Gainesy
Sadly the frivolous use of lasers/torches etc is so endemic that the use of one for a genuine reason is simply going to go unnoticed, especially in an urban area; at least one "joey" light per task is common. I'm afraid I don't have an answer to the question of how to indicate something of genuine interest other than gritting your teeth and enduring the cumbersome phone system; it's a problem to all of us.
[PS it's an MD902]
[ 18 October 2001: Message edited by: Droopy ]