another random poll

[archersangel]

i've read that people do not know their own phone number because they don't call it. i suppose it's worse these days because people just have a list of contacts on their phone & they just click one when needed, for the most part.

but if a person has to put down their phone number on forms for new doctors, online orders, and whatnot you'd think people would remember it. i do. i even remember old numbers that my family doesn't have any more.

Poll #34679 phone numbers

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 9

View Respondents

do you know your own phone number?

View Answers

yes
8 (88.9%)

if i think about it
1 (11.1%)

no
0 (0.0%)

do you remember any old phone numbers?

View Answers

yes, my own
7 (77.8%)

yes, family members
7 (77.8%)

yes, friends or former friends
3 (33.3%)

no
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[anagramofbrat]

That could be generational. My stepkids have never had to deal with a household landline phone, so they're completely unaware of phone etiquette or the concept of picking up a call with no foreknowledge of who is calling, meanwhile I remember when New York transitioned to primarily touch tone phones from rotary dial pulse. Different times.

I still remember my old home number, which only got disconnected a decade ago when my dad passed. I know both my mobile numbers (I have a google voice number that patches to my cellphone) and my office number, not that anyone ever calls me at work. And I know my husband's number, but he's had the same one for 20 years and I've had to write it down enough times as an emergency contact number. I know one of my friends because his phone number is one digit off from a number I used to have. Everyone else, my kids included, I have to look in my contacts.

[archersangel]

i'm not sure how generational it might be. i first heard about it on one of those panel talk shows like 16-17 years ago. everyone on the panel said they didn't know their own number because they don't call it and the couple of guests they asked said they didn't know it either.