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How many phone numbers do you know without looking at your phone?

(75 Posts)
Cambsnan Mon 10-Jun-24 07:57:11

I recently had a car accident and my open handbag was on the seat next to me. My phone went for a trip over the road. Rescue services needed to contact my family but I did not know any numbers! They were in my broken phone not my head! Lesson learnt. I now know at least one and have some written down.

Grammaretto Tue 11-Jun-24 04:45:34

I think the social services check the fridge crazyH
Likewise they check if the kettle is warm from recent use......

Thinking of numbers: I can recite all our home numbers from the age of 8. Totally useless .

I still have a set of inherited 1930's telephone directories and could tell you Noel Coward's number.😂

NotSpaghetti Tue 11-Jun-24 00:58:33

My home number growing up was just four digits!

crazyH Mon 10-Jun-24 23:35:01

My landline, my mobile, my local Council, local hospital, landline of my 2 friends from where I used to live, can’t remember any mobile numbers of my children /grandchildren -all numbers are on my phone.- but I must write down all the numbers, in case I don’t have my mobile phone with me. There was some advice once. Write all numbers down and keep in a plastic container in the Frig - why I don’t know 😂

Maggiemaybe Mon 10-Jun-24 23:20:15

Our landline (rarely used), the landline of our first home together, and my last work number (I retired in 2014). Very useful!

The rest I have stored in my mobile and written down in my old-fashioned diary.

LadyGracie Mon 10-Jun-24 22:14:02

My own and my mums landline number. She died in 2003.

cornergran Mon 10-Jun-24 20:44:27

Only my own, our landline and that of a friend in Wales. She’s never had a different number so back in the day I actually dialled it.

Hope you’re OK cambsnan and thank you for highlighting this. I’m off to write a list on card to keep in the car and two on paper, one for me and one for Mr C to keep in our respective wallets.

Norah Mon 10-Jun-24 20:35:30

Our landline, husband's work LLs and mobile, daughters LLs.

Pittcity Mon 10-Jun-24 20:26:49

The emergency services will be able to contact somebody using one of the many databases/social media that we are all on. No need to worry about remembering numbers.

That said I can remember my parent's landline number too.

Mollygo Mon 10-Jun-24 20:02:54

It’s a good point that, even if I know the numbers, I might not be able to recall them if I’d had an accident or was injured. I’ll have have a backup.

Grammaretto Mon 10-Jun-24 13:56:55

Yes Ailsa an old fashioned pocket diary is essential.
I haven't one this year only a pad weekly calendar A5 which I take with me to meetings but not in my handbag.
Lesson learned.

Wheniwasyourage Mon 10-Jun-24 13:30:22

Good ideas on this thread. I have a list of numbers in a little notebook that I take on holiday and keep in a zipped pocket. It would be sensible to keep family numbers in my bag or purse when we’re at home though. Thank you all, and I hope you’re ok Cambsnan.

Purplepixie Mon 10-Jun-24 12:55:28

Several important phone numbers. It is important to know them and not rely on your phone in case it gets broken, stolen or lost.

Grannynannywanny Mon 10-Jun-24 12:39:49

I’m going to do exactly that Ailsa43. I have a little blank notebook that will fit the bill.

nandad Mon 10-Jun-24 12:35:22

Husband’s mobile number, one brother’s mobile number and 4 friend’s landlines. I remember the ll numbers because I dial them rather than put them on speed dial, it’s because I have a bad memory for numbers and feel this is somehow helping me. Don’t know if it does really but I can hope.

Ailsa43 Mon 10-Jun-24 12:25:52

Grannynannywanny

The lesson I’ve learned from this thread is that having my emergency contacts stored under ICE on my phone is of no help if my phone is damaged or lost in an accident. Having a number memorised is of no help if in a medical emergency I’m unable to regurgitate the number from my memory bank.

So, I’ll resort to good old fashioned pen and paper as back up and have my emergency contact numbers on a slip of paper in my bag.

I’m not concerned about possibly losing all my phone numbers if my phone breaks as my contact list is backed up on iCloud and easily retrievable for a new phone.

I carry a diary in my bag as well as my mobile phone. In the first page of the diary I have family member's numbers written down. No names just (son/daughter) etc written next to them

Ailsa43 Mon 10-Jun-24 12:24:06

My own landline, My ex husband's number... I don't even know my own mobile number..

Grannynannywanny Mon 10-Jun-24 12:23:33

The lesson I’ve learned from this thread is that having my emergency contacts stored under ICE on my phone is of no help if my phone is damaged or lost in an accident. Having a number memorised is of no help if in a medical emergency I’m unable to regurgitate the number from my memory bank.

So, I’ll resort to good old fashioned pen and paper as back up and have my emergency contact numbers on a slip of paper in my bag.

I’m not concerned about possibly losing all my phone numbers if my phone breaks as my contact list is backed up on iCloud and easily retrievable for a new phone.

AreWeThereYet Mon 10-Jun-24 12:21:04

No current ones. The only one I remember is my old landline number that was taken out two years ago so is useless.

Mollygo Mon 10-Jun-24 12:17:24

Mine, DH and SIL as he is the only one guaranteed to answer the phone.

Grammaretto Mon 10-Jun-24 12:10:14

I learned a hard lesson too when I left my phone on the plane on my journey to NZ.
I couldn't phone my son who I was visiting but luckily he knew my travel plans and met me on arrival.
I didn't listen to advice to carry an address book plus note of all insurance numbers etc.

I discovered that you can travel the world with just your passport and bank card (which I carried separately)

Not having my own phone for a month was a blessing. I loved the freedom and finding 850 unopened emails when I came home was a shock.

I hope you weren't hurt in the car accident.

Definitely keep hard copy somewhere and yes I know the number of my local son as long as he keeps it.

Theexwife Mon 10-Jun-24 12:07:08

Just my own, I do occasionally think I should not just take my phone with me when going somewhere far from home.

If I get a train or bus the ticket is on my phone as are my cards so if my phone was lost or stolen I would have no way of paying for anything, no return ticket nor anyone’s contact details, not actually sure what I would do in that situation.

HelterSkelter1 Mon 10-Jun-24 11:16:43

I keep a piece of stiff card in my coat pockets with my tel number and address in just in case. But will add my daughter's mob number to it as my husband couldn't get to the phone easily in case of emergency.

I can remember probably 6 or so numbers which I use regularly. But probably wouldn't recall them in an emergency.

Chestnut Mon 10-Jun-24 10:40:13

Only my own number. But I do have a list of family numbers in a little wallet behind my bank card. If I lost that and my phone I would be hysterical. Maybe I should have one number tattooed on my arm.

Lovetopaint037 Mon 10-Jun-24 10:32:01

When I saw the title of this post I felt panicked as I use my contact list for all phone numbers except my hardly used landline. Even my own mobile I have to look up to just make sure.I know it ends with a 1 and dh’s ends with a 2. I must make a concerted effort to commit them to memory. Also daughter’s.

eddiecat78 Mon 10-Jun-24 09:55:00

RosiesMaw

Short answer- very few. But they do include my “home” growing up and then my parents’ landline- 20261!

I'm the same RosiesMaw - 41385!