Warning! Thefts from parked cars on the Increase

Thieves are waiting just for you!

Thefts from parked cars has always been with us, but we  must be aware that perhaps because of the deeping economic crisis, or simply because the thieves are getting greedier,   that losses are mounting. Be especially aware that if you are travelling as a tourist they are just waiting and watching for you.

My son has been robbed twice in less than three months. Once, when having simply left the car across the street from a cafe, but shielded from his view, items that were in sight of passersby were stolen. On that occasion the lock on the car door was broken. The second time, items that were left in the boot were taken. This is more sinister than the first robbery because evidently he was under surveillance as he took some of the things into the hotel while leaving others that were not needed out of sight. To make matters worse the car was opened apparently by some form of cloning device that reads your car's locking device, and with that they simply open the car as you would. (Yes, he definately locked the car.)

This is a  very worrying development as no-one seems to be safe. Especially if you are travelling it has always made good sense for someone to stay with the car while the others went into the cafe for coffee. Now, we will have to decide what we will  leave at risk. Clearly, our valuables will have to be taken with us, leaving the thieves with only our laundry.

It would be a good recommendation for us to be aware and to employ good common sense in the protection of our things. No longer can we expect to leave items in the car, perhaps covered up, and to find them when we return. Whether it's need or greed on the part of thieves we would do well to remember that many people had breakfast in the morning as we did, and then they went to work, looking to see what they can take from us. Also remember, I'm only talking about the thieves who want to take your things while you are absent.

There are also the thieves who don't care whether you are absent or present. These are stressful times indeed!

Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael

Summer Driving

Summer driving without airconditioning!

I have just completed a roundtrip journey of 500 kilometres. That is a tough slog without a/c, although my volvo is a real trooper, I really do miss the cooling system as it was. In fact it has two compressors. It was always so wonderful to push the button and have the first compressor kick in, followed a few minutes later by the second one. I suspect I need to replace them with new, but given the age of my car I most probably would be buying  secondhand. However, I am tempted!

The going out part of my journey was not bad as I left early in the morning when the breeze was soft and light. I was fresh and the temperature had not yet reached its nadir. I ate lightly and stopped at the two-hour mark for rest. When I arrived at my destination I was ready for business.

The return journey was a different story. I set off at the height of the sun's punishing heat with the air feeling like an airliner's exhaust. I drove north for a part of the way with the sun focused on me at an angle that roasted my left arm and cooked the left side of my face. That continued until I made a welcome right turn to the east that put the sun behind me. The greatest part of my journey was with the sun behind me, but the damage had been done. By the time I reached my home I was drained of energy and I was almost dehydrated.

That night I slept well and long. Travelling can really sap your energy. In my case I didn't even have the added stress of dealing with all those annoying little security people along the way.

Safe Summer driving to you all!

Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael  

The Policeman and the double parker.

A figure of respect

This is a story of how to make unnecessary trouble for yourself.

I had just parked my car and got out when a big Audi pulled up and a lady got out and went across the road. I expected that the driver would have driven off to park on a side street as he was seriously interrupting the flow of traffic. A policeman across the street was trying to get the attention of the driver, who I'm sure was aware but ignored him nevertheless. Finally, the policeman crossed over the street and knocked on the window pane and asked the driver why was he ignoring the policeman's signal to move on.

The driver stated that he was waiting for his wife who had gone into the bank. The policeman said that he was clearly causing a traffic jam and that he was directed to move his car and park it on a side street. I guess the driver considered himself someone who was above the law. He decided to reprimand the policeman for being "so unreasonable." Wrong!

He got an earful about the fact that the policeman was an authority figure and an agent of the law, and that the driver had better consider his next response very carefully or he was about to go to the cop shop for a chat. Fortunately, the driver came to his senses and apologised and obeyed.

To begin with, he could clearly see the inconvenience he was causing by being double parked, but he didn't give a damn. Once it was obvious a policeman was instructing him to move on the order should have been complied with immediately. Why complicate the issue by getting in an argument with a cop.

Some people really do know how to complicate their lives!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael