Neighbour been round to show gang scoping my car last night
Discussion
MC Bodge said:
Evanivitch said:
8V085 said:
I love going to Texas, you can sense that special kind of respect that people have for eachother, since they know f
king about can end up in tears. Of course there are exceptions in case anyone jumps on me for lying.
The special kind of respect that keeps the homicide rate really, really low?king about can end up in tears. Of course there are exceptions in case anyone jumps on me for lying.Like 4 times that of the UK, at a stretch. That's some special kind of respect.
It's annoying - we don't have weapons, we're basically at risk of an "offensive weapon" conviction for carrying a stick or a maglite. The reasoning behind our draconian weapons laws is "policing by consent" - in exchange for giving up our rights the police are meant to look after us. Except that they cannot, because they too are hamstrung by laws and also because their simply aren't an effective quantity of them.
havoc said:
Lord Marylebone said:
If it isn't, then the system allows the car to drive away for around 1 minute before shutting down the engine and sounding the horn and lights.
Which in our neighbourhood would just about get them to the main road, 5 minutes walk away. Not far enough away for (my / my family's) safety.If they really want your car, they're going to find a way to take it. Best bet is to make it so difficult they look elsewhere for easier pickings - most 'casual' thieves are pretty lazy / risk-averse.
Did we work out in the OP's situation if they showed up twice (once to scope, second time intending to steal but thwarted by OP's actions), or three times (which would be unusually determined)?
I have no idea why everyone is seeking to rubbish this system. It seems perfect to me.
You get carjacked, or someone breaks into your home for the keys, or breaks in and threatens you for the keys. Either way, you say "I don't want any trouble, here you go" and just hand it over.
You then phone the police.
They get about a mile away from your home and the car just stops and starts blaring the horn and lights.
They thieves can literally do nothing else but flee the car as it is now drawing massive attention in the middle of the road with the horn sounding.
You then look at the map to see where the car is and go and retrieve it. Or wait for the police, then go and retrieve it.
Result.
Go on some of the other forums and read how it has saved some people's cars from being stolen off their driveways by gangs of 'professional' thieves. Saved the car several times in some cases.
It's the system I would have if I owned something that was high on the list.
People have spoken about being financially crucified for years following having their car stolen via much higher premiums on all their vehicles, so it would be wise to do something that doesn't allow the vehicle to taken never to be seen again, whilst keeping you and your family safe personally.
Are car thieves going to drive the mile back to your house and try to ask you for the code to your car knowing you have already called the police and the car they have abandoned is now drawing huge attention in the middle of the road?
Of course they aren't.
Dog Star said:
The thing is that maybe a murder rate five times that of the UK is not really such a mentally "bad" thing - maybe the it's the rate in the UK that is abnormally low.
It's annoying - we don't have weapons, we're basically at risk of an "offensive weapon" conviction for carrying a stick or a maglite. The reasoning behind our draconian weapons laws is "policing by consent" - in exchange for giving up our rights the police are meant to look after us. Except that they cannot, because they too are hamstrung by laws and also because their simply aren't an effective quantity of them.
Abnormally low? Compared to a warzone? It's certainly not lower than some of our European neighbours with high rates of gun ownership.It's annoying - we don't have weapons, we're basically at risk of an "offensive weapon" conviction for carrying a stick or a maglite. The reasoning behind our draconian weapons laws is "policing by consent" - in exchange for giving up our rights the police are meant to look after us. Except that they cannot, because they too are hamstrung by laws and also because their simply aren't an effective quantity of them.
We've given up rights, that's true, but most if not all have been converted to a privilege which is somewhat reasonable when involving potentially lethal devices. And I don't just mean weapons when I say that.
You can still own most reasonable weapons in the UK with a certificate or license (guns have never been banned in the UK, they are controlled).
You can carry a knife if you can justify carrying a knife (i.e. it's your trade tool).
Dog Star said:
The thing is that maybe a murder rate five times that of the UK is not really such a mentally "bad" thing - maybe the it's the rate in the UK that is abnormally low.
It's annoying - we don't have weapons, we're basically at risk of an "offensive weapon" conviction for carrying a stick or a maglite. The reasoning behind our draconian weapons laws is "policing by consent" - in exchange for giving up our rights the police are meant to look after us. Except that they cannot, because they too are hamstrung by laws and also because their simply aren't an effective quantity of them.
Giving everybody weapons results in a literal arms race.It's annoying - we don't have weapons, we're basically at risk of an "offensive weapon" conviction for carrying a stick or a maglite. The reasoning behind our draconian weapons laws is "policing by consent" - in exchange for giving up our rights the police are meant to look after us. Except that they cannot, because they too are hamstrung by laws and also because their simply aren't an effective quantity of them.
If homeowners could use firearms against car thieves, the car thieves woukd be far more likely to use them to threaten/shoot homeowners.
We could end up in a situation in which people feel the need to carry firearms in their cars and about their person whilst dropping their children at school or shopping in the supermarket. Police could be so nervous of the public that they shoot fleeing shoplifters, motorists for minor transgressions or disabled people for having fits/seizures.
There could even be -just try to imagine-
situations in which citizens spray bullets at crowds of people at music concerts, cinemas or schools. The above, of course, could never happen...
We in the UK are better off without firearms for all.
Although I would be incensed (and bemused, in my case) if somebody tried to threaten my family to steal the family car, when it comes down to it, it is not worth dying (or killing) over a VW Golf.
Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 12th January 11:24
havoc said:
Did we work out in the OP's situation if they showed up twice (once to scope, second time intending to steal but thwarted by OP's actions), or three times (which would be unusually determined)?
They came in mid December, presumably to scope out the house at 3:30am. On this occasion they weren't discreet and drove half way down the cul-de-sac before dropping off the 3 scrotes.They came back on Sunday night 12:15am, presumably to pinch the car, but appears they were spooked by the neighbour who watched them from his window and turned his lights on.
Monday night neighbour alerts me to the issue, having reviewed his CCTV and seeing the same people came in December.
Tuesday night scrotes return at 12:30am, but my car is blocked on our drive by my wifes car and gates secured with very visible bike D-Lock.
Wednesday night scrotes return at 12:30am, but my car is blocked on our drive by my wifes car and gates secured with very visible bike D-Lock.
Thursday night I give up and move car to works car park 10 miles away. Not heard from neighbour so I presume they've not returned. Car is being collected by BCA this afternoon, so hopefully that'll be the end of it.
Off to go shopping for cheep runabout this weekend which i'll likely keep for 6 months and then get a new car later in the year. Volvo V70 2.4 auto is top of the list at the moment.
Dog Star said:
MC Bodge said:
Evanivitch said:
8V085 said:
I love going to Texas, you can sense that special kind of respect that people have for eachother, since they know fking about can end up in tears. Of course there are exceptions in case anyone jumps on me for lying.
The special kind of respect that keeps the homicide rate really, really low?king about can end up in tears. Of course there are exceptions in case anyone jumps on me for lying.Like 4 times that of the UK, at a stretch. That's some special kind of respect.
For reference (statistically) the US homicide rate is massively out-of-step with the rest of the Western world, and it appears to have nothing (or at least very little) to do with gun ownership rates (q.f. Canada and Switzerland) and more to do with both social attitudes (bad attitude?!?) and social inequality.
andrewparker said:
Bit of a disappointing end to your tenure of the car. Can’t think what I’d do in the same situation, but had 18 months left on the lease!
I must admit I'm quite philosophical about the whole thing, I've owned more valuable cars and faster cars in the past in far worse areas and not had an issue, so I've not done too badly. and frankly nothing has actually happened, if my neighbour didn't have CCTV I'd be none the wiser.I've had the car almost 3 years and it's time was nearly up anyway, so I'm happy to have a change. Doubt I'll get another R but won't stop me getting another nice car later in the year.
Onwards and upwards.
Evanivitch said:
8V085 said:
I love going to Texas, you can sense that special kind of respect that people have for eachother, since they know fking about can end up in tears. Of course there are exceptions in case anyone jumps on me for lying.
The special kind of respect that keeps the homicide rate really, really low?king about can end up in tears. Of course there are exceptions in case anyone jumps on me for lying.Like 4 times that of the UK, at a stretch. That's some special kind of respect.
Join us tomorrow when our supernova will discover that the number of dehydration related deaths is greater amongst people living in Saharan desert than those living in the UK.
havoc said:
I would suggest there's no such thing as an 'abnormally low' homicide rate - it would rather imply that society's working well. What a strange comment to make.
For reference (statistically) the US homicide rate is massively out-of-step with the rest of the Western world, and it appears to have nothing (or at least very little) to do with gun ownership rates (q.f. Canada and Switzerland) and more to do with both social attitudes (bad attitude?!?) and social inequality.
It appears to be partly the "wild frontier" mentality that persists amongst some, despite a population that is largely urban.For reference (statistically) the US homicide rate is massively out-of-step with the rest of the Western world, and it appears to have nothing (or at least very little) to do with gun ownership rates (q.f. Canada and Switzerland) and more to do with both social attitudes (bad attitude?!?) and social inequality.
The public acceptance/normalisation of carrying weapons on your person seems very unusual to UK residents.
8V085 said:
Evanivitch said:
8V085 said:
I love going to Texas, you can sense that special kind of respect that people have for eachother, since they know fking about can end up in tears. Of course there are exceptions in case anyone jumps on me for lying.
The special kind of respect that keeps the homicide rate really, really low?king about can end up in tears. Of course there are exceptions in case anyone jumps on me for lying.Like 4 times that of the UK, at a stretch. That's some special kind of respect.
Join us tomorrow when our supernova will discover that the number of dehydration related deaths is greater amongst people living in Saharan desert than those living in the UK.
Doesn't sound like there's any "special respect", just special consequences to me.
Evanivitch said:
So how does this special respect work then? Seems strange this society of special respect could be driving the homicide rate so high through self defense.
Doesn't sound like there's any "special respect", just special consequences to me.
Obviously there's always going to be a group who is either too stupid to understand the consequences or doesn't care hence you'll never be able to achieve absolute balance. Although being able to defend yourself means that the healthy part of the society has a mean to control the situation and make sure that the destructive part doesn't take over and become the norm. That's the nature of the world surrounding us, ask David Attenborough he'll confirm this.Doesn't sound like there's any "special respect", just special consequences to me.
8V085 said:
Evanivitch said:
So how does this special respect work then? Seems strange this society of special respect could be driving the homicide rate so high through self defense.
Doesn't sound like there's any "special respect", just special consequences to me.
Obviously there's always going to be a group who is either too stupid to understand the consequences or doesn't care hence you'll never be able to achieve absolute balance. Although being able to defend yourself means that the healthy part of the society has a mean to control the situation and make sure that the destructive part doesn't take over and become the norm. That's the nature of the world surrounding us, ask David Attenborough he'll confirm this.Doesn't sound like there's any "special respect", just special consequences to me.
So, does this "special respect" exist or was it just some bollucks you can up with?
Evanivitch said:
8V085 said:
Evanivitch said:
So how does this special respect work then? Seems strange this society of special respect could be driving the homicide rate so high through self defense.
Doesn't sound like there's any "special respect", just special consequences to me.
Obviously there's always going to be a group who is either too stupid to understand the consequences or doesn't care hence you'll never be able to achieve absolute balance. Although being able to defend yourself means that the healthy part of the society has a mean to control the situation and make sure that the destructive part doesn't take over and become the norm. That's the nature of the world surrounding us, ask David Attenborough he'll confirm this.Doesn't sound like there's any "special respect", just special consequences to me.
So, does this "special respect" exist or was it just some bollucks you can up with?
I'll keep it simple for you, special respect that I'm referring to from my experience and speaking/dealing with people who are regular members of Texan society means that most people know that doing something antisocial might end up in tears and hence most avoid getting into any sort of situations. Trespass (and the type of car theft discussed in this thread starts from trespass and taking advantage of people being unable to defend themselves) is one of those things.
I think we should have a poll here in the UK.
Do we want:
- To be 4x more likely to die by shooting, and a lot more likely to be injured by gunfire, and in return have significantly lower car-theft; or
- To put up with the current car-theft 'epidemic'.
(Despite my wife previously owning a Golf R) I know where I'd vote...
Do we want:
- To be 4x more likely to die by shooting, and a lot more likely to be injured by gunfire, and in return have significantly lower car-theft; or
- To put up with the current car-theft 'epidemic'.
(Despite my wife previously owning a Golf R) I know where I'd vote...
havoc said:
- To be 4x more likely to die by shooting, and a lot more likely to be injured by gunfire, and in return have significantly lower car-theft;
You do realise that the death by shooting would only apply if you were proactively trying to steal cars? It's not like people die from firearms because other people shoot at them as a kind of sport.8V085 said:
You do realise that the death by shooting would only apply if you were proactively trying to steal cars? It's not like people die from firearms because other people shoot at them as a kind of sport.
There are 1 or 2 shootings of people who are not car thieves in the US in a typical year...."good guys" (and toddlers) with guns are over-rated
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