Notes from the Drive: Phone Precautions

(Written Saturday, May 24 at 11:30 PM in our little mountain cabin; to be posted once we get a web connection.)

More about the phone. Izzy had recently remarked to me that Consumer Reports had lots of good things to say about LG flip phones. I filed the info away, not expecting to need it anytime soon.

So, being now in possession of a new LG flip phone (see previous post), I have been reading the manual. Like anything electronic these days, the first page is not full of congratulations on my purchase of this fine product -- it is full of IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. Lots.of.them. 22 of 112 English pages are all about safety.

The first three pages have 7, 8 and 9 precautions, respectively (the numbering starts over on each page.) Several of them made me wonder which lawsuit (actual or threatened) had lead to their inclusion in the lists.

• Page 3, number 3: Make sure that no sharp edged items such as animal's teeth or nails come into contact with the battery. This could cause a fire. (Not "this will void the warranty"??)


• Page 3, number 9: An emergency call can be made only within a service area. For an emergency call, make sure that you are within a service area and that the phone is turned on. (No, the phone cannot reach 911 if you cannot reach anyone else, either.)


• And my favorite, given prominence by being number 2 on Page 1 of the entire manual: Never place your phone in a microwave oven as it will cause the battery to explode. (Don't you just wonder about the service call on that one??)