Government Intrusion such as AMBER ALERT Rant

[zuben el genub]

I have them all turned off. I prefer to keep my eyes on the road and watch out for crazy drivers to be interested. I'm a weather watcher anyway so I usually am aware of severe weather on the way. Highway closures might bite - I don't have maps. location or anything like that on the phone. I don't touch the phone in the car.

A friend has an app from a local TV station. Keeps posting bulletins of all going on around town. Drives me crazy.

 

[nickdalzell]

I have never received an Amber alert, but who knows if our city supports it since it's so backwards. I got a tornado warning for a location 50 miles from me due to some gps glitch which annoyed people since I couldn't shut off the blaring klaxon and robotic voice after but I can easily shut such features off. Until it sounded I didn't even know I had such a feature.

My 2005 Saturn has weather alarms built into the stereo so there is no need for my phone to double as a NOAA radio.

 

[zuben el genub]

The Amber alerts get posted on the interstate signs. We used to have sirens for tornado warnings, but the town removed them. Had a rotating wall cloud one day and didn't hear anyone's car or phone go off. It dissipated rather rapidly.

 

[jack58]

The Amber alerts get posted on the interstate signs.

Plus it is on the news which I watch in the morning and evenings...
This is why we don't need the alerts on our phones.

 

[dan330]

I read the OP... wow.. so self-centered. only seeing the world in 1 view.. and that was the only valuable opinion.

the alarm has scared me a few times. it did NOT cause me any issues though.

I do wish they would give more info so that it could be more effective.
Link to a website with...more descriptions and pictures of the car and kid.. or suspect.

 

[jack58]

I read the OP... wow.. so self-centered. only seeing the world in 1 view.. and that was the only valuable opinion.
.

Maybe before you go pass judgement, go back and read ALL of my first post or even the little one before your post.

No one is stopping you from turning yours on or off, but mine stays OFF.

Bottom line... the Amber Alerts on the Interstates electronic Billboard and TV are enough!

 

[dan330]

yes.. I am judging your opinion that you posted.

you posted it.. for everyone to read.. and commit on it

 

[jack58]

yes.. I am judging your opinion that you posted.

you posted it.. for everyone to read.. and commit on it

Well I'm judging you too... your not one to judge!

 

[nickdalzell]

The phone that i discovered too late that it had such features (Emergency Alerts on the 4.3 Android update to the Galaxy SIII) wouldn't let me turn off AMBER alerts or 'Presidential messages', but did allow me to turn off Tornado warnings and storm alerts in general--was a bit miffed at getting alerts for Nashville or Chicago.

As for sirens, yep, we still got the old-school 'Air Raid' type sirens in the county, but in the city they got a newer style with a different style of alarm. i'm not sure if the county simply repurposed the air raid sirens from WWII for storms or if they just sound that way by mere coincidence.

 

[mikedt]

The phone that i discovered too late that it had such features (Emergency Alerts on the 4.3 Android update to the Galaxy SIII) wouldn't let me turn off AMBER alerts or 'Presidential messages', but did allow me to turn off Tornado warnings and storm alerts in general--was a bit miffed at getting alerts for Nashville or Chicago.

I've got all the alerts stuff in CyanogenMod 4.4.4 on my phone, "extreme threats", "severe threats", "AMBER alerts". But I've unchecked them all because I'm not in the States. Not got "Presidential messages", which again wouldn't be much use unless they came from Xi Jinping, rather than Barack Obama.

The original Oppo Chinese firmware didn't have the alerts stuff at all and neither does my Samsung phone that came from HK.

Seems to me that having these alerts things on all phones, is like a modern day version of the old CONELRAD system. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CONELRAD Where all radios had to have markings for the emergency broadcast frequencies. It's something the govt. and FCC have mandated, and all phones have to have it if they're sold in the United States.

As for sirens, yep, we still got the old-school 'Air Raid' type sirens in the county, but in the city they got a newer style with a different style of alarm. i'm not sure if the county simply repurposed the air raid sirens from WWII for storms or if they just sound that way by mere coincidence.

We've got the good old WW2 "Air Raid" type sirens as well, which are a general disaster warning for things like earthquakes, floods, fire, frost or frippery.

 

[nickdalzell]

Ours only sound for two types of general storm alerts--tornados normally. they can sometimes go off for severe thunderstorms but the local EAS is set to only have them go off for a tornado warning. as a result i normally only hear them go off at their weekly test at 12PM Friday. once not too long ago the test got 'stuck' on one nearby the shop and i heard it continue to sound for another hour before it finally shut off.

 

[bjacks12]

We flipped a house in Little Rock, Arkansas. It had a siren right next to it. Not fun when you're on a ladder painting when it goes off.

 

[lunatic59]

We flipped a house in Little Rock, Arkansas. It had a siren right next to it. Not fun when you're on a ladder painting when it goes off.

When I was a kid in Philly, we lived very near a fire station. Sirens every day at noon and, of course, when there was a fire. You get used to it after a while.

 

[!on]

I got this blaring, Screeching alarm yesterday on my cell phone

 

[dibblebill]

Living in a fairly urban area... We have the "air raid" sirens for tornadoes as well.

 

[zuben el genub]

Out here, they expect you to use the local TV or Radio station apps. Or have the stupid TV or radio on 24/7. I'd rather use NWS. I don't want the city's BS nor am I giving them a chance to spam.

 

[mikedt]

That. Is. Insane.

In other countries I believe this kind of alert is for INCOMING!!! Nuclear attack. Phones, TV & radio will push the "OMFG we all donna die" alerts.

Major overkill for a missing person. I mean it

 

[bjacks12]

We don't have sirens out here in the west. Those are mainly reserved for tornado country. I do have to admit, the weather alerts are very badly timed. I got my most recent flood alert as I was driving through half a foot of water.

 

[nickdalzell]

When i was a teen we lived on the same street as the local fire Dept. while annoying to be woken up many times a week by their sirens (one for the Squad truck and another for the engine) we came to appreciate how nearby they were one very cold September night when our house caught fire.

 

[jack58]

When i was a teen we lived on the same street as the local fire Dept. while annoying to be woken up many times a week by their sirens (one for the Squad truck and another for the engine) we came to appreciate how nearby they were one very cold September night when our house caught fire.

So how did you and family come out of that fire? Everyone OK, lose much?

 

[huh]

I get all kinds of Alerts! In fact...I have a stupid Alert on my phone and I Cant seem to turn it off....It was a stupid alert I sent myself years ago...when I had to take steroids for some injury or something...think it was the ski one....that was like 4 years ago....thing drives me nuts...but I cant get it to stop!

oh and everytime I see this topic...I read the headline as Guberment...in my head...

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY!!!! hahahaha!! guess that should be in random thought thread ....but not really....ok i originally accidentally typed nit really instead of not really...and that gave ma another random thought


Nit Really sounds like a country singer

 

[dan330]

I get all kinds of Alerts! In fact...I have a stupid Alert on my phone and I Cant seem to turn it off....It was a stupid alert I sent myself years ago...when I had to take steroids for some injury or something...think it was the ski one....that was like 4 years ago....thing drives me nuts...but I cant get it to stop!

oh and everytime I see this topic...I read the headline as Guberment...in my head...

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY!!!! hahahaha!! guess that should be in random thought thread ....but not really....ok i originally accidentally typed nit really instead of not really...and that gave ma another random thought


Nit Really sounds like a country singer

reading your rants... gives me a headache.

one of these days... I am going to come over to your place and take your keyboard away.



nit really

 

[Mikestony]

Well, seems like this thread has run its course, so I'm going to close 'er down.
If anyone feels like it should remain open, just hit me up

Thanks.

/thread closed