The switched off answering machine. Why ?

[Adam]

It is clear the answering machine was switched off.

Jeremy said he was 'sleeping like a log' when Neville rang. It could have taken several minutes for him to wake, realise the phone was ringing, decide to answer it, then go downstairs. Even if the phone rang ten times before it went to answering machine, there is no way he would have made it.

Supporters have stated Jeremy was the laziest man in the world, so it was surprising he answered the phone at all. However he did, probably because it was irritating him due to the length of time it continuously rang. Neville being prepared to wait perhaps several minutes for Jeremy to answer while Sheila went crazy. Just so Neville could say eleven words to him.

Even more unlikely than the phone being answered is the answering machine being switched off.

People have 24/7 answering machines now. Either on their mobiles, or a 1571 service on their home phones. It is just as likely that answering machines in the 80's were on 24/7. This is especially true for a lazy person like Jeremy, who may not want to answer his phone sometimes. Especially if it rings at 3am.

Do other people find it a 'curious coincidence' that the answering machine was switched off ?

[mike tesko]

There is no evidence it was switched off, police seized the tapes and had them examined...

[Adam]

The three suspensions of belief people have to have are -

The answering machine was switched off.

Neville waited several minutes for Jeremy to answer.

Jeremy decided to answer the phone.

[SaraT]

In the 80's people only put their answer machines on when they went out or on holiday

[susan]

In the 80's people only put their answer machines on when they went out or on holiday

Sara that is what I thought the answering machine was turned on when nobody at home.

[SaraT]

Plus when your phone rings in the middle of the night you wake up and jump up immediately.

[Adam]

In the 80's people only put their answer machines on when they went out or on holiday

Have you got a source ?

It is pointless to switch it off and on. There is no point.

If you are at home, you can leave it on and just pick up the phone when it rings. Or if you are in the shower, with friends, under the sun bed, asleep, in the garden, hoovering etc you can either choose not to answer it,  or may not hear it.

But appreciate Jeremy's answering machine had to have been switched off. Otherwise there was no call.

[SaraT]

Have you got a source ?

It is pointless to switch it off and on. There is no point.

If you are at home, you can leave it on and just pick up the phone when it rings. Or if you are in the shower, with friends, under the sun bed, asleep, in the garden, hoovering etc you can either choose not to answer it,  or may not hear it.

But appreciate Jeremy's answering machine had to have been switched off. Otherwise there was no call.

Yes my source is that I had one in the 80's and only switched it on when I went out, that's if I remembered. They were very much a new fangled gadget, and quite a few years away from always being on all the time. It's not just me either, everyone I knew at the time did the same.

[susan]

Have you got a source ?

It is pointless to switch it off and on. There is no point.

If you are at home, you can leave it on and just pick up the phone when it rings. Or if you are in the shower, with friends, under the sun bed, asleep, in the garden, hoovering etc you can either choose not to answer it,  or may not hear it.

But appreciate Jeremy's answering machine had to have been switched off. Otherwise there was no call.

Adam I never go in the shower with friends   On a serious note I see your point and agree and my previous post about this subject was weak

[Adam]

What's so technical about a 1980's answering machine. Once it's plugged in, you would just leave it on 24/7.

People don't plug or unplug their washing machines, kettles,  toasters, televisions or stereo's when they are not using them.

But appreciate Jeremy had to have remembered to turn off his answering machine when arriving home at 10pm that night. Although he was going back to work a few hours later. 

[Adam]

It is bad luck that Jeremy unplugged his answering machine. He was obviously expecting calls between 10pm - 6am.

If the answering machine had been on Neville's message would have cleared Jeremy.

[SaraT]

What's so technical about a 1980's answering machine. Once it's plugged in, you would just leave it on 24/7.

People don't plug or unplug their washing machines, kettles,  toasters, televisions or stereo's when they are not using them.

But appreciate Jeremy had to have remembered to turn off his answering machine when arriving home at 10pm that night. Although he was going back to work a few hours later.

People did not have their answerphones on while they were at home. You would leave it plugged in but press a button to record messages if you left the house. That's just the way it was back then

[Adam]

So it was plugged in 24/7. But people had a choice of pressing a button to stop messages being left when they arrived home.

Again, pointless. If the answering machine went on after 6 -10 rings, that is plenty of time to get to the phone if at home.

Or you can ignore a call and let the answering machine work if you do want to speak to anyone.

Or you should leave it on in case you are at home and don't hear the phone - hoovering, shower, music, sleeping.

[Adam]

Anyway Jeremy turned his answering machine off when arriving home.

This was so any calls between 10pm - 6am he can get out of bed and answer it himself. Providing the call wakes him.

This is refuting Lookouts claim that Jeremy was the 'laziest man alive'.

[SaraT]

So it was plugged in 24/7. But people had a choice of pressing a button to stop messages being left when they arrived home.

Again, pointless. If the answering machine went on after 6 -10 rings, that is plenty of time to get to the phone if at home.

Or you can ignore a call and let the answering machine work if you do want to speak to anyone.

Or you should leave it on in case you are at home and don't hear the phone - hoovering, shower, music, sleeping.

That's how things are now but not how things were then. You can't rewrite technological history.