'One One Two is a joke'
What, if anything does 112 suggest to you? Part of a 5-a-side formation? Grades for whatever O levels are called this week? Those irritating moustachioed chaps who advertise a directory enquiries service?
The latter is nearest to the EU's desired response, for 112 which is, bien sur, the EU wide emergency number, or what I am going to call euro 999. Faced with the question as to the number one should call for europlod etc, some 77 per cent of my compatriots joined me in not having a clue. The Greeks managed an impressive 94 per cent non awareness.
The latter is nearest to the EU's desired response, for 112 which is, bien sur, the EU wide emergency number, or what I am going to call euro 999. Faced with the question as to the number one should call for europlod etc, some 77 per cent of my compatriots joined me in not having a clue. The Greeks managed an impressive 94 per cent non awareness.
There has been euro campaigning to make us aware of the 112 number, but it would not look to have had much success anywhere bar Poland, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic, where more than half of these blameless populaces were aware of the number. I do wonder quite how many TV programmes etc were interrupted by euronaggers telling them that 112 was just the thing for dealing with their international emergencies.
Digging deeper, Estonia would appear to be a rather alarming place in that 48% of the population have called the national emergency number or 112 in the last five years. I imagine the emergency services must be rather busy, unless it was the entire population of Tartu panicking that the Russians are coming...
As Ed notes in the comments, having a number to ring is not much use if there is a language barrier, and 12% of 112 users and 28% of '999' callers had 'a communication' problem. Well yes - I doubt that a monoglot Slovene ringing Valetta's finest would get much satisfaction.
As Ed notes in the comments, having a number to ring is not much use if there is a language barrier, and 12% of 112 users and 28% of '999' callers had 'a communication' problem. Well yes - I doubt that a monoglot Slovene ringing Valetta's finest would get much satisfaction.
Labels: EU fun and games, surveys
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on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 8:47 am.
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I did know that! But I have often wondered whether when phoning the number in one of our European Partners one could attract the attention of an ambulance or police car without being fluent in the local lingo?
Back in Blighty, the one time recently that I have needed to call an ambulance my mind went blank and I resorted to old 999 faithful.
There's more a-coming, along with links, formatting etc, but vulgar commerce ((c)Newmania) has intervened .....
The maresciallo of the local carabiniere gave me his personal mobile number, 'Just in case you need anything, as 112 gets automatically switched to the provincial capital and then the call-out is allocated'.
Back in WC1 the local police station actually has a moat round it (a fossa I suppose, as there's usually no water in it).
Self help and argue later with the pc deplorer contingent is the way. No numbers, no pack drill.
HG - That sounds like a rather handy arrangement. I hope you do not have to use the number in anger, so to speak.
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