[gilper]

I’ve called twice.

The first time I called was after I moved into a new apartment and was unpacking when I heard a commotion outside. I look out to see some kid around 13 about to get a beat down from a small group wielding bats and knives. I called 911 and as I'm on the phone two guys in pink shirts with popped collars break it up. The cops show up literally 90 seconds later.

The second time I was driving home after a storm and the power was out which means that none of the traffic lights were working. I was on the main road, two lanes northbound and I'm in the right lane. I'm slowing down at every intersection to check for cars. As I approach the next intersection I notice a car on the right so I stop. She sees that I'm stopping and pulls out into traffic. Just then a car barrels past on my left and t-bones this woman. I immediately dial 911.

I learned something interesting on the second call. When you dial 911 on a cell phone it connects to the call center for the phones area code. The 911 operator said she couldn’t do anything and had to transfer me to the correct call center. That seems pretty odd to me. What if I was traveling or something? Maybe it was because I was in DC near the MD border and my phone is based in MD.