Regulation Never Ends »
Recently, I wrote about how Mecklenburg County has implemented an ordinance requiring every family dwelling in the county to have a carbon monoxide detector. If you've read that piece, you know that it may not be a bad idea for every home to have a detector, I simply object to the government deciding that it is their decision to make.
Hold on to your hats, folks, there's another, even more ridiculous law that I'm going to talk about today. It seems that the City of Charlotte has quietly passed a stronger "lock it or leave it" ordinance, allowing city police officers to fine you $50 if you leave your keys in your car and the doors unlocked (free registration may be required).
What gets me boiling is that the government thinks that it is their job to regulate stupidity, and that's where it crosses the line. You want to leave your car running with the doors unlocked to make it easier to steal and jack up your insurance rates, by all means you should be able to do so. It's no business of anyone else, and they most certainly should not be able to fine you for it.
Let the insurance companies include a stupidity clause for anyone whose car is stolen when the keys are inside. Let them drop you from coverage. That's their business, as they have a financial interest. The City of Charlotte has no business in making this decision, and it only proves that government is only interested in weaseling their way into every crevice of your life.
Even worse is that there is no evidence whatsoever of a reduction in car thefts by the use of this ordinance. According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police records (supplied in the link above), there were 5,298 vehicle thefts during the first nine months of 2003 - a 67.3 percent increase over the same period in 2002. Out of that number, police estimate that 25 to 30 percent of those thefts involved cars were left with keys inside. There was no mention of whether the doors were locked or not. We'll give the city the benefit of the doubt and assume that all of these vehicles were also unlocked.
But the same police estimate that two years ago, 50 percent of stolen vehicles were found with the keys inside. What this tells us is that the percentage of stolen vehicles with the keys left inside has actually decreased, yet at the same time, vehicle theft has increased. The result? There is no data that proves, or even implies, that the reduced availability of keys in the car will lead to a decline in auto theft. In fact, the opposite could be argued.
Yet the city still thinks that they have the right to pass such an ordinance. This is ridiculous. You want to invade my privacy and my right to act like a moron, you better at least get some data to back up your actions. The City of Charlotte has apparently done no such thing.
Comments (7)
Kind of interesting way to look at it. Yes, why should the government police stupidity? Well because it has to. You said, "Let the insurance companies include a stupidity clause for anyone whose car is stolen when the keys are inside. Let them drop you from coverage. That's their business, as they have a financial interest." Well I happen to disagree with you. As tax payers we also loose money. Who pays for the police officers time to respond to stupidity? Who pays for the investigation of this crime? Who pays for the damages caused by some idiot who steals a car and smashes into a family? Well, we do, the tax payers. This could be prevented, but yet you say it's a persons right. I think not, they should be fined for leaving their vehicle unlocked with the keys in it. Nothing hurts people more than to take it out of their pocketbook. I think we all need to take personal responsibility for our actions, if not then we should be punished. Although some instances of theft cannot be prevented, a majority of it can be prevented.
Posted by Randy Avila | February 6, 2004 2:46 AM
Randy, you make some good points, and on the surface, I don't necessarily disagree with you. But let's look a little deeper.
You mention that this sort of crime can be prevented. However, the statistics in that article show that while the percentage of vehicles stolen that include keys left in the ignition have decreased, actual vehicle theft has increased. How do you reconcile that? If vehicle theft had actually decreased as a result, that's one thing. But since theft has increased, despite an apparent increased vigilance against leaving the car running, what's the point?
You also mention that hitting people in their pocketbook is where it will hurt the most. I don't disagree with this point, but I do disagree with the conclusion you've reached. Not only will being dropped from an insurance carrier take more money out of your pocket if you're in an accident, it's going to cost even more to get coverage again. Also, why stop there? If someone leaves their keys in the car, have them pay for the time the police department spends recovering it.
Only in a world where personal responsibility has gone out the window will it make sense to blame everyone for one person's mistake. If that person is instead held accountable for their actions, made to pay not only to recover their vehicle but pay more to get re-insured, I guarantee that people will stop leaving their keys in their cars. And even if they don't, you and I don't have to pay for it. Sounds awfully good to me!
Posted by Chad Everett | February 6, 2004 4:56 AM
Yep, that all sounds good. I do agree and yes, a lot of theft cannot be prevented. Thieves do break windows and rip out ignitions/ hot wire ect. And that cannot be prevented. I believe that fees imposed on those people who were negligent would be great. But in reality I think persons charged for police work would not go over too well. Those are some valid points you brought up and there are lots of ideas out there. I live in southern California and not far from the beach. This is a cronic problem with people (mainly surfers) going to the beach. They hide their keys under the tire or other places, and little do they know is that some crook is watching them. This also goes along the same line with valuables (purses, wallets, cameras) being left in vehicles. How do you get people to shift gears and take personal responsibility? I think the agencies have done all that they can. I see the warning signs, I get fliers about not leaving your keys, all the special reports on the news. But people still disregard all the warnings and leave their keys inside the vehicle. I think a police officer should be able to write someone a ticket for their negligence. Then I am sure that people would lie and say that their keys were not in the ignition. Not really sure where it ends but this has been some good discussion. This makes me think a little more about new ideas and thoughts. Thanks for the time on your website.
Posted by Randy Avila | February 6, 2004 12:09 PM
Randy, I think we agree on the primary point: That those who shirk their responsibilities should be held accountable for their actions.
I understand it's a lot easier for municipalities to issue fines for doing this and doing that, but in the end, we're all going to be so regulated that we can't do anything without a lawyer. Heck, we're almost there already.
While it's a huge shift to move that burden off of the government, I think it's one that's very worthwhile. Let the people who cause the expense shoulder at least some of the burden, and at the same time get the government out of my back pocket.
You're very welcome for the time, but no thanks is necessary. I talk all the time. Couldn't have a discussion without folks such as yourself stopping in. Thanks for visiting.
Posted by Chad Everett | February 6, 2004 12:36 PM
My friend was killed by a guy that stole a car. That a person left their keys in their car so you tell me if this won't help that situation!
Posted by Anonymous | March 9, 2005 1:26 PM
You know, that's a great point. Let's regulate everything! I have this hammer just sitting here, and you know that someone might grab it, run up to someone else and claw them in the head. Guess I better get a permit for it, pay a registration tax on it and make darn sure it doesn't leave my sight!
Posted by Chad Everett | March 9, 2005 2:09 PM
I agree with you that insurance companies should penalize people for risky behavior such as leaving their keys in their car. Many already have clauses that state they will not insure any costs for stolen vehicles when the keys have been left in the vehicle. However I don't think victims, careless or not, should be fined or expected to pay for police investigations of who stole their car. It can be said that leaving your keys in your car is unwise. The same can be said for women who walk alone at night, or homeowners who leave their doors unlocked, but none of these senarios involves a crime or intentful wrong-doing. This type(no physical threat to others) of ignorance or carelessness should not be punished by the law. The careless victim is still a victim. You may not have pity for them but you don't blame them. Someone still committed a crime agaist them. It is still the burden of the police, and yes the taxpayers money, to help find and stop the people committing the crime.
-Mike
Posted by mike | May 15, 2005 2:59 PM