Author Topic: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!  (Read 14365 times)

Offline kevindagee

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Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« on: May 15, 2014, 06:45:32 PM »
So on Monday, my phone slipped out of my pocket and fell into a storm drain. It could have fallen out out anywhere in the 30 minutes I was walking, but it had to fall right when I was walking by a storm drain.

I called the City of Phoenix, and was transferred back and forth to different departments for about an hour. I was told by Sewer that they did not have the personnel trained to open up the manhole that led into the storm drain. Funny, because if they didn't have the personnel to open it up, then why would they even build a manhole in the first place?

It is about six or seven feet deep, and my phone is down there. I've tried putting duct tape on a pool noodle to try to stick it onto my phone and fish it out; it stuck on for about two seconds and then fell off. I'm really in a tough situation right now, and any help would be great.

The storm drain looks similar to this: http://cdn.citylab.com/media/img/citylab/legacy/2012/10/24/StormDrain.embed.jpg
http://images.tbd.com/communities/storm-drain-tbdstaff-0930_606.jpg
« Last Edit: May 15, 2014, 06:49:42 PM by kevindagee »
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Offline Edward McRichy

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2014, 07:20:54 PM »
If it stuck to the pool noodle for 2 seconds then that would be long enough for you to put it into a handle bag.  Put a rock in the handle back to weight it down.  tie rope or string to the handle bag and toss it down there.  Otherwise the lid is about 400 pounds.  Good luck.
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Offline Ethan333

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2014, 07:31:44 PM »
You could try to use a crow bar to lift the cover

Offline Bob Z Moose

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2014, 10:45:41 PM »
I lol'd
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Offline rileyjohnson22

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2014, 11:16:25 AM »
You could try to use a crow bar to lift the cover
Yes, also get somebody to belay as you repel hundreds of feet towards your phone. If you see a man on a donkey wearing a sombrero, you've gone too far.

Offline Exarach

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2014, 01:59:59 PM »
As a kid we used to play in those things.
The lid is not 400lbs.
If you can see your phone, get one of those magnet rods from harbor freight, and some idiot with a pool basket.

magnet rod is $10


Or, go commando, and be sure to have a backup rope
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Offline Edward McRichy

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2014, 04:52:38 PM »
My mistake, 100 lbs.
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Offline kevindagee

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2014, 07:38:50 PM »
As a kid we used to play in those things.
The lid is not 400lbs.
If you can see your phone, get one of those magnet rods from harbor freight, and some idiot with a pool basket.

magnet rod is $10


Or, go commando, and be sure to have a backup rope

A magnet rod? My phone is a Galaxy S3, and its mostly plastic. So I'm pretty much screwed there.
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Offline Kommande1

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2014, 09:21:36 PM »
My mistake, 100 lbs.
400 lbs to 100 lbs is a big jump. Bro, do you even lift?
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Offline OHboy

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2014, 10:30:37 PM »
Six to seven feet down?  Your arm should be at least 3-4 feet so get one of those claw things that handicap people use to grab things on high shelves. As long as it's a few feet long you should be good.  Or a butterfly net and a pole  and just punch the phone into Tebet and bring it up

Offline nukeduster

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2014, 11:38:42 PM »

Offline Old Dog

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2014, 11:50:42 PM »
Six to seven feet down?  Your arm should be at least 3-4 feet so get one of those claw things that handicap people use to grab things on high shelves. As long as it's a few feet long you should be good.  Or a butterfly net and a pole  and just punch the phone into Tebet and bring it up

OHboy's idea has definite possibilities, I have several assorted grabbers and they are great, try wrapping the ends with two way sticky tape...

GOOD LUCK :)
« Last Edit: May 18, 2014, 11:57:47 PM by Old Dog »
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Offline kevindagee

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #12 on: May 19, 2014, 07:40:15 PM »
Six to seven feet down?  Your arm should be at least 3-4 feet so get one of those claw things that handicap people use to grab things on high shelves. As long as it's a few feet long you should be good.  Or a butterfly net and a pole  and just punch the phone into Tebet and bring it up

OHboy's idea has definite possibilities, I have several assorted grabbers and they are great, try wrapping the ends with two way sticky tape...

GOOD LUCK :)

I tried putting gorilla tape on a pool noodle because it was bendable, but didn't stick on for too long. I tried a pole, but it wasn't bendable and therefore I couldn't get to the phone.
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Offline Old Dog

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #13 on: May 19, 2014, 08:02:40 PM »
Six to seven feet down?  Your arm should be at least 3-4 feet so get one of those claw things that handicap people use to grab things on high shelves. As long as it's a few feet long you should be good.  Or a butterfly net and a pole  and just punch the phone into Tebet and bring it up

OHboy's idea has definite possibilities, I have several assorted grabbers and they are great, try wrapping the ends with two way sticky tape...

GOOD LUCK :)

I tried putting gorilla tape on a pool noodle because it was bendable, but didn't stick on for too long. I tried a pole, but it wasn't bendable and therefore I couldn't get to the phone.

Have you tried the grabbers with two way tape, might just give you enough grip to bring it up slowly?
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Offline TheUNIT

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Re: Dropped my Phone Down a Storm Drain.. Help!
« Reply #14 on: May 19, 2014, 10:02:56 PM »
This kind of reminds me of the Sandlot when they try to get the Ball signed by Babe Ruth back.
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