Tuesday 30th July 2002

What Car? Security Survey

In the face of rising car crime, What Car? break into a few cars themselves.

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[CJN]

How can you drive to the nearest police station if you are not in your home town?

They are hardly well signposted!

[thub]

Nor, unfortunately all too often, are they manned 24/7.

[cpn]

Or near where I work, you could not get close to one with all the police (visitor's) cars double parked and pulled onto the flower beds in front of the station!

[trefor]

Guess they didn't try the 'brick through the window' trick. Most cars I know that have been broken into are 'done' by this method.

[smeagol]

well said tref et al. These security test always assume that the thieving scrote isn't prepared to damage the car, which in my experience is far from the truth. As for not stopping at an accident I can see that being used either against you or to change insurance for knock for knock. (no witnesses). I would certainly stop if they then carjack your car its insured let them have it.

Also "don't stop for directions" so the bloke minding his own business with girlfriend is in secret a carjacker is he? what rubbish.

I believe most car crime is done by either opportunists (smash grab property and gone)/(keys left in car) or professional who plan their attack. The first type you can reduce risk with a bit of thought the second type, no chance.

[nevpugh308]

quote:
Have your keys ready in your hand and your mobile phone handy.

Is that so they can more easily grab it from your hand and run away ?

[nevpugh308]

Let's hope the next time you run into the back of someone they heed the above instructions ! If so, they'll blithely drive off in search of the nearest Police station, probably not knowing your registration number (coz it's in shattered pieces on the floor). Leaving you free to shrug your shoulders, and drive in the opposite direction !

And if the Police DID catch up with you, you could just say "well, they just drove off, my car stalled, by the time I got it running again they'd gone !"

Oh, I am a naughty boy !

[ahagerty]

...and what about the part about not leaving pies in your car? Is it okay to leave sandwhiches? I'm confused! ;-)

[ap_smith]

Yep, I spotted the:

quote:Do not overtly display property, wealth or pies

Ted at work, methinks.

[ap_smith]

quote:Guess they didn't try the 'brick through the window' trick

Don't some cars have the double glazed type window that defeats this type of attack? i.e. Mercs etc.?

[nevpugh308]

So what, you need 2 bricks then ??

[plotloss]

quote:

quote:Guess they didn't try the 'brick through the window' trick

Don't some cars have the double glazed type window that defeats this type of attack? i.e. Mercs etc.?

The A8 has these as well, and they can be smashed as the little scroat who nicked my mobile phone in Oxford can testify.

Matt.

[pbrettle]

You know what shocks me the most about that table? The number of new, nearly new or brand-new cars on the market that came up badly! I thought that the buying public demanded decent securtiy these days and yet the manufacturers are still skimping on them....

Vel Satis is one example. Ok, Renault seem to be doing well on the crash tests, but thats nothing if the car gets knicked in the first place....

Mind you the VX220 was a rather mean test - its got a fabric roof for gods sake.... not really fair...

Cheers,

Paul

[cotty]

quote:
Guess they didn't try the 'brick through the window' trick. Most cars I know that have been broken into are 'done' by this method.

You can have security film fitted to the windows which will resist a brick, its probably similar to the film on my office windows designed to protect against flying glass in the event of a bomb

If you really want to get serious you can get glass with a membraine inside that will "catch" a bullet fired at point blank range. I dont think it will survive a full clip from say and AK47 but will cirtainly buy you some time to escape

[cpn]

quote:
Vel Satis is one example. Ok, Renault seem to be doing well on the crash tests, but thats nothing if the car gets knicked in the first place....

I guess this will make this the scrotes car of choice, unless they are planning on suing you for having an unsafe car when they steal it and crash into something heavy!

Who was it who said we should exchange air bags for metal spikes, since that would help prevent accidents! [JOKE!]

[Fatboy]

quote:Who was it who said we should exchange air bags for metal spikes, since that would help prevent accidents! [JOKE!]

Quite a lot of us Me included - but I was serious