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Cell phone Emergency Override Option

 When your phone is on "Silent" or Off you can still be reached in case of Emergencies.
  (+4, -1)
(+4, -1) 		  [vote for,
against]

This afternoon I was very busy and did not wish to be disturbed (read: having a nap). My cellphone has all sorts of Profiles available so I could have set it to "Silent mode" or I simply could have switched the thing off. My concern was that my son was was at a skateboard park with a friend and I wanted to be reachable in case of an emergency.

My solution is to have a phone option called "Emergency Override". When activated, the phone would be silent and non-blinking for all normal phone calls, emails and text messages. Callers would hear a message saying that I didn't wish to be disturbed but if they "Pressed 1" they could force my phone to ring or vibrate as per normal. If any salesmen, ecetera misused this feature and chose to disturb me anyway they would "feel the wrath" and not make a sale to me - ever.

—AusCan531, Apr 14 2012

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       Ha ha ha   

       Ha ha ha ha ha   

       Ha hahhahaha   

       Press 1   

       ha ha!   

       Press 1 and then hang up!   

       Ha ha ha!
—pocmloc, Apr 14 2012
   

       Yes, [21Q], that is a much better option, much less open to abuse.
—pocmloc, Apr 14 2012
   

       We're supposed to have an inner circle !?   

       You Jones's are so hard to keep up to. (+)   

       Hmmmm, [pocmloc] has shown the necessity to only allow the override function to work for callers whose numbers aren't caller ID blocked. This would provide scope for you to track down those "oh so humourous press 1 then hang up" types and rearrange their proboscis for them.   

       [21 Quest]'s inner circle app isn't bad, but my kid is more likely to be ringing me to ask if it's alright for him to buy a soft drink than to say he broke his arm at which point some older kids took advantage by stealing his skateboard and cellphone - which is why he is ringing me from a borrowed phone. Or perhaps it is the police or hospital trying to ring me but I neglected to put their numbers on my 'inner circle' list. I don't want to be disturbed for the first scenario but do want to be contactable for the second scenario. I agree about the distastefulness of tone menus but mine would only say "AusCan doesn't wish to be disturbed but if an Emergency press 1 or to leave a voicemail message press 2". This setting would only be activated by me when I meant it and really was in an important meeting (or having a nap). It wouldn't be my default setting.
—AusCan531, Apr 15 2012
   

       "I really don't want to be interrupted, but if you really think it's worth it, you can press 6 to make a one hundred dollar deposit, and you'll be passed through. If I agree with you on the importance of your message, I'll refund your money."
—lurch, Apr 15 2012
   

       I like that [lurch]. It is another way of imposing a cost on people who abuse the system - other than getting a broken nose. You could have diminishing values for when you're less busy.
—AusCan531, Apr 15 2012
   


 

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