Any other cities have this idiotic law

[RB TexLa]

This morning when I came out of a 7-11 a Dallas police officer was standing in front of my truck.

Me: "can I help you?"

cop: "is this yours"

me: "Yes"

cop: "did you know it's illegal to leave the keys in your car"

me: "no"

cop: "well you can't leave the car running, you can't even leave the keys in the car"

me: "you have to be joking"

cop: "no I'm not don't do it again"


No way I'm turning my truck off every time I stop at a convenience store.

[knowbody0]

1. i do not understand why you want to leave it running

is it difficult to start?

[RebelOne]

I don't understand either.

It's an open invitation to a car thieve.

[RB TexLa]

3. no, but there is no reason to have to start it again

it was already running when I pulled in.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Isn't that nice of you?

The car thief won't even have to turn the key. That is mighty thoughtful of ya.

[maveric]

16. Try that in SoCal.

Your car wouldnt be there when you got back for it.
Guaranteed.

[Scoot420fla]

23. yeah...

and gonna be MISSING one of these days when you come out of the store...You get what you deserve!

[GeorgeGist]

26. Some underage kid gets in and decides to take it for a joyride...

and kills himself and your best friend who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time . Think again, my friend.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Could be a diesel

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. People mostly do this to leave the A/C on I think.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Yes it is illegal here

They had a rash of car thefts one winter when people left their cars running in their driveways to warm up. So it is now illegal to do that.

Where I live, it is damn dumb to leave your keys in your car. Ever. I know I don't ever do it. I lock my car always - even at the convenience store. If your car is not locked, and it is stolen, some insurance companies won't cover the loss.

[tyedyeto]

7. Your car insurance will not pay if your car is stolen and the keys..

were left in the car. Maybe it's a push by the insurance companies so they don't have to fight those claims.

[soup]

That's how our son's car got stolen.

He'd just run in to get a soda, came out and his car was gone.

[jobycom]

8. Not stupid, it's a good law.

First, it's a Texas state law, I believe. Second, it does two things--it cuts down on pollution (running the engine for no reason), and two, it cuts down on police work, since the cops don't have to go out chasing some fool's truck because the driver left the vehicle gift-wrapped for any nearby thieves.

Actually, maybe they should rewrite the law so that anyone who leaves their keys in the car loses the car if it is stolen. So whoever steals your truck has legal title to it, in other words. Cut down further on police work.

[pagerbear]

11. The thief is entitled to the car, but you keep the payments!

[-..__...]

9. It's illegal here in MA.

And from what I understand, it's illegal in many other communities/states as well.

Open invitation to car thieves is one reason, the possibility of a minor putting the vehicle in motion is another (mom leaves junior in car with engine running, junior is fooling around in front seat, junior puts car in gear, etc).

Another thing that one should consider is that if the vehicle is stolen (or accidentally placed in gear by aforementioned minor), and property damage, serious injury or death results, the owner of the vehicle could be looking at potential civil liabilities (and possibly criminal charges).

[Connie_Corleone]

10. Where I live, people would be crazy to leave their car running.

We get warned not to leave our cars running to heat it up in the winter.

[lectrobyte]

12. Turn it off and take your keys. The pedestrian the joy riders crash

into may be me. Unless the truck predates fuel injection, if it's going to be longer than 30 seconds, you're wasting your gas by leaving it running.

[seriousstan]

13. Only an idiot would leave their car running or the keys in it.

Those arguing for the idiot are uber-idiots.

[RB TexLa]

14. Then there are many of us "idiots," you see cars running

in parking lots all the time. I've never thought about truning it off to go in, you just get out go in and get your stuff.

[seriousstan]

17. Not as many as you think. Most people have the common sense

to turn off their cars and take the keys. I believe the responses back me up. Your position is foolish at best. I believe it is irresponsible.

[Scoot420fla]

20. agreed

Why would you want to leave it running? Obviously you'd have to keep the door unlocked as well or youre keys would be locked in. That is absolutely ridiculous that someone would waste gas and leave their car open for theives just to avoid having to take the extra 2 seconds to restart your car. DUMB!

[Scoot420fla]

21. In Fact...

I think you should be fined for stupidity, not for leaving your car running...IMHO

[Ghost in the Machine]

32. While I agree with the general point on this, the argument about

this statement --> "Obviously you'd have to keep the door unlocked as well or youre keys would be locked in." .... simply isn't true. Most vehicles since about '98 or '99 come with those little electronic door lock remote, which can be detached from the keyring and kept in your pocket, thus allowing you to keep your vehicle running with the doors locked.

Another thing to be taken into account would be the area that you live in. Where I live now, I don't think I've ever locked my truck doors, and I hardly ever take the keys out of the ignition. I don't leave it running, but just leave the keys in it so I know where they are. It helps that I live in the 4th smallest county in Tennessee where everyone knows everyone and vehicle thefts are very rare. Now, when I lived in Miami, where I grew up, that's a whole different world and whole different story.

[Horse with no Name]

15. I wouldn't do this just anywhere

But I live in a very small community and I leave my keys in my car while it is in the driveway as well as leaving my house unlocked when I leave.:shrug:
However, when I travel outside of my town, I do lock my car.

[Wonk]

18. Thanks for the laugh. nt

[hootinholler]

19. It's state law in MD, I'm pretty sure. n/t

[Cocoa]

22. you gotta fight...

for your right...

to leave your CAAAAAAR RUNNING.

[Nutmegger]

24. I do the same thing.

If I have to get out and mail something, yes, I'll leave the car running, walk two feet to the mailbox, and miraculously the car is still there...running! OMG!

[Kajsa]

25. Aren't you the fellow who started the thread

asking why one of your wife's coworkers got upset because you
told her " I don't drink with you", when she offered you a drink
at a party?
If so, why do you start these strange question threads that you
know are going to lead into arguing and flaming?
The questions are very simple( not smart) at best. I think you're a lot
smarter than that and it's done deliberately.

Why do you do it?

:shrug:

[smirkymonkey]

35. Seriously, either that or he's posting from a far-away galaxy

where such things are not considered absurd.

[etherealtruth]

36. Ahhhh .... thanks for the reminder n/t

[lpbk2713]

27. I hope you have a good lawyer and a lot of money.

You might need them both. Consider this scenario ..... you leave your vehicle unattended with the keys in the ignition (you don't even need to leave the motor running) and someone decides to take adavantage of the opportunity and takes it for a joyride and then this individual (who may not even have a driver's license) runs into someone and kills one or two people or cripples them for life. The police arrive at the scene of the accident and find the keys in the ignition. From this point on your world will have turned to shit. You might want to think about it.

[RB TexLa]

28. seems all the little "my God this could happen" scenarios

that have been mentioned are already covered by laws.

[ThomWV]

29. I Lost My Licnese For It In Maryland In 1965

I had other points (the point system was only a year or two old back then)and the 1 point for leaving my keys in the car (in Wheaton, Maryland) was what it took for a short suspension.

[RB TexLa]

30. points?

[Kellanved]

31. Yup

It's a federal law over here.

§ 30 STVO forbids leaving the engine running and cruising; a paragraph from the oil crisis.

§ 14 STVO forbids to leave the car in a state where it would be easily abusable by other people.

:D

[Tenseiga]

33. mmm...

every locality I've lived in has had some ordanance against leaving a vehicle running and unattended...

if you had a passenger supervising the car while you were inside, I'd say it was stupid, but it's a law I can live with. It's there to prevent your car from being stolen because you left it running (or keys in the ignition) and unattended. Lets the cops solve real crimes.

[porphyrian]

34. That, uh...hmm.

I know it's illegal to leave a vehicle running while you pump gas into it, but that makes sense. I'd say someone rich and/or connected lost money and/or a relative due to someone leaving their car running unattended and that's why you have that law. Or the cop was lying to you.