Wrong Number

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understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

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When I was a teenager, a group of us went to Liskeard in Cornwall for our first holiday together without our parents. Whilst out visiting the local beauty spots, we walked beside a public telephone box and could hear the phone was ringing. First of all we just laughed and ignored it but on passing, I felt the sudden urge to go back and answer it. I picked up the phone and somebody said "Is that you Carol"? Well I was stunned but I answered yes. It was my aunt on the end of the phone who was trying to contact my father to advise him there had been a death in the family. I have puzzled over this all of my life. My family lived in Wallington, Surrey and my aunt lived in Sutton, Surrey. How did that call get through to a public phone box in Cornwall just as I was walking by?
Total votes: 728
Date submitted:Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:50:16 +0000Coincidence ID:3566