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Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

thebaltimorebanner.com

391–400 of 670 posts

Re: Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

#391

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The product sold doesn't comply with the stated fit of purpose. A consumer has the reasonable expectation that an ignition switch will hamper the efforts of someone to steal their car. There are lots of consumer protection laws that can be applied here - up to fraud. I suspect Baltimore isn't as interested in the the money to be gained as they are in generating negative PR for KIA and thus forcing them to address the…

That's not criminal, that's a tort. Baltimore, not being the customer, probably lacks standing.

Yeah presumably that's why they're suing and not charging them with a crime. Think about that one for a second.

Re: Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

#393
post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would take Ra's al Ghul to resolve the problems of this city FWIW, the parent poster doesn't want increased incarceration, they want these people executed (probably without due process).

Dunno about the parent poster, but I would settle for caning.

Kinky.

Re: Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

#394

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The argument isn't comparing the manufacturers liability, but that of the people choosing to steal the cars in the first place - why is it relevant how easy the cars are to steal?

Because human nature is a bit more complex than "car thief or not."

Yeah, there's also "car thief, but only if it's easy and convenient".

Re: Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

#395

The City of Baltimore has repeatedly demonstrated that they will do anything besides try to change the behavior of the population. It's a failed city, and luckily the model is being exported to places like SF, LA, and DC. Why should we punish people who repeatedly commit crime anyway? Fuck it, why do anything? Let's sue Kia instead, maybe we can get a payday

It’s a little early to be drinking isn’t it? The city is suing to recover the money they spent on all the police efforts expended because Kia cut corners to reduce costs.

As someone currently in Japan, still a bit shocked how it's actually possible to leave your bike unlocked in a major city and expect to see it the next day, I do find it rediculous to blame the manufacturer for crime. Like what's next, suing a lock manufacturer for being too easy to pick (you can literally look up how to pick 99% of locks on YouTube).

Re: Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

#396

I live in Baltimore, in a pretty "good" part of town where most of the young professionals and Hopkins hospital staff live. I know 4 different people who've had cars stolen in the past 24 months. In 3 of these cases the perpetrators were teenagers, and in 2 of these cases they brandished guns. Only one of these thefts were Hyundai/Kia-related, and the thief punched my buddy in the face during the theft. Many others I…

As another person currently residing in Baltimore (and who just re-signed a lease to stay in a city I've enjoyed living in), it's worth pointing out that when people talk about "systemic" issues in policing and law enforcement, they're talking about things like the fact that for the last, oh, literally 162 years, Baltimore PD has not been administrated within the City of Baltimore, but instead by state lawmakers in the capital, Annapolis, which is around a 45-minute drive away. It's only been during the most recent local election that control was moving locally instead[1][2][3].

This kind of thing has resounding consequences. Baltimore is a city with a complicated history; for one thing, it's down from it's peak of almost 1M people to under 600k [4]. There's a significant history of racism in Maryland at large. There's a lot of fundamental issues, ranging from food deserts to lack of public transportation among the poorer areas. But to say that "[I]t would take Ra's al Ghul to resolve the problems of this city" is not true. It's certainly not all sunshine and roses, there's a lot of work being done at the grassroots as well, from new local investigative news organizations like the Baltimore Banner being funded to small makerspaces being set up in the now-plentiful well-built, but unused buildings that cities like Boston or Washington, DC. would only dream about having near their harbor or highways, and it's unfair to dismiss these things as being worthless.

[1] https://baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/baltimore-officials-co...

[2] https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-city-control-police...

[3] https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/local-gove...

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore#Demographics (other sources available)

Re: Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

#397

The City of Baltimore has repeatedly demonstrated that they will do anything besides try to change the behavior of the population. It's a failed city, and luckily the model is being exported to places like SF, LA, and DC. Why should we punish people who repeatedly commit crime anyway? Fuck it, why do anything? Let's sue Kia instead, maybe we can get a payday

It’s a little early to be drinking isn’t it? The city is suing to recover the money they spent on all the police efforts expended because Kia cut corners to reduce costs.

If you have to garnish your point with jokes and insults maybe that reveals you feel insecure that it can stand on its own.

Re: Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

#398

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While that would definitely be a problem, that's the end-user's/customer's problem. It would be appropriate for a Hyundai/Kia buyer to sue Hyundai/Kia for damages experienced because of such a thing. It doesn't make sense for a municipality to sue here - they're not a party with a stake in the ostensibly defective product.

But the city is expending resources (police, mostly) so there is damage.

The city is expected to police all crime regardless. The car manufacturer might (or might not) have some duty to the customer in this area, but certainly not the city for contributing to a crime increase.

You might as well say that a company that produces an exceptionally desirable product, one that perhaps entices thieves, would be responsible for a crime increase.

Re: Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

#399

Is this Hyundai/Kia theft disproportionately rampant in other cities as well? If so then Baltimore may have a reasonable case. If not then it’s a Baltimore problem.

I first heard about this 3 months ago when they became ineligible for new insurance with State Farm in Louisiana: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34642224

Re: Baltimore sues Hyundai, Kia over spike in car thefts

#400
post #283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to defend the police but the cops (in CA) did follow up on a burglary of my wife's handbag (with wallet/ids/phone) from her car at a gas station. If the theft was part of a bigger issue with (to use the Kwikset hypothetical) the vendor's product defect allowing mass thefts then it would be important to the police.

The cops in San Jose CA did nothing when the glass was shattered and my bag was stolen from my car.

This largely depends on the specific city you are in. Not all of CA has made theft and burglary de-facto legal.
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