Stupid Human Tricks, don't try at home
03-24-2005, 09:54 PM
#1
Stupid Human Tricks, don't try at home
. . . or, how to get stuff stolen without even trying.
About halfway through this post many of you will probably be laughing at me. That's OK, I post this rather embarassing story to help anybody else avoid making the same mistake.
So this morning I open the back door like I always do to put my laptop on the back seat. I notice the microfiber towel I normally keep in the front driver's side door pocket is on the back floormat. Hmmmm, I must have been sloppy and not remembered it, stuff happens when you get old I guess.
I open the front door and sit down and then notice that the center console flip-ups are both open. Arrrghhh, it hits me - somebody's been in my car. I go through the console and seems like my CD's and tollway I-pass are still there, my kleenex are there but my Altoids are gone. OK, not bad, check the glovebox. Nothing missing there either. Then I look up and see my Valentine1 is gone. Drat. So somewhere somebody with fresh breath has a great radar detector and it's not me. Nothing else in the car (or trunk) is missing or damaged so not too bad. But - how did the thief get in?
So I drive to work and park, re-inspect the car and can't find any thing to suggest forcible entry. Catch up on work and find time to call Acura CS to see if there's any reported problems with the door locks. Nice guy checks on some things and then says nothing specific and asks me a few questions. "After depressing the dimple on the handle did you possibly put your hand on the inside of the handle?" Nope, I never use the dimple I sez! "OK, when you used the fob to lock the car did you see the lights flash or hear the beep?" Nope I . . . . oh crap, I get it, the doors don't automatically LOCK they just auto-unlock! Doh! Since my '99 'vette does both I just assumed (we know what a mistake that is) that so did the Acura. I guess since I've obviously not been locking the car for the almost 2 months of ownership and the worst I've had is a somewhat messy thief stealing my V1 I'm not doing too bad.
At lunch in my office I finally got around to popping in the DVD and watched the first chapter on the remote and locks. Sure enough, they explicitly stated that there is no auto-lock (of course not counting the shift-into-park or hit a speed thing). Double-Doh! Cuz I'm a stickler for reading manuals, but never saw that in the printed version and couldn't find the remote to my home DVD player so never played it (used my laptop at the office).
So, anywhoo, even if you all laugh at me it's cool, cuz I was dumb, but maybe somebody else new to RL ownership that might read this will save themself some hassle down the road.
BTW, when I called Valentine1 to order a new one they took note of the fact that the old one was stolen and marked their records. Once I get my police report I'll call them back and they'll add that info to their records; if anybody calls with questions on that serial # it will be flagged and they'll contact the PD phone # from the police rept. Kinda cool. Not that I have any hopes that I'd ever get it back or that even the person calling would be the thief, just that such processes really discourage trading in stolen property.
About halfway through this post many of you will probably be laughing at me. That's OK, I post this rather embarassing story to help anybody else avoid making the same mistake.
So this morning I open the back door like I always do to put my laptop on the back seat. I notice the microfiber towel I normally keep in the front driver's side door pocket is on the back floormat. Hmmmm, I must have been sloppy and not remembered it, stuff happens when you get old I guess.
I open the front door and sit down and then notice that the center console flip-ups are both open. Arrrghhh, it hits me - somebody's been in my car. I go through the console and seems like my CD's and tollway I-pass are still there, my kleenex are there but my Altoids are gone. OK, not bad, check the glovebox. Nothing missing there either. Then I look up and see my Valentine1 is gone. Drat. So somewhere somebody with fresh breath has a great radar detector and it's not me. Nothing else in the car (or trunk) is missing or damaged so not too bad. But - how did the thief get in?
So I drive to work and park, re-inspect the car and can't find any thing to suggest forcible entry. Catch up on work and find time to call Acura CS to see if there's any reported problems with the door locks. Nice guy checks on some things and then says nothing specific and asks me a few questions. "After depressing the dimple on the handle did you possibly put your hand on the inside of the handle?" Nope, I never use the dimple I sez! "OK, when you used the fob to lock the car did you see the lights flash or hear the beep?" Nope I . . . . oh crap, I get it, the doors don't automatically LOCK they just auto-unlock! Doh! Since my '99 'vette does both I just assumed (we know what a mistake that is) that so did the Acura. I guess since I've obviously not been locking the car for the almost 2 months of ownership and the worst I've had is a somewhat messy thief stealing my V1 I'm not doing too bad.
At lunch in my office I finally got around to popping in the DVD and watched the first chapter on the remote and locks. Sure enough, they explicitly stated that there is no auto-lock (of course not counting the shift-into-park or hit a speed thing). Double-Doh! Cuz I'm a stickler for reading manuals, but never saw that in the printed version and couldn't find the remote to my home DVD player so never played it (used my laptop at the office).
So, anywhoo, even if you all laugh at me it's cool, cuz I was dumb, but maybe somebody else new to RL ownership that might read this will save themself some hassle down the road.
BTW, when I called Valentine1 to order a new one they took note of the fact that the old one was stolen and marked their records. Once I get my police report I'll call them back and they'll add that info to their records; if anybody calls with questions on that serial # it will be flagged and they'll contact the PD phone # from the police rept. Kinda cool. Not that I have any hopes that I'd ever get it back or that even the person calling would be the thief, just that such processes really discourage trading in stolen property.
03-24-2005, 10:37 PM
#2
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lol..Karl.. You aren't the only one who didn't know the doors didn't auto-lock. I also usually read the owners manual, but just haven't gotten around to doing much reading (dealer gave a very lengthy presentation). Luckily, I haven't had any items stolen from the RL. Now you know in the future what to do...Lock those doors! 
03-24-2005, 11:45 PM
#3
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At least they only got away with some minor stuff, do I guess it could have been worse for you.
If it makes you feel less dumb, when I first got the RL, I locked it via the dimples, then pulled on the driver door handle to see if it was really locked...and presto, I unwittingly unlocked the car again. I felt a bit like Darwin was watching me as I figured out what I had just done
Now I either trust the two beeps, or if I'm in an untrusting mood, I pull on the REAR door handle to check it's locked.
Pete
If it makes you feel less dumb, when I first got the RL, I locked it via the dimples, then pulled on the driver door handle to see if it was really locked...and presto, I unwittingly unlocked the car again. I felt a bit like Darwin was watching me as I figured out what I had just done
Now I either trust the two beeps, or if I'm in an untrusting mood, I pull on the REAR door handle to check it's locked.
Pete
03-25-2005, 12:09 AM
#4
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I GET IT NOW! When I was playing with the keyless go, I thought there was autolock as well. Now the dimples make more sense...
So let me get this straight: when I walk up to my locked RL, all I have to do is reach for the door handle, and it unlocks right before I pull on the handle? To lock the vehicle, do I just need to touch the dimple on the door handle? Does the RL beep to let me know the car has locked, because I know that the door locks are incredibly silent on this vehicle? I can also fumble for the key fob, and manually press the lock button, right? Is there anything more to it?
Thanks for the help! Sorry about the mis-hap, Karl...I figured there was autolock as well and had to convince myself that the RL locked as I walked away with the fob in my pocket.
So let me get this straight: when I walk up to my locked RL, all I have to do is reach for the door handle, and it unlocks right before I pull on the handle? To lock the vehicle, do I just need to touch the dimple on the door handle? Does the RL beep to let me know the car has locked, because I know that the door locks are incredibly silent on this vehicle? I can also fumble for the key fob, and manually press the lock button, right? Is there anything more to it?
Thanks for the help! Sorry about the mis-hap, Karl...I figured there was autolock as well and had to convince myself that the RL locked as I walked away with the fob in my pocket.
03-25-2005, 12:47 AM
#5
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SPUDMTN,
Touching the inside of the handle unlocks, touching the outside dimple locks....the only way to lock or unlock without touching the car is via the buttons on the fob. If you grab the handle so that you tocuh the dimple and the inside of the handle together, nothing will happen. This is the same on either the driver or passenger doors.
The car does beep to confirm both lock and unlock when you touch the handles, but you can turn this feature off...although I don't know why you would.
Pete
Touching the inside of the handle unlocks, touching the outside dimple locks....the only way to lock or unlock without touching the car is via the buttons on the fob. If you grab the handle so that you tocuh the dimple and the inside of the handle together, nothing will happen. This is the same on either the driver or passenger doors.
The car does beep to confirm both lock and unlock when you touch the handles, but you can turn this feature off...although I don't know why you would.
Pete
03-25-2005, 07:42 AM
#6
I have my beep turned off, but the lock sound is audible enough for me. Even so, it leaves me wondering at times. Mostly, I just lock with the inside door lock as I'm opening the door to get out ... simple and effective.
Karl, just wondering. What reaction do you get from the police when you file a report for a stolen Radar Detector? I know it is property and all, but isn't it something that they would be kindof against in the first place? Just wondering. BTW, LOL about the speeding down the highway with freshbreath thing ... great story!
Karl, just wondering. What reaction do you get from the police when you file a report for a stolen Radar Detector? I know it is property and all, but isn't it something that they would be kindof against in the first place? Just wondering. BTW, LOL about the speeding down the highway with freshbreath thing ... great story!
03-25-2005, 08:55 AM
#7
Spudmtn - you nailed it, that's exactly how it works.
Legendguy - I don't anticipate any emotion from the cops one way or the other. This will be a local Chicago PD report (17th district, 13th precinct) and it's basically just a stolen property report for about $400 of stuff - $399 for the V1 and $3.50 for the Altoids.
It's just paperwork and it's for property that's legal to own in this state. CPD honestly couldn't care less about speeding unless you are talking about street racing or really stupid stuff like that. There's only a couple places where CPD even monitor speeding, like Lake Shore Drive (in winter, to keep cars from throwing salt spray on the trees in the median, because the mayor says so). Other than that Illinois State Patrol monitor for speeding on the Chicago expressways.
Legendguy - I don't anticipate any emotion from the cops one way or the other. This will be a local Chicago PD report (17th district, 13th precinct) and it's basically just a stolen property report for about $400 of stuff - $399 for the V1 and $3.50 for the Altoids.
It's just paperwork and it's for property that's legal to own in this state. CPD honestly couldn't care less about speeding unless you are talking about street racing or really stupid stuff like that. There's only a couple places where CPD even monitor speeding, like Lake Shore Drive (in winter, to keep cars from throwing salt spray on the trees in the median, because the mayor says so). Other than that Illinois State Patrol monitor for speeding on the Chicago expressways.
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03-25-2005, 11:58 AM
#8
Instructor
Although opening and closing of the car with the door handle seems to be clear now, I got a strong feeling that when I close it with the remote - on the first button press it actually closes (I can hear door locks sound) and on the second button press it just beeps to confirm that it is closed, without attempting to close again. Am I right?
And BTW about the closing the door with the door handle dimple. When I realized that touching this dimple with my index finger is quite awkward - I have to look at the door handle, point at the dimple with the finger and keep touching it for about a second, I kinda discovered more convenient way to do it!
I just slightly tap the outside of the door handle with the OUTER part of my plam! I don't have to look at it - palm is much bigger than one finger. It works faster and more reliable - palm is just bigger and the sensor (which actually measures electrical capacitor capacitance) works just better. As I use the outer part of the palm - there is no chance to accidentially touch the inside of the door handle. And it just looks better - I kinda give the car a friendly "see you soon" kick and it attachedly beeps in response.
And BTW about the closing the door with the door handle dimple. When I realized that touching this dimple with my index finger is quite awkward - I have to look at the door handle, point at the dimple with the finger and keep touching it for about a second, I kinda discovered more convenient way to do it!
I just slightly tap the outside of the door handle with the OUTER part of my plam! I don't have to look at it - palm is much bigger than one finger. It works faster and more reliable - palm is just bigger and the sensor (which actually measures electrical capacitor capacitance) works just better. As I use the outer part of the palm - there is no chance to accidentially touch the inside of the door handle. And it just looks better - I kinda give the car a friendly "see you soon" kick and it attachedly beeps in response.
03-25-2005, 01:43 PM
#9
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konst_ms,
You are correct in the usage of the remote to lock the doors. For other cars (Ford, GM etc.), the second press of the remote sounds the horn to indicate that the doors have locked, in the RL's case it sounds the beep.
Pete
You are correct in the usage of the remote to lock the doors. For other cars (Ford, GM etc.), the second press of the remote sounds the horn to indicate that the doors have locked, in the RL's case it sounds the beep.
Pete
03-25-2005, 02:15 PM
#10
Karl has had his problems. Look at it this way Karl.
Had you infact locked your car and someone wanted the Valentine they may have busted a window or lock causing you much more aggravation and possibly another trip back to the body shop..
Have a better weekend.
BL
Had you infact locked your car and someone wanted the Valentine they may have busted a window or lock causing you much more aggravation and possibly another trip back to the body shop..
Have a better weekend.
BL
03-28-2005, 05:57 PM
#11
...just another stooge...
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Karl:
It just sounds like you're a much more trusting person than I am! That's a good thing!
My kids want to leave their Ipods on the car seats all the time. They're always telling me I'm paranoid. I guess they'll keep thinking that until they have to buy the goodies for themselves.
It just sounds like you're a much more trusting person than I am! That's a good thing!
My kids want to leave their Ipods on the car seats all the time. They're always telling me I'm paranoid. I guess they'll keep thinking that until they have to buy the goodies for themselves.
03-28-2005, 07:18 PM
#12
Well my new V1 showed up today. Impressive considering I ordered it Thursday and just went with UPS Ground; they told me it would ship Friday and I figured sometime this week it would show up. Didn't figure it would be waiting for me when I came home from visiting my sister-in-law in the hospital. Helped cheer up the mood. The carrying case I ordered to go with it is pretty slick, too.
The carrying case I ordered to go with it is pretty slick, too.
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