For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

june262004 Posted: Jan 28, 2005 11:31 PM

For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

Today at work I was told that a friend of mine is on Jury Duty and on his way he stopped at Dunkin Donuts (the one in Wantagh on sunrise hwy) for a cup of Joe. He was in there for no more then a minute when he came out his 2002 Monte Carlo was Gone. Now when I stop for Coffee at 7-11 I never leave my car running but I see so many people who do. There was a cop on the other side of Sunrise writing a ticket So he was able to have a cop on the scene in a flash. Now he asks the cop what do I do about Jury Duty and the cop said call them now (he was picked for an armed robbery case) He called and they said he STILL needed to come in and talk to the judge so his girlfriend needed to leave work to take him to court.

The cops told him not to expect to get the car back and that since Jan 1st there have been 15-20 car robberies in the seaford/wantagh area just like this. And really I am sure the same thing could have happened if you leave the car running in front of your house (which I have done before)

Kate Posted: Jan 28, 2005 11:46 PM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

I am totally guilty of this. If I run in to the Post Office I will leave it running to get the mail.

Of course I do it less now since I have the baby to take in with me and I'm not as fast as I used to be so whats the point, matters well turn it off. But I did it today, with the doors locked, so that we would have a warm car to come back to. I'm not as worried up by me though

By the way, this is against the law and you could get a ticket for leaving your car running unattended!

Also, I believe, you are in the wrong if someone takes your car and the keys were in there... I think I heard that one of the TWO times my car was stolen in Queens!
Insurance co's do not like that very much

june262004 Posted: Jan 28, 2005 11:49 PM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

Well nothing could be as bad as the DumbA$$ who left their car running in massapequa with her baby in the car and the car got stolen. That stupid moron should have gone to jail.

I don't do it cause I would be so worried that my car would be stolen (and my car is 11 years old) You arent a horrible person I didnt post this to be like this just as a warning.

Summerbride04 Posted: Jan 28, 2005 11:51 PM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

I'm totally guilty of warming my car up before I leave for work. That's terrible what happened to your friend. I keep wanting to get the remote starter for your car so you can start the car w/out the key. Anyone know how much this costs?

Kate Posted: Jan 28, 2005 11:51 PM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

Posted by june262004

Well nothing could be as bad as the DumbA$$ who left their car running in massapequa with her baby in the car and the car got stolen. That stupid moron should have gone to jail.

absolutely! that is insane!

I don't do it cause I would be so worried that my car would be stolen (and my car is 11 years old) You arent a horrible person I didnt post this to be like this just as a warning.

oh I know, just adding my experience(s)

june262004 Posted: Jan 28, 2005 11:54 PM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

Posted by Summerbride04

I'm totally guilty of warming my car up before I leave for work. That's terrible what happened to your friend. I keep wanting to get the remote starter for your car so you can start the car w/out the key. Anyone know how much this costs?

My DH was going to get this for our cars. It depends on what kind of car you have and he couldnt find a place to install it in his car beacuse it is a stick shift and you need to bypass the clutch.

Kate Posted: Jan 28, 2005 11:55 PM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

Posted by Summerbride04

I'm totally guilty of warming my car up before I leave for work. That's terrible what happened to your friend. I keep wanting to get the remote starter for your car so you can start the car w/out the key. Anyone know how much this costs?

We got ours last Christmas '03, I want to say it was around $300.00, Honda wanted $500.00 to do it.

Its handy, but I feel ok doing it because of where my car is parked now. If I still lived in Queens, I don't think I would have a remote starter.

Shorty McBride Posted: Jan 29, 2005 12:34 AM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

I bought it for under $200 for my car (97 merc sable w/ no goodies - no keyless entry, alarm, or anything)
it gave me remote start, keyless entry, and a 'panic' alarm feature for $179 installed at PC Richards.

FH has a 2003 monte carlo w/ ALL goodies, so I had to get a sophisticated bypass thingy for him --- his ended up costing about $220.

and it's GREAT!!! I've had it for a month, and I can't believe I ever lived without it!!!

Kel Posted: Jan 29, 2005 12:38 AM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

I know a handful of people who have had their cars stolen when running into a store for 'a minute' .. sorry .. I am not even comfortable leaving my car running and unlocked while unattended for any period of time, no matter how short.

I just don't have my faith in my neighbors .. and I don't necessarily mean my actual neighbors .. just people in general. This world is really pretty pathetic with the low things people do.

DjPiLL Posted: Jan 29, 2005 12:46 AM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

This article sums up pretty much my views on the subject.

Linky

Edit: fixed link

june262004 Posted: Jan 29, 2005 12:48 AM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

Dj Sh!t didnt work... Just kidding but it didnt work

DjPiLL Posted: Jan 29, 2005 12:48 AM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

Posted by june262004

Dj Sh!t didnt work... Just kidding but it didnt work

fixed link. sorry.

june262004 Posted: Jan 29, 2005 12:51 AM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

WOW I never let my car warm up (unless I have work at 5 or 6 am and theres ice on the windows) and I thought I was doing such a horrible thing to my car.

DjPiLL Posted: Jan 29, 2005 12:54 AM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

Any car that has computer controlled fuel injection (which is pretty much any car built in the 90s or later) only needs about a minute to warm up.

The key is to not run your car hard when you first go. No hard accellerating. Just move nice and gradually for the first few minutes of driving and you do your car a better service compared to letting it idle forever just because you can't dress warm enough to drive. ROFL

Wintersbride Posted: Jan 29, 2005 12:59 AM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

I can believe it. People will take things if given the opportunity. I have heard people doing this w/ babies in the car too.

Always keep your doors locked and unless you have keyless entry, don't leave the car running while you go in for coffee, there is no reason for it and it is so not worth it.
.
ETA: My only problem with not accelerating fast at first is that people fly down my block on rediculous speeds and if you don't go, they will not stop. It's messed up because we have young kids on the block and the speed limit is 30. Everyone thinks because there are no stop signs or lights it is a drag strip. I have seen nuckleheads actually go up on the curve to go around you if you are not accelerating fast enough!

Kate Posted: Jan 29, 2005 01:02 AM

Re: For anyone who leaves their car running while they go in for coffee....

Posted by DjPiLL

Any car that has computer controlled fuel injection (which is pretty much any car built in the 90s or later) only needs about a minute to warm up.

The key is to not run your car hard when you first go. No hard accellerating. Just move nice and gradually for the first few minutes of driving and you do your car a better service compared to letting it idle forever just because you can't dress warm enough to drive. ROFL

Well I have found this to be true, about the driving it but I don't warm it up in the sense like a 1974 Nova warming up. like today it was already warm INSIDE the car so I wanted to keep it that way. It was negative degrees today and it gets cold real fast.
Oh who am I kidding.... the kid was in a snow suit! he was warm enough....