The answer to the question is "because people are buying them". It is as simple as a supply-demand economy 101. Why people are bying them? Perhaps even if the alarms are not effective they give owners peace of mind, which is good enough reason for them to exist.
Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)
401–410 of 535 posts
Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)
#402Earlier quoted context omitted.
That long story and it didn't look like they got much out of it. At that point you start to wonder about the motive. Drugs? Plus not having a lot of intellegence or skill?
Probably needed a disposable car for a crime.
Hm. Maybe I am wrong on this, but then you would expect them to dispose it near a potentially faraway crime scene, not close to where it was stolen.
Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)
#403Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah the preoccupation with “how will the person use this money” I’ve done away with. I donate money to people. If it’s a scam or they use it for “unhealthy” ends, then I consider that is on them, not me. I gave the money with good intentions. I’m not tied to the outcome.
Assuming your donations are limited, a dollar given to a junkie or a scammer is a dollar not given to a hungry man.
How do you determine which of the three men you pass on the street is a scammer, junkie, or hungry man? Maybe you give to a food pantry instead-- what about the people that use them for the free food but don't really need it?
How do you define scammer? If a person is homeless, but holds up a gas can with a sign that says "ran out of gas please help!" then they're lying about why they need the money, but they aren't scamming in terms of not actually being homeless.
What about junkies too-- they still need to eat. Absent enough money to do both, they might choose just to get high, deteriorate more, have even less chance of recovery.
There's no easy litmus test here. No easy way to ensure the money you give is going to be used in the best possible way to improve someone's life.
Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)
#404Earlier quoted context omitted.
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…
Why would you need evidence to refute the idea that 'a free market can solve all problems' That would be an insane thing to assume in the 1st place. Where would you even get that notion from?
Because there's a certain subset here on HN that believe just about any problem could be solved if only the free market was allowed to operate without restriction or government intervention. I have on occasion run into them like running into a brick wall.
Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)
#405Earlier quoted context omitted.
In the UK this is disabled in the ECU, as using your horn while stationary isn't allowed
Entirely disallowed? I've had to use my horn while stationery for safety reasons. Like when I'm in a parking lot, I can't go anywhere because there's a car in front of me, and someone starts to back out of a parking space toward me without looking. They need to know that it's not clear, and that's what the horn is for. (It's also what their mirrors are for, but I can't control that.)
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Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)
#406Earlier quoted context omitted.
That can end up pulling air through the fuel pump. That isn't safe or healthy for the pump.
This is the first time I've heard of intentionally running a fuel pump backwards and I wonder whether you're right. The fuel pump in modern vehicles is normally submerged in the fuel tank. My guess is that air drawn in by the pump would just make harmless bubbles; the pump would still be fully lubricated. Does anyone know for sure?
It's likely old and carbeurated. Running pump in reverse may serve to empty the carbs fuel "bowl".
Some cars can run a good while off the bowl. Enough to get a mile maybe.
Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)
#407Earlier 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…
Chipotle! You animal!
You're awesome. I wish people like you were more prevalent in society.
Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)
#408In large cities people ignore car alarms and are more and likely going to attract a brick through the window from pissed of neighbors. The biggest issue is people with car alarms have the sensitivity so low anything triggers them. I used to live in a condo, owned a Fatboy and when I fired up the bike and rode up the underground parkade 6-10 cars alarms would go off.
Your loud-ass vehicle shouldn't be legal.
I owned the bike for 2 years about 15+ years ago before I t-boned a car (their fault). The bike was written off. It was the first and last Harley I ever owned. After that I switched to Japanese and Italian bikes.
Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)
#409Last time I got car insurance (a year ago?) I believe they still asked if it had an alarm, implying they still give a discount for it. Do insurance companies think it actually matters? Or do they just get kickbacks from alarm companies?
Besides what other people have said, consider also that just because they’re asking about having an alarm doesn’t mean they actually care about whether there’s an alarm directly. It just means there’s some statistical correlation between alarm presence and risk.
It could be a case of “people who add aftermarket alarms are more likely to be conscientious about not leaving their vehicle where it’s likely to be broken into in the first place” or “people who go through the expense of adding aftermarket alarms tend to do so because if multiple prior break-ins, and may be doing something (e.g., leaving things in the car) that increase the risk”.