Unattended Idling Car...Any Danger?

[richard_smith237]

13 minutes ago, Farma said:

Which makes me think an opportunist thief could easily clone Pattaya Spotters running car and drive off. It wasn't all that long ago thieves were doing the same with scanners, easily bought over the web, in shopping centre car parks.

 

It also renders the question of whether or not such actions renders the insurance void. 

 

Which does open the door for another question regarding theft: What happens if through valet parking or the car-wash our car is stolen.

 

I’ve assumed the Car is covered for any driver - could me a messy one.

I very much doubt the Shopping mall would be accountable. 

 

But an unattended car...   it seems somewhat negligent unless it is in a carpark monitored by security, which infect is the same as valet parking in such a place and leaving the key with the parking guy !

 

 

 

[Pattaya Spotter]

14 minutes ago, Farma said:

Which makes me think an opportunist thief could easily clone Pattaya Spotters running car and drive off. It wasn't all that long ago thieves were doing the same with scanners, easily bought over the web, in shopping centre car parks.

Yes this would be a major concern in "advanced civilized" Western countries but luckily in Thailand, just about carpark,  shopping center, and most restaurant lots have security guards (as well as security cameras these days) and therefore you don't have suspicious characters wandering around attempting to steal parked cars or their immobilizer codes. In general, I feel my vehicle's security is magnitudes safer in Thailand than California.

[Pattaya Spotter]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

It also renders the question of whether or not such actions renders the insurance void. 

 

Which does open the door for another question regarding theft: What happens if through valet parking or the car-wash our car is stolen.

 

I’ve assumed the Car is covered for any driver - could me a messy one.

I very much doubt the Shopping mall would be accountable. 

 

But an unattended car...   it seems somewhat negligent unless it is in a carpark monitored by security, which infect is the same as valet parking in such a place and leaving the key with the parking guy !

 

 

 

Maybe I should clarify...if left idling for longer than a Seven dash, it's only at a restaurant or shop where I have direct line of sight to the vehicle. If I'm parking someplace and leaving the immediate vicinity or going into a mall I turn off the engine and lock up the car.

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

No risk at all. I can not come up with any entity that would wish to steal the kind of car you describe.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, transam said:

If one has to leave a ride running, unattended, to keep it cool inside, then the ride has a p_ss poor A/C system...????

 

Or he's a nancy boy.

 

It's not even hot in Thailand right now.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Yes this would be a major concern in "advanced civilized" Western countries but luckily in Thailand, just about carpark,  shopping center, and most restaurant lots have security guards (as well as security cameras these days) and therefore you don't have suspicious characters wandering around attempting to steal parked cars or their immobilizer codes. In general, I feel my vehicle's security is magnitudes safer in Thailand than California.

 

ROFLMAO...the arm-waving whistle blowing 'security' guy in the Big C car park is gonna stop someone driving your or anyone else's unlocked with engine running car away? He doesn't pay attention to who's car is what. Apart from that, us farangs all look the same to him.

 

Give us your rego number so when we see it sitting idling all nice and cool inside, we can climb in and briefly enjoy your climate control until you finish shopping, eating, etc..

[Pattaya Spotter]

40 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

ROFLMAO...the arm-waving whistle blowing 'security' guy in the Big C car park is gonna stop someone driving your or anyone else's unlocked with engine running car away? He doesn't pay attention to who's car is what. Apart from that, us farangs all look the same to him.

 

Give us your rego number so when we see it sitting idling all nice and cool inside, we can climb in and briefly enjoy your climate control until you finish shopping, eating, etc..

This topic really seems to have triggered you and now you've decended to plain trolling (as your previous reportable reply shows...whatever a "nancy boy" is I'm sure it's not complementary and in violation of the Forum posting rules against trolling fellow board members) and are not even reading to comprehend my posts. As I wrote, I only leave the car on and unattended if I'm close at hand or for very short periods of time (under a minute). As for feeling secure in attended parking places, that was in reference to potential thieves wandering around the premises with electronic gizmos attempting to stealing immobilizer unlock codes...no I haven't seen any such behavior and if someone attempted it, I'm confident they would be approached very quickly by the security guards.

 

Hailing from one of these "advanced civilized" places, San Francisco, with it's 70 car break-ins per day (2019), maybe you'll understand why I consider my car (and me) much safer here than there.

 

The city is in the midst of a car break-in epidemic, with 25,667 reports made in 2019. https://www.businessinsider.com/san-francisco-is-proposing-reimbursing-car-break-in-victims-2020-2

Edited January 17, 2021 by Pattaya Spotter

[spidermike007]

Yes. The danger level of your car being stolen is very, very high. Thais are relatively honest people, but what you are doing is essentially setting a trap, for the most vulnerable and desperate person to make a move. It is all about temptation. What you are doing is on the level of leaving 30,000 baht, or a gold necklace on your night stand, when you maid comes in to clean your room at a hotel. It is always about creating a situation where the temptation is lower, not higher. There is nothing wrong with caution, but there is something to be said about throwing caution to the wind. You are setting yourself up for inconvenience, and disappointment. 

[Pattaya Spotter]

40 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes. The danger level of your car being stolen is very, very high. Thais are relatively honest people, but what you are doing is essentially setting a trap, for the most vulnerable and desperate person to make a move. It is all about temptation. What you are doing is on the level of leaving 30,000 baht, or a gold necklace on your night stand, when you maid comes in to clean your room at a hotel. It is always about creating a situation where the temptation is lower, not higher. There is nothing wrong with caution, but there is something to be said about throwing caution to the wind. You are setting yourself up for inconvenience, and disappointment. 

I appreciate your point, however, I don't think the analogy is exactly on point. A grab and dash in a hotel would be hard to prove the item in question ever existed but I get your point is foolish to create such a situation to begin with. In the scenarios I've described, I do not think the danger of theft is very high (the fact I've been doing it for years without it being stolen tends to substantiate this). In the scenario where I duck into a Seven to grab a couple items, a person with a theiving mind has to be there during the same minute or two I'm away from the car. They also have to brave the lottery sellers and food vendors out front of most Sevens to jump into the vehicle (again I would do it only if parked directly near the door area or front of the parking lot of the larger stores). There are also the security cameras filming what's going on outside the door and parking areas at all Sevens. As for the longer scenarios, it's usually only during the very hot season when the car has to be parked in the sun and I have line of sight to it or it's a monitored parking area. I don't see much risk in this. I'm a bit surprised the topic has engendered a bit of  controversy (I expected it on environmental grounds) but most of it has been constructive and interesting.

 

In the Seven scenario, most people would assume there is somebody in an idling car (hard to tell with the tints in Thailand) or that the sound is from the car adjacent who does has someone waiting in it.

Edited January 17, 2021 by Pattaya Spotter

[CharlieH]

One other point, have you considered how the Insurance company would react if you made a claim under those circumstances ? 

"Ermm I left it running unlocked unattended when it got stolen and damaged" 

 

I Dont think they would be too interested in your claim.

 

Just a thought.

[transam]

Thought I would look, and yep, in the UK you would be in trouble......

 

https://www.drivingtesttips.biz/driving-tips/parked-with-engine-running.html

[Pattaya Spotter]

5 minutes ago, transam said:

Thought I would look, and yep, in the UK you would be in trouble......

 

https://www.drivingtesttips.biz/driving-tips/parked-with-engine-running.html

I wonder if it's the same in Thailand?

[transam]

3 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I wonder if it's the same in Thailand?

Doubt it, but it seems the UK thinks it's a no-no giving reasons..

[Pattaya Spotter]

Well well look what I found in a Google search of idling cars illegal in Thailand...seems this issue has been around for awhile and not an uncommon occurrence...I'm just the most recent offender ????????????

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Pattaya Spotter

[DaLa]

I'm in regular contact with family and friends in the UK and I receive a daily update on whose van / dog / tools / etc has been stolen. I went to Krabi a few days ago and the hotel mini bus had been left running with the keys in for a good 15 minutes and obviously no one had been tempted to touch it. Same when I visit Thai Watsadu, all the pickups with tools and materials open in the back, again no one touches them.

 

Obviously there are occasions when things do go missing , and I know this isn't the safest place in the world; but I feel my gear here is safer than back home.

[richard_smith237]

18 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Well well look what I found in a Google search of idling cars illegal in Thailand...seems this issue has been around for awhile and not an uncommon occurrence...I'm just the most recent offender ????????????

 

 

 

 

You do realise that half of the population is of below average intelligence ??? !!!... 

 

I really hope you are not looking at the actions of those around you on which to base the intelligence of your decisions...  

 

Its also very common that drivers jump red lights, don’t stop and look when going over rail crossings and overtake on blind corners.... I wouldn’t recommend you do any of that or post examples of others doing it to justify you doing so !.. 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by richard_smith237

[Pattaya Spotter]

54 minutes ago, DaLa said:

I'm in regular contact with family and friends in the UK and I receive a daily update on whose van / dog / tools / etc has been stolen. I went to Krabi a few days ago and the hotel mini bus had been left running with the keys in for a good 15 minutes and obviously no one had been tempted to touch it. Same when I visit Thai Watsadu, all the pickups with tools and materials open in the back, again no one touches them.

 

Obviously there are occasions when things do go missing , and I know this isn't the safest place in the world; but I feel my gear here is safer than back home.

That's exactly how I feel...I wouldn't never consider doing what I describe in my op "back home," even for a moment but here is completely different. Of course vehicles get stolen in Thailand but 26 a day in Pattaya (vs San Fran my hometown)? If one walks around in any major city in America, you will see cars that have smashed in windows or the tell-tale pile of broken glass at the curb (evidence of a recent car break-in) and often multiple glass piles in a single walkabout. In 20 years in Thailand, I have to strain to recall one or two such glass piles on the ground. 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Pattaya Spotter

[Pattaya Spotter]

51 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

You do realise that half of the population is of below average intelligence ??? !!!... 

By definition yes.

Quote

 

I really hope you are not looking at the actions of those around you on which to base the intelligence of your decisions...  

No my behavior in this instance is based on over 20 years in Thailand and my observation that crime is much lower here than where I'm from. This is verified by hard statistics, some of which I have cited. My general personality is also not a paranoid one so I don't think everyone is out to steal whatever I have (but I could be wrong ????).

Quote

 

Its also very common that drivers jump red lights, don’t stop and look when going over rail crossings and overtake on blind corners.... I wouldn’t recommend you do any of that or post examples of others doing it to justify you doing so !.. 

I definitely agree...and these are obvious driving hazards. However, I still claim that my unattended car behavior is not. Not being argumentative just my POV.

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Pattaya Spotter

[animalmagic]

20 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I often keep my unattended car idling while running into Sevens to pick up something I need or to keep the cool while I'm doing an errand or having a restaurant meal. It is a late model car with an immobilizer system and electronic push start system. The driver side door can not be locked while the engine is on and the car unattended. Is there any theft danger in this situation (of the car)...what happens if someone gets in and tries to drive off with it? Since they don't have the key fob, will the engine just cut-off or is it impossible to shift out of "park-brake lock" if the key fob isn't present? Obviously, if they can at least drive it to one shut-off, they would not be able to start it again, correct?

Enabling the theft by not taking reasonable precautions to secure your car when not in it may invalidate any insurance you have.

Ask yourself how much damage can be done by a thief or child who steals the car when left in this condition and cannot drive properly.  Who would be held liable for the damage caused, and is there any contributory negligence from your act of leaving it running with the door unsecured that would render you liable; and now potentially not covered by any insurance?  Are you confident that the police would not blame you for all damage caused?

I would hazard a guess that the manufacturer has specifically designed it so that the door cannot be locked when the engine is running in order to encourage owners not to leave their cars running.

Different systems have different capabilities and ranges but I do remember seeing an episode of Top Gear where Clarkson got in Hammond's Dodge Charger, started it, and drove away into the adjacent road before it stopped when it was out of range of the 'key' in Hammond's pocket

[Pattaya Spotter]

11 minutes ago, animalmagic said:

Enabling the theft by not taking reasonable precautions to secure your car when not in it may invalidate any insurance you have.

Ask yourself how much damage can be done by a thief or child who steals the car when left in this condition and cannot drive properly.  Who would be held liable for the damage caused, and is there any contributory negligence from your act of leaving it running with the door unsecured that would render you liable; and now potentially not covered by any insurance?  Are you confident that the police would not blame you for all damage caused?

I would hazard a guess that the manufacturer has specifically designed it so that the door cannot be locked when the engine is running in order to encourage owners not to leave their cars running.

Different systems have different capabilities and ranges but I do remember seeing an episode of Top Gear where Clarkson got in Hammond's Dodge Charger, started it, and drove away into the adjacent road before it stopped when it was out of range of the 'key' in Hammond's pocket

You bring up a couple interesting points...regarding liability for people who steal a car but don't know how to drive causing an accident, I doubt Thailand's liability law has "evolved" to the point of many Western countries wherein they absolve someone for the harm/damage they cause from their own criminal act/negligence. The same for the ???? 

 

As for non-locking doors, I'm sure it's for some other safety reason.

 

 

 

 

[canthai55]

In broad strokes, insurance companies expect you to take "Reasonable and Prudent" measures to stop your car being stolen.

I doubt that leaving it unlocked with the engine running would be classified as such.

And the country you are insured in makes not a bit of difference. There are very few companies who underwrite all the claims of all the insurance companies globally. And they all use the same criteria.

[AhFarangJa]

I thought it was illegal to keep the engine running when parking and leaving a vehicle. 

From a translation of the Thai Highway code :

• When parking and leaving a vehicle, the driver must stop the engine and apply the brake. While parking on a slope, the driver must turn the front wheels. (Fine not exceeding 500 baht). 

[Pattaya Spotter]

5 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

I thought it was illegal to keep the engine running when parking and leaving a vehicle. 

From a translation of the Thai Highway code :

• When parking and leaving a vehicle, the driver must stop the engine and apply the brake. While parking on a slope, the driver must turn the front wheels. (Fine not exceeding 500 baht). 

Interesting...of course, this would most likely apply on public roads but not on private property like parking lots and such. How many people apply the parking brake in Thailand if not on a very hilly spot...I certainly don't? 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Pattaya Spotter

[Bangyai]

It is actually illegal to leave a car running and unattended although it would have to be a pretty over zealous policeman to bother charging you for it.

[Ireland32]

21 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I often keep my unattended car idling while running into Sevens to pick up something I need or to keep the cool while I'm doing an errand or having a restaurant meal. It is a late model car with an immobilizer system and electronic push start system. The driver side door can not be locked while the engine is on and the car unattended. Is there any theft danger in this situation (of the car)...what happens if someone gets in and tries to drive off with it? Since they don't have the key fob, will the engine just cut-off or is it impossible to shift out of "park-brake lock" if the key fob isn't present? Obviously, if they can at least drive it to one shut-off, they would not be able to start it again, correct?

As long as you re comfortable leave it run all day , for Christ sake 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Ireland32

[natway09]

I know it happens but it is strictly illegal to fill your car up while engine running & can be very dangerous.

As to having a restaurant meal with the engine running  me thinks you a just a spoilt brat with no consideration for others, deserve to get it stolen

[tweedledee2]

Don't overlook the possibility that the engine could overheat from a cooling system malfunction such as a broken fan belt, radiator hose or low coolant level. 

 

[AgMech Cowboy]

23 hours ago, Crossy said:

The question is of course, why would you leave it running, it takes moments to cool down again on re-entering?

Probably has chocolates or butter in the passenger seat.

[rwill]

On my Fords the gear lever and steering wheel also lock.  So even if the engine is running you can't put it in gear or steer it without the key fob.

[itsallmine68]

any vehicle left unattended running should have the driver HUNG or DRAGGED which ever is preferable. I dont know how many jobs I have been on where contractors have been killed by unattended vehicles