There have been plenty of times when I’ve been worried about being late for a bus or a train. Thankfully I haven’t missed one yet, but it’s come close a couple of times and can get pretty tense. In a million years, though, I would not have thought of this as a solution.
Being late for a trip is never ideal.
Calling 9-1-1 to ask the police to act as an "emergency" ride service, to get you there on time?
Yeah…not gonna happen.
Yes. This was a real call.#NotFor911#911Awareness pic.twitter.com/lBFItsGZ0r
— Peel Regional Police (@PeelPolice) November 21, 2019
Peel Regional Police are pleading with the public to stop frivolously tying up emergency phone lines after a woman called 911 to ask for a police escort to make it to her train on time at Toronto’s Union Station.
The call came in on Oct. 20, police say.
In an audio recording of the call, which police posted on Twitter Thursday as part of an ongoing education campaign, the woman tells the operator that a ride was supposed to show up to take her to Union that morning, but didn’t.
“And I don’t know how you guys work with services in terms of that, ’cause I’m in a taxi right now but it’s not gonna get me to the station on time for my train to board at 9:45,” the woman says.
The operator sounds befuddled and asks for clarification, then says, “So what would you like an officer to do?”
“Do you guys offer emergency ride services or not?” the caller responds.
“I can assure you we don’t do that,” the operator says, before advising the woman to grab a cab to get to her appointment.
I have no idea what the purpose of this woman’s trip was, but hopefully it was something unpleasant that caused her to not be thinking clearly. It would kill me to find out that she’s normally like this.
I do, however, sympathize with the fellow further down in the article who called to complain about tomatoes on his sandwich. I feel you, partner.