So close to being locked out of my car

[Rolfe]

What happens when you do cartwheels on the pub table after a few bevvies?

My car and house keys are always either in my left trouser pocket or, now I've got a keyless entry car, in an RFID box. I don't put them in coat pockets, throw them on the side or table at home or when visiting friends, pubs etc. Everything else, phone, money, hankie, go into my right trouser pocket.

My jeans only have a couple of hip pockets and I don't entirely trust stuff not to fall out. I've had that happen with my mobile phone and with my debit card. Riding a horse is particularly chancy.

My only zip pocket is in my jacket, but I'm going riding shortly and the weather looks to good for the jacket. I just used to leave the Golf key in the door pocket, car stealing not really being a thing at the stables, but the MG4 won't turn off unless I press the door button and walk away. I either ask someone at the stables to keep the key for me, or it goes inside the sports bra.

 

[Diggsy]

I keep mine in a faraday (car key signal blocking) pouch in my trouser pocket after I’ve locked the car. My spare key is also in a faraday pouch. A friend of mine had his BMW stolen (joyriders who eventually crashed it at a roundabout) by thieves who used a signal boosting device to gain entry. He now uses a faraday pouch with his new car.
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Do those ones work ok? I’ve had some in the past that stopped working after a few weeks. Only discovered it when I took one out to my car with the key in it and the car opened as normal!

I now keep mine in a faraday box, which has been perfect for a year or more of everyday use.

 

[Rolfe]

If you have to take your key out of a box or a pouch to open the car, doesn't that rather negate the point of it all?

 

[Ian Key]

Do those ones work ok? I’ve had some in the past that stopped working after a few weeks. Only discovered it when I took one out to my car with the key in it and the car opened as normal!

You have to make sure you put the key in the correct part. With some pouches it is easy to put it between the wrong layers.

 

[tsedge]

I have a faraday pouch at home but just keep the key in my shorts pocket when out and about and inside the car. (It is shorts weather here now and they'll most likely stay on until October).

 

[Diggsy]

You have to make sure you put the key in the correct part. With some pouches it is easy to put it between the wrong layers.

The one I had failed at the bend I think, just from using it all the time. That’s where the weakness is depending on the quality of the signal blocking material used.

If you have to take your key out of a box or a pouch to open the car, doesn't that rather negate the point of it all?

It’s only ever in there overnight - the same time when lousy car thieves are on the prowl…the rest of the day when I’m using the car it’s in my pocket.

 

[Rolfe]

How close do they have to be to the key to clone it? I remember a guy on a cruise I was on in 2019 getting his credit card cloned in Valparaiso or somewhere. Silly idiot was carrying it in a pocket on the outside leg of his cargo pants, and we had been well warned too. But I thought they had to get within a few inches.

 

[siteguru]

I have a faraday pouch at home but just keep the key in my shorts pocket when out and about and inside the car. (It is shorts weather here now and they'll most likely stay on until October).

Won't they start to whiff a bit before then?

 

[tsedge]

Won't they start to whiff a bit before then?

Ha! I will be washing them and I have multiple pairs, don't worry! But it is summer now here, the heating is off until the winter.

 

[Diggsy]

How close do they have to be to the key to clone it? I remember a guy on a cruise I was on in 2019 getting his credit card cloned in Valparaiso or somewhere. Silly idiot was carrying it in a pocket on the outside leg of his cargo pants, and we had been well warned too. But I thought they had to get within a few inches.

They can grab and repeat the signal from the key when it’s within your house, whilst they’re outside, and use that to unlock and drive away. Not sure exactly what the distance is, but I prefer knowing my key is secure in the faraday box.

 

[Rolfe]

I didn't know that, I thought they had to be a lot closer. Fair warning.

 

[Diggsy]

I didn't know that, I thought they had to be a lot closer. Fair warning.

Unfortunately they don’t have to be very close at all. This appears to be the modern car thief’s method of choice. Don’t even have to get the physical key, just access it with whatever wireless device they use, then drive off in your pride and joy…

 

[FiferMG4]

Do those ones work ok? I’ve had some in the past that stopped working after a few weeks. Only discovered it when I took one out to my car with the key in it and the car opened as normal!

I now keep mine in a faraday box, which has been perfect for a year or more of everyday use.

I’ve had mine for a few months and they still do the job. They had good reviews and seemed dependable. But yeah, for use at home the box is a good idea. I like the pouch as it fits into a pocket.

 

[siteguru]

The pocket pouch sort of defeats the object of keeping the key in your pocket and pressing the door button to open the car though.

 

[FiferMG4]

The pocket pouch sort of defeats the object of keeping the key in your pocket and pressing the door button to open the car though.

I still prefer unlocking and locking with the key, rather than using the buttons on the door handles. I’ve never used that feature.

 

[Rolfe]

Unfortunately they don’t have to be very close at all. This appears to be the modern car thief’s method of choice. Don’t even have to get the physical key, just access it with whatever wireless device they use, then drive off in your pride and joy…

I guess that makes us all vulnerable if we walk around with the key in our pocket, unless we have it in a Faraday pouch and take it out every time we want to use the car. Which kind of defeats the purpose, might as well have an ordinary key.

 

[Diggsy]

I guess that makes us all vulnerable if we walk around with the key in our pocket, unless we have it in a Faraday pouch and take it out every time we want to use the car. Which kind of defeats the purpose, might as well have an ordinary key.

I think the relay devices need a stable connection with the key, and the car needs to be in range of the relay device too, so realistically it’s only possible when at home, or maybe if it’s parked directly outside when you’re at a restaurant or something, although I’d think it would be very risky for a thief to operate somewhere they could easily be caught out.

 

[Rolfe]

I don't think there are many car thieves lurking in our wee village cul-de-sac. (They might be more interested in the fancy Tesla next door if they were...) My car is usually in the garage overnight anyway.

 

[stevegus]

The movie Pulp Fiction mentions an idea where a guy stored a watch for some time to guard against theft. You could try that with your key?

 

[Torryhun]

The movie Pulp Fiction mentions an idea where a guy stored a watch for some time to guard against theft. You could try that with your key?

Not to clever if you've got a bad cough