I'm sure they are now talking about how sucky I am.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

How about eatme@mindyourowndamnbusiness.com?

I'm with Rapscallion on this one. You either ring me up or not, but you ain't getting an sort of numbers from me. Anyone tells you they won't ring you up without a number doesn't want your money anyway.

[counterjockey]

http://www.rejectionhotline.com/

You can get a number for your area. Just give that out.

\IOWA
641-985-7888

Of course I had to look this up. Now, Iowa isn't known for its nightlife per se, but there are three big college towns (Ames, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa City) and a number of pretty good size cities (Des Moines, Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids) where you're likely to find chicks in bars who would often find the rejection number idea useful.

The area code and local exchange put this in Riceville, IA http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=Riceville,+IA.
Up near the Minnesota line, home of a grain elevator, a couple gas stations, and a couple hundred people who wouldn't mind living somewhere besides fucking Riceville. Probably not that many of whom go to bars where they'd feel the need to hand out the number to the rejection line.

Am I a hopeless dork for looking into this?


Oh. About the 867-5309 thing, I have been asked for my number before, and I have thought of giving 867-5309. My problem is that I couldn't possibly say it without saying "five-three-oh-niiiieeeeeeiiiiiinnnnnneeee..."

[AFpheonix]

On the other hand, people get all tweaky about giving info out for legitimate purposes, namely getting prescriptions. I need your info especially if you're getting narcotics. Otherwise, I can't fill, since I want to make sure that you're not pharmacy and doctor shopping.

I've also had people tweak because their insurance ID# is their social, and they don't want to give that to me. Apparently I'm a nefarious tech that's going to steal your information. I just tell them how much it's going to cost, and depending on how much of a tightwad they are, they pay up or give me their social. These people I tend to advise to call the insurance company to change to an non-SS number. Most are going that way, anyways.

Oh yes, and then there's the middle aged ladies who get torqued if you use their birthday as a validation tool before selling them their script. Good lord woman, nobody cares!

[Pagan]

Wouldn't the zip code work better, then? My phone area code covers many zip codes.

I was thinking the same thing. Right now, my area code covers the whole state! With many, many zip codes.

Soon (1 to 5 years, depending on who you talk to), we're going to need a second area code and we're trying to figure out who get it. It's boiled down to one good idea (geographical split) and one stupid idea (new #s get the new area code. That's right folks, you might need to dial the area code to call next door!).

[protege]

That's right folks, you might need to dial the area code to call next door!).

We're already at that point in Pittsburgh. For years, the entire SW PA region had one area code, 412. But, some years ago, a second area code (724) was added for all phone numbers outside of town. Even if it's a call next door, we still have to dial the 1 + the area code. Even with multiple exchanges in the 412 code, with all the new cell numbers, fax lines, etc. there weren't enough.

[TheRoo]

Actually, you can tell the general area within an area code that a phone number is from based on the three digit exchange. When I answer the phone at the pizza place, and see the number on caller ID, I generally have a good idea of where they are.

One of the other drivers was looking over my shoulder last night when I answered the phone, and he told me they will need to call the XYZ store. When I asked for their address, it was about four blocks from XYZ store.

[kerrisan]

You should give your phone number as 212-479-7990

Sure, they probably won't call it, but somebody will someday and it may just give them a great laugh.

If you don't know what it is . . . call it!

[Spiffy McMoron]

Wouldn't the zip code work better, then? My phone area code covers many zip codes.

They can find your address using the phone number-and your specific address is more useful than just the zip/postal code alone. Plus, I think that the fact that more people know their phone number compared to their phone number may have something to do with it too.

[Lindsay]

I have a sorta funny story about the zip code thing. I live in Canada. Border city so I shop in the States fairly frequently. I don't even remember what store it was, but the cashier asked for a zip code.

Me: Oh I don't live here, it won't work.
Cashier: It doesn't matter if you live here. It's the same everywhere.
Me: No really. I'm from Canada. It probably won't let you do it.
Cashier: Just try me.

I was in a good mood and decided to do so. The cashier was a little surprised when I rattled off a postal code that started with an N.

[JustAGirl]

Give em 867 5309.

Cookies to whoever gets the reference.

YAY i want chocolate chip!

That's what I think I'm gonna do too if they ask.

Cashier: Number please
Me: I'd rather not give it out.
Cashier: we need it for X purpose
Me: Well... *sigh* um, 8675309
Cashier: area code?
Me: **looks at other half** area code? 717 sound good? OK 7178675309

so hopefully they'll know it isn't a real number haha

Plus, I think that the fact that more people know their phone number compared to their phone number may have something to do with it too.

er, might want to edit that bit, eh?

lately I've been asked for the zip, which I'll gladly give. Not phone number though unless they need it for warranty or other purposes

[Sofar]

Actually, you can tell the general area within an area code that a phone number is from based on the three digit exchange.

That's because your city probably still uses the old exchanges, like we do here. It used to be that the first two or three digits of your exchange were the first two or three letters of your neighborhood. Here Queen Anne Hill is 783, or QUeen Anne 3, Capitol Hill is 227 or CApitol 7, West Seattle is 937 or WEst Seattle 7, and so on. A lot of exchanges have been added since those days, so generally you'll only find an old exchange on an older house, newer exchanges don't always correspond to the neighborhood.

[Sunsetsky]

With some checks at walmart, we are required to put a telephone number into the computer...otherwise it won't go through. I found out that the reason we take telephone numbers is so the store can call them for surveys. No wonder we get bad ratings at our store. Most of the customers are probably pissed off from getting phone calls at home.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Oh, the ones that insist are the worst. If I say "I prefer not to give that out" and they want to tell me they "need it" or that their "register needs it" I usually respond with a curt "No, you don't" or "tell your register to make do."

Don't freaking argue with me when I tell you I prefer not to give out my phone number. You are not going to talk me into doing something I don't want to do. Man, that annoys me.

One or two occasions I've actually responded with "can I have yours?"

[protege]

Oh, the ones that insist are the worst. If I say "I prefer not to give that out" and they want to tell me they "need it" or that their "register needs it" I usually respond with a curt "No, you don't" or "tell your register to make do."

I actually had someone refuse to sell me a pack of batteries at Radio Shack when I told him I wasn't giving out my details.

What many of those companies do, is they'll compile that info for "marketing purposes." In reality, they'll usually sell it on to another company, who will then do the same. All of these companies will then bombard you with crapmail and/or spam. A prime example of this are realtors. No sooner had I signed off on my house...when I got offers from at least a dozen moving companies. What happened, was that the realty firm compiles a list of houses they sell, and then pass along that info. I got the last laugh though--I got my neighbors' truck and moved everything myself

If you *have* to give an address, use one like 1313 Mockingbird Lane, Mockingbird Heights, plus zip. That's the address of the Munsters, BTW. Half the people behind the counter won't even realize it

[MystyGlyttyr]

I usually give them the area code of 619 (San Diego but more importantly, Rey Mysterio's call number!) and the number of 328-7448. Since we're in Arkansas, I figure most people don't bother with that.

Those numbers spell something. I won't post what but let's just say, if you don't like my driving, call 1-800....

(I actually did call that number once just to see what it was. I got a recording about puppies for sale from 2004. Weird.)