My car was keyed pretty recently. Aside from having a rant about how I can understand someone wanting to steal from me but mindless vandalism being the mark of a cowardly piece of *$&!£ with no *%&$*& and deteriorating into series of expletives, I have a question.
This now means that two of the four cars I've owned have been keyed in my ownership. Looking at other cars around London I've started noticing lots of other cars have been keyed as well. How many times have people here had their cars keyed? What percentage of us have had our current cars keyed? Have I just been unlucky or is this really that widespread a problem?
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You won't get many people telling you that their car hasn't been keyed, no one will want to jinx themselves! :-)
Touch wood so far I've been ok.
Blue
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In 40 years of car ownership I've not had one vandalised in any way. It must depend on where you park.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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There are a few short deep scratches on my car which I know I have not made, so assume that they were done by persons unknown, although if it was with their knowledge as well I do not know.
Of course there are the deep scratches in my door window done by those attempting to car jack me in January.......
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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The day after I bought her my car had a 5 foot long scratch added along the drivers side, but whether it was done purposefully I don't know.
A few days ago I noticed some scratches across the front left corner, which were almost definitely not done on purpose, but are equally annoying.
The problem is that, generally speaking, people are not nice.
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The problem is that, generally speaking, people are not nice.
What a cynical view. In my experience most people are nice. It's only a small percentage that are not nice.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Someone etched a cross into my boot when I was parked at a mates. It looks like they've used an abrasive pad or something looking at it. I've managed to get rid of the worst of it but you can still make it out.
Someone dented the bonnet and took the paint away too but that was too bad to leave as it was so I got the bonnet resprayed.
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Adam
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Oh yeah... aside from being keyed twice, my 525i had someone scratch a letter A into the bonnet and a wing mirror ripped off.
Incidentally, someone appears to have stolen the passenger side wing mirror glass off my Galant. They've made a very neat job of it... the bracket and everything is still in place.
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I can think of several reasons that someone may vandalise a car.
1. Car parked on pavement, causing anger to someone.
2. An up-market car can be a problem due to envy.
3. 4/4 vehicles annoy many just by being there.
So far I've been lucky, but then the above don't apply to me.
Pete Mansell
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Reasons possibly, but not justification.
Anyway, my car was parked at the roadside but not on the pavement. No obstruction there. It's not an upmarket car (it's only a Mitsubishi after all) though possibly the tan leather and wood-you-believe-it dash confused someone. And a 4x4 it ain't. One of those things, but infuriating nonetheless.
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4 small chips in rear offside window where someone tried to use and automatic centre punch to get break the glass - resisted that well.
2 foot key mark along the ns roof.
Goona wears here dueling scars with pride!
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There's a small dent in the nearside rear wing of my car when a local bollard got up, ran over to the car, carefully slid along part of it, then went back to where it normally lives.
Nothing to do with me, of course!
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'4 small chips in rear offside window where someone tried to use and automatic centre punch to get break the glass - resisted that well.'
Could have been bits of spark plug ceramic or 'ninjas' as the toerags call them.One of these flicked at toughened glass can shatter it,one took a chunk out of my windscreen.
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>> The problem is that, generally speaking, people are not nice. >> What a cynical view. In my experience most people are nice. It's only a small percentage that are not nice. -- L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
Maybe you're right, but the not nice ones are a lot more noticeable!
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It all depends where you live, and where you park.
I would expect that cars parked in driveways are rarely vandalised whilst parked there, whereas on pavements and streets pedestrians and other cars/bikes are inevitably going to pass nearby.
The general standard of the area you live in can be a factor too - i wouldn't be comfortable living in some parts of London, for instance, with an expensive car parked outside, but that would be fine if i lived in a quiet, upmarket village where the majority of residents were also well-off.
Above all else, don't park your car on the street on the route between clubs/pubs in town and a university campus - my housemate a couple of years ago had his chavved-up Punto keyed three times in a year, a wing mirror ripped off and a traffic cone put on the roof (causing lots of small scratches).
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Once upon a time (when I lived in Sheffield) I looked out my window to see my neighbours standing around their car, looking confused to see that overnight it had shed a set of wheels and gained some piles of bricks. I thought that sort of thing only happened on telly.
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In 40 years of car ownership I've not had one vandalised in any way. It must depend on where you park.
In 28 years of car ownership I've never had a car vandalised, however a lot of people have no choice where they park and/or live. I have always lived in a rural area where I could park my car well off any road when at home.
I sympathise very deeply with decent car owning people who live in town and have to put up with this .
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my partners car has been keyed about 7 times in all, each time we have reported it to the police but there is nothing they can do about it.he is an independent buissness man and uses his car for this.The thing is we are 99.9% sure we know who is doing this but we cant catch them.Because of where we have to park our car which isnt outside our house(we dont have parking space)we have to leave it on the road in front of us,we have thought of getting cctv cameras installed but we would have to ask neighbours permission to install the camera on there premises.If there is any one out there who can advise us on any cctv cameras that would be to our advantade we would really be greatful to you.As you may know it costs money to get cars resprayed every time this happens so if you have any advice you could give me then please do
thankyou
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clarise,
nto really very helpful, but do ask the police if a cctv video would actually cause them to take action and if it would be sufficient to take someone to court. You might find it is not adequate.
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Are you allowed to film a public road?
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Adam
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In the majority of cases the main reason why this happens in my opinion has to be envy. Most people by their vary nature are envious, maybe it is a key human attribute that deep down is inside everyone?
In this country at the moment with the level of taxation and general ridiculously high cost of living many people cannot afford the vehicle they want to have. The result seems to be anything that could be classed as a half decent vehicle may be vandalised. Anyone that conducts this pastime of keying vehicles knows very well that if they get caught the penalty will be very lenient.
The only time your vehicle is generally safe tends to be when it is on a driveway or better still in a locked garage; it is a very sad reflection of the condition of this country.
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'In the majority of cases the main reason why this happens in my opinion has to be envy. Most people by their vary nature are envious, maybe it is a KEY human attribute that deep down is inside everyone?'
Pun intended?
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Are you allowed to film a public road?
Given the amount of cctv's everywhere you look these days, I would say yes.
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Where does collateral intrusion come into it then?
::rubs hands with glee at being able to throw a phrase he knows nothing about in there::
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Adam
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>>Where does collateral intrusion come into it then?
The US.
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But does it apply over here?
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Adam
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you are allowed to fit cctv cameras on public roads as long as the camera is aimed at your property and neighbours cant accuse you of spying on them.The thing in our circumstance is we know it is a neighbour of ours, other people have actually seen him doing it to other peoples vehicles but we need the proof.Police have advised us to fit cctv cameras but we cant seem to find a wireless one that will work in the range we need given that our car isnt parked outside our house .
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Wouldn't they be pointed at the street then if that's where your car is?
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Adam
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Will 100 metres do you?
www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=32636&doy=11...8
There's loads more on the same site.
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Adam
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thanks adski will have a look now
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I once had a thing for classic Porsches. Owned three of them in all. They were all keyed up.
I currently have a Seat Toledo. Untouched and pretty much invisible.
Jealousy stupid idiots I am afraid. Had I caught anyone doing it I would have shown them the error of their ways personally but I never did caught anyone doing it.
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Yes I agree it's largely a jealousy thing. Nobody has done any of our Renaults or VW's yet, since they're all fairly 'ordinary' cars, nothing too flash.
I've tempted fate now...
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And what house number again was it X?
;-)
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Adam
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Weren't you joining the Police?
;-)
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Neighbourhood Watch.
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Adam
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Now you see, I disagree about the jealousy-thing if only from family-experience...the Pug 405 STDT and Rover 420 GSDi Mum had were both keyed up (and both were owned when they were new, but neither would make anyone jealous) and yet her Celica has never been touched...
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Its not always to do with jealousy, some people are just mindless idiots who like to wreck other peoples property. My last car an 1993 Nova had its wing mirror ripped off and a door kicked in on separate ocassions. While parked at university once someone very hilariously put a cone on it, hahaha very funny except it was pretty heavy and left a load of scratches on the bonnet.
My dad has had the wing mirror ripped off his fiesta and even the "fiesta" badge at the back stolen aswell.
However I did hear an amusing story once about a drunk idiot walking up road of terraced houses (which didn't have any off road parking) and punching every car mirror off he went past. But his drunken game was cut short when a very large gentleman came out of his house and had a severe "word" with him!
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Sadly not limited to use of the key. Heard yesterday of a car owner who had an open paint can smashed through their rear window resulting in the need for multiple repairs, including upholstery. The kindly soul who did this then threw the paint can through the victim's bedroom window. One can only wonder at what motivates this mindless conduct.
Oz (as was)
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Not at all sure I'd notice it amongst all the dents & scratches done by previous owners.
Unless they wiped a clean patch....
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Clarise,
Costco do a very good range of wireless cameras, they also transmit sound and are in colour.
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306 2.0 SE Cabriolet
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>>they also transmit sound
So you can shout "stop keying my car" at whoever's keying your car?
So, on my way down to the tube this morning I decided to count the number of cars I saw that had been keyed. I lost count. The number was somewhere between loads and heaps. Perhaps one in three. From ordinary and fairly old cars to brand new BMWs and Audis. And I live in quite a nice bit of London compared to most of it.
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>>So you can shout "stop keying my car" at whoever's keying your car?<<
Haha. Or alternatively you could hear the sound of your pride and joy being gouged to hell.
I must admit, I've never seen the cameras in Costco. Would they be near the T.V's?
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Adam
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A colour camera may not be much use unless it switches to infra red mode when it's dark.
You really need a camera that can be used at night as I'm guessing that is when the keying is happening?
Blue
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we have had our car keyed about 8 times now and also paint stripper poured over it to say we are pink fluffy dice off is an under statement.I have been searching the web for car security and came across a camera that would be ideal in these situations.Its called a cybereye mobile cam used a lot in america to stop car vandalism the thing is i dont know if its available in this country.If any one knows any thing about this cam or if it is available in the uk please reply to this post.Just recieved quote from garage this morning and theres another £3oo i,m gonna have to find.If any one can help me please do thanks
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www.radcon.com/cybereye.htm
The one on the right looks like it may help.
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hey thankyou do you know any thing at all about these cams
clarisa
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I'm afraid not no. I just did a quick google search.
If you wait a while though, someone may pop along who knows something about them.
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Clarise
Before you go down this road, CCTV is not the 'cure all' its made out to be. Unless your suspect has some particular distinguishing feature ie height, dress, weight excessive hair or lack of it then generally the image will show someone commiting the act but will not be able to identify them. Thats why we see so many obscure images of hooded tops involved in crime.
Only a well magnified and clear image will give an ID of the suspect. And contrary to popular belief there is no magic process to enhance poor images.
Fullchat
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www.radcon.com/cybereye.htm The one on the right looks like it may help.
These cameras are used by the taxi company I invariably ride with when on business in Sweden. Contaning as it does both the lens and a ring of infrared LEDs to illuminate the subject, the camera is a little too big to hide completely (without stuffing in to and blocking an air vent for example) and is instead stuck discretely stuck to the inside of the windscreen, facing the back seats.
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thanks to both of you for advice given greatly appreciated.
clarisa
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I sympathise with you.flogging is too good for the toe-rags.touch wood,so far i've been ok,but 2 friends had theirs keyed.An aging Intergrale and a 6 month old merc c-class.
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Had mine keyed in a supermarket car park. I parked nose-in, so I could get the shopping in the boot, and the car in front was parked rear-in and 2 foot over the line. I had to park close to the car in front or leave the rear of my car poking out. I guess the owner of the other car didn't take too kindly to me not leaving a gap for him to load his boot and subsequently I had a 6 inch sctratch across the top of my front bumper. I know it was not accidental (or on purpose) shopping trolley damage as the scratch was higher than the sticky-out bits on the trolley that would scratch the bumper. I also have a good idea who the culprit is but as I did not actually see him do it I have no proof.
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My son has just had his "Y" reg Focus scratched on two panels with a threatening note left on his car, apparently because he was parked on the pavement.
The £350 quote that he has had is just too much for him to be able to shell out. The threatening note was written on half a page of a "jobseekers" letter, so presumebly the generous person who did this is unemployed, and we and my son are supporting them.
Now to my son, £350 equates to about 8 days at work after tax.
Build more prisons and give us all a break.
Reggie
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What panels?!
An entire bonnet respray on mine including getting two deep dents out cost "just" £150.
That's an expensive but highly competent paint sprayers too.
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My har has was attacked by two hooded youths in July this year. They scratched both the drivers door and back passenger door a total of 5 times. Many of the residents have suffered the same fate and we have collectively reported to the police. The police has taken the matter seriously and did some patrolling.
These 'kids' are obviously new to the area, as I or my neighbours have not seen them before, and on speaking to the police, they did say that most scratches tend to occur when you have got new 'neighbours'.
Anyway, the damage done to my Mazda is in excess if £250.00, which is really rather annoying. This is the first time I have ever suffered this, and would not want to wish this on any car owner.
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Adam, it is the n/s/f wing and the rear n/s door.
The colour is silver which apparently is not easy to match.
He will probably get another two quotes. This particular quote was from a specialist dent repair company.
Reggie
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To be fair, I can't imagine they'd be easy panels to resray. Not least because both have those fancy angles on them to spray the paint up to.
I'd recommend you looking for a professional paint sprayers instead to get the panels properly resprayed.
As I said, I was told (I knew at the time) that the bloke I want to was very expensive compared to the rest but he was the only one who could do it soonish. I got the boot done for £100 too so I'd definitely shop around.
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