Ey yo, Can I use yo phone??

[Aadra310]

Yeah, for sure depends on the situation.  I often say, "fine, give me the number and I'll dial it for you."  If it's someone who really needs the phone, they know the number.  If it's someone with less than honest intentions, they often say "nevermind" and walk away!

dxgirly- I can't believe customers ask to use your cell phone!  That's crazy!

[Rococo]

I voted "no," but honestly it depends. If it looked like a real emergency (e.g., person blew out a tire and is stranded in the middle of the road, they're bleeding in the street, etc.), then yes I would. Otherwise, I would just suggest they use the phone of the establishment we're in at the time. Just gotta try to use common sense when dealing with the issue because I wouldn't want to get my smartphone run off with.

[fingerpaints]

In some circumstances yes. In that sort of situation no. I have let strangers use my phone before, for example, I used to clean at a school and two young children asked if they could call their mother, so I punched in the number for them and let them call her. That sort of situation, of course I would let someone use it. Emergency situation, yes, of course. Some feral / shady looking character wants to use it? No. I am not a charity, go get your own, or use a payphone.

[stopxmotion]

Maybe. I never had anyone coming into my parents' house and asked.

I would hope not? lol

[Eviecorn]

98% of the time I would say no, but there's obvious exceptions that ypu'll come across and just know them when you see them.

[Marigold]

I've had to ask to use a phone before, so maybe. For years I didn't have a cell phone, and I have panic and anxiety so if my mom was really late picking me up I'd get all scared and need to call her. This was at a mall where I worked, though, and I don't exactly look dangerous. My only problem is that I have no hand-eye coordination when I'm panicky, so I would keep messing the number up until they got fed up and asked for it back. SO GLAD to have a phone now with a contacts list, haha.

Oh gosh!  That sounds like nightmares I have!  I am always dreaming that there is an emergency and I have to call someone but I can't type in the number right.

[Stormness_1]

I'm going with the maybe, dependant of circumstances. I've borrowed a colleagues phone to call my house phone when I forgot my mobile phone, and my hubby had fallen asleep and I had to get a housemate to wake him to pick me up from work late at night.. and I'd do the same for them, and I'd definitely allow it in an emergency.

I refuse to allow strangers to use my phone in a non-emergency situation. Use a payphone, or find a store with a phone, or ask a man, or someone less vulnerable-looking!

[skyrocketneko]

I'm going to say never. 

If someone needs help, I will offer to call someone for them, but nobody is touching my phone but me.  It is on my cheek, and I don't want anyone sharing their face/hand grease with me.

[Bee-chan]

Since my phone does have some sensitive info on it as well ( it's my office away from home ), I have to say no.

Since the only time people ever ask me if they can use my Blackberry to make a call is when I'm in New York Penn Station, I offer to front them the change for the payphone that's near the flower stand by the West 32nd street exit.

[kakenterprise]

I was stuck at the DMV without a phone at the time.  I asked if the DMV had a phone I could use and was told no way in hell.  Well some guy goes over to me and hands me his phone.  I was so luck and so very thankful.

[SabreMau]

Came across this exact situation last night while walking home from work. Was about a half-block from home when a lady in front of me on the sidewalk calls over to me asking if she can use my phone to call her babysitter to let her in. I let her use it and she called and then gave the phone back without incident.

1) I didn't have any good reason to give an excuse.
2) It was 1 AM and I can't even think of where the closest pay phone to here is. They removed most of the public pay phones around here years ago.
3) I don't make calls on an iPhone or anything else expensive. I use an old cheap phone that runs on a pay-as-you-go plan. It doesn't even have a camera.

[ashes]

Honestly, that's how one of my good friends met her husband!  She was in the Ukraine on business, and was out and about in Kiev when a guy asked if he could use her phone.  Lo and behold, two years later they were married!  They've been married for almost three years, and have the most adorable 20 month old.

And just a few months ago in April, my husband and I were in Las Vegas visiting his parents.  One night we took a date night and were on the strip, when a random dude asked me to take a picture of him and his friends.  Instead of handing me a regular camera, he handed me his iPhone to take the picture.  My husband said I looked like an honest person to hand a phone to, lol.

[Dyzarktarzk]

Honestly, that's how one of my good friends met her husband!  She was in the Ukraine on business, and was out and about in Kiev when a guy asked if he could use her phone.  Lo and behold, two years later they were married!  They've been married for almost three years, and have the most adorable 20 month old.

And just a few months ago in April, my husband and I were in Las Vegas visiting his parents.  One night we took a date night and were on the strip, when a random dude asked me to take a picture of him and his friends.  Instead of handing me a regular camera, he handed me his iPhone to take the picture.  My husband said I looked like an honest person to hand a phone to, lol.

I've also been asked to take someone's pic with a phone (and I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TAKE THEM!).

I'm of the few that still thinks and insists on having a particular appliance for each things =P  (camera for pics, ipod/walkman for music, phone for calls, computer for computer things...).

And I'm still happy with my brick.  I don't worry about it in any way.  I'm distracted and usually let it fall frequently (not intentionally...), it has SAND for almost 3 years ago (not beach sand), it has been soaked wet, it has a lamp (!!), and has the basic functions of calling and messages.  And the best of all: IT WAS CHEAP (less than $20 when new).  With a fancy phone I'd be worried about letting if fall, the touch screen getting scratched, the money it costs...

Still, I think I'll really let someone use it.  The most time they could talk in any sense is less than $2.00 minutes worth (something less than 10 minutes, not exactly sure how much time), so even if they were calling someone, they could never make a long call, and fortunately it's not a lot of money to worry/get angry about if someone uses all.  Or at least lend them $$ for a pay phone (or lend them my long ago empty pre-paid phone card XDD  I need a new one...).

And I'll be angry/desperate if I needed a phone for something important and wasn't able to get one =P

[fingerpaints]

I have actually asked others to take photos on my phone for me, but not in like random places. I did it last year when I was out with a group of my schoolfriends for lunch at a restraunt and asked one of the staff if she could take a photo for us, I wouldn't however walk up to someone in the street and say "Hi! Can you take a photo of my & my friend(s) on my phone for me?"

[Loona]

no, definitely not...
it might be different in different countries, but here it's a common way of stealing phones I have several friends who got their phones stolen this way - even some who usually are super-cautious they say the ones that stole the phone seemed to be in real need of help so they felt sorry for them and got their guard down... some of these even happened in bright sunlight in a semi-crowded place! many people here are either afraid or just plain lazy to help, and thus things like this can happen so after these I decided would never give my phone to a stranger, not even when I am surrounded with people. upon the 2-3 occasions I've been asked I always said I don't have it with me or it doesn't have any money on it. I do know this way I also close the door for those who really are in need of help, but unfortunately you can't be sure but, just as skyrocketneko said, I can always offer to call for help myself.