'Private Numbers'

forgottenhills

Gradius wrote: »

I often have to make phone calls from strange places that get routed through this and that, and I know it will display a strange number on the other end. To people I know, to be clear.

I have never used a voicemail thing, either leaving a message or checking my own

If I'm calling you answer or don't. End of story. All these multi steps are a pain in the hole for clear communication.

So if you call a busy person you may find their phone line is constantly busy. If you are not prepared to leave a message for that person then that person will see that they have several missed calls from you and are likely to consider you have some sort of an emergency going on or otherwise you are a bit odd.

Feisar

Feisar wrote: »

It is sort of a two way thing, people have phones for the convenience of being able to make and receive calls.

Just to make calls, or never make calls and use it in the numerous other ways a modern phone can be used. If you’re paying for it then it’s your choice.

People who block their phone numbers are vermin anyway and they must know well the person on the other end wouldn’t want to talk to them if they knew who it was.

Uncle Pierre

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

Uncle Pierre

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

Phone blocks them for me.

Mister Vain

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

If its an Irish number and/or I'm expecting a call I will answer it. If its from Sierra Leone they can feck off.

forgottenhills

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

Of course I will answer some one calling using their own number, unless it has a country prefix that I don't recognise or if I don't know anybody in that country.

CrankyHaus

There must be a load of people out there complaining that they never heard back from the "useless" Guards, Doctors etc who use private numbers, not to mention if they have any friends with an unlisted house number.

Not taking calls from numbers you don't recognise is next level insular stuff, I always thought the stereotype of Boards posters as shut-ins fearful of the outside world was untrue.

Uncle Pierre

So, to the two posters above who answered my earlier question - what in essence do you consider the big difference between answering a call from a number you don't recognise, and answering a call that doesn't show the number? I genuinely don't understand.

I'd have thought the aversion to blocked numbers was not knowing who was at the other line, but now it can't be that if you'd actually still answer a call that showed as 087 1234567 or anything else.

Remember it could still be a salesperson or a survey or something like that calling with the number shown.

forgottenhills

CrankyHaus wrote: »

There must be a load of people out there complaining that they never heard back from the "useless" Guards, Doctors etc who use private numbers, not to mention if they have any friends with an unlisted house number.

Not taking calls from numbers you don't recognise is next level insular stuff, I always thought the stereotype of Boards posters as shut-ins fearful of the outside world was untrue.

Not true. Any calls I ever had from a doctor or their secretary was from their surgery number which they all advertise anyway, doctors don't try to hide their work numbers certainly in my experience.

And you are confusing taking calls from an unknown number (which I do) with take calls from a private number (which I don't as this is pretty much guaranteed to be a sales call from someone who should have the courtesy of showing their number).

forgottenhills

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

So, to the two posters above who answered my earlier question - what in essence do you consider the big difference between answering a call from a number you don't recognise, and answering a call that doesn't show the number? I genuinely don't understand.

I'd have thought the aversion to blocked numbers was not knowing who was at the other line, but now it can't be that if you'd actually still answer a call that showed as 087 1234567 or anything else.

Remember it could still be a salesperson or a survey or something like that calling with the number shown.

Yes, but at least they are having the courtesy to call using their (or their company's) own number. Sales people calling from private numbers are also in some cases trying to avoid telecoms regulations around cold calling and I am rarely in the mood to assist this sharp practice.

ED E

CrankyHaus wrote: »

There must be a load of people out there complaining that they never heard back from the "useless" Guards, Doctors etc who use private numbers, not to mention if they have any friends with an unlisted house number.

Not taking calls from numbers you don't recognise is next level insular stuff, I always thought the stereotype of Boards posters as shut-ins fearful of the outside world was untrue.

Every call I've received from Gardai has been 01-666, they don't hide their number.


This is really common, not a boards phenomenon.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

never answer them , and calling to a persons house without a pre check / text / etc is just the actions of a c*nt

s8n

every call is a potential sale !!!

Answer the phone for f##k sake

CrankyHaus

forgottenhills wrote: »

Not true. Any calls I ever had from a doctor or their secretary was from their surgery number which they all advertise anyway, doctors don't try to hide their work numbers certainly in my experience.

Well you wouldn't know if it's any calls because you didn't take the ones that were private number.



I have a few friends and family that are doctors and the vast majority of the private number calls I get are from them because they forgot to change their phone back to caller ID on at the end of their work hours; eg a psychiatrist on call at home using their own phone. It's not ideal that they have to use their own phone but that's the HSE for you.



Thinking back on all the private numbers I've ever got it was mainly that, along with some guards, some friends with unlisted home numbers, 1 eejit in about 10 years, no sales calls ever and some prank calls in college and school.


If anything dodgy calls are much more common from unusual overseas prefixes.

ED E wrote: »

Every call I've received from Gardai has been 01-666, they don't hide their number.


This is really common, not a boards phenomenon.

That's the station, not the garda's mobile.

Mister Vain

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

So, to the two posters above who answered my earlier question - what in essence do you consider the big difference between answering a call from a number you don't recognise, and answering a call that doesn't show the number? I genuinely don't understand.

I'd have thought the aversion to blocked numbers was not knowing who was at the other line, but now it can't be that if you'd actually still answer a call that showed as 087 1234567 or anything else.

Remember it could still be a salesperson or a survey or something like that calling with the number shown.

As I said, it depends on the number. I tend to get a lot of calls from Vodafone and other surveys when I'm in work, and the odd scam call from Africa too. If its something important like a hospital appointment or a job interview, they will always leave a voice mail if I can't answer so its no big deal.

Rubberchikken

I just answer my the phone. It's not complicated.

EmmetSpiceland

I’ll only answer an “unknown” number, or one I don’t recognise, if I’m expecting a call. If not, they can leave a message, or text.

Same way, I’ll answer the door if I’m expecting a delivery, or someone calling over.

forgottenhills

Rubberchikken wrote: »

I just answer my the phone. It's not complicated.

It is more complicated if you are in an important role in a company or organisation or in public life. Do you think such people should or could answer every unsolicited call that they receive? Good luck with that.

Blaze420

Never answer private or unknown numbers - if someone doesn't have the decency to call from an identifiable number I'm not too bothered about answering it. Same as the others above, if it's someone that needs to contact me they can send a text or leave a voicemail and I'll get back to them.

Same with the front door really - if I'm not waiting for a package or expecting someone, you can knock and ring the bell as much as you want - it won't be opened.

Uncle Pierre

Jaysus lads, with this talk of not answering the door either, common courtesy and manners have really gone out the window.

Sure, it could well be a salesperson, and I don't think I've ever bought goods or services from anybody who just cold-called to my door. But it doesn't take that much out of my day to open the door anyway, have them say who they are, and then politely say "no thanks". Maybe only 30 seconds, or a minute or two max.

But it could also be somebody just asking for directions. Or out on behalf of some good local cause or organisation who are running a fundraiser that you might be consider supporting. Few months back, I even had a call from somebody asking if I might own the dead dog that he'd seen a short distance down the road, because ours was the closest house to it (not our dog, by the way!).

I just wouldn't have the plain bad manners and ignorance to sit inside ignoring the knocks or the doorbell while people were there.

Blaze420

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Jaysus lads, with this talk of not answering the door either, common courtesy and manners have really gone out the window.

Sure, it could well be a salesperson, and I don't think I've ever bought goods or services from anybody who just cold-called to my door. But it doesn't take that much out of my day to open the door anyway, have them say who they are, and then politely say "no thanks". Maybe only 30 seconds, or a minute or two max.

But it could also be somebody just asking for directions. Or out on behalf of some good local cause or organisation who are running a fundraiser that you might be consider supporting. Few months back, I even had a call from somebody asking if I might own the dead dog that he'd seen a short distance down the road, because ours was the closest house to it (not our dog, by the way!).

I just wouldn't have the plain bad manners and ignorance to sit inside ignoring the knocks or the doorbell while people were there.

You want directions go to the local shop and ask there instead of skulking around knocking on doors.

You seem a bit too worried about manners for people who you haven't specifically asked to call to the house - why do you care if you leave them out there knocking or ringing? They are only going to waste your time so waste theirs, turn the TV up and forget about them

s1ippy

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

I wait until it rings out and Google it later on if I'm bothered, check if it's got any distinguishing info on it from WhatsApp. Usually they'll text later and it's somebody looking for something from me so I'm glad for not having answered.

Uncle Pierre

Local shop where I live is three miles away. Not much point turning round and going back that far to the village if you're pretty sure you're within a short distance of where you want to be, or are at least going in the right direction.

Ah, it's probably one of those rural/urban divides overall. I'm lucky enough to be in the countryside where it's mostly decent people. Not some city area that's hounded by ne'er-do-wells and nefarious salesmen

Blaze420

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Local shop where I live is three miles away. Not much point turning round and going back that far to the village if you're pretty sure you're within a short distance of where you want to be, or are at least going in the right direction.

Ah, it's probably one of those rural/urban divides overall. I'm lucky enough to be in the countryside where it's mostly decent people. Not some city area that's hounded by ne'er-do-wells and nefarious salesmen

You've hit the nail on the head - if you live in a rural location then I can understand why your first instinct might be to answer the door if someone calls.

Personally, I live in a city estate which is a bit like a zoo at times - everything from our brethren in perpetual motion selling carpets and rugs, to Jehovahs, to Sky/Airtricity salespeople etc etc and my arch nemesis the TV licence man. I am undefeated so far

CrankyHaus

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Local shop where I live is three miles away. Not much point turning round and going back that far to the village if you're pretty sure you're within a short distance of where you want to be, or are at least going in the right direction.

Ah, it's probably one of those rural/urban divides overall. I'm lucky enough to be in the countryside where it's mostly decent people. Not some city area that's hounded by ne'er-do-wells and nefarious salesmen

Nope, life-long Dubliner here. I think all this cowering inside the house from strangers knocking is madness too.

woodchuck

I've had to block private numbers on my phone, due to an ex who was getting a little stalker-ish. I had blocked his personal mobile number, but he got around it by calling me from a private number. It's kind of annoying as I have no idea what other calls I could be missing, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Wanderer19

I run a couple of small businesses, one of which I'll have suppliers - I want to be in the right frame of mind before answering.

The other business is massage, and I received calls late/in the middle of the night, so I blocked all unknown numbers.

Uncle Pierre

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Jaysus lads, with this talk of not answering the door either, common courtesy and manners have really gone out the window.

Sure, it could well be a salesperson, and I don't think I've ever bought goods or services from anybody who just cold-called to my door. But it doesn't take that much out of my day to open the door anyway, have them say who they are, and then politely say "no thanks". Maybe only 30 seconds, or a minute or two max.

But it could also be somebody just asking for directions. Or out on behalf of some good local cause or organisation who are running a fundraiser that you might be consider supporting. Few months back, I even had a call from somebody asking if I might own the dead dog that he'd seen a short distance down the road, because ours was the closest house to it (not our dog, by the way!).

I just wouldn't have the plain bad manners and ignorance to sit inside ignoring the knocks or the doorbell while people were there.

The charity callers are worse than the sellers. **** them, if I want to donate to a charity I’m well able to look one up.

Uncle Pierre

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

The charity callers are worse than the sellers. **** them, if I want to donate to a charity I’m well able to look one up.

I said local causes or organisations. I'm not talking about chuggers who are on a wage and who want your direct debit details.

A few examples around here that I'm thinking of include:
- the old man (around 80) who goes around twice a year to sell tickets for a card drive that the Old Folks Club run. Tickets cost €2 each. He's as likely to call at 8 a.m. or 10.30 p.m. as he is at any "normal" hour so he's always an unexpected caller but I'm always happy to give him a couple of quid anyway.

- the soccer club that runs a €10 draw/sweepstake each July/August based on certain events in the first month or so of the upcoming Premier League season. Am happy to support this too.

- a collection last year to support a local family who tragically have two young children with a rare disease that means neither of them are likely to live to see ten years of age.

But you and others would leave all these people standing outside rather than having the common courtesy to open the door to them. Bravo.

Uncle Pierre

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

I said local causes or organisations. I'm not talking about chuggers who are on a wage and who want your direct debit details.

A few examples around here that I'm thinking of include:
- the old man (around 80) who goes around twice a year to sell tickets for a card drive that the Old Folks Club run. Tickets cost €2 each. He's as likely to call at 8 a.m. or 10.30 p.m. as he is at any "normal" hour so he's always an unexpected caller but I'm always happy to give him a couple of quid anyway.

- the soccer club that runs a €10 draw/sweepstake each July/August based on certain events in the first month or so of the upcoming Premier League season. Am happy to support this too.

- a collection last year to support a local family who tragically have two young children with a rare disease that means neither of them are likely to live to see ten years of age.

But you and others would leave all these people standing outside rather than having the common courtesy to open the door to them. Bravo.

I wouldn’t leave them standing outside. You’d hope after a few seconds they’d get the message and keep going. If they remain standing there then that’s on them.