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Prevent theft?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by Terrell, Aug 7, 2022.

  1. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    What would law enforcement advise? I’m guessing:

    1. get good insurance
    2. Hand them the keys without any push back
     
  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Don't worry about it and give them the keys unless you already put the baby in the car seat.
     
  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    1a. How often do thieves come right back? This sounds more like (scare mongering) ^ squared.
    1b. While calling police, you don't have to leave yourself exposed to further victimization. Call from a safer place.
    2. Thieves and other crooks fleeing from crime scenes or from police are commonly already speeding, driving recklessly, and endangering innocents. Stalling their vehicle in the road isn't really adding to that risk.
    1. Rethink that. The first place to run should be to any sort of immediate cover. Then think about getting to a neighbor or store or crowd.
    2. No, the thieves "demanded" the keys. At that stage, the victim still had multiple choices, including throwing the keys in the opposite direction she might intend to flee. Or some other diversion.
    3. A great majority of them do just want the car. The fact that they didn't preemptively shoot her, adds to that presumption.
    4. The Prius engine control is entirely throttle-by-wire, so the ECUs can easily limit RPM to safe levels. We have seen plenty of discussion here that drivers simply cannot over-rev the engine, because the computers protect it. The thieves may be leaving crash damage, but not engine damage.
    The first several I find all say 'give up the car', but none say it as 'hand over the keys'. That leaves multiple choices in just how to give up the car or keys. I'd prefer to drop them, toss them, even slide them under the car, before engaging in a simple handover. Anything to divert, distract, delay or make them work harder, creating more opportunity to escape or find cover.

    I've found that individual line officers very often have different opinions than the official liability-limiting public positions of their area's largest law enforcement agencies. And like the general public itself, those individual police opinions spread across a very wide gamut.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Keep VIN and plate no on a card in wallet/purse, or on your phone?
     
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I keep physical insurance cards in my wallet as well as in the car (the law doesn't care where, just as long as it is available to an officer pulling you over), and this card shows the VIN. It is also now legal here to have a virtual proof of insurance on one's smartphone, and my insurance company is among those that provide an app for that.

    Plate numbers? I'm still young enough to memorize the household's plates, though my list of memorized friend's plates is very drastically shorter than three or four decades ago.

    These days, patrol officers and their dispatchers are sufficiently well connected electronically that it shouldn't take much of one's personal information for them to retrieve the rest.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  6. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    1a.
    I don't know how many times thieves comes back. I just want them far away not have a stalled car a couple blocks away. Sounds like you have no fear.
    1b.
    I think I will be at a safer place nearby especially if I'm on foot.
    1.
    Why rethink? Just think once and go where it is safe?
    2.
    A stalled car on the freeway is a safety hazard. If you do not agree with this, we can disagree.
    1.
    Yes, the keys are handed over to the thieves which is what I have been trained at work. Don't antagonize thieves. Give them what they want. Things can be replaced, people cannot. Sounds like you have no fear squared.
    3. Yes, a great majority do just want the car. Hence, give it to them and let them drive away.
    4.
    Nearly all cars sold today have rev limiters and are drive by wire like a Prius. Why even argue this? If you are right then there is no reason to fear this. No fear cubed? :whistle:
     
  7. Terrell

    Terrell Old-Timer

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    :) Yep, it also has an AirTag, but not in the glovebox. I wanted it more hidden (thieves tend to go through the glove box and center console looking for stuff to steal), plus I wanted it where less metal is in the way. I fastened it to the lower rear window with velcro. It's sort of hidden by the spoiler - you have to look carefully to see it. And with the hatch open, it's unlikely someone would look there. And remember, someone with a smart phone needs to walk past, so it's on the sidewalk side.

    Nope, I'm not gonna stand there waiting for them in case they come back.

    When the engine stalls, it's not like the brakes slam on.
    True, thieves likely will wreck the car. But in today's market, have you looked at prices - for USED cars!? They are just about as expensive as new - but you can't get new cars, unless you want a truck!

    That's likely the worst thing, if they take your phone (mine is always in my pocket when I exit the car - except when I forget, because I've used it for navigation and forget to take it, which I've done once in a while. It's never in a purse or bag). They cannot make the stolen phone work, but you can't easily call the cops with no phone either.

    Yes, or your adult daughter or son. That's why I'd just hand over the key fob and let them take the car. But it sure would be nice to be able to push a button three minutes later and have the car die. (y)
     
    #27 Terrell, Aug 9, 2022
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2022
  8. Terrell

    Terrell Old-Timer

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  9. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    2G still exists in numerous places -- outside the U.S.

    But apparently, after repeated sunset extensions, there is still some 2G here in the U.S. for a few more months:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2G#Phase-out
     
  10. prius2010II

    prius2010II Member

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    Maybe not in our lifetimes.

    Imagine a self driving car. You use an app. Select the car stolen option. The doors lock and the car drives to the nearest police station