Monday, November 17, 2008

Local News


As I was getting dressed this morning I heard something interesting on the radio. Reading put a new law into place. Car owners will now be fined if their keys are left in their car ignitions with the doors unlocked and the cars unattended.

Oh. Okay. This brings up some questions. I didn’t have a chance to see today’s paper so I don’t know if it mentioned anything additional about leaving the keys in with the doors locked. You know. Say perhaps after an ice storm when the whole city starts their cars with the spare key and lets them melt instead of chipping away at the ice as we all do.

Also, what ramifications does this have in regard to insurance? If your car is stolen and your keys were in it, would your insurance company now not have to cover any damage after it’s found since you broke the law? Not that I make a habit of wandering off with my keys hanging in my ignition but I really don’t know if I would admit it if my car was stolen. Would you?

And what about the law enforcement aspect of this? The radio was unclear as to who exactly would be enforcing this new law, the police department or the parking authority. As I see it the city, doesn’t have the manpower in either area to do a highly effective job as I know they will strive to do. I’ve never seen any parking authority personnel in my neighborhood. If it’s to be the police officers well then just imagine all of the other crime that will go unchecked while they’re wandering the streets, peeking in car windows. Oh my, now doesn’t that just leave me with a renewed sense of security. I think I need to move. Or run for mayor.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Got to love Reading... I'd say come live with me, but you'd probably frighten all the kiddies as much as I do. You might find some of my classes interesting though!

Unknown said...

Yeah - run for mayor - I dare ya!

barbara huffert said...

Only problem with being mayor AJ is Reading requires city officials to live within city limits. That would mean another 6 years here. Don't know if I'd survive that, even as mayor.

Kenzie Michaels said...

I once left my keys in my car all day (not running and yes unlocked!) and no one was tempted to steal my Lincoln Town Car.

Of course it was held together with spit and chewing gum, so maybe no one else wanted the POS car either...

I'm already letting my car run in the mornings AS WELL AS when I take my youngest to school. Don't report me? Maybe I need to start carrying the spare set, so I can claim the doors were locked after all???

Regina Carlysle said...

This stupid little law will allow cops to peer into everyone's car,too. What an invasion of privacy. Start leaving sexy undies in your front seat and see what happens!!! Personally, I think this is unconstitutional and a dumb gambit toward raising local revenue.