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Traveshamockery
April 1, 2009 10:38 PM
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AAA membership. It will pay for itself many times over. Everything from roadside assistance, lockout help, and even discounts at hotels and special offers.

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CFinWV
April 2, 2009 1:00 PM
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@Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver: Also go on their website, you can get discounts at a lot of other retailers like Target.

My AAA membership is something I will gladly pay each year, they certainly didn't make any money off of me back in my college years when I had a car that was breaking down left and right. All the local tow guys knew me by name.

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mamacat49
April 2, 2009 10:20 AM
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@Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver I vote for AAA, too. I called them once for a flat tire for my son's car. The repair guy was nice enough to \"teach\" my son the right way to change a tire on his own. Great service. And the lock out service is for ANY car you're with.

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working class Zer0
April 2, 2009 2:47 AM
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@Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver:I've had AAA for years now. It's worth every penny. I once had to use the towing service twice in one day! I wouldn't want to go without it.

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ecwis
April 2, 2009 1:11 AM
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@ShortBus: If the wait is unnecessarily long, I would call the towing company directly and offer to pay cash, then go through AAA for reimbursement. I can see waiting a while for a lockout but for a tow, I would not wait more than a half hour (unless there is a very reasonable explanation).

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CumaeanSibyl
April 2, 2009 12:58 AM
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I've often thought of buying one of those balloon things for myself, and then I remember that I'm probably dumb enough to keep it in the glovebox.

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ajlei
April 1, 2009 11:52 PM
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@Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver: I love my AAA membership.

@ShortBus: That's unusual that they took longer. I'm a Preferred Member (I think just a step above a regular member) and they always say \"since you're a priority member, we'll be right there\" and I've never had to wait longer than 20 minutes, any time of day or night.

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Outrun1986
April 2, 2009 12:37 AM
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@ajlei: For me they always say there is a backup in the area and that it will be more than 60 min. Its ironic though that the tow truck usually arrives within 15-20 min though without fail. I guess they just say that to cover their butts in case they are late. Barring of course a major snowstorm or some kind of other disaster.

AAA membership is totally worth it though, regardless. One call is worth the yearly fee.

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YamiNoSenshi
April 2, 2009 12:19 AM
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@ajlei:
Honestly, AAA is worth having even if you never use it for anything. Just the peace of mind knowing that anytime, anywhere, I (and more importantly, my fiance) have somebody to call makes that $45 a year seem a pittance.

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HogwartsAlum
April 1, 2009 11:23 PM
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@Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver:

I keep getting the mailers for this, but it always comes when I'm completely broke and expires faster than I can come up with any money. :P

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catastrophegirl chooses not to fly
April 1, 2009 11:19 PM
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@Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver: the AAA gold membership has paid for itself within a couple of months every time i had it with my little old car [often because of the 10% off a their AAA mechanic] and i just renewed it because i realized that even with a couple of sets of 2 ton jackstands and a hydraulic bottle jack - i can't change my own tire on my almost new, warrantied highlander because i can't get it out from under the vehicle. [my own strength problem, not the manufacturer's fault]

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veg-o-matic
April 1, 2009 11:18 PM
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@Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver:
Plus all the free TripTiks you want!
..and I can take alot of TripTiks.

Not having a car anymore, it makes me just the tiniest bit sad that I don't also have the AAA anymore either. Good people. Saved me more than a few times. Totally worth the money.

Plus, flashing that card gets you into the swankiest of places...
at a 5% discount.

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ShortBus
April 1, 2009 11:10 PM
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@Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver: AAA has saved my butt on numerous occasions. I even pay for the \"Gold/RV\" coverage because it allows a longer tow distance and covers motorcycles. (I once got a flat tire on my little 1973 Honda 325cc bike and they sent out a flatbed to haul it home. lol). But... Be prepared to wait considerably longer for help than a cash customer. I had to wait three hours once after locking myself out of the car.

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Landru
April 2, 2009 3:15 AM
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@ShortBus: I love AAA. I've never had to wait overly long, either for a locksmith or a flatbed. I've used both.

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I_am_Awesome
April 1, 2009 10:46 PM
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It'd be cheaper to borrow a car or have someone drive you to a dealer to get a new key made. The keys that start the car are usually really expensive these days, but you can get a key that'll just unlock the doors for ~$10.

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mitchelwb
April 2, 2009 1:38 PM
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@I_am_Awesome:


I agree with the others.. Some locksmiths don't even want store fronts. I have a very good friend (and I happen to be here in KC where the story originated from) that bought a locksmith business several years ago. It came with both a store front and a mobile \"shop\". After a few years, he shut down the store front because it didn't do enough business, and that which it did do, he could do from his mobile. He stays very busy, and most of the time when I talk to him, he's not doing lockouts at all. He spends a lot of time rekeying businesses. As a housewarming gift, he rekeyed my whole house to match. And he's one of the very most honest and polite people I know.

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howie_in_az
April 2, 2009 12:14 AM
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@I_am_Awesome: BMWs, at least the E46 330i sedan I own, come with several keys: two \"master\" keys, with alarm functionality, microchips, and other craziness; a 'valet' key that can't open trunk or glovebox; a small plastic \"ohshit\" key that can be used to open the door in case you lock your master key inside. I keep the \"ohshit\" key in my wallet.

Yes, the dealership called it an \"ohshit\" key.

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I_am_Awesome
April 2, 2009 1:45 AM
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@howie_in_az:

Hah... someone I know calls the handles above the doors the \"oh shit\" handles, because she grabs the handle when husband's driving scares her (which is often)

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theblackdog
April 2, 2009 1:29 PM
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@I_am_Awesome: My friends refer to the handle above the door of my car as the oh shit handles as well.

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lordargent
April 1, 2009 11:06 PM
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@I_am_Awesome: It'd be cheaper to borrow a car or have someone drive you to a dealer

s/a dealer/my house/

/my car came with 2 keys

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Zanorfes
April 1, 2009 10:46 PM
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Locksmiths aren't regulated by any government agency. Every time I have called a locksmith, I ask if they have an established location I can go to. If they tell me, \"we're a mobile service\", I hang up. Yellow Pages also knows that they are scammers but don't really care.

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MeOhMy
April 2, 2009 1:19 PM
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@Zanorfes: Pennsylvania licenses locksmiths. I'm sure other states also do.


It doesn't still mean that they won't try to charge you extra if they think you're screwed.

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ShortBus
April 1, 2009 11:14 PM
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@Zanorfes: Why would a business that unlocks cars need to have a storefront? Then they'd have to charge more than everyone else to cover rent, utilities, and insurance. If they charge more than everyone else, then they're likely to see less business and eventually go under. Which is probably why most people you're calling don't have storefronts in the first place.

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ecwis
April 2, 2009 1:23 AM
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@ShortBus: So they can make copies of keys and such. Locksmiths that do more than simply \"mobile lockouts\" tend to be more legitimate.

But you rarely need a locksmith to open a locked car. Towing companies can open cars. The only reason (that I can think of) to use a locksmith would be if you need them to drill out a lock and replace it (if you lost a key).

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captadam
April 2, 2009 1:12 PM
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@ecwis: If it's just one dude who's good at what he does, he'll probably spend close to 100% of his time on the road.

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Dustin A Coates
April 1, 2009 10:47 PM
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@undefined: @Coach Cal Is My Dream Weaver: Amex is good for these kind of things, too.

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I_am_Awesome
April 1, 2009 10:48 PM
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Also, keep a spare key in your house. Duh.

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nakedscience
April 2, 2009 2:29 PM
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@I_am_Awesome: ...But what happens when you can't get into your house because your house keys are on the same ring as your car keys?

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ScottRose
April 2, 2009 6:28 PM
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@nakedscience: ..Or if you're far far away from home?

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desertdust
April 1, 2009 10:56 PM
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@I_am_Awesome:
And keep a spare key under the door mat to get into the house.

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LiquidGravity
April 2, 2009 2:04 PM
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@desertdust: First place a thief looks after seeing if it is unlocked already.

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Shrew2u
April 1, 2009 10:53 PM
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Why on earth don't more drivers bite the bullet and pony up for a AAA membership, if for no other reason than the free locksmith/tow when in a pinch? For $47 (a basic membership), the first free tow/vehicle lockout/flat tire/battery jump used has the membership paying for itself. That, and the contractor has an incentive to get you out of your jam ASAP so they can take another call and make another fee (as opposed to directly contacting Joe Tow Truck/Locksmith, who's gonna screw you out of as much time/money possible).

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I_am_Awesome
April 2, 2009 1:53 AM
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@Shrew2u:
The only time I've ever had a need for AAA was when I let a woman drive my car and she did a 360 while driving in snow on the interstate and ran it off the road and down a very large hill. Fortunately she had a AAA membership, and the tow truck had a very long tow cable.

So if I had gotten a AAA membership when I started driving, I'd be in the hole by a large amount. Even if I need a tow truck and they charge me $500, I'll still be ahead.

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nakedscience
April 2, 2009 2:30 PM
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@I_am_Awesome: \"when I let a woman drive my car \"


*really*?

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ScottRose
April 2, 2009 6:29 PM
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@nakedscience: Wait, it's not 1925? Oh god, I gotta change out of this hat.

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xoxor
April 1, 2009 10:58 PM
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Agreed with AAA as well as finding a lock smith BEFORE you need it.

There are also the options of credit card keys, keeping / hiding a spare key, etc.

Although the price seems too high it still seems a matter of the old adage of paying someone to know \"which screw to turn...\" [pun intended]

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XTC46
April 1, 2009 11:05 PM
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@xoxor:
\"Although the price seems too high it still seems a matter of the old adage of paying someone to know \"which screw to turn...\"


This is very true though. You dont know how to unlock your door or you wouldnt have called them, and while you could go buy the tool and do it your self, how much damage would you cause while doing it, and how long would it take you.


I get the same crap as a computer tech. Ive done jobs where we charge 300/hr with a 2 hour minimum for after hours emergency work, and it may take me 20 minutes to get on site and 20 minutes to fix a problem, and they get pissed about the charge. You arent paying me for my 40 minutes, you are paying me for the experience I have and obtained over years that allowed me to properly diagnose and fix the issue in 20 minutes. If anything, you should be happy it didnt take me the full 2 hours to fix, as now there is less downtime. I on the otherhand am out of bed (if I was in bed) and probabaly wont get back to sleep.


If you think the service is a rip off, dont use it, it is that simple.

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ScottRose
April 2, 2009 6:45 PM
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@xtc46:

\"I get the same crap as a computer tech.\"

Not quite. I've done IT consulting as a self-employed guy and while you're right about paying for the years of experience and not necessarily the actual time:

1) I'd never get away with saying \"2 hour minimum\" on a job where someone lost their computer's admin password (or something equally simple).

2) After business hours for emergency calls, I'd raise my rate by 1.5-2x, and charge for travel time; but not also charge a minimum.

3) If the job/travel turned out to be pretty easy and I got back to bed at a reasonable hour, I probably would give a discount to the customer from the 1.5-2x rate.

That being said, I would never feel comfortable charging an individual $600 to do 20 minutes of work with 20 minutes of travel, no matter what time of the night it was or how much of my experience was involved. (I might not feel so bad charging a large corporation $600, I admit).

I'm really hoping that your statement of \"we charge 300/hr with a 2 hour minimum for after hours emergency work\" is in reference to commercial/industrial work, and not to letting some poor schmuck on the side of the road back into their car. You're not using much of your experience there (as I wouldn't if someone lost their Windows password), and IMO your time is not worth $600/40min, regardless of the time of day or night.

you should be happy it didnt take me the full 2 hours to fix, as now there is less downtime

And that statement bothers me as well: If your experience allows you do diagnose and fix something faster and they are hiring you for your experience, why would you or they have a reasonable expectation that it would take a full 2 hours? Unless you are knowingly inflating your estimates?

Finally, the difference between your job and mine is this: I need, and can get, repeat customers. Therefore I have to treat them right. You can make a living from one-off jobs, simply because you're listed as AAAAAAA Best Locksmith in the phone book.

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Overheal
April 1, 2009 11:00 PM
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You could get your tires filled with Nitrous for 1/3 of that. Sheesh. Huff and Puff, a-hole locksmiths.

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lordargent
April 1, 2009 11:10 PM
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Shrew2u: Why on earth don't more drivers bite the bullet and pony up for a AAA membership, if for no other reason than the free locksmith/tow when in a pinch?

Because I have never, in 11 years of driving, forgotten my key (I was a latchkey kid, so the concept of forgetting/losing keys is alien to me :D ).

/And my insurance CO provides towing/roadside assistance.

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joshua70448
April 2, 2009 3:10 PM
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@lordargent: I've had to get my car towed twice, and I've used USAA's roadside assistance both times. It's only $22.80 a year for both my cars, and they cover flat tires, gas delivery, lost/locked keys, and towing; plus, if you already paid for the service without calling USAA, they'll reimburse you for expenses after the fact. So I agree with you, I have zero interest in a AAA membership when I get the same benefits for cheaper.

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Scoobatz
April 2, 2009 4:31 PM
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@nakedscience: I agree completely. I thought the point of AAA is piece of mind. It's nothing more than an insurance policy. Problem is, I tried to use it once and failed. Why would I take a risk that in the future that my luck would change?

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Scoobatz
April 2, 2009 1:04 PM
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@lordargent: My wife insisted that we purchase AAA every year, mainly for roadside assistance in case of an emergency. After enrolling and paying annual fees for five years, we finally needed it. We were driving home around dusk on a busy highway and our car broke down. (Side note: I had a brand new VW Passat at the time and this breakdown was due to 1 of 3 recalls I was notified of in less than a year. But, I digress.) After we sat in our car for 30 minutes, waiting for them to arrive, the police showed up and told us that it wasn't safe to wait any longer. They called a tow truck on our behalf and it was there within 5 minutes. So much for relying on AAA. Ever since, I have not renewed my membership.


And, as far as all those other AAA benefits that people have mentioned, with a little research on the Internet, you can typically find similar deals elsewhere that are just as good or better than AAA.

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captadam
April 2, 2009 1:11 PM
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@Scoobatz: You can also call a local tow company that deals with AAA and give them your membership number. That way, you don't have to go through the AAA dispatcher. The dispatcher is the worst part of AAA.

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nakedscience
April 2, 2009 2:30 PM
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@captadam: \"The dispatcher is the worst part of AAA.\" So it's basically worthless and you have to go through hoops to use it? No thanks.

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jc364
April 2, 2009 12:35 PM
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@lordargent: Knock on wood. It can happen to anyone :)

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From the cubicle of PGibbons
April 1, 2009 11:13 PM
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Thanks for reminding me why I've been spending from $50-75 a year on AAA for the past few decades. Some years I've only needed to get a triptik and/or some maps out of it, but other years I've had flatbed tows, lockouts, and gas replenishment. In the end I'm still ahead, and the peace of mind knowing that I can call them to deal with it is completely worth it.

Now, if AAA could join the 21st century and transition their lobbying efforts toward a more appropriate transportation policy than just blanketing our planet with ONLY cars - THAT would make me feel even better about paying them each year.

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catastrophegirl chooses not to fly
April 1, 2009 11:22 PM
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@PGibbons: but second A says it all: \"A-merican A-utomobile A-ssociation...
maybe they'll be more open to the idea if we just work for 'greener' cars?

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ScottRose
April 2, 2009 6:47 PM
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@catastrophegirl:

Marge: American Applesauce Association!?

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trujunglist
April 1, 2009 11:23 PM
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AAA is so good that I have it even though I think my insurance also has a much more limited assistance available. It paid for itself the day I got it (needed a tow) and triple paid for itself within a couple of weeks (more towing and a dead battery). When I renewed this year I went for the AAA+ option, which is like $30 more. THAT paid for itself within 2 weeks (towing... again..). Soon, it'll be double paying when I have them do the battery service on the constantly-getting-towed car (I just got it fixed alright? no more tows for now!)

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nybiker
April 1, 2009 11:25 PM
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My friend today locked her car keys in the car (her son had lost the spare some months back). When she told me, I told her I have AAA, but she had already called her local mechanic who arrived with that airjet gizmo. I hadn't seen it before. (A number of years ago when I locked my keys, house & car, in the car, AAA came and did the car-stealing routine of using the blade gizmo to unlock the door to my voyager). She asked him how much and he says \"whatever you feel is right.\" She gave him $15.

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TheRealAbsurdist
April 2, 2009 3:47 AM
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@nybiker: Let's see...

Your friend's mechanic left where he was, drove to where your friend was, opened her door for her, and all she gave him was a lousy $15?

Sorry, but you need a better class of friends.

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porcuPINE
April 1, 2009 11:42 PM
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tennis ball, poke a pen sized hole, and do it yourself

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bluepotatoes66
April 3, 2009 5:34 AM
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@pinecones!: Or watch Mythbusters and see how they busted that one.

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Amanda Possoby
April 2, 2009 1:25 PM
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@pinecones!: Mythbusters proved this won't work.

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ScottRose
April 2, 2009 6:50 PM
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@Amanda Possoby:

Mythbusters can't prove a negative, nor can anyone else.

The best they did is prove that they couldn't do it using the materials/cars they tried under the circumstances they tried it.

Sorry, but I liked that show when it first came out. Until people started telling me that things were \"impossible\" just because those two asshats said it's impossible, that is.

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Anonymous
April 2, 2009 12:30 AM
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@pinecones!: As Pinecones says, a tennis ball will work ina pinch, you have to carefully cut a hole to fit over the lock, which is usually raised, and try to shave the 'hair' from around the hole to make a better seal. Hold it around the lock with one hand, and smack it sharply with the other hand, actually you have to hit it very hard. Good luck, a lot of later model locks prevent this working with some clever gizmo. Pity because this or a bit of packing tape was all you used to need to get into any car.

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hellinmyeyes
April 1, 2009 11:44 PM
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OK, the AAA argument is kind of moot. Yes, it pays off in the long run. Thanks for the heartwarming, redundant stories.

What I want to know is, what exactly is one of these \"air jets\"? What does it look like, and how does it help get into your car? I'm kinda confused on how this issue arises.

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NightSteel
April 1, 2009 11:49 PM
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@hellinmyeyes: I've never actually seen one myself, but the idea is that a jet of air into the lock pushes the internal components of the locking mechanism in such a way as to unlock the door.

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nybiker
April 2, 2009 3:50 AM
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@NightSteel: What I saw today is that the mechanic used a flat blade screwdriver to slightly open the gap between the door frames, allowing him to slide the deflated bag between said gap. He then squeezed the attached ball (think end of blood pressure gauge) and showly expanded the gap (the door became slightly ajar). This allowed him to use a stiff metal pole to push the remote control lock mechanism and unlock the door. Took him a total of 5 or 10 minutes. No damage was done. I noticed that it was made in Denmark and had a USA patent number. The bag was about a 6 inch square.

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Megan Squier
April 2, 2009 12:17 AM
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I keep an extra door key to my '92 Bonneville in my checkbook just in case that happens. I've never done it in the 7 years I've been driving but paying a few bucks to have an extra key made is worth it. I wouldn't do it with the ignition key because its one of those funky pellet keys so it costs about $45 bucks to get one copied.

Plus, the only place that can do that particular key is a dealer and I avoid car dealerships like the plague. Although, I may need to go to one to get new door gaskets within the next year. Those guys are usually sharks that I know how to deal with but choose not to.

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golddog
April 2, 2009 12:24 AM
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AAA in the Rocky Mtns blows. My work had a membership for a crappy 16 passenger van that was 15 years past it's useful life. Their entire subcontractor corp - at least the ones I've interacted with - seems to be made up of active meth addicts. When I called to complain that one guy they sent was making fun of a mentally challenged child in a neighbors yard, they said 'yeah but so what, you got your vehicle open didn't you?'. Nice.

USAA has a great roadside assistance plan for a fraction of AAA, as do most other ins cos.

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Megan Squier
April 3, 2009 1:17 PM
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@golddog: USAA and Progressive are pretty good roadside assistance wise. The towing company Progressive sent for my husband's motorcycle once was really good. The guy got there fast, was polite and friendly and knew what he was doing when it came to getting a very heavy motorcycle on the back of a flatbed.

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mbz32190
April 2, 2009 12:33 AM
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There are many other roadside options besides AAA.

BP Motor Club is a bit cheaper, and as good. When I needed a tire change, guess who they subcontract out to? (Well I guess it depends on the area) An AAA repair van arrived in under 30 minutes. It also comes with other discounts for hotels and stuff.

Also some cell phone plans allow you to add-in a roadside plan for a few dollars extra a month (I have no experiences of how reliable they are though)

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KenJason
April 2, 2009 1:09 AM
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@mbz32190: AT&T roadside assistance is great. I've had them for years. For about the coast of AAA I get all the same stuff. Flatbed tows, battery jumps, vehicle lockout, and gasoline if I run out. It is tied to the phone, so it doesn't matter who has it. I could give it to my mom for a trip and she would be able to use it. She did in fact once, and she happened to lock her keys in the jeep.

I think they just changed rates to like 4.99 or something. Still worth it I think.

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mbz32190
April 2, 2009 12:40 AM
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@mbz32190: @mbz32190: Edit: I guess it depends on your area as well. BP is cheaper for me and their basic membership provides a few other benefits than AAA.

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Jeff_McAwes0me
April 2, 2009 1:02 AM
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Most cities have Public Safety cops that you can call to come and unlock your car for you.

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Corporate-Shill
April 2, 2009 2:24 AM
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@Jeff_McAwes0me:


Not any more. Cities have been dropping the Public Safety Cops because of rising liability insurance costs.

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Corporate-Shill
April 2, 2009 2:28 AM
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Keep spare keys everywhere.


I have copies of the valet key in my desk at work. A spare key hidden at home. My sister who lives 75 miles away has a copy (and I have hers). It is a whole lot cheaper to call sis and have her drive 75 miles to open my car then it would be to call one of those locksmith sharks.

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SkippyLarue
April 2, 2009 2:48 AM
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If you have a Mercedes, even if it's a roach of a 240D that you got in a trade for a pair of old speakers, even if it has 362,967 miles and you're the 37th owner, call 1-800-FORMERCEDES. Free limited roadside assistance. Look it up for details.

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EyeintheLAsky
April 2, 2009 5:27 AM
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About a month ago (early March), our son somehow managed to leave his key in his car. He called us.
We called the roadside assistance service we subscribed to via our Cingular/AT&T provider, called Asurion.

Our first encounter with Asurion service was dismal (over two hours and one lost immigrant driver who hung-up on me in the middle of the night while trying to get him to find the gated community i was stuck inside, so he could go eat a meal), however, we've had a couple other Homer-like episodes since, that they have helped us out of within minutes.

This last one, we got to see the 'airjet' thingy. Like what NY BIKER described;
something the size and shape of a small paintbrush - but it's actually a small airbag-like thing that acts as a wedge when filled with air, that forces the car door open enough to allow a thick pool-cue like rod to go into the car to trip the electric doorlocks, or to grab the door handle, to open the car.

When i asked about the old-skool 'slim-jim' blade, the tow truck guy said that the newer cars today are being built with an extra sheet of metal in the door panel that covers the access to the physical mechanism the old slim-jim used to grab onto to open doors.

Again - with the proper motivation AND someone with an inventor-like mind, anyone can pretty much get into your car these days.

That's why my anti-theft system involves a hand-grenade, a timer & keypad (gee officer, i can't imagine why anyone would want to put explosives in MY car).

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fatcop
April 2, 2009 6:54 AM
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Hometown news, yay.

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acasto
April 2, 2009 9:58 AM
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I canceled my AAA since I'm a recluse that never goes anywhere and if I do my family lives in the area. Even the one time I could have used them I just unlocked the car myself with a wire coat hanger and a mallet. That would have been fun to explain though because my car was 'inside' my office. I pulled it into one of the bay doors at night to look at something under the light and locked the keys in it.

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Baron Von Crogs
April 2, 2009 11:28 AM
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Why wouldn't you just smash your window and then make a claim against your insurance? Some states waive the deductible on glass.

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captadam
April 2, 2009 1:07 PM
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Or get AAA. They'll only deal with reputably businesses, and they pay up to $100 for locksmith services. Locksmiths know this and don't usually overcharge. One guy took our door apart and sat in the parking lot for a couple hours making and perfecting a new key when we lost the key in a lake, and he didn't charge any more than what AAA would have paid him.

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nakedscience
April 2, 2009 2:36 PM
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@captadam: \"Or get AAA.\"


Do people read comments that have already been posted? Because you are the 20th person to mention it.


HEY! EVERYONE! GET AAA!!!!

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gttim
April 2, 2009 1:15 PM
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Let me chime in for the magnetic key boxes. I have one on both my cars. I put them in a hard to reach location, ON TOP OF the frame or some other metal, so they won't fall off. I place them so they are hard to find to foil criminals. I can get to them if I need them. I had to get one of the special keys for my Mustang, but it is very inexpensive insurance compared to what a locksmith would cost.

I will say that I did not use the one on my truck for years, and had trouble finding it when I did need it. Seems I hid it a little too well.

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Anonymous
April 2, 2009 3:35 PM
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@gttim: The problem with good hiding places is that any place that looks good to you will also look good to others. People think they are being clever, but the house key still ends up under the flower pot, the jewelry still ends up in the freezer, car keys still end up in magnetic boxes, and porn still goes under the mattress.

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TheWillow
April 2, 2009 2:15 PM
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No one's mentioned this suggestion yet: Move to a place where you don't need a car. I haven't locked my keys in the car for ~7 years.

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nakedscience
April 2, 2009 2:37 PM
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@TheWillow: LOL, 'cuz that's an option for everyone.

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doireallyneedausername
April 2, 2009 7:02 PM
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AAA California = Free Credit Card Keys. Get one made, keep it in your wallet. Bingo. My friends like to play the: \"haha, I'm in your car and you can't get in b/c I locked the door with your keys in the car\" game when they ride with me. They could never figure out how I would find my way in anyway. Idiots. Thanks AAA.

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Anonymous
April 3, 2009 3:40 AM
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I had a locksmith I thought was local arrive from another state, who literally jiggled his own set of keys in my door and said it was a \"High security lock,\" which would cost another $250. I told him absolutely not. He agreed to do it for the original price quoted on the phone, $49, which involved him just taking a drill and drilling the lock. The whole day cost me about $100. I was not happy.

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