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Do you know where you are?

(54 Posts)
nandad Sun 27-Feb-22 20:47:30

Today we were the first to arrive at a road traffic accident. We only had a vague idea of our location as did the 4 people in the car behind. The emergency operator kept pushing us for our actual location, then I remembered my husband, who was down the hill directing traffic, had the What3Words app on his phone. Ambulance arrived within minutes. After statements were taken the police and ambulance told us that they were able to find us so quickly because of What3Words.
Please, I urge you to download this app. I don’t download anything onto my phone but it was the first thing I did when we got home. My husband has had it for ages but was a bit sceptical about its usefulness, it could have saved someone’s life today.

Thisismyname1953 Thu 03-Mar-22 13:54:26

Yes, a map can show you where you are but if you’re in the middle of nowhere What Three Words can pinpoint you to about 9 square feet. On my phone it can show if I’m in the front or the back of my house , it’s that accurate!

Tamayra Tue 01-Mar-22 22:45:53

Whilst scary evacuating during the bush fires my sons were able to track my car location via my man bike app & talk me thro the drama It was so helpful as I was literally driving thro the fires for hours

nandad Tue 01-Mar-22 22:30:32

Duvetdiva

Just download the app What3Words and stop being so pompous people!

Thank you Duvetdiva and others who have been positive about this. There are alternatives but many wouldn’t have worked in the area we were in. I was relaying what the ambulance service and police said to me, that it was the fact that we had used W3W that had allowed them to get to us so quickly. The first responders were actually a charity who were out of area and were returning from another emergency but due to the diversions were close by. I had started to feel that for some people it had become a case of oneupmanship.

Farzanah Tue 01-Mar-22 21:15:29

I’ll give it another go but it seemed a bit of a faff after I’d downloaded it.

pamdixon Tue 01-Mar-22 20:51:58

so glad to hear you are all in favour of what3words. My son is one of the directors of the company!! He was university with the guy who thought it all up. For anyone who out there who doesn't understand how it works, I'd say google it! Loads of emergency services all over the country are now using it. It is used in all sorts of places all over the world.

Janetashbolt Tue 01-Mar-22 19:48:46

I loaded the app awhile ago and when out randomly check it out of curiosity but I loaded it for just such an occasion as you mention, luckily not had to use it

Dianehillbilly1957 Tue 01-Mar-22 19:30:54

Will definitely look into it.

CanadianGran Tue 01-Mar-22 19:16:32

This app is wonderful technology , and becoming more and more in use. Delivery drivers use it for actual door locations rather than addresses. and it is very useful for search and rescue operations. For hikers and boaters it can save the battery use on phones while waiting for help to arrive.

Seabreeze Tue 01-Mar-22 19:09:55

Hi Ladies. How does what3words work. I’ve just had to put in mine and my brothers address to get the 3 words for our locations so how would that work if We broke down in the middle of nowhere ?

Pinnywinch Tue 01-Mar-22 18:36:08

Well said. I have used What3Words for a while now. I use it for deliveries to my house. The police now use it here - great idea.
I tell people to use it to report potholes to the council too. At least it gets them to the right pothole!

Dolly3010 Tue 01-Mar-22 18:00:48

Yep excellent app, most usefully used to direct fire brigade to a grass fire on a mountainside and also find husband who was hanging about somewhere in Nottingham hoping for a lift , and neither of us knew the city at all never mind the postcode

Fudgemonkey Tue 01-Mar-22 17:23:12

Minimoon

One of our local courier's has asked everyone to use this under the notes field. Love the app smile

4allweknow Tue 01-Mar-22 16:46:36

Had heard of this so looked at the App. Downloaded now. Had an incident only last week on day of the storm when car broke down. Had to summon recovery service. Fortunately I did know where I was but did think what if I hadn't. Hopefully never need the App but can see how useful it would be.

Farzanah Tue 01-Mar-22 16:37:50

I downloaded W3W app and couldn’t understand how it works so deleted it. Thick moi.
I do have mapping on my phone which is accurate anyway.

BlueBalou Tue 01-Mar-22 16:27:52

My newish car has an emergency call setting on the screen that alerts emergency services as soon as you click on it apparently ?
I already have What3Words on my phone so I should be well covered if I need help.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 01-Mar-22 16:24:02

On an average day I have trouble knowing who I am let alone where I am or even what I am doing there

Duvetdiva Tue 01-Mar-22 16:03:17

Just download the app What3Words and stop being so pompous people!

SillyNanny321 Tue 01-Mar-22 14:34:03

For some reason I cannot get this app to download to my phone! Given up after getting very annoyed with it not showing up!

Unigran4 Tue 01-Mar-22 13:52:42

Elizabeth27

Just type where am I into search and it will show you on a map.

What a good idea, I thought, so I tried it. I am sitting in my living room, but my phone thinks I am in Church a mile away. I was there on Sunday, but today is Tuesday, surely my phone should have calibrated where I am now?

Davida1968 Tue 01-Mar-22 13:29:24

Thanks nandad. I've now downloaded this.

LtEve Tue 01-Mar-22 13:05:40

The control rooms use mobile phone tower triangulation to determine your location. If its an area with a lot of towers that can be very accurate but if there's not many and they are some distance from each other then it gives a bigger possible area.

NannyMags Tue 01-Mar-22 12:46:06

I have this app now because we also came across an accident where a lady had been thrown from a horse. The ambulance control needed the location but we were just out for a drive in an unknown area. As luck would have it a farmer came by on his tractor and knew the name of the road. I had always thought, from tv films etc that they could trace my location from my phone signal but they cannot do this.

GolferGrandma Tue 01-Mar-22 12:35:19

Shandy57
I have What3Words and also ICE with husband, Daughter and Son all listed. Not had to use any yet but useful to know they are there if needed.

HannahLoisLuke Tue 01-Mar-22 12:31:58

I downloaded the App to my phone and tablet. It gives different words for the two devices. Anybody know why?

Danma Tue 01-Mar-22 12:03:27

The what3words app can also display grid references.
Just go into settings > display settings snd choose what other options you’d like to display.