# How do I stop my arse from calling the police? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2014, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638 "2014-04-08T14:55:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/1 "2014-04-08T14:55:16Z")
Ah frick. I just checked the outgoing call log on my ‘smart’ phone. Seems my arse has put in 3 calls to the emergency services line (000) over the last month. 2 are showing up as lasting a couple of seconds, but the 3rd lasted a minute. I’m both a bit embarrassed and concerned by my bothering the emergency line like this. Is there some setting I can change to stop this from happening? (It’s just a cheap no brand phone running android. There is a screen lock, but dialling the emergency number over rides that.) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/2 "2014-04-08T15:05:34Z")
Is the idea of not putting your phone in your back pocket completely unthinkable? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/3 "2014-04-08T15:07:17Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Is the idea of not putting your phone in your back pocket completely unthinkable? This is exactly what I was going to say. Use a different pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/4 "2014-04-08T15:07:35Z")
Or making sure the screen is pointing outwards? In any case, how de we know you haven’t been mistreating your poor arse, and he’s just trying to get help? ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/5 "2014-04-08T15:11:33Z")
You sit on your phone? Other than calling isn’t it a tad uncomfortable? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/6 "2014-04-08T15:21:38Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > You sit on your phone? Other than calling isn’t it a tad uncomfortable? The phone’s probably not thrilled about it either. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/7 "2014-04-08T15:21:55Z")
I think the easiest way is to replace the lock screen, that is something that isn’t hard to do on Android. Try MagicLocker or WidgetLocker. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/8 "2014-04-08T15:22:18Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Or making sure the screen is pointing outwards? > > In any case, how de we know you haven’t been mistreating your poor arse, and he’s just trying to get help? Or rotate it 180 degrees so the 0 button is at the top instead of the bottom (or vice versa). Also, I don’t know about iPhones (if that’s what you have) but on my last Android I had an app called CallConfirm to stop accidental dials. After hitting send, the app would pop up and ask you if you were sure you wanted to call and you’d have to click OK to put the call through. The extra step completely stopped all the pocket dialing. The nice thing about it was that the app was bypassed if you were dialing via a bluetooth device. So you didn’t have to dig the phone out of your pocket if you were connected to your car and making a phone call that way. > [@control-z](#): > > I think the easiest way is to replace the lock screen, that is something that isn’t hard to do on Android. Try MagicLocker or WidgetLocker. On most phones you can just set it to a password/pattern instead of a swiping to unlock. ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/9 "2014-04-08T15:24:11Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Is the idea of not putting your phone in your back pocket completely unthinkable? Well, I suppose that’s worth a shot. I’m just a bit paranoid now and wondered if it’s possible to block the emergency dialling bypassing the screen lock. I guess only rooting the phone would give me that sort of control though? I will try a side pocket for a while and see if that stops it from happening. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/10 "2014-04-08T15:31:14Z")
> [@Snerky\_Snerk](#): > > Well, I suppose that’s worth a shot. I’m just a bit paranoid now and wondered if it’s possible to block the emergency dialling bypassing the screen lock. I guess only rooting the phone would give me that sort of control though? > > I will try a side pocket for a while and see if that stops it from happening. How is it possible to do anything before you unlock the phone? I don’t know if I’m missing something, but on my phone there’s very little I can do without unlocking the phone, but dialing (even an emergency number) isn’t one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/11 "2014-04-08T15:32:16Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I think the easiest way is to replace the lock screen, that is something that isn’t hard to do on Android. Try MagicLocker or WidgetLocker. Aha. Ok, I’ll check those out. Thanks for the suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/12 "2014-04-08T15:36:56Z")
Yeah, if it’s an iPhone you have to wake it up and then touch “emergency call” (to bypass the password lock) and then dial the emergency number. ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/13 "2014-04-08T15:46:11Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > How is it possible to do anything before you unlock the phone? I don’t know if I’m missing something, but on my phone there’s very little I can do without unlocking the phone, but dialing (even an emergency number) isn’t one of them. Not sure about other countries, but in Australia the mobiles are sold with an emergency bypass on the lock. I guess it is so if, for instance, someone has an accident and can’t communicate, a passerby who doesn’t have a phone can grab the injured persons phone and call an ambulance. I guess it’s a good idea, but it must annoy the emergency operators. If I made 3 calls in a month, then Australia wide, (if all butts dial like mine), that’s uh…300 million butt dials a year. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/14 "2014-04-08T15:47:04Z")
> [@](#): > > How is it possible to do anything before you unlock the phone? I don’t know if I’m missing something, but on my phone there’s very little I can do without unlocking the phone, but dialing (even an emergency number) isn’t one of them. I was wondering this, too. On most smart phones I’ve seen, the numbers don’t even exist until the phone is unlocked. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/15 "2014-04-08T15:49:08Z")
I wasn’t aware of the emergency bypass thing on iPhones. I wonder if there’s away to disable it. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/16 "2014-04-08T15:52:33Z")
go to your hospital or local physical therapist. They have moldable plastic sheets that become plyable at low temperatures (hot water). They use it to make casts and to stabilize wrists and other joints. THey have lots of scrap pieces, ask for some…theyll give it to you. I heated a piece and made a wrap around cover that just slides on and off the keypad part. Works like a charm. Still have it. ---
**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/17 "2014-04-08T16:04:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I was wondering this, too. On most smart phones I’ve seen, the numbers don’t even exist until the phone is unlocked. That’s a better design that on this thing. Any pressure on the bottom lock screen opens the number keypad. The 0 is right in the same area, and the dial button is just bellow that. It’s like they designed it so 000 is the easiest number to accidently dial by applying pressure to lower part of the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/18 "2014-04-08T16:05:17Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I wasn’t aware of the emergency bypass thing on iPhones. I wonder if there’s away to disable it. In the U.S., it might be required by the F.C.C. to have it. But as I described it, it’s a four-step process that involves actually dialling “9-1-1” at the end. Not likely to happen from butt-dialling. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/19 "2014-04-08T16:06:08Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > How is it possible to do anything before you unlock the phone? I don’t know if I’m missing something, but on my phone there’s very little I can do without unlocking the phone, but dialing (even an emergency number) isn’t one of them. [Some phones have an Emergency Call button on the lockscreen.](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v677/nickdalzell1/shot_000003.png) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638/20 "2014-04-08T16:07:33Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > In the U.S., it might be required by the F.C.C. to have it. But as I described it, it’s a four-step process that involves actually dialling “9-1-1” at the end. Not likely to happen from butt-dialling. But if your emergency number is 000 I could see it happening especially if the “emergency call” button to bypass the lock screen is right at the bottom…right near the 0, which is probably also near the Send button. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-stop-my-arse-from-calling-the-police/685638.md?page=2)