what our local force called the "nuisance" number : 101.

Yes, it needs to be reported urgently but I would err on the side of caution and not tie up the emergency lines. It does help that I would usually be a passenger so could make the call right away though.

Yeah hang on while i google on my phone to figure out which is my local police station to call up.

Actually what is my local police station there?

You have 1 min off the top of your head to tell me.

Martin

Perfectly acceptable, I called 999 when driving down the motorway and there was a wooden pallett in the fast lane, phone operator said thank you, I then pulled into services and saw police there who I told them as well, they said that they had just received the called, guess what I wasent arrested and they said thanks again.

syates69

Surely postcodes only apply to places that will have post delivered to them ?

At what point along the 100+ mile long A40 is the letterbox located ?

Steve

tr3mor

You made a public sector worker do some work, so of course she was grumpy!