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Do any of you track your partner's phone?

(68 Posts)
Notagranny44 Thu 02-Jun-22 13:15:54

My partner goes for a bike ride most mornings. Yesterday he fell off it in the forest, on a little used path. He didn't do himself much harm, just a skinned nose and chin, but I have been worrying about what might happen if it was more serious. We live in a very rural area, heavily wooded, and he doesn't plan his route before he leaves the house. He can cover quite a few miles, in various directions, and I would have no idea what to tell the police if one day he did not arrive home. He does not mind if I track his phone, just in case, but are there any apps you could recommend that I could install on my phone. I know parents do it with their children, so why not oldies with their partners.

SueDonim Thu 02-Jun-22 18:48:56

Mamie, they didn’t dare turn off the trackers because they were frightened of the reaction from their husband/father. Obviously, the trackers were just a part of the picture of abuse but it shows that it’s not always benign. I am happy to say that all of these women managed to get out of their toxic situations - they were so courageous.

Caren15 Thu 02-Jun-22 18:59:40

Me and my daughter use life 360.

Mamie Thu 02-Jun-22 19:03:07

Good that they got out SueDonim. Abusive people will always try and find a way.

Helen657 Thu 02-Jun-22 19:59:15

DH & I use Find my Friends, but it does need each phone to have a signal - I often lose track of him when he’s out walking/camping overnight. He also carries a PLB just in case of emergencies.

Blossoming Thu 02-Jun-22 20:05:45

No, it’s sat right here on the coffee table most of the time!

wildswan16 Thu 02-Jun-22 20:06:13

It is also useful for everyone to have "what3words" app on their phone. It gives your position immediately and all you have to do is give the three random words it generates for your exact position. It might say apple orange tomato - and the emergency services would know where you are within a few feet.

It's useful while out in the countryside, but also when in a strange town etc.

kircubbin2000 Thu 02-Jun-22 20:12:25

I'm surprised to find how many men seem to control their wives in this way,wanting to know where they are going, who is on the phone, who you spoke to. I know some wives do it too.My friends husband trackers her phone and they are both 80. I don't know what he thinks she might be up to.Another friend can only meet up if her husband is busy.

oodles Thu 02-Jun-22 20:12:51

What 3 words is good if you were worried out in the sticks [or trying to desribe to emergency services on a non descript road that you don't know the name of
Yes, trackers as a means of abuse are dreadful, abusers do so much harm with them
But for the purpose OP describes they are excellent. People do have accidents. My son and I use google maps, it is useful if he is coming to be able to see whereabouts he is, so I know how much time I have before he arrives [and when he sets off home I can see when he has got home, so he doesn't need to ring me to say he got home safely, or if he is going on holiday it is reassuring to know he got there ok. I very rarely look at where he is apart from those instances.

grannyactivist Thu 02-Jun-22 20:39:07

My husband has never tracked me, but I’m forever tracking him. He’s a keen cyclist and windsurfer so he texts me when he sets off and sends me a beacon so that I can follow his progress and be alerted to any mishaps. That way I know where he is and whether he’s moving - if he stops he texts me to let me know that all is well. Often he’s cycling in fairly remote places, so I find being able to track him is very reassuring.

Libman Thu 02-Jun-22 20:45:03

My family used FMF when we used to go skiing. It was very useful and we switched it off when we returned home. Job done and no further tracking. ?‍♀️ I do appreciate that tracking apps can have a downside but I don’t think that’s what the OP had that in mind.
.

CanadianGran Thu 02-Jun-22 23:22:15

I haven't. There are times when it could be useful or save a life, but yes, it could be used to manipulate and control as well.

What3words has been recommended, and I have it installed. Hopefully will never have to use it!

Petera Fri 03-Jun-22 11:19:41

CanadianGran

I haven't. There are times when it could be useful or save a life, but yes, it could be used to manipulate and control as well.

What3words has been recommended, and I have it installed. Hopefully will never have to use it!

This is the point of using the 'share my location' function on WhatsApp. It is the person who is being tracked who initiates it and it times out after a maximum of 8 hours.

kircubbin2000 Fri 03-Jun-22 11:36:03

I think I mentioned this before but my new phone has tracked my movements over the last years even before I got it.Google must be monitoring me. It got a few places wrong,one across the lough where I have never been, perhaps satellite didn't realise it would be a 40 mile trip away by road although close on the map.

Notagranny44 Fri 03-Jun-22 14:08:54

Thanks to all for your contributions and ideas. I agree that tracking can sometimes be abused, but the situation I am envisioning is similar to OakDryad's with the person perhaps unconcious and unable to use his phone to get help. I am going to look into Life360, as that sounds as though it would work, even if the person could not phone out. And, as a PP said, there is often no signal in these rural/remote areas, so my scheme might not work anyway!

Ali08 Fri 03-Jun-22 17:42:14

Oosh, the arguments I've heard from using these apps!
"You're not where you said you are, so where are you?"
"I'm exactly where I said I was!" Takes photo to prove it etc.
They only ping off the nearest tower, so they're not exact. Meaning you could be near where it says you are, but near is far enough away so that people who may be looking for you wouldn't be able to find you!

HeeCaborn Wed 07-Aug-24 08:55:22

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

nanna8 Wed 07-Aug-24 09:01:35

Shheesh- I have enough trouble tracking my own phone, never mind anyone else’s.

Skydancer Wed 07-Aug-24 09:04:09

There’s a wristwatch that is being advertised on daytime TV which is for reassurance in case someone is lost or falls. Don’t know the name but it’s shown quite often.

Grandyma Wed 07-Aug-24 09:51:22

My DH and I track each other on FMF also our teenage grandson. My DH was in a car accident quite near home recently - we were able to get to him quickly using the app.

Georgesgran Wed 07-Aug-24 10:00:30

REPORTED.

Old thread resurrected by Spam.

Mamie Wed 07-Aug-24 10:01:21

Zombie thread after dodgy post?

Mamie Wed 07-Aug-24 10:02:18

Crossed post.

pably15 Mon 12-Aug-24 15:45:48

My oh doesn't have a phone....doesn't want one .doesn't know how to use one...

Norah Mon 12-Aug-24 15:52:12

No.

Labradora Mon 12-Aug-24 18:14:01

God No!
But I would if it was a matter of personal safety.
He doesn't go hiking in the mountains or anything like that.
We both keep our phones turned on to be available for emergency texts or calls.