Darwinism has found a new source to idiots.............
Dangers Of Keyless Entry
Yes, friends, these little electronic gadgets can KILL YOU!!
An Alexandra couple hope others can learn from their near-death experience after being trapped in their new ''keyless'' car in their own garage for almost 13 hours recently.
Mollieanne (65) and Brian Smith (68) are still coming to terms with the early November incident when confusion about operating their Mazda 3 hatchback led them to believe there was no way to get out.
The pair were stuck after a series of ''Murphy's Law'' events, including leaving the car's manual in the house, leaving the transponder outside the car and a combination of stress, night-time, and what they called a lack of information from a car salesperson.
After becoming trapped about 7pm on November 5, their attempts to escape included sounding the horn and trying to smash a window with a car jack.
Mrs Smith said it was Guy Fawkes night, and no-one would have noticed the horn due to fireworks.
When they were freed by neighbours about 7.45am the next day, she was unconscious and her husband was struggling to breathe.
She said they were told by emergency services if they had spent another half hour in the car and they could have died.
Afterwards, Mrs Smith spent three days in Dunstan Hospital. Mr Smith, who considered himself ''very methodical'', said he could not find the unlocking mechanism.
http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/327080/couple-close-death-after-night-stuck-keyless-car
An Alexandra couple hope others can learn from their near-death experience after being trapped in their new ''keyless'' car in their own garage for almost 13 hours recently.
Mollieanne (65) and Brian Smith (68) are still coming to terms with the early November incident when confusion about operating their Mazda 3 hatchback led them to believe there was no way to get out.
The pair were stuck after a series of ''Murphy's Law'' events, including leaving the car's manual in the house, leaving the transponder outside the car and a combination of stress, night-time, and what they called a lack of information from a car salesperson.
After becoming trapped about 7pm on November 5, their attempts to escape included sounding the horn and trying to smash a window with a car jack.
Mrs Smith said it was Guy Fawkes night, and no-one would have noticed the horn due to fireworks.
When they were freed by neighbours about 7.45am the next day, she was unconscious and her husband was struggling to breathe.
She said they were told by emergency services if they had spent another half hour in the car and they could have died.
Afterwards, Mrs Smith spent three days in Dunstan Hospital. Mr Smith, who considered himself ''very methodical'', said he could not find the unlocking mechanism.
http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/327080/couple-close-death-after-night-stuck-keyless-car
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For real? I had to do a double take to ensure this wasn't from The Onion.
Someone once said that if they made something idiot proof someone would invent a better idiot.Darwinism has found a new source to idiots.............
There's something fishy about this whole story. How did the doors even get locked. Doors lock when you put the car in reverse or drive, or in some cars, when you go over 10 mph, all things that you need your key fob. Or, you can lock the doors manually, and unlock them when you reverse what you did.
In 13 hours they didn't try poking, pushing and pulling every single knob and button in the car? I don't know how to unlock a Mazda 3, but after about 5 minutes I'd start yanking and ripping at every plastic bit if I needed to. Were they drunk? Do these cars have a safety trunk release like in the US? How could you not manage to break a window with a car jack if it came to it? All surprising things to me...
To spend 13 hours in a car and almost die and not even pull the door handle.......
It's always the old people... :doh:
Why are older people who do not fully comprhend new technology considered to be idiots. Although in this instance it does sound a bit far fetched.
Someone with a Mazda 3 needs to tell us how you get out in this situation... do you simply pull the door handle? Pull it twice? Is there an unlock button?
Oops hadn't read the article... it says right in there that the door can be simply unlocked like any other car, though it doesn't say of there is a button or if you simply pull on the door handle... either way... they tried smashing the window before thinking, in 13 HOURS, to see if there wasn't a traditional door-lock release? Sheesh! Not certain either of these people should operate a modern motor vehicle.
Oops hadn't read the article... it says right in there that the door can be simply unlocked like any other car, though it doesn't say of there is a button or if you simply pull on the door handle... either way... they tried smashing the window before thinking, in 13 HOURS, to see if there wasn't a traditional door-lock release? Sheesh! Not certain either of these people should operate a modern motor vehicle.
a late model Mazda I drove a while back had a simple open/closed padlock button immediately forward of the door handle
I have my cruze programmed to autolock once I close the doors and walk away with the fob. Even if I unlock the car from the house, go out to it without the fob, and close the door so long as the fob isnt in the car it will autolock and arm itself.Someone once said that if they made something idiot proof someone would invent a better idiot.
There's something fishy about this whole story. How did the doors even get locked. Doors lock when you put the car in reverse or drive, or in some cars, when you go over 10 mph, all things that you need your key fob. Or, you can lock the doors manually, and unlock them when you reverse what you did.
Oh man, to be a fly on the wall in that garage..."7:45am the next day, she was unconscious and her husband was struggling to breathe". What the hell was going on in that car?!?!?!?! :think:
onder::blink:
onder::blink:
What does a key have to do with this? If the car was unlocked and they got in and accidentally locked the doors, I don't see how it's any different.Bring back the key!
Very strange article. And why was the car jack in the cabin.I looked into buying a Mazda 3 and the tire jack is in the trunk with the spare tire.
They couldn't smash a window with a car jack???????
I'm thinking it was a hatchVery strange article. And why was the car jack in the cabin.I looked into buying a Mazda 3 and the tire jack is in the trunk with the spare tire.
Pretty sure I heard a blonde joke years ago that goes almost exactly like this "news" item. Except, you know, there was a blonde in the car calling OnStar.
Maybe they were carjacked?Very strange article. And why was the car jack in the cabin.I looked into buying a Mazda 3 and the tire jack is in the trunk with the spare tire.
Side windows can be remarkably resiliant. I've seen World's Dumbest episodes where TV reporters and similar try to break out side glass with a fairly stout object like a big hammer, and get nowhere. Takes 10 to 20 blows, sometimes, IF the glass yields at all.They couldn't smash a window with a car jack???????
As for those little "emergency hammers" sold in drug stores (As Seen On TV), you will die of exhaustion before that little fella gets you extracted.
I was thinking it was a plot.I'm thinking it was a hatch
Well, at least she knew how to call OnStar. :fall:Pretty sure I heard a blonde joke years ago that goes almost exactly like this "news" item. Except, you know, there was a blonde in the car calling OnStar.
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