In all fairness to Nada the Auburn police website does in fact say that you can call 911 for non-emergency reasons. You can read it here.
This is a pretty unusual set up but the OP is technically right about being allowed to do this. Sorry for being so harsh.
Still not a good idea to do if you travel outside your city though, because I’m fairly confident this won’t fly everywhere.
Someone failing to signal doesn’t even fall on my radar of “non-emergency reasons” to contact the authorities. It ranks with jay-walking on an empty, suburban street and loitering.
Most? I would say pretty much all. Why did you start this thread if you didn’t want to really know the opinion of what you’re doing is sensible or not? What you are doing is at best, a waste of time, and at worst, a needless hogging of resources better served for emergencies. This isn’t just some posters saying this. There appears to be a consensus in this thread, among a wide swath of posters, including some who work in emergency services.
So, I personally would take this as a sign to perhaps reflect and rethink my philosophy on this issue. I honestly don’t see what you think calling 911 and reporting illegal lane changes and cell phone usage is going to accomplish, other than wasting everyone’s time and perhaps tying up the line for, you know, actual emergencies.
Frankly, I am shocked and can hardly believe that you have been told to call 911 and say “it’s not an emergency.” That’s a no-no around here, and we have a number, 311, for that sort of stuff. However, it appears that in Auburn, Washington things are handled a little differently.
ETA: Beaten to the last point by The Why Bird. I’m wondering what kind of Mayberry, USA, locale this Auburn is that they allow non-emergency numbers to 911 and citizens feel compelled to report each other for the minorest traffic infractions.
You won’t prevent any accidents. Not a single one. None of your calls will result in action being taken. None of them. The only thing you’re preventing is a speedy response to actual emergencies. Sleep well tonight.
I have just gotten off the landline with both my local police dept., and the emergency disp., system(911) 1427 hrs. 08/19/2010 and both the policeand the on duty suoervisor stated that this is the proper number to call to report erratic driving unsafe driving and/ or debris in the road. The emergency dispatch super ,also said that is the number to call if I am traveling on surface streets and see suspecious activity or unsafe driver. There is asystem to seperate actual emegency calls from non-emegency calls, and the emergency dispatchers are trained how to handle them.
Just because you CAN doesn’t always mean you SHOULD.
And I still want to know what you’re going to do about your own distracted driving. And your apparently extremely high anxiety level. Both are dangerous to yourself and others. Turn that finger that you’re pointing at others around and point it at yourself.
Did they tell you what action they take in response to such calls? Did they clarify whether failure to use a turn signal qualifies as sufficiently “erratic” or “unsafe” driving to warrant a call?
Perhaps your erratic and unpredictable violation of comma usage should be reported to the grammar police. Now what’s their number?
OK, I’ll ask again: what do you hope to accomplish with your 911 calls? What do you think is actually accomplished with your 911 calls?
For the win!
The number is post #45. I’m taking your win away. Sorry.
OK, I’ll give in on a couple of things. In Auburn WA 911 is the appropriate number to call even though it isn’t in 99% of the rest of the country, and no matter what we say you will still be convinced you are doing your civil duty by reporting these. We will also never be able to convince you that making these calls will not ever save an accident from happening.
So, instead I’ll try to give you some other options that I would consider (in order of my preference). I’ll pick the person you feel is following too closely.
Signal my intent to move to the right, check my mirrors and look over my shoulder and when safe move over to let the offender pass.
Speed up to join the flow of traffic.
Gradually slow down so the offender eventually passes.
Slam on the brakes and enjoy the insurance settlement (and wheel chairs are cool).
Ignore him (sorry, this should be number 4 but I’m too lazy to edit)
Call 911 to report him (sorry, I skipped a few)
I don’t live in Auburn, but not too far away in Washington. I have been told by my own city officials to call 911 if a bulldozer in my neighborhood is operating outside legal hours. I also have called the non-emergency police number at night and discovered that they forward that line to 911 after hours. I don’t know what the deal is with this state and 911, but it’s weird.
(bolding mine)
Would you like them to sit in a corner, like Dennis the Menace in his chair? :rolleyes:
You’re getting a pile-on because your posts sound incredibly patronizing. The bad grammar, spelling, and general typos don’t help your case, but that’s b/c we’re a rather pedantic bunch around here. But really, it’s the patronizing tone, 100%.
I’m in agreement. I’d like to also add that even if your posts themselves didn’t have a patronizing tone, the mere act of calling 911 and reporting someone who doesn’t use their blinker to the police is in itself pretty patronizing, IMO.
OK, If you are on MY ROAD, and I see you driving in an unsafe, erratic ,manner and I can safely inform the police or state troopers by calling 911 I WILL DO SO.In the event you want to do the same to me ,please go ahead and call. Call 911,the Grammer Police call and registar a complaint, if you think I am behaving in an unsafe manner do your Civic Duty, show your fellow citizens that you do care about someone besides yourself, that you do want to be a part of a society, otherwise take off your shoes and go run thru the woods.
What do you do for a living? Have you ever thought of aspiring to be a security guard? That seems like it would be right up your alley, and would allow you to feed your inner hall monitor.
So if you looked out your window and just happened to spot a car going down the street passed your house and you just so happened to glimpse the driver talking on his cell phone you’d call the police? If you knew your neighbor was smoking pot in his backyard would you call the police? Would you call the police on a jaywalker? Let’s say you somehow discover that the guy across the street illegally downloads music? Are you going to call the police on him?
I’m going to once again remind you that not a single of your calls accomplished anything.
The Auburn 911 system is run by King County, WA, and the King County web page on 911 directly contradicts the Auburn city page.
I have sent an email to King County Emergency Services pointing out this contradiction, and asking that they reconcile the information given to citizens. Probably this will result in nothing, as do the OP’s 911 calls, but if one of the two instructions change, my bet would be that Auburn will be the one to change.
Take three: what do you hope to accomplish with your 911 calls? What do you think is actually accomplished with your 911 calls?