ANSWERS: 7
  • It never made sense to me either. I suppose that by the time the 999 system came into being it was the only easily remembered combination to be available throughout the country.
  • Do not Know
  • If it was one of the rotary, I guess it would probably be so you don't need as much precision. Just dial until the spinner thing stops, so you don't have to stay and look at it to make sure you're dialing the correct numbers. That's my guess, at least.
  • I think it was to prevent mistaken calls. By using the last number 3 times it prevents any accidental phone calls wasting the emergency services time. That is imo anyway :) The combination 999 in any phone number in the UK is still banned to prevent any misuse.
  • Remembering out old rotary dail type phones, although it takes longer to dial 999 it would be a lot easier to do in a stressful situation. You just spin it to the end. To stop at say 111 would require a little more precision or concentration so as not to go over, and I guess if you are ringing 999 you would be in a little bit of a panic.
  • The 999 system came about via the Metropolitan Police in London as they found that their Police Stations were being overrun either by visitors to the station alerting them to emergency situations or trying to phone them in the growing trend of using the new invention, the telephone. Not every one could remember or knew the telephone number of the local Police Station. In November of 1927 the general public in London were advised " if you have an emergency dial 0". When the operators answers ask for the service you require. The Metropolitan Police maintained this service till 1934 then they introduced their Information Room with the famous number of Whitehall 1212. Where all emergency calls ended up. Emergency calls via telephone kept increasing and telephone operators were unable to identify emergency calls from other operator service calls. As is normal a disaster of some description was required to prompt government action. In November of 1935 a fire occurred in London in which five people died, in the inquiry which followed it became apparent that a system was required that alerted telephone operators to emergency calls. A parliamentary Committee called the Belgrave Committee examined the problems and set up various experiments in London. A great deal of discussion took place between the Home Office, the Police and Post Office. It was decided not to use 111 as this number can be dialled by phones which are faulty. 12 was not a good idea as at that time any one wanting a number on the 12 exchange would be barred because of the emergency calls. The same could be said for 222, this would have closed a big exchange in London and that could not happen. 999 was used because the numbers could be remembered easily, that they were all at the same end of the dial. It was relatively simple to convert coin boxes to accept 999 calls with out charge. The 999 system open in London in July 1937, it was 1938 before it reached Glasgow. It was the first service of its type in the world.
  • Surely it wouldn't add more than 2 seconds to the dialing process...

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy