# I left my unlocked iPhone in a McDonald's restroom **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 29, 2016, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506 "2016-03-29T07:24:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/1 "2016-03-29T07:24:11Z")
Not because it seemed like a good idea at the time, but [tmi]I was on the dope while on the can[/tmi] and I put the iPhone on the toilet paper dispenser when I was, ah, getting ready to leave. So, off I go to my next classes, and as I get off the scooter, I did the routine check of my pockets and turned white. I ran inside and told them I’d be 5 minutes late while I rushed back. Fortunately, the Mac wasn’t that crowded, and either no one used the stall or they were a hell of a lot nicer than what could reasonably be expected. And of course, my email account would have been theirs, as would have been my facebook account. Fortunately most Taiwanese wouldn’t have known about the Dope, so at least that would have been OK, but it could have been really, really bad. No backup of my contacts, of course. Or the recent photos of the kids. It’s one of those things that would have given me nightmares for weeks. So, now my locked iPhone is here and I’ll keep it that way. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/2 "2016-03-29T10:58:48Z")
Bullet dodged. Whew. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2016, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/3 "2016-03-29T11:21:46Z")
I once got busy in a Burger King Bathroom. (also you should be able to lock the phone remotely, so at the very least it’s useless to someone else). ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/4 "2016-03-29T14:10:39Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I once got busy in a Burger King Bathroom. That’s pretty amazing considering you look funny. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/5 "2016-03-29T14:41:30Z")
So…what did we learn about backing up your data? ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/6 "2016-03-29T14:49:02Z")
For the life of me I will never understand people who have to talk/text/surf while in a bathroom, let alone a public bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/7 "2016-03-29T15:20:23Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > So, now my locked iPhone is here and I’ll keep it that way. Did you delete all the Taiwanese dick pics that somehow appeared in your gallery? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/8 "2016-03-29T15:53:38Z")
I was reading this and realized that I have no password on my new phone. Went to set one up and there is fingerprint recognition “password”!! I’m all high-tech now. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/9 "2016-03-29T16:03:32Z")
Isn’t there an option to auto lock after a certain period of inactivity? ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/10 "2016-03-29T17:53:34Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > For the life of me I will never understand people who have to talk/text/surf while in a bathroom, let alone a public bathroom. Really? To me, talking on the phone is weird in a bathroom; but I’m all about texting, game playing, or whatever while I’m sitting on the pot. What’s wrong with it? It’s the new age version of bringing in a newspaper. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/11 "2016-03-29T18:28:24Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Really? To me, talking on the phone is weird in a bathroom; but I’m all about texting, game playing, or whatever while I’m sitting on the pot. What’s wrong with it? It’s the new age version of bringing in a newspaper. 🙂 but… Then you hold it up to your face 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/12 "2016-03-29T18:44:24Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I once got busy in a Burger King Bathroom. > > (also you should be able to lock the phone remotely, so at the very least it’s useless to someone else). One can, at least with an Android phone. Load the [Android Lost app](https://www.androidlost.com/)and you can control all features of your phone from any internet connected device - lock it, wipe it (which seems fitting in the whole ‘restroom’ context), take a picture (maybe not so appropriate in the whole restroom context), etc. - often even if the phone is turned off. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/13 "2016-03-29T21:22:31Z")
In related news, the FBI finally unlocked that San Bernardino iPhone that Farook left in his bathroom (without any help from Apple, it turns out) – and promptly spilled a glass of water on it, totally and irreversibly ruining it. :smack: [Unlocked iPhone Worthless After F.B.I. Spills Glass of Water on It](http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/unlocked-iphone-worthless-after-f-b-i-spills-glass-of-water-on-it). Yes, it’s satire. It’s the Andy Borowitz Report. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/14 "2016-03-29T21:25:45Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > And of course, my email account would have been theirs, as would have been my facebook account. **Fortunately most Taiwanese wouldn’t have known about the Dope, so at least that would have been OK, but it could have been really, really bad.** (But do they know about sheep in Taiwan?) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/15 "2016-03-29T21:36:52Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > For the life of me I will never understand people who have to talk/text/surf while in a bathroom, let alone a public bathroom. You seem to have some strong feelings about toilets, **peed in**. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/16 "2016-03-29T22:10:55Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > And of course, my email account would have been theirs, as would have been my facebook account. With Facebook and with most email (I think) if you change your password it will ask if you want to log off all currently logged in devices. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/17 "2016-03-29T22:51:15Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > For the life of me I will never understand people who have to talk/text/surf while in a bathroom, let alone a public bathroom. I have so far, when hearing the guy in the next stall on an obvious business phone call and saying something like “oh, not much happening”, resisted the temptation to shout “He’s taking a dump!” ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/18 "2016-03-29T23:00:04Z")
> [@](#): > > In related news, the FBI finally unlocked that San Bernardino iPhone that Farook left in his bathroom (without any help from Apple, it turns out) – and promptly spilled a glass of water on it, totally and irreversibly ruining it. > > Unlocked iPhone Worthless After F.B.I. Spills Glass of Water on It. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/19 "2016-03-29T23:55:02Z")
ahhhh, did you back up everything? ---
**Author:** ![john\_b\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@john\_b\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_b_2)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506/20 "2016-03-30T02:38:50Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > Not because it seemed like a good idea at the time, but [tmi]I was on the dope while on the can[/tmi] and I put the iPhone on the toilet paper dispenser when I was, ah, getting ready to leave. > > So, off I go to my next classes, and as I get off the scooter, I did the routine check of my pockets and turned white. I ran inside and told them I’d be 5 minutes late while I rushed back. > > Fortunately, the Mac wasn’t that crowded, and either no one used the stall or they were a hell of a lot nicer than what could reasonably be expected. > > And of course, my email account would have been theirs, as would have been my facebook account. Fortunately most Taiwanese wouldn’t have known about the Dope, so at least that would have been OK, but it could have been really, really bad. > > No backup of my contacts, of course. Or the recent photos of the kids. > > It’s one of those things that would have given me nightmares for weeks. > > So, now my locked iPhone is here and I’ll keep it that way. Happy to hear. Gotta share, and with all due respect: the title of your post sounds like a good one for a New Age kind of horror film (no blood and guts, I hope): **I Left My Unlocked iPhone In a McDonald’s Restroom** just as a title opens up a treasure chest of possible movies…🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-left-my-unlocked-iphone-in-a-mcdonalds-restroom/750506.md?page=2)