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johnnerontheroad

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I would think (hope?) anyone who travels on the continent with a mobile phone would know this one?

I'm sure we are better clued up than the 3% of the population who did know in the survey?

Although it has to be said that when I attended a refresher first aid course recently many of the attendees did not know.

Chris

PS Also stated (but never tried) that if you dialled 911 you would also be put through to emergency services - but this could be an Urban Myth

111 may also work - or you will be put through

 

PPS Edit

I also believe - but again never tested - that with a British registered phone abroad 999 will automatically be re-directed to 112

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michele - 2012-02-12 5:28 PM

 

colin - 2012-02-12 4:53 PM

 

It's been in operation long enough, so anyone going abroad should know it.

Question is do you know the police non emergency number in UK

 

101 :D :D On good authority :D

 

and would that be 'the old man'?

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Patricia - 2012-02-12 9:03 PM

 

I had to use this number once many years ago and they certainly did not speak English!!

 

 

 

 

 

Was that in the UK?

 

 

 

Because if anyone calls 112 when overseas, then I'm afraid that of course it won't be answered in English.

All the rest of Mainland Europe countries speaks languages OTHER than English. That's sort of what they do in their own countries; speak their own language.

 

 

So in France they're gonna answer/talk on a 112 call in their language. In France their language is French.

 

In Germany it'll be their language; German. Not English, but German.

 

In Spain it'll be answered in the national language of Spain: Spanish.

 

In Italy, they will of course answer/speak in Italian.

 

Etc...

 

It's one of the challenges/risks of visiting countries outside of the UK.

 

I guess people might get VERY lucky, and have your call answered by an operator who, as well as being fluent in the language of the country they've lived in all their life, also speaks a smattering of the foreign language called English. But please don't bank on it, as it ain't a requirement at all, just as it ain't a requirement of a UK emergency call handler to speak fluent French, or Spanish, or German, or Italian, etc.

 

 

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BGD - 2012-02-12 10:12 PM

 

Patricia - 2012-02-12 9:03 PM

 

I had to use this number once many years ago and they certainly did not speak English!!

 

 

Was that in the UK?

 

 

No, it wasn't. It was in France - no problem to me as I speak French. However, I was picking up on a previous post (which must have since been edited) which said that there was likely to be several operators, one of whom may speak English.

 

This is a most unlikely scenerio so it is important for people to remember, for instance, that if they breakdown on an autoroute to use the official phones and not their mobiles. Autoroute official phones will usually have English speakers available.

 

I also think that English is more widely spoken in France than perhaps in Spain, particularly by young people who are anxious to practise, and most French websites, particularly official ones, have English translations and often dedicated phone numbers. This is comforting for people who only spend a short time in a foreign country and have chosen to remain in the UK for most of the time. Not everyone has the ability, time or the means to learn another language but most try to learn a few words which is probably all they will need to make their holiday more interesting.

 

Unless you are lucky enough to spend a great deal of time in another country you will never speak the language really fluently. I used to worry that I did not know certain parts of cars when at a garage but then took stock and realised that I don't know most of them in English either so why should I expect to know them in French?

 

 

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Dave G - 2012-02-13 9:35 AM

 

Somewhere along the way I was given the number to call the Spanish Police as 902102112 and was told that this number would have an english speaking operator in attendance. Have I been given duff information ?

 

This link appears to confirm what you are saying

 

http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/emergency_telephone_numbers/

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cronkle - 2012-02-13 11:25 AM

 

Dave G - 2012-02-13 9:35 AM

 

Somewhere along the way I was given the number to call the Spanish Police as 902102112 and was told that this number would have an english speaking operator in attendance. Have I been given duff information ?

 

This link appears to confirm what you are saying

 

http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/emergency_telephone_numbers/

 

 

 

 

Just a word of caution here, as I think there may be some misunderstanding.

 

 

The "902 102 112" number is NOT the emergency services number in Spain.

 

It is instead an office-hours-only central Police desk phone number, for the official reporting/logging of crimes (they take down the details of what happened, and give you an incident number, etc.)

 

 

 

Please DO NOT use that number in Spain to try to get emergency assistance: fire fighters/ambulance, or Police........................use the 112 number, because its operators link to all 3 emergency services, and it is manned 24/7, 365.

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BGD - 2012-02-13 12:42 PM

 

Just a word of caution here, as I think there may be some misunderstanding.

 

 

The "902 102 112" number is NOT the emergency services number in Spain.

 

It is instead an office-hours-only central Police desk phone number, for the official reporting/logging of crimes (they take down the details of what happened, and give you an incident number, etc.)

 

 

 

Please DO NOT use that number in Spain to try to get emergency assistance: fire fighters/ambulance, or Police........................use the 112 number, because its operators link to all 3 emergency services, and it is manned 24/7, 365.

 

Thanks BGD

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