I have handed over my phone to a total stranger maybe half a dozen times, usually in a bar late at night. Most times the borrower buys a drink for me as a thank you.
The day I left for my honeymoon was also (unbeknownst to me) the day the Blue Angels did an airshow over Lake Washington, near Seattle. As my new husband and I had to drive to the airport via the I-90 bridge, we got stuck there - the police closed the bridge about 1/8 of a mile ahead of us, and we were stuck. This was a problem for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that the sound of the planes going close overhead makes me want to crawl under a vehicle for protection, but also because we were supposed to stop at my aunt’s house to pick up luggage. Some very kind person ahead of us on the bridge allowed me to use his cell phone to call my aunt, and she met us at the airport with the luggage.
Was that an emergency? I was desperately grateful.
I’ve had people ask to borrow my phone about half a dozen times in the past year; each time, I’ve happily let them do so. I couldn’t care less if they’re calling a friend to get a ride or if they’re calling the hospital to let them know they’re about to go into labor, but I’ve never found a reason to not let a person use my phone.
Karma, and all that.
Yeah, I’ve lent my phone out a few times when people have asked. It’s not like he’s asking to borrow your toothbrush for use as a sex toy or anything.
I think part of it may have to do with how people use their phone. Some people may have emails, pictures, notes, todo lists, passwords, voicemail, address books, and so forth stored on theirs, making handing it off to some stranger akin to giving away their laptop (or worse). Others, like me, probably don’t have anything more than the last ten numbers they’ve dialed, and wouldn’t blink if someone stole their phone (except at the cost of buying another one)
I’d lend my phone out to anyone who asks (within reason), but I’m sure other people have privacy concerns about it.
Just out of interest, how should I answer if someone asks this?
I think that’s between you and your toothbrush.
Sure, just remember that toothpaste doesn’t make a good lube.
Enjoy,
Steven
I have a feeling it works even worse the other way around.
Ah, I haven’t heard “check up from the neck up in years”, thanks, good times.
There is also an astounding number of complete strangers who will ask to use the internet on my laptop when I’m using wireless internet.
I usually let them, but I can’t imagine making such a request. I can’t imagine an emergency situation in which one requires the internet before one can make it down a few flights of stairs to the public computers.
“Only if I can watch.”
Face it, you can afford a new toothbrush with the money you’ll save from that evening’s entertainment! 
I was racking my brains to try to think of sensible reasons why anyone would have a valid request in that respect, but on balance, I think you actually should just respond “Fuck off, you snot sucking bag of pus”.
Wow, chill the fuck out. What the hell is so wrong with just being nice to someone, as opposed to being out-of-the-blue offensive?