Finland to open line for "dumb questions"

Hottentot · 03-30-13, 03:22 AM

Pretty funny news in the local paper (link for Finns and foreigners weird enough to know Finnish). We are fed up with people calling the emergency number to ask what to do if their nose bleeds or when should the car tires be changed, so now we are going to have a whole special phone line to answer those questions. And some people are going to get paid for answering them.

Not sure what to think. It's basically a good idea. I'm just not sure how they imagine that the people who don't know what the emergency number is for are going to accept that they shouldn't call it to ask how to boil potatoes now, if they haven't grasped it in the past either. And this just begs for prank calls.

Then again, maybe such number is needed after all. After a year of working in a customer service profession to fund my studies, I have come up with the theory that a perfectly reasonable and pleasant fellow can lose 120 % of his / her IQ and all the manners when becoming a customer. So hopefully the emergency number workers will get at least a small relief out of this and lets them concentrate on, I don't know, actually saving the lives of those in real emergencies.

Karle94 · 03-30-13, 05:02 AM

I thought stupidity was a problem in America only.

Did I say that out loud?

Catfish · 03-30-13, 06:10 AM

Edit: deleted
Seems i posted this in an entirely wrong thread lol, my apologies

Jimbuna · 03-30-13, 07:50 AM

Here in the UK we have a Health Line where people can get advise on non emergency medical matters from qualified staff.

Feuer Frei! · 03-30-13, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karle94

I thought stupidity was a problem in America only.

Stupidity and Ignorance are 2 different things entirely.

Rockstar · 03-30-13, 09:23 PM

Please, there is no such thing as dumb questions. There are only dumb people who ask questions.

Feuer Frei! · 03-30-13, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockstar

Please, there is no such thing as dumb questions. There are only dumb people who ask questions.

Incorrect.
The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

PS: Nice to see you again Rockstar

Been a while.

Kptlt. Neuerburg · 03-30-13, 11:25 PM

My avation teacher once said "There is no such thing as a dumb question". I wonder how many times he's had to rethink that phrase.

Buddahaid · 03-31-13, 12:42 PM

That number service should be paid for by the Alko stores.....

Hottentot · 03-31-13, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

That number service should be paid for by the Alko stores.....

The old joke claims these calls were made to the boss of a local Alko, but it might as well have been emergency number...

Midnight. Phone rings. The boss picks up.
Obviously intoxicated caller: "When does Alko open tomorrow?"
Boss: "At 9."
Obviously intoxicated caller: "Oh. OK." [Hangs up]

3am. The phone rings again.
Obviously intoxicated caller: "When does Alko open tomorrow?"
Boss: "I told you before, it opens at 9!"
Obviously intoxicated caller: "Oh. OK." [Hangs up]

5am. The phone rings once more.
Obviously intoxicated caller: "When does Alko..."
Boss: "For heaven's sake I have now twice told you it opens at 9! You are not getting inside any earlier, so stop calling me!"
Obviously intoxicated caller: "Inside? Who said anything about getting inside? I'm waiting for you to come and let me out of here!"

kraznyi_oktjabr · 03-31-13, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hottentot

The old joke claims these calls were made to the boss of a local Alko, but it might as well have been emergency number...

Midnight. Phone rings. The boss picks up.
Obviously intoxicated caller: "When does Alko open tomorrow?"
Boss: "At 9."
Obviously intoxicated caller: "Oh. OK." [Hangs up]

3am. The phone rings again.
Obviously intoxicated caller: "When does Alko open tomorrow?"
Boss: "I told you before, it opens at 9!"
Obviously intoxicated caller: "Oh. OK." [Hangs up]

5am. The phone rings once more.
Obviously intoxicated caller: "When does Alko..."
Boss: "For heaven's sake I have now twice told you it opens at 9! You are not getting inside any earlier, so stop calling me!"
Obviously intoxicated caller: "Inside? Who said anything about getting inside? I'm waiting for you to come and let me out of here!"

bertieck476 · 03-31-13, 02:14 PM

In the uk we have a number (999) we call only for emergency services, I actually know a guy from a place I do some work who was a little bit annoyed that he got short shrift for calling it when he came back to his car in a carpark to find someone had blocked him in.

Jimbuna · 03-31-13, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertieck476

In the uk we have a number (999) we call only for emergency services, I actually know a guy from a place I do some work who was a little bit annoyed that he got short shrift for calling it when he came back to his car in a carpark to find someone had blocked him in.

That is why we now have a non-emergency 101 number.

In the case of a blocked in car there was no imminent threat of danger to life or a serious emergency situation.

bertieck476 · 03-31-13, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

That is why we now have a non-emergency 101 number.

In the case of a blocked in car there was no imminent threat of danger to life or a serious emergency situation.

Yes I agree wholeheartedly, he should never have called 999 for that, I dont think it come across in my post but I was dumbfounded when he told me.

Jimbuna · 03-31-13, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertieck476

Yes I agree wholeheartedly, he should never have called 999 for that, I dont think it come across in my post but I was dumbfounded when he told me.

Oh don't get me wrong, people will continue to ring the emergency number for many a reason but the controllers will now filter them into either category via a series of questions.

03-30-13, 03:22 AM	#1
Hottentot Sea Lord Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: My private socialist utopia of Finland Posts: 1,918 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Finland to open line for "dumb questions" Pretty funny news in the local paper (link for Finns and foreigners weird enough to know Finnish). We are fed up with people calling the emergency number to ask what to do if their nose bleeds or when should the car tires be changed, so now we are going to have a whole special phone line to answer those questions. And some people are going to get paid for answering them. Not sure what to think. It's basically a good idea. I'm just not sure how they imagine that the people who don't know what the emergency number is for are going to accept that they shouldn't call it to ask how to boil potatoes now, if they haven't grasped it in the past either. And this just begs for prank calls. Then again, maybe such number is needed after all. After a year of working in a customer service profession to fund my studies, I have come up with the theory that a perfectly reasonable and pleasant fellow can lose 120 % of his / her IQ and all the manners when becoming a customer. So hopefully the emergency number workers will get at least a small relief out of this and lets them concentrate on, I don't know, actually saving the lives of those in real emergencies. __________________ Хотели как лучше, а получилось как всегда.

03-30-13, 05:02 AM	#2
Karle94 The Old Man Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Norseland Posts: 1,355 Downloads: 253 Uploads: 0	I thought stupidity was a problem in America only. Did I say that out loud? __________________ Find my mods here: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/lzgciodldp58p/SH4_Mods My SH4 blog here: http://karle94.blogspot.com/

03-30-13, 06:10 AM	#3
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 17,765 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	Edit: deleted Seems i posted this in an entirely wrong thread lol, my apologies Last edited by Catfish; 03-31-13 at 05:24 AM.

03-30-13, 07:50 AM	#4
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,461 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Here in the UK we have a Health Line where people can get advise on non emergency medical matters from qualified staff. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

03-30-13, 11:25 PM	#8
Kptlt. Neuerburg Admiral Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 2,279 Downloads: 54 Uploads: 0	My avation teacher once said "There is no such thing as a dumb question". I wonder how many times he's had to rethink that phrase. __________________ "When you're born into this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show. If you're born in America you get a front row seat." - George Carlin

03-30-13, 09:23 PM	#6
Rockstar In the Brig Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Zendia Bar & Grill Posts: 12,614 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Please, there is no such thing as dumb questions. There are only dumb people who ask questions.

03-31-13, 12:42 PM	#9
Buddahaid Shark above Space Chicken Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,319 Downloads: 162 Uploads: 0	That number service should be paid for by the Alko stores..... __________________ "However vast the darkness, we must provide our own light." Stanley Kubrick "Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming." David Bowie

03-31-13, 02:14 PM	#12
bertieck476 Chief Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 327 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	In the uk we have a number (999) we call only for emergency services, I actually know a guy from a place I do some work who was a little bit annoyed that he got short shrift for calling it when he came back to his car in a carpark to find someone had blocked him in.