Why do they still make car alarms? (2015) • Hacker News Board

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#341

Post by logbiscuitswave » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:18 AM UTC

hedora wrote: post #4

I really wish there was a way to disable the panic button on my key fob. It has a hair trigger and only requires one click to activate. I regularly trigger it by bending over with my keys in my pocket.

I’ve literally removed the panic button from my remote because of this. I got sick of accidentally pressing it.

Removal was super easy to do and reversible. When I opened the remote (like to replace the battery) it was simple to pop out the circuit board, remove the plastic button, and set it aside.

I can still stick my finger into the void and press on the membrane switch directly to activate it if I really need to, but it prevents me accidentally triggering it because something was pressing into my pocket.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#342

Post by tomxor » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:19 AM UTC

I wonder what proportion of break ins and vandalism were caused by car alarms?

When your sleep is completely ruined at 3am for the 4th night in a row you start to have serious thoughts of hunting down and trashing whatever car is causing it to prevent it from happening again... Noise and lack of sleep drives people to extremes no matter how civil and law abiding they may normally be, it will definitely have happened.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#343

Post by kevin_thibedeau » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:19 AM UTC

slashink wrote: post #175

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That can end up pulling air through the fuel pump. That isn't safe or healthy for the pump.

Compared to losing the RV it seems like a negligible cost for what the commenter describes as “older RV”.

When his neighbors house burns down, the insurance company isn't going to pay out after finding this post. Not a negligible cost.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#344

Post by dwighttk » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:22 AM UTC

Spooky23 wrote: post #200

cpgxiii wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not just "think" - some cars specifically beep in different ways depending on lock status. Recent-ish Fords beep once when locked, and beep twice quickly if a door is ajar and can't lock. It also blinks the lights to match, but the sound is much easier to recognize.

My Honda demands tribute when you close the rear tailgate. If you fail to provide the attention it demands, mainly waiting for the gate to fully close, it beeps 3 times and unlocks the car. Very helpful feature.

Better than my Volvo that would lock the car when you closed the back hatch... even if the keys were in the ignition and the car was running.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#345

Post by recursive » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:22 AM UTC

FalconSensei wrote: post #238

> THE CAR ALARM IS BOTH INEFFECTIVE AND ANNOYING. IT'S ALSO UNNEEDED. I'm not sure which definition of unneeded the author is using, but I would say car thefts makes them needed? Could say they are ineffective, but still needed

Are magic anti-theft spells also needed?

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#346

Post by m463 » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:24 AM UTC

l72 wrote: post #87

Now if we could just disable the feature that causes the horn to honk when locking the vehicle with the key fob... As someone who lives on a residential street, but with a hospital at the far end, we have tons of patients, families, doctors, and nurses that park on our street to avoid paying for the garage. I get to listen to horns honking at all hours. A few cars (Acura comes to mind), do a bit better, in that they…

I've always wondered about this trend.

If there is a feature that is "important" you get it whether it is appropriate or you want it.

Keyfobs have the beep feature (except tesla). car trunks and doors close with a beep. Flashlights get the blinky-mode feature (except blf lights).

Too bad non-touchscreen controls have not been important enough.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#347

Post by progman32 » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:26 AM UTC

ineedasername wrote: post #261

spiritplumber wrote: post #244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It prevents the fuel pump in the engine from working (I had to add an electric fuel pump because the original one isn't doing very well). Yes on the hot meal. I've been homeless and it stinks.

It amazes me that, in wealthy countries, there are significant homelessness problems due to economic displacement. I consider it an existence-proof of the idea that a free market cannot solve all problems. I think homelessness due to other causes-- mental health for example-- are more complex but similarly demonstrate fundamental flaws in the framework of society. Only once was I able to give a homeless person a meal…

I've brought over a bagged lunch to a homeless person specifically asking for food, only to be roundly rejected without comment or inquiry. Guy begged for food daily.

I've given money to a homeless person asking for money for a cab to the hospital. They had a visibly and badly injured hand. After I gave them the money they stopped me from calling a cab from my phone, and (upon perceiving me as having left), pocketed the cash and laughed. They never went anywhere and just hung out.

I've had a friend offer a stack of jeans to a homeless person asking for pants, only to have them tossed all over the ground right in front of my friend. They only took their favorite pair.

I've taken someone desperate for food into a convenience store to pick out a meal, only to be run out by the store owner.

This makes it all the sweeter when, despite the insults, scammers, and jerks, you manage to actually help someone. Learn to see through the initial presentation.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#348

Post by kenhwang » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:29 AM UTC

chrisseaton wrote: post #308

fy20 wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing about radios isn't true. You can remove them easily, but they are usually locked in software to that vehicle so can't easily be reused. That doesn't mean they can't... Last year someone broke into the underground parking of my apartment building and stole the radios from a couple of new BMWs. No way was that just a random smash and grab, as to get in you need to go through the car elevator or unlock two doo…

> The thing about radios isn't true. You can remove them easily Do you think cars still use the old ISO 7736 and ISO 10487 standards for radios? Those standard-sized oblong units where people would replace them with after-market radios? That's not the case anymore and hasn't been more than a decade or two. Car radios these days are an integral part of the cars computers and the infotainment system. They aren't remova…

Can't even plop them into an identical model because they have to paired with the main computer with special software nowadays.

Sometimes I think people on HN hasn't interacted with a car made in the last couple of decades based on how outdated their statements on car functionality are.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#349

Post by nostromo » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:31 AM UTC

stephencanon wrote: post #266

olyjohn wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s actually illegal in Washington State as well. I’m sure that’s fairly common in a lot of states and countries. But of course it’s also not enforced here.

Heck, it’s a $350 fine in NYC.

If actually enforced, this would immediately close NYC’s multi-billion dollar budget shortfall.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#350

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jan 20, 2021, 3:33 AM UTC

greggman3 wrote: post #294

anonymousiam wrote: post #112

If the author had a Ring doorbell (and looked at their crime reports), or participated on NextDoor, they would know that theft from parked cars is the number one problem in most neighborhoods. An alarm is still a good deterrent for people who do not park their cars in a garage.

> theft from parked cars is the number one problem in most neighborhoods You forgot to add "in the USA" (or some other country). Where I live (Japan), AFAIK, theft from cars is practically non-existent. Leaving things in your car visible is not an issue. I don't think I've ever seen a pile of glass from a car window busted the entire time I've spent here (14 yrs) where as in SF, several times, I'd walk by Dolores Par…

[deleted]