Well I suppose this is one advantage of pure electric cars.
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Catalytic Converter Theft
71–80 of 155 posts
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
They’re melted down and the result is pure untraceable metal. Rhodium vendors can’t be common though. What’s the story the fences give? “This is all from my small-scale family rhodium mine”?
I haven't looked into it in detail but I would be very surprised if this process was as simple as melting down some stolen lead flashing, surely it isn't the kind of thing you can do with a camping stove and an old pot? There must be limited facilities with the ability to extract and purify the rhodium content.
I could. But not with a camping stove and I may have to feed some additional oxygen. But yes, doable in your backyard
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#73It's things like this that make it such a shock to go to an extremely safe country / area. All the little scripts one has to keep track of to be "safe and secure" in the US (e.g. instinctively locking your doors all the way to learning that you can't park in SF to take your girlfriend to lunch on your way to drop her off at the airport because a big suitcase is a target for these rampant smash-and-grabs; unfortunatel…
Most parts of the US aren't like that. Even California wasn't like that not too long ago.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#74Easy to install shields like this one from catshield https://catshield.com/ can be a somewhat effective deterrent given the thieves have to be able to remove it quickly without making noise. Also hybrids are more targeted for cat theft because they have more of the metals than normal cars to compensate for frequent engine stops and starts from cold.
I don’t understand how this would prevent someone with an angle grinder from cutting through it anyway. Especially the aluminum ones
Grinding metal makes noise and attracts attention. It's not a solution rather a deterrent to make it harder for the thieves to get to the cat without special tools.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#75Earlier quoted context omitted.
They’re melted down and the result is pure untraceable metal. Rhodium vendors can’t be common though. What’s the story the fences give? “This is all from my small-scale family rhodium mine”?
Small-scale / illegal mines are a big issue in China and India, so I suppose it can be commingled into that chain: https://e360.yale.edu/features/china-wrestles-with-the-toxic...
Most platinum group metals come from Africa. Not that the transparency is any better there.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
Maybe it's your definition of 'extremely safe' areas? I don't own security nuts, or special locks for my bike, or have ever had my home/car broken into despite not even knowing where my house key is at this point and never locking my car. I don't understand the comparison to the other countries, either. Are you saying they don't have petty crime?
Ah I should be more specific: urban areas in those countries. The level of petty crime in any major city in the US is far higher than any city in those countries I mentioned. In non-urban areas in the US things are better for sure, but you still have to deal with other things like having complete asshole neighbors that you really can't do anything about because small quality of life crimes like partying every night w…
I dunno. Staying in an Airbnb in Seoul, I woke at ~1am to someone banging on my door and yelling for about five minutes. Pretty sure if it weren't locked, I'd be in some sort of trouble.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
Maybe it's your definition of 'extremely safe' areas? I don't own security nuts, or special locks for my bike, or have ever had my home/car broken into despite not even knowing where my house key is at this point and never locking my car. I don't understand the comparison to the other countries, either. Are you saying they don't have petty crime?
Ah I should be more specific: urban areas in those countries. The level of petty crime in any major city in the US is far higher than any city in those countries I mentioned. In non-urban areas in the US things are better for sure, but you still have to deal with other things like having complete asshole neighbors that you really can't do anything about because small quality of life crimes like partying every night w…
This is a really awfully broad generalization. Crime in SF, NY, Chicago, Boston, LA or Houston are all vastly different situations. Even with shootings up a ton this past year, NYC is still safer per capita than places like Savannah. SF seems to have gotten very out of control, though. Fwiw, I would never leave my car unlocked anywhere, but I also wouldn't feel weird about leaving a bag out. And there is a ton of pick pocketing and petty theft in places like Barcelona, Lisbon, Rome and Paris. Big cities require some attentiveness.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#78It's things like this that make it such a shock to go to an extremely safe country / area. All the little scripts one has to keep track of to be "safe and secure" in the US (e.g. instinctively locking your doors all the way to learning that you can't park in SF to take your girlfriend to lunch on your way to drop her off at the airport because a big suitcase is a target for these rampant smash-and-grabs; unfortunatel…
Certain suburbs like Irvine CA are for safety but not for diversity and culture of a city. Choose one.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#79Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#80We need to build cities with ring roads. It'll deter thieves because cities are vulnerable to thieves driving in and out quickly on freeways.