999 caller - "My driving instructor was late"
This is the moment a learner driver dialled 999 to complain that his driving instructor had turned up late.
The time waster, whose call was branded branded "ridiculous" by West Midlands Police today, was aggrieved that his instructor had arrived just a few minutes late for their session and after a row over the arrival time, the tutor told the caller to get out of the car.
The caller then phoned 999 to request police get involved.
The caller says: ""I've got an emergency…the person who's supposed to be teaching me came late and now she's asking me to get out of her car. She's saying I'm giving her attitude…please come over.
"I need someone to complain to. Who should I complain to?"
The call handler advises him to speak to her employer or the body that regulates driving instructors and stresses such trivial matters don't qualify as 999 emergencies.
The call was made at around 8am last Thursday, but the learner never revealed his location.
West Midlands Police Ch Insp Sally Holmes described such calls as "ridiculous".
She said: "We regularly receive calls on the 9s about lost property, people asking for directions and revellers who've been denied entry to nightclubs. Other recent 'emergencies' include a blocked sink plug in a hotel room and someone who'd forgotten their computer password.
"It's astonishing listening to them but they hide a serious truth. Each call often takes minutes to deal with as staff have to clarify the situation ? it might not sound like much but, if someone is trying to get through to report a genuine life or death emergency, then a minute is a very long time to wait.
"I cannot stress enough the 999 number is for emergencies only. This is defined as a crime in progress, if someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened. To contact police for any other reason, call 101."
"Typically West Midlands Police receive over 1500 calls a day to the 999 number and our operatives have to deal with each one accordingly."
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