The cars and bikes thread!

[Raza]

I think Santa may be bringing me one.

Make sure you ask Santa for the Key Organizer Pro, it’s improved in every way over the original model.

https://www.orbitkey.com/products/key-organiser-pro

[mlcor]

Make sure you ask Santa for the Key Organizer Pro, it’s improved in every way over the original model.

https://www.orbitkey.com/products/key-organiser-pro

I did indeed.

[Samanator]

We really don't use keys anymore. Between key fobs for the cars, self locking locks with key pads for the doors, and the yard and drive fenced with a electric gate opener we have just one key that we use. A normal ring is fine for that. We do have a few other things that have a key, but many of these I've only need the key maybe once a year or longer. I don't see a reason to carry those around, and would fear more loosing them.

[Raza]

We really don't use keys anymore. Between key fobs for the cars, self locking locks with key pads for the doors, and the yard and drive fenced with a electric gate opener we have just one key that we use. A normal ring is fine for that. We do have a few other things that have a key, but many of these I've only need the key maybe once a year or longer. I don't see a reason to carry those around, and would fear more loosing them.

I have had automatic locks before, I personally wouldn’t get one without a key backup.

[Samanator]

I have had automatic locks before, I personally wouldn’t get one without a key backup.

I've had them between the two houses for over 10 years. I would not have anythng else. It stopped my hunting for my wifes keys nearly every time we go out. If we decide we need the dog sitter to drop by it saves having someone from having a key to every door all the time. One code gets them everywhere and then it expires when we set it to. Batteries last for years in the locks, and the gate opener drives off of battery 100% with the AC being a battery charger. I can do all this from my phone and the multiple aps work together. It can even be set to open the gate as the car is at a designated spot via GPS. We found this less useful since we're home most of the time and we need to coordinate where the dogs are before opening.

[Raza]

I've had them between the two houses for over 10 years. I would not have anythng else. It stopped my hunting for my wifes keys nearly every time we go out. If we decide we need the dog sitter to drop by it saves having someone from having a key to every door all the time. One code gets them everywhere and then it expires when we set it to. Batteries last for years in the locks, and the gate opener drives off of battery 100% with the AC being a battery charger. I can do all this from my phone and the multiple aps work together. It can even be set to open the gate as the car is at a designated spot via GPS. We found this less useful since we're home most of the time and we need to coordinate where the dogs are before opening.

Don’t get me wrong, I like electronic locks, have them at my house as well. But I have two kinds—one with a key backup and one without. I wouldn’t get one without a key backup again. Hell, even my safe has an electronic keypad, but it still has a key backup.

What brands make yours? Our batteries usually only last a few months and it’s a pain in the ass to have to change them all the time. I have an August and a Yale.

[mlcor]

I've had them between the two houses for over 10 years. I would not have anythng else. It stopped my hunting for my wifes keys nearly every time we go out. If we decide we need the dog sitter to drop by it saves having someone from having a key to every door all the time. One code gets them everywhere and then it expires when we set it to. Batteries last for years in the locks, and the gate opener drives off of battery 100% with the AC being a battery charger. I can do all this from my phone and the multiple aps work together. It can even be set to open the gate as the car is at a designated spot via GPS. We found this less useful since we're home most of the time and we need to coordinate where the dogs are before opening.

Maybe I'm just an old Luddite, but I worry about whether those things can be hacked...

[Raza]

Maybe I'm just an old Luddite, but I worry about whether those things can be hacked...

Well, funny story. We had a 1st gen August lock on our front door and it was set to automatically unlock when you approached it from the outside so you didn’t have to take your phone or keys out to unlock it. One day, I was home from class early and sitting on the sofa in the living room (which is by the front door) when I heard the lock starting to open. Now, my brother was coming home from work, but he doesn’t enter through the front door, only I do; he parked in the garage and came up through the back door. So I started to freak out mildly that the door had been hacked and I was on the precipice of a home invasion. About two minutes later, I heard the garage door opening. I put the baseball bat down, checked the surrounding area, and then my brother came upstairs as I was fiddling with the door.

I went into the log and through a little trial and error, I found that as my brother was driving across the front of the house before turning to come around back to the garage, he was going slowly enough and close enough that the lock recognized his phone as being on approach and unlocked the door. Needless to say, I promptly turned the auto-unlock feature off. I can’t imagine how many times we drove past and unknowingly unlocked the door, leaving it unlocked for 15 minutes before the auto-lock kicked in.

[Raza]

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/Kmm...utm_campaign=e

There was a time I’d be falling all over myself to get a car like that.

[mlcor]

Well, funny story. We had a 1st gen August lock on our front door and it was set to automatically unlock when you approached it from the outside so you didn’t have to take your phone or keys out to unlock it. One day, I was home from class early and sitting on the sofa in the living room (which is by the front door) when I heard the lock starting to open. Now, my brother was coming home from work, but he doesn’t enter through the front door, only I do; he parked in the garage and came up through the back door. So I started to freak out mildly that the door had been hacked and I was on the precipice of a home invasion. About two minutes later, I heard the garage door opening. I put the baseball bat down, checked the surrounding area, and then my brother came upstairs as I was fiddling with the door.

I went into the log and through a little trial and error, I found that as my brother was driving across the front of the house before turning to come around back to the garage, he was going slowly enough and close enough that the lock recognized his phone as being on approach and unlocked the door. Needless to say, I promptly turned the auto-unlock feature off. I can’t imagine how many times we drove past and unknowingly unlocked the door, leaving it unlocked for 15 minutes before the auto-lock kicked in.

Yeah, some cars now have a similar feature where they will unlock as you approach. Seems like a terrible idea. Not to mention, how hard is it to put your hand on the handle? Don't you have to do that to open the door, anyway? I wonder how long it will be before someone decides it would be a good idea to just have completely automatic doors that open as you approach, more like kicking under the rear hatch/trunk to open it. After all, the less physical strain we put on ourselves, the better, right?