Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'

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Child-proof house-phones
No more worrying about small children answering/hanging up on important calls.
  (+3, -4)
(+3, -4)
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Works just like child-proof medicine bottles. To pick up the phone, you have to push down on it and twist.

May not necessarily work for all children, as some children are more clever than others, but neither do medicine bottles.


21 Quest, Dec 01 2006

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       I use a lot of supposedly "child-proof" bottle tops in my work. I would say they aren't as safe as the plain tops because they make an entertaining clicking noise which attracts children to them, and they then see it as a challenge to remove them. I was about to say that the 'phone wouldn't work for the same reason, but if there was a rotary dial which had to be pushed down each time a digit was dialled, that might work.

nineteenthly, Dec 01 2006
  

       This doesn't have the clicking.

21 Quest, Dec 01 2006
  

       Sometimes its the small children that save our lives by dialing 911 when we are injured or in danger. I don't know if restricting thier ablity to use the phone would, in the long run, be wise.   

       On the other hand there is nothing more annoying than a child hanging up on you because they think its funny.   

       Could you modify this to some way allow for use in an emergency? Possibly a lock that is activated when an incomming call is in process? Somebody smarter than me might have a solution.

Chefboyrbored, Dec 01 2006
  

       OK, so no clicking sounds good (or completely silent). Yes, in general. The trouble is, what about emergencies? The biggest nuisance in Britain, with a 999 emergency number (except in Hull, i imagine) is small children dialling the emergency services. How could you unblock serious child use of the 'phone without unblocking accidental use?

nineteenthly, Dec 01 2006
  

       Don't know. Maybe teach the kids when it's appropriate and when it's not. Or maybe use it only if the kids you're worried about aren't yours, but frequently-visiting relatives. I dunno, I'm putting the technology there, use it as you feel fit.

21 Quest, Dec 01 2006
  

       a phone that would be a physical challenge to operate forget the kids for a second. I can see problems for adults in this design. I've had the situation where I had to go back to the pharmacy and have them change the bottle to an 'unsafe' type so I could access medication. a phone with a keycode would work. My workphone has such a setup that a code must be punched in before a long distance call can be made unless the call is to number on the permitted call list.

Isayhello2u, Dec 02 2006
  
      
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