And you called US for this why?

[bhskittykatt]

Your nephew's dead carcass was found out in the middle of nowhere. It's Sunday, you are two states away, and you want to talk to the detective in charge of the case.

Do you:
a) Do a search for the proper law enforcement jurisdiction and contact them.
b) Contact more direct relatives of your nephew who would have the detective's cell phone number, or
c) Call a random 4-diamond resort that you think is in the same county where your nephew's body was found and ask them to get you in touch with the local authorities.

If you answered C, then you were my caller tonight and I have to ask why the hell?!


Bonus: I also had a couple who was going to a nearby campsite call and ask for directions. They weren't guests, had no business with us, and just figured we'd know where they needed to go (which, fortunately for them, I did).

I seriously think I went to work in the wrong office today or something, because da frell? When did we become a local information service?

[Dentarthurdent]

That is seriously weird. I get questions like this on occasion (what's the phone number for [hotel 200 miles away]? Can you give me driving directions to [town five states away]?), but mostly I get asked things like "Will it be raining on September 8th, 2014?"

To which I always have to resist giving my coworker's response of holding up my hands around an invisible magic 8 ball, shaking it, and frowning. "Answer cloudy, try again."
*beat*
"Well, it says cloudy in it. There's your answer."

[OfficeSlug]

I seriously think I went to work in the wrong office today or something, because da frell? When did we become a local information service?

The same time my grocery store became the bank.

[corwin02]

It is my humble opinion that people have forgotten how to think and expect "professionals" to do it for them.

So you call a hotel in the general area where you are supposed to be and expect them to provide 'service' for free because 'in this economy' a hotel will not turn away a "prospective client".

These people do not realize that 'free service' comes at a price which in turn wil drive up the price for the paid service.

They will then bitch at the price hike of the paid service and the circle is closed.

[bainsidhe]

I...just... And unlike a regular entitled twit that insists I provide information that has nothing to do with my job, I'd feel so awful for this caller and I'd apologize profusely and helplessly with no way to provide this information. I mean, who does that?

[Mondestrucken]

I once had a call here at the DMV in one of the northern US states. Lady wanted to order a replacement Social Security card. I explained that she would need to contact Social Security.

"What is their phone number?"

I have no idea. You will need to look it up.

"Listen, I am calling long distance from Georgia. Look it up for me."

You listen. This is the DMV for (northern state). It is not Social Security. It is not Directory Assistance. And why would you call across the country for something that is where you are.

(I get away with a lot where I work. Especially in this case where the person doesn't live in my state, and is therefore not a voter - i.e., a customer of ours).

[mikoyan29]

Didn't directory assistance go the way of the dinosaur? Or doesn't the carrier charge you when you use it? Or something like that. But still, that doesn't excuse a person to call a completely unrelated entity.

[thatcrazyredhead]

Bonus: I also had a couple who was going to a nearby campsite call and ask for directions. They weren't guests, had no business with us, and just figured we'd know where they needed to go (which, fortunately for them, I did).

I had a friend who would always stop at a hotel and ask for directions if she was out driving and got lost or didn't know how to get where she was going (this was before everyone had GPS). She said that hotel employees are used to giving directions to their guests, and it seemed safer than a convenience store. But I can't imagine calling a hotel for directions to someplace else. But I suppose calling the campsite directly or making a map before you left home would require more brain cells than the average SC possesses.

[cindybubbles]

That is seriously weird. I get questions like this on occasion (what's the phone number for [hotel 200 miles away]? Can you give me driving directions to [town five states away]?), but mostly I get asked things like "Will it be raining on September 8th, 2014?"

To which I always have to resist giving my coworker's response of holding up my hands around an invisible magic 8 ball, shaking it, and frowning. "Answer cloudy, try again."
*beat*
"Well, it says cloudy in it. There's your answer."

Next time this happens, it's time to whip out The Old Farmer's Almanac.

[Grendus]

Didn't directory assistance go the way of the dinosaur? Or doesn't the carrier charge you when you use it? Or something like that. But still, that doesn't excuse a person to call a completely unrelated entity.

It still exists, though it often comes with a fee. There are free services like ChaCha that can do something similar... assuming you get a handler who gives a damn (you get a lot of crap answers). And of course, you can always ask the Google. All smartphones come with GPS navigation nowadays, and you can get a used smartphone or tablet for under $50 (I checked) without a contract.

[evilhomer]

I'll give couple B a conditional pass on the brain fart; conditional on if they were friendly and polite and well aware that they were asking for a favour. Who knows why they couldn't get directions elsewhere and a local hotel is as good a place as any.

As for person A, what the fuckidy fuck?!? Not only are they calling a person that has absolutely zero involvement, they want you to do the legwork to find out what's going on?!? I mean I'd tread lightly considering the circumstances, but other than giving them the phone number for the local cops, they could go screw themselves.

[Geek King]

That is seriously weird. I get questions like this on occasion (what's the phone number for [hotel 200 miles away]? Can you give me driving directions to [town five states away]?), but mostly I get asked things like "Will it be raining on September 8th, 2014?"

I would say, "There's a chance for rain that day. I'd be ready for rain, just in case." Makes you look like a genius.

[Kit-Ginevra]

If I find any human body anywhere,first port of call is going to be 999.I have a corpse here-someone wants to know whose it is,how it got there....

[It shouldn't]

I had a lady come into the locksmith shop on Friday, to ask me to help her turn the heat down in her rental car.

"Uhm, excuse me, do you know where the heater knob is in a new Nissan?"

[Jay 2K Winger]

If I find any human body anywhere,first port of call is going to be 999.I have a corpse here-someone wants to know whose it is,how it got there....

Good idea, but I think the OP means to say that the caller was from out of the area, and wanted to get in touch with the police investigating the death. Not that the caller had found the dead body.