MovieChat Forums > Panic Room (2002) Discussion > 911 operator putting someone on hold????

911 operator putting someone on hold????

posted 9 years ago by davidfyfe99
17 replies | jump to latest

This is one of the most ridiculous and stupid things I've ever seen in a film. I LOVE David Fincher's films (well, except the syrupy mess that was Benjamin Button) but this part of this film nearly ruined it for me. A 911 operator would NEVER put someone on hold, especially when the person on the other end gives an address and sounds as frantic as Foster's character was. When they pick up the phone they are completely dedicated to dealing with the call. Think about it, can you even imagine why they would do this??

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

[–] whusup90201 9 years ago

I was waiting for a recording to come on. "Due to unusually high call volume, our wait time is greater than expected..."

[–] Ithilfaen 9 years ago

Were you sleeping? It wasn't an operator that put her on hold. It was an automated message. In a city like NYC, even though I'm sure they are trying their best, I doubt they can have enough operators at any time to answer every call right away. It's not a direct line.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

[–] sbowesuk 9 years ago

Maybe it was an automated message, but it sure sounded like an actual person answering the phone. Watched that part of the movie several times now (with high fidelity headphones), and the film really fails to make it clear either way.

Just for the sake of argument though, let's say it is indeed just a message. Logically, it would be the dumbest design for a 911 automated message ever invented. Considering that people calling that number will often be panicked and in a frenzie, you absolutely do not make the message sound like an operator answering the phone, which was the case here. That would just cause outright confusion and frustration for many callers.

In short, that part of Panic Room was dumb either way. Much of this movie was weak imo, but that's a discussion for another thread.

[–] Alerra (244) 3 years ago

And I've seen other movies and tv shows that take place in NYC, where someone calls 911, and is immediately put on hold. One I remember clearly is a mom calling because she's discovered her daughter has taken some sort of pills. The first thing she says over the phone is, "Yes, I'll hold."

The line had absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the story, and she says it like it's a common thing that she expected. There may be dumb things about this movie, but being on hold with 911 is not one of them.

[–] neutralneutrals 8 years ago

Unfortunately, this part was one of the most realistic parts of the film. 911 operators really do put people on hold for a myriad of reasons.

[–] Jayroo 8 years ago

lol rightttttt. Then why would they answer the phone? not even airlines do that, when they pick up the phone it means they are ready to take the call, duh! lol

[–] zachengel-93444 8 years ago

You obviously haven't heard of banks, or pharmacies. They answer calls but it's almost always automated voices that answer, telling you to hold. There's only a limited amount of operators able to handle calls at a time and that's just a sad fact.

[–] blazecentury 8 years ago

LOL. It's silly to compare the degree of efficiency of an emergency line to a bank and pharmacy...

I guess every city varies and this was 14 years ago.
If you were to call any big city today with an established emergency system, the minute you dial 911 and it connects, you're already being recorded, and your call is already traced if it's from a landline.

In the real world, police would have been dispatched if a frantic call got cut off like that, even if her ex-husband didn't call the cops.

[–] zachengel-93444 8 years ago

It's actually not a silly comparison at all once you realize that if we're talking about efficiency, even pizza places are sometimes statistically more likely to arrive sooner than police.

[–] blazecentury 8 years ago

I feel sorry for the city you live in then. You should move.

[–] zachengel-93444 8 years ago

Why assume I live in a city just because of something I said? I DONT live in a city, actually, I live in NY two and a half hours from NYC. And it's not like I'm making this up either, in many areas it is actually true that pizza deliveries can arrive faster than the police can.

[–] sshermanov 8 years ago

Logged in just to respond... 911 would never ever put someone on hold before they verified the person's location and nature of the call. I'm willing to bet that the people who claim they've been put on hold were found to be reporting a) a call that simply was not a 911 emergency and worthy of immediate report, or b) were calling in an report that simply needed to fall in behind another more urgent matter. Priorities.

If you're serial calling 911 on account of your obnoxious, loud neighbors or you don't like the look of some kid walking down your street, they yes, I'm sure you've been put on hold lots.

[–] megaruda 8 years ago

The movies was made in 2002.

[–] cjware1974-535-342216 8 years ago

I can contest 911 will put you on hold, the reason I know this. My brother came running into my mom and I House. " Quick call 911 someone is being beat with a baseball bat." He called they put him on hold approximately 5 minutes, by police arrived both person being beaten and person doing were both gone.

[–] bohunkchicklet 8 years ago

I wish people were informed enough to know the difference between calling 911 and the non-emergency number.
If it's 2am and your neighbors are still having a loud party and you can't sleep, you don't call 911. If you've been in a car accident where no one is injured but there's damaged vehicles, you call dispatch.
911 is only supposed to be used for life threatening circumstances.

I have had to call 911 before and believe me, it was warranted. I have called dispatch a few times in my life. Most people would've called 911 in every incident. People are uneducated when it comes to calling 911.
Even if you need an ambulance sent to your home, it doesn't automatically mean you need to call 911. They get there just as quick if you call dispatch.

There used to be a tv show that had 911 calls that never should've been made. One was a lady that drove into a self-serve car wash. After she paid and drove in, it shut down trapping her inside. She was trapped in her car in the dark. She turned her headlights on but couldn't open her car door because the big scrubbers were against her doors. While she was on the phone with 911 a new customer came and it started back up.
The only problem with this show was that they never explained that the lady, while correct in calling the police, shouldn't have used 911 but dispatch instead.

It's the over use of 911, primarily in larger cities, that result in people not getting through when they need too. I don't know how often it really happens or if it just a Hollywood type thing.
I do know that when I called 911, when it was life or death, it took forever to get someone to answer the phone. It was a nightmare. By the time the paramedics finally arrived, the cops got there first, it was too late.
Okay, this rant is going somewhere I hadn't planned on going. So, sorry, I'm stopping now. I think I made the point I was trying to make.

[–] MovieChatUser497 (18943) 4 years ago

The sad thing is today the left in this country wants exactly this kind of thing to happen.

[–] Druff (1796) 3 years ago

You could google it like I just did.

NYC 911 operators putting people on hold is an actual thing that happens, and has pretty much always happened since the day 911 was launched. Usually the huge operator crew can handle all of the incoming calls. Sometimes they can't. Is really it THAT surprising in a place like NYC? Nitwits, all of you.