CB Radio or cell phone?
Ohioguy
~22 minute commute, instead of riding the bus. She is worried about
having car trouble, and says she would like to get a cell phone so that
she could get a tow truck in an emergency. I guess I don't worry about
that much, because I always replace the tires & such a lot more often
than needed - just so I don't have to worry about blowouts & such much.
I had never considered getting a cell phone - when I see people
constantly answering them in the stores, and airing their private
conversations, I find myself visualizing little people on leashes.
Plus, I don't like the idea of another recurring monthly fee. (why I
don't have cable TV, for instance)
The best deal I've been able to find on a cell phone is a tracphone.
I actually have one, a Nokia 2600, that I got marked down to $8 at a
local Kmart. I figured I would use it as a gift for somebody
eventually, or use it when we took a cross country vacation temporarily
- something along those lines.
Anyway, I see that Target has a "double minutes for life" card for
$25, and there are 400 minute, 1 year cards available for it for $100.
Plus, there are lots of bonus codes out there. Looks like I could get
800+ minutes a year for the emergency phone, for $100 a year.
On the other hand, we could get a modern CB radio. It would probably
be a one time $150 expense, but would have no recurring fees. However,
I am not certain that something like that would work in the case of a
breakdown.
Anyone know - would a CB radio work in a pinch to get a tow truck out
if your car breaks down? I remember playing with a handheld one about
10 years ago, but am not sure if they can be depended on in emergencies.
However, I figured I should look into it, since my wife says she just
wants the ability to get a tow if the car breaks down. I have no idea
if CB still has an "emergency" channel, though. If so, I don't know if
it is regularly monitored.
Anyone have experience with this?
Thanks!
SMS
> Anyway, I see that Target has a "double minutes for life" card for
> $25, and there are 400 minute, 1 year cards available for it for $100.
> Plus, there are lots of bonus codes out there. Looks like I could get
> 800+ minutes a year for the emergency phone, for $100 a year.
PagePlus (Verizon MVNO) has much lower recurring costs than Tracfone.
Cheaper minutes than even the double minutes for life on Tracfone, lower
yearly minimum ($10 every 120 days) and far better coverage.
Cindy Hamilton
> We are moving in a couple of weeks, and my wife will have a roughly
> ~22 minute commute, instead of riding the bus. She is worried about
> having car trouble, and says she would like to get a cell phone so that
> she could get a tow truck in an emergency. I guess I don't worry about
> that much, because I always replace the tires & such a lot more often
> than needed - just so I don't have to worry about blowouts & such much.
>
> I had never considered getting a cell phone - when I see people
> constantly answering them in the stores, and airing their private
> conversations, I find myself visualizing little people on leashes.
That's purely their choice. Your wife could keep it shut off except
to make a call.
Use your brains, man!
I've given my cell number only to my husband, my mother,
and my boss (who I don't think would really use it anyway).
What sort of 22-minute commute is it?
22 minutes through the country?
22 minutes of inner-city driving?
22 minutes of roads lined with gas stations, McDonalds, and
Starbucks?
She might not even need a phone. What's the worst-case
scenario? What's the average case?
Rod Speed
> We are moving in a couple of weeks, and my wife will have a roughly ~22 minute commute, instead of riding the bus.
The greenies will lynch her for sure.
> She is worried about having car trouble, and says she would like to get a cell phone so that she could get a tow truck
> in an emergency.
Yeah, its a very sensible approach.
> I guess I don't worry about that much, because I always replace the tires & such a lot more often than needed - just
> so I don't have to worry about blowouts & such much.
You can still get them with a faulty tire and the car can fail in other ways.
Do you drive a Toyota ? |-(
> I had never considered getting a cell phone
Yeah, many dont until they get caught when the car breaks etc.
> - when I see people constantly answering them in the stores, and airing their private conversations, I find myself
> visualizing little people on leashes.
You can always leave it turned off until you need to call.
It can be handy tho when one has gone out to buy something
and the other still at home remembers something else to get
or some detail about what is about to be bought etc, or the
one that has gone out needs to ask what is a suitable
substitute when what is wanted cant be found etc.
> Plus, I don't like the idea of another recurring monthly fee.
Thats one area where north america doesnt do very well.
The lowest cost isnt that high tho. SMS will likely post his FAQ on that.
> (why I don't have cable TV, for instance)
But you do with your dialup net service.
> The best deal I've been able to find on a cell phone is a tracphone.
> I actually have one, a Nokia 2600, that I got marked down to $8 at a
> local Kmart. I figured I would use it as a gift for somebody
> eventually, or use it when we took a cross country vacation
> temporarily - something along those lines.
>Anyway, I see that Target has a "double minutes for life" card for
> $25, and there are 400 minute, 1 year cards available for it for $100.
> Plus, there are lots of bonus codes out there. Looks like I could get
> 800+ minutes a year for the emergency phone, for $100 a year.
> On the other hand, we could get a modern CB radio.
They dont work anything like as well and she may not be that keen on
advertising the fact that she is alone and vulnerable when the car breaks too.
> It would probably be a one time $150 expense,
It wouldnt cost anything like that with a good used one.
> but would have no recurring fees. However, I am not certain that something like that would work in the case of a
> breakdown.
It wouldnt work anything like as well, particularly if she needs
to call you to come out and assist instead of a tow truck etc.
> Anyone know - would a CB radio work in a pinch to get a tow truck out if your car breaks down?
You cant usually call the tow truck operation,
you'd have to get someone else to call it for you.
> I remember playing with a handheld one about 10 years ago, but am not sure if they can be depended on in emergencies.
Really depends on how many others drive around with them turned on etc.
> However, I figured I should look into it, since my wife says she just wants the ability to get a tow if the car breaks
> down.
A cell phone is much more viable.
> I have no idea if CB still has an "emergency" channel, though. If so, I don't know if it is regularly monitored.
It isnt monitored in the way you mean.
Rod Speed
Yes, but it makes sense to have one for emergencys.
> What's the worst-case scenario?
The car breaks at night in an area notorious for low life crims etc.
> What's the average case?
Irrelevant, its there for the worst case.
Malcom "Mal" Reynolds
<upSin.2569$jt1...@newsfe01.iad>,
Ohioguy <no...@none.net> wrote:
Worst case is ANY cell phone, even the
ones with absolutely no minutes can
still dial 911, so you can find an old
cell phone with charger that works and
still get service. They may not like it,
but it's as cheap as you can.
If you want her to speak to you (and you
haven't made clear if she is in the
never never or on some freeway, you can
get a t-mobile phone with $25 worth of
minutes for about $20 (check
fatwallet.com for deals) and I just got
1000 minutes good for a year at a
nominal price of $100 but available with
the help of fatwallet for approximately
a 15% discount.
--
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metus eu diam blandit accumsan. Ut eu
lorem sed odio porttitor blandit.
Annie Woughman
"Ohioguy" <no...@none.net> wrote in message
news:upSin.2569$jt1...@newsfe01.iad...
> We are moving in a couple of weeks, and my wife will have a roughly ~22
> minute commute, instead of riding the bus. She is worried about having
> car trouble, and says she would like to get a cell phone so that she could
> get a tow truck in an emergency. I guess I don't worry about that much,
> because I always replace the tires & such a lot more often than needed -
> just so I don't have to worry about blowouts & such much.
> Anyone know - would a CB radio work in a pinch to get a tow truck out if
> your car breaks down? I remember playing with a handheld one about 10
> years ago, but am not sure if they can be depended on in emergencies.
> However, I figured I should look into it, since my wife says she just
> wants the ability to get a tow if the car breaks down. I have no idea if
> CB still has an "emergency" channel, though. If so, I don't know if it is
> regularly monitored.
>
> Anyone have experience with this?
> Thanks!
A CB radio would also let any creep listening in the area know that a woman
is stranded alone. With a cell phone she can call who she knows and trusts
to come help her.
terrable
"SMS" <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:4b8bf822$0$1644$742e...@news.sonic.net...
Yes, PagePlus is the way to go.
Buy a Verizon compatible cell phone cheap on ebay or elsewhere and buy
PagePlus activation on ebay for $1.00 (with free $6.00 talk credit).
You just have to mark your calendar to add $10 to the phone every 120 days.
Can't beat $30 a year for cell phone service for minimal use.
Michael Black
> On the other hand, we could get a modern CB radio. It would probably be a
> one time $150 expense, but would have no recurring fees. However, I am not
> certain that something like that would work in the case of a breakdown.
>
> Anyone know - would a CB radio work in a pinch to get a tow truck out if
> your car breaks down? I remember playing with a handheld one about 10 years
> ago, but am not sure if they can be depended on in emergencies. However, I
> figured I should look into it, since my wife says she just wants the ability
> to get a tow if the car breaks down. I have no idea if CB still has an
> "emergency" channel, though. If so, I don't know if it is regularly
> monitored.
>
You're talking about 2 different things. A cellphone, you actually call
someone specific. A CB set, you are transmitting into the unknown, hoping
someone will answer and be of help. That would usually mean that
A) someone would have to be listening, B) one of them would be willing to
help and C) they'd actually call a company to come and tow you. If tow
truck companies ever listened to CB in hopes of getting customers, it
would have been a fairly random thing and not likely everywhere. CB is
pretty invisible now, the big hype of the old days is gone, it's no longer
a common social thing and of course whatever value it might once have
offered (which was even less than the illusion) is long gone since people
have moved elsewhere. A lot more people use personal radios than ever
before in history, but they use them in a form that they don't even
recognize as radio, they use cellphones. Even a lot of things that
once used radio, such as our local Fringe Festival, in a lot of cases
cellphones work better and of course have advantages. So there is a lot
less chance than decades ago that someone would be listening, and that
someone would be willing to help.
If you still want CB, it should be a lot less expensive. Fifty dollars
is more likely, assuming you can find one. Or buy used, since likely
there are lots of people who had them and no longer use them.
Michael
Bob F
> If you still want CB, it should be a lot less expensive. Fifty
> dollars is more likely, assuming you can find one. Or buy used,
> since likely there are lots of people who had them and no longer use
> them.
CB radios are commonly available for $5-10 at garage sales or thrift shops.
SMS
New ones are still being sold as well, though GMRS has but a dent into
their sales.
Zuke
I have tracfone and am happy with it. But as others have pointed
out there are lower costs option.
One thing on the tracfone "double minutes for life" is the
life of the phone--not your life. Big Difference.
On Mon, 1 Mar 2010, Ohioguy wrote:
spendwize.com
protection! A CB radio would only be helpful if someone on the other end
could provide the service she needs!
xxxxo
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sf
CBs were all the rage 20 or 30 years ago, but I don't know any regular
citizen who uses one today. What you need to find out (with whatever
cell phone provider you decide on) is if you have uninterrupted cell
service along your wife's route. The maps may say you're covered, but
there are often spots that are not covered due to the terrain or
buildings blocking your signal. It can be in terms of miles in the
country or just a few blocks in the city. Ask your friends about
their experiences.
--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Nick Naim
Has been scince back in the late 1980,s early 1990,s or so.
I,ve been using a Tracfon for years.This all you need or some alike service.
You have to bring her up to speed in self defence. when she is alone
In short she needs to act like and feel like a female state trooper.