Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I had a guy approach me on my college campus a couple of semesters ago while I was walking to class and asked if he could make a quick call. I was skeptic at first but he offered to make the journey to class with me while he called so I let him.
 
I most likely wouldn't, unless the person was known to someone I know well. Colleagues, friends, family or people who work for our clients, I have no problem with at all.

Otherwise I'd be happy to make a call for a stranger, but I wouldn't give them my phone. It's got too much work related info on it.

Apart from the obvious issue of no longer having a phone, you'd be hard pressed to access the internet to wipe the phone in time before they'd turn it off or flick airplane mode on.

If you don't have physical security, you don't have any security.
 
I always tell people who ask if they can borrow my phone that it is for business and I'm accountable for all calls so I am not permitted by my employer to let anybody use it. Nobody has protested yet.
 
I'd offer to make a call for them. Any reasonable person would understand you not wanting to hand over such an expensive device, plus it's probably the only phone you have and you don't want to be stuck without one either!
 
I carry spray glue and handcuffs for this purpose. The glue helps the phone from dropping out of the borrower's hand and his other hand is cuffed to mine.
 
Otherwise, they can go to a nearby payphone and call collect.
Where do you live? :confused:

There are no pay phones anywhere around my area, and I can't even remember the last time I saw one. Pay phones are going the way of the Dodo Bird.


And sometimes people are just in a bad spot, out of luck, or plain forgetful. My elderly parents have cell phones, but whether it's charged (or with them) at any particular time is a total coin flip. Like someone upthread said, sometimes cell phone batteries die, a friend of mine has a phone that's really temperamental, and she was in the middle of serious family issues (serious, as in her daughter died), so the last thing she was thinking about was getting a new phone. That's just three real-life examples off the top of my head.

I'm not judging if you're not comfortable lending your phone to a stranger, but not having a working cell phone at any particular time is not a moral failing. :rolleyes:
 
Perhaps it's a 'British reserve' thing, but I've never been asked and would be amazed if anyone ever did. I might let them, depending on the person and the context. Probably not though. I cringe when my mates even hold my new phones with their chunky rings and clumsy fingers.

(Cue scores of posts from fellow Brits saying it happens all the time....)
 
Had a man once call me rude because I wouldn't let him make a call on my first generation iPhone. That was when they first came out and were $500 dollars. I simply shrugged my shoulders and went about my way...
 
I don't let strangers use my phone, the risk of them running off with it is a little too high and not in my comfort level.
 
Why making up excuses? I live in Barcelona and I've never been asked to let someone use my phone but my answer would simply be: No, sorry. People who don't have the means here don't ask for a call, they directly ask for money.
 
FWIW I'm from the South where everyone waves to everyone. I never "loan" my phone to a stranger & have been asked several times. Never.

socal aint the real south ;)

ive let people use mine, just depends on th person.



i cant believe how many people are like "omg its 2012 you dont have a cell phone?"
just like the people who freak out when you dont have a face book
 
I'll have to evaluate the person first. Yes if the person is a cute harmless girl, as opposed to a shady looking hooded guy.
 
Depends on where I am and who's asking. If I was in the grocery then yeah, I'd be okay with it. On the subway, he'll no.
 
This is a little different but I took my 1958 beetle to a car show about 3 hours from my house. I used the gps to find my way there. Then seeing my beetle doesn't have a radio I listen to pandora all the way there. When I got there I took some pics of the cars at the show. Well about half way through the day the phone went dead. So I asked over 20 people if they had a iPhone charger. No one owned a iPhone or that's what they told me. Which I find hard to believe. Eventually some dude who was cool has hell let me just barrow his juice pack he said just find me when your ready to go. It was a good thing cause my junk broke down on the way home. Not all people are bad or want to steal your phone they just may be stuck. Hell they may have there own iPhone that's just dead.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have, two or three times already, with my iPhone 4. Complete strangers, but I get that weak feeling in my stomach when I do. I understand people may run into problems sometimes.

Besides, there is Find My iPhone now, and I have the original box with imei and serial just in case. ;)

-C

Sent from my iPhone 5
 
To be honest I have never had a stranger ask me to use my phone...probably will have 6 people today ask me and the answer would be no.
 
I actually had to do this recently. I left both my wallet (containing my onward travel tickets) and my iPhone in the car I was dropped off in. My train was coming in very soon and I had to borrow a phone.

I went round asking everyone and they all said no, that was until I realised I had my iPad with me and I ended up letting someone hold my iPad while I used their phone. Funny thing was their phone was some crappy dumb phone so if anything, I was in more risk of losing out!

And for those who care, I made the train, Just! :p
 
In case of emergency definitely, if i am in school yes because most people are well off, on the street probably now but than again depends on who is asking.
 
This is a little different but I took my 1958 beetle to a car show about 3 hours from my house. I used the gps to find my way there. Then seeing my beetle doesn't have a radio I listen to pandora all the way there. When I got there I took some pics of the cars at the show. Well about half way through the day the phone went dead. So I asked over 20 people if they had a iPhone charger. No one owned a iPhone or that's what they told me. Which I find hard to believe. Eventually some dude who was cool has hell let me just barrow his juice pack he said just find me when your ready to go. It was a good thing cause my junk broke down on the way home. Not all people are bad or want to steal your phone they just may be stuck. Hell they may have there own iPhone that's just dead.

now you're making want to go to a vw show or swap meet.
 
Handing my iPhone 5 to a perfect stranger, to make a call, is not an option. What happens if the person just accidentally drops your phone? Chances are if they are "borrowing" your phone, they do not have the means to replace or even repair it. :rolleyes:

I really thing it takes a good bit of nerve to ask someone if they can borrow and use your phone. But, there are a lot of people with a LOT of nerve. :p
 
No I would let anyone use my phone srs. Even if it was a cheap phone, I've heard people steal just about anything. If they were in trouble, I would call 999 and then wait for the authorities, but strangers using the iPhone or just about any phone is a no-no. I believe it has happened to me once, I said no because the guy seemed a bit odd... I still wouldn't hand it over if it was a little girl selling cookies... okay maybe I would :3
 
For people I know. Yes.

For strangers HELL NO. but with only a few exceptions. If they are in obvious distress (car accident, just been robbed, attacked etc) then yes. Or if its a little kid who is clearly lost or extremely elderly person.

But I don't live in a major city with a prominent public transportation system. So I'm in my personal car most if the time. And anytime I'm around people is in a business which will let people use phones if need be.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.