Lost Your Keys? Stay Calm
It’s happened to all of us at some point: locked keys in the car or lost keys at the bar. No matter the case, the result is the same: you can’t get in your car when you need to. While losing your keys and being locked out of your car is stressful at any time of day, it’s especially worrisome when it happens at night. While you wait for a tow truck or locksmith, here are a few things to do to keep yourself safe and comfortable.
Find a Safe Place
Before you pull out your phone to research tow companies or 24-hour locksmiths, make sure you are in a safe area. Take note of the environment around you and evaluate whether you should stay there. Is it well-lit? Are there people out and about walking around? Are there other vehicles or businesses? If you don’t feel safe waiting by your car for the tow truck, try to find a well-lit business or parking lot to wait. If you’ve just come from a restaurant or bar, try to head back to it and ask if you can wait while you get back into your car. Most likely, the business still has people there cleaning up, and they won’t mind if you wait for a while. Essentially, if you don’t feel safe, go somewhere else.
Call a 24-Hour Tow Company
Call a Loved One
While you wait for the tow truck or other aid, call a loved one so that they know where you are and when to expect you at your destination, whether that is home or a hotel for the night. Even better, perhaps a loved one could come to be with you while you wait for access to your vehicle.
Contact Law Enforcement
Ultimately, if you don’t feel safe and you can’t get in touch with a loved one or a tow company, you can always call the police and let them know your situation. Call the non-emergency dispatch number and alert them to the problem. They may be able to help you get back into your vehicle or direct you toward a trusted tow service provider. Even if the police can’t help you with your car, they will probably be able to help you in another way.
Leave Your Car Overnight
If your vehicle is legally parked, the best choice may be to leave it overnight so that you can get somewhere you feel safe. Take public transportation to your destination, call a friend for a ride, or call a Lyft or taxi to take you home. It may be easier to deal with your car in the light of the day.
What To Do After Getting Back Into Your Car
Once you’ve safely gained access to your vehicle, there are a few things you should keep in mind to avoid the situation in the future.
Get a Spare Car Key
If you don’t have a spare key to your vehicle, you need to have one made in case this happens again. You know yourself better than anyone, but some people give spare keys to trusted friends or family members in case of a lockout. Perhaps you have a safe hiding spot at home, or you know you won’t lose an extra key if it’s in your wallet. Whatever works, get that spare key made!
Let a Friend Know Where You’re Going
Whenever you go out on your own, make sure you let someone know where you’re going and when to expect you back. That way, if something happens like you losing your keys, someone will know where to look for you. If they know where you are, you’ll receive help much quicker.
Change the Locks
If you lose your keys completely, it may be a good idea to have your locks changed. While it’s unlikely that someone will find your keys and then use them to access your car or home at a later date, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
How Can B&D Towing Help You?
Our towing professionals are polite and happy to explain everything from our transparent pricing to our towing process. We pride ourselves on being a towing company that goes above and beyond in customer care. Each of our towing professionals is selected for his or her expertise and ability to deliver excellent customer service. If you find yourself locked out of your vehicle or otherwise stranded, give us a call! We are available, 24/7/365!
Posted on February 11th, 2020 by B&D Towing
You’ve locked your keys in the car, what do you do? Even if you’re not a first-time car owner, it can be a nerve-wracking, if not frustrating, experience. Everyone experiences a moment of cognitive dissonance in confronting their silliness. The first thing to know is that it’s going to be okay! You will get through this, and there are some options available to make the process as easy as possible.
Help, I Locked My Keys in My Car!
Here at Dick’s Towing Service, we have a few tips to share for what to do before calling us to come out and unlock your vehicle. As Hancock County’s premier roadside assistance service, we can put your mind at ease while dealing with one of the more stressful mistakes a vehicle owner can make. Count on Dick’s Towing to help you avoid future breakdowns and lockouts!
Before we begin, this mistake can only turn worse if you do not observe your surroundings. Ask yourself these questions: Is your vehicle safely on the side of the road? Is it close to a source of light? Are you stuck in a dangerous part of town (one more with a history of car theft)? If so it’s probably best to find a safe space and keeping a low profile while you call for help.
Spare Keys
It’s probably the most simple solution and, therefore, the most unlikely if you’re caught in this scenario. Yet, if you’re only a short (let’s say less than 2 miles) distance away from your home, it’s probably more worth your while to make the trek and come back. This changes when on a long drive, of course. While having a spare key is a great simple solution, it’s also a luxury. If you’re driving with friends, you might want to give a spare to a friend to keep in their pocket just in case.
Electronic Keys and Fobs
All of this became moot in the past decade, however, with keyless ignitions. Many modern cars today are coming equipped with electronic keys with keyless fobs. Auto manufacturer companies designed these keys to lock the vehicle after moving away from it at a certain distance. Therefore leaving keys inside the car means the car will not close itself. Licensed dealerships can replace the fobs if you lose them, but beware–they cost a lot.
The Coat Hanger Method
Older cars, of course, do not come with this feature, requiring a more hands-on approach. One of the more popular methods of opening old-style door locks is to use a coat hanger. It usually only works on vehicles equipped with pull-up locks, but it can work on a smoother unlock button. Unfortunately, if you have recessed locks in the interior of the door, this method will not do you any good.
The trick involves taking a wire coat hanger, untwisting the head and adjusting a small hook on the straightened end. This small hook will afford the ability to hook around a pin inside the door. You will need to insert the hanger in between the weather stripping and the glass. Once you find the pin, you will need to pull the pin back towards the rear passenger seat, which should unlock the car. Beware, though; this method can ruin the rubber molding and weatherstripping and make it easier for a thief to pull off the same trick on your vehicle.
Roadside Assistance Services
Of course, the prior method requires having a door hanger easily accessible, which you probably won’t when stranded on the side of the road. In most cases, you will need to call for roadside services. Nowadays there are plenty of options for these types of services. Apart from the American Automobile Association (AAA), locksmiths and tow truck services offer mobile services that will come to the location and unlock your vehicle.
Keeping the number of your AAA representative, professional locksmith, or towing service available on your phone will give you a quick out of this tricky predicament. It’s also just a good idea to have a tow truck service on your phone in case your car needs more than just lockout services. If your vehicle has broken down or crashed, or has a flat, the Towing Service Findlaytow truck service is your one-stop mobile shop for flat tires, dead battery jumps and auto locksmith services.
Mobile Car Locksmith
So there you are, locked out of your car with no way to get in. You could try the coat hanger method (if you’re lucky enough to find one), but if your vehicle does not come equipped with proximity technology, the most foolproof way of getting back in would be by calling Dick’s Towing! With our wide variety of services and quick response times, we’ll have you up and running again before you know it. Contact us today in case of car lockouts and breakdowns and find peace of mind in Hancock County.