First, I need to admit that I am not very proficient in using Siri on my iPhone. Most of my proficiency involves saying, “Goodbye, Siri,” “I’m not talking to you, Siri,” “I didn’t call you, Siri,” or “Go away, Siri!” When the TV says something even remotely resembling the word “Siri” she responds. “Serious” is one of the words I know she will start answering soon enough.
But I did decide while my phone was neatly mounted on the dash and I was zooming down the highway to try to have her actually do something useful. I said, “Siri, open Pandora.” Next thing I knew my phone was dialing a number. What? That wasn’t what I asked for.
To my horror, I realized Siri was calling the police. “Siri, open Pandora” sounds nothing like “Siri, call the police.” I was going 70 mph on the interstate and couldn’t do much but keep punching the phone to hopefully get it to stop. It kept dialing. To my chagrin, I was connected to 911.
When I assured them I was okay, they were doubtful because I had called them repeatedly. Evidently, when I kept punching my phone I was redialing them. I told them that it was a mistake, a misdial, that I was so, so sorry. I had said “Siri, open Pandora” and Siri called the police. At that point, I must have been on speaker because there was a lot of snickering in the background.
If you, too, are over Siri and her dubious ways, you can turn her off so she stops bothering you… or calling the police. You can learn how to do so here.
Lesson learned.
##RVT1025
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One more reason not to have Apple phones! Daughter lives and breathes Apple, but she’s starting to slowly see through the Apple BS. Actually she’s a social climber and thinks the more expensive something is the better it is, she was very surprised when I showed her where Apple stole Android’s operating system. Now when we show her a feature on our Android she’s amazed that she can’t get that on her Apple. Lol
Boy can I feel your pain! 2 days ago I was out with my husband biking a paved canyon bike trail in southern Utah. Because I knew it had some pretty steep areas I left my phone in my purse, located in a rear pannier. Well as I was negotiating a very curvy, 12% downhill grade I hit a crack in the asphalt and WHAM went the purse in the pannier, with Siri somehow believing I had crashed and by the time I could safely stop and get off the trail, 911 was on the line and my emergency contacts (adult sons) had been notified. What a snafu. From now on, as long as I’m not biking( alone, I’m doing what I did after I finally got off the phone making apologies…..the phone went into iPhone purgatory aka Airplane mode! 🙊
Another solution is to get a Droid, LOL.
I had surgery in 2018. There are several routes to the hospital from my house. I wondered which was quickest, so I told Siri, “I want to go to the hospital.” Yup, she called 9-1-1. I hung up quickly enough that I didn’t get a call-back but it got my heart racing.
I can sorta see the reasoning, but I’ll have to watch out for that overstep when I route there in order to visit sick friends… oh wait, I banned Apple from my house. I’m good.
Wolfe, as a retired IT systems admin, I concur wholeheartedly.
I enjoyed this little story because I have no idea what “Siri” is, and hopefully never will.
Safe Travels.
Siri can share a trash can with Facebook, especially when we’re out in the RV. Yup. I’m an old geezer that misses the simple life.
Amen to that! I’m so glad I grew up camping, backpacking, and road-tripping in the BC era: Before Computers…
OH, great, Just bought a new truck that has siri in it. I better be careful. It’s bad enough with “hey Google” in the house
I would VERY seriously figure out how to disable “wake” words for Google, Apple, and Amazon… in order to work, your devices ARE listening 24/7 and analyzing EVERY word looking for anything of note. What’s of note, you ask? Almost every word.
I used to demonstrate this by saying “I danced under a purple sky, but I’m such a dinosaur!” and then having people open Amazon on their phones — to all have Barney dolls being pushed at them. EVERY word. Imagine what a worse actor than Amazon could do? Bad enough Google reads my emails, but at least I know that…