# What is extremely common in TV or movies but almost never happens in real life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2021, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311 "2021-02-06T04:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 68
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1341 "2021-06-15T16:43:29Z")
But somewhat less for bagels and avocados. šŸ˜† ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1342 "2021-06-15T19:57:21Z")
> [@BrickBat](#): > > Also, ever notice how much information can be conveyed in a 5 second phone call that never ends with a goodbye? Or as a corollary, the person we hear leaves so little of a break between their lines that there is no way it could be a real conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Summerday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@Summerday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Summerday)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1343 "2021-06-15T20:08:14Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Rebel Girl hates the promā€¦ until the cynical nerd sheā€™s been hanging out with (but itā€™s not a date, those are for conformists) says ā€œI was thinking that we should go to the prom, so we can make fun of all the people who like it. And, umm, maybe we should goā€¦ together.ā€ And her heart skips a beat Ha! Accurate! ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1344 "2021-06-15T20:18:44Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > > [@NetTrekker](#): > > > > Ending a (non-spam) phone call without saying goodbye. > > You know, people always say this in these kind of threads. But I genuinely canā€™t think of a show or movie where Iā€™ve ever seen it happen. Does anyone have any examples? Maybe Iā€™ve just never noticed. [Al Pacino as LAPD Lt. Vincent Hanna in _Heat_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C21VFyCxnSg). He never, _ **ever** _ says ā€œGood-byeā€ at the end of a phone call. He also doesnā€™t ever say anything like ā€œoverā€ or ā€œoutā€ at the end of a radio communication. (I think thatā€™s actually a deliberate character trait for that particular character, though, to show what an intense, driven, hard-charging, kind-of-an-asshole guy he is. Everyone else in the LAPD probably bitches about it all the time when heā€™s not around.) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2021, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1345 "2021-06-16T00:58:29Z")
I donā€™t remember if this phone-related item has already been mentioned, but people pick up someone elseā€™s cell phoneā€“and simply start browsing the contents. No password, no biometric lock, nothing. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2021, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1346 "2021-06-16T02:08:20Z")
Especially dumb because the FiancĆ©eā€™s Friend who picked up the phone has _immediately_ seen compromising photos of Future Groom and his kidā€™s teacher, and another ten seconds brings up dozens of booty call texts between them. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1347 "2021-06-17T01:20:35Z")
Are border crossing guards at the entrance to villainous countries incompetent in real life? Somehow I am thinking disguised or hidden people are likely IRL to be caught. When the guards look at the phony ID and ā€œpapersā€ with the flashlight, wouldnā€™t they be able to still find something amiss? And shootouts would not end well for those attempting to enter, would they? ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1348 "2021-06-17T01:48:22Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Are border crossing guards at the entrance to villainous countries incompetent in real life? They seem to be largely incompetent at the entrance to friendly countries: I see no reason why villainous countries should be different. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1349 "2021-06-17T02:16:54Z")
A few years back, I was detained temporarily at the Russian border twice because of a tiny smudge on my visa (their fault, not mine; it was issued that way). They were very polite about it, and it only took a few minutes to verify my status on their computerized network. They let me through without any more fuss, and one of the guards (a woman) even joked about the smudge with me. Iā€™ve actually had more hassle coming and going to Canada because I do it so frequently. They always want to know why I plan on staying for so long (150ā€“180 days). Itā€™s because my daughter lives here, duh! ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1350 "2021-06-17T02:19:13Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > re border crossing guards at the entrance to villainous countries incompetent in real life? Somehow I am thinking disguised or hidden people are likely IRL to be caught. When the guards look at the phony ID and ā€œpapersā€ with the flashlight, wouldnā€™t they be able to still find something amiss Have you ever played the game _[Papers, Please](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papers,_Please)_? If not, I highly recommend it - itā€™s a great game and surprisingly insightful into how stuff like this can happen, too. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1351 "2021-06-17T02:33:22Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/APUQeQalRsU/hqdefault.jpg "Movie phone hang ups") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APUQeQalRsU) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1352 "2021-06-17T10:08:59Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I donā€™t remember if this phone-related item has already been mentioned, but people pick up someone elseā€™s cell phoneā€“and simply start browsing the contents. No password, no biometric lock, nothing. That actually does occur in real life. Iā€™m part of the store that runs the lost and found, the part where we keep things like wallets and phones under lock and key as valuables. Not everyone keeps their phone locked, which is good if it winds up with us because we will try to contact someone to tell the owner where their phone is and reunite them. Sometimes a lot phone will ring and if we can answer we will and let the other person know where the phone is so, again, the owner can get it back. Then we have the phones we canā€™t get into, that wonā€™t let us answer a call, they just sit there until the power runs out and eventually are destroyed in acordance with our ā€œcanā€™t keep everything forever because weā€™d run out of roomā€ policy because we have no way to locate an owner and no one ever comes to claim them. Itā€™s rather sad. Not everyone keeps sensitive information on their phone. Not everyone locks it. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1353 "2021-06-17T10:59:12Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I donā€™t remember if this phone-related item has already been mentioned, but people pick up someone elseā€™s cell phoneā€“and simply start browsing the contents. No password, no biometric lock, nothing. As of four years ago, [a quarter of people polled](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/15/many-smartphone-owners-dont-take-steps-to-secure-their-devices/) said they donā€™t lock their phones at all. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1354 "2021-06-17T12:16:53Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Not everyone keeps sensitive information on their phone. Not everyone locks it. Yup. Thatā€™s me. My phone is a, well, a phone. I will text on it but totally innocuous stuff like ā€œDo you need anything from the storeā€ I do read on it too. Nice having a book where ever you go. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1355 "2021-06-17T15:19:00Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Not everyone keeps sensitive information on their phone. Not everyone locks it. And nothing at all untoward can be done by having free access to someoneā€™s ā€œjust a phoneā€! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1356 "2021-06-17T17:51:30Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > As of four years ago, [a quarter of people polled](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/15/many-smartphone-owners-dont-take-steps-to-secure-their-devices/) said they donā€™t lock their phones at all. There are also features that keep it unlocked when you have it on your person, in your house, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1357 "2021-06-17T18:30:03Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > > [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > > > As of four years ago, [a quarter of people polled](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/15/many-smartphone-owners-dont-take-steps-to-secure-their-devices/) said they donā€™t lock their phones at all. > > There are also features that keep it unlocked when you have it on your person, in your house, etc. - Do you know if these features are available on the iPhone? I canā€™t find them. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1358 "2021-06-17T18:41:57Z")
I Googled a bit, and it does not appear so. If it makes you feel any better, it doesnā€™t always work the way itā€™s supposed to on my Pixel. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1359 "2021-06-17T18:49:42Z")
Thereā€™s no iPhone geofence unlock, but iOS14.5 will have an Apple Watch iPhone unlock: > **[Apple iOS 14.5: How To Unlock Your iPhone Using Your Watch](https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2021/04/25/apple-ios-145-how-to-unlock-your-iphone-using-your-watch/?sh=372dddd9580e)** > > Appleā€™s iOS 14.5 is set to launch in the next few days, with a feature that will allow you to easily open your iPhone when wearing a mask, using your Apple Watch. Here's what you need to know. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/1360 "2021-06-17T20:41:23Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Ah, those ZIV shows. They never wasted time getting to the point. That was real TV! šŸ•¶ Not just ZIV. **DesertRoomie** were watching an episode of _The Lone Ranger_ where this young manā€™s girl had gone missing. The masked man and the kid see her father who refuses to help them. ā€œI donā€™t want her marrying the likes of you.ā€ ā€œPlease! You gotta help! I love her!ā€ ā€œOkay, well, the last time I saw herā€¦ā€ I said, ā€œMan he caved in a hurry,ā€ to which **DR** replied, ā€œThey got only a half hour.ā€ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=67) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=69)