Catalytic Converter Anti-Theft Protection

[George]

What do you do with your car when you drive it to work or to a store or when visiting friends?

[Cindy Hamilton]

Possibly where you live, but not universally everywhere. Try your math on Detroit.

Cindy Hamilton

[notbob]

Bingo! Moved from SFBA to rural CO Rockies. Shoulda done it 30 yrs ago. Between Fido and Ruger, no one touches cars parked outdoors. ....and I haven't heard a single car alarm in 3 yrs.

nb

[Desertphile]

Okay, I give up. How does electing "folks who aren't worried about hurting feelings" prevent theft of catalytic converters?

[Desertphile]

I hope the damage was insured. :-) Dogs probably make the best anti-theft devices for cars, but I suppose most people on the planet can't have dogs guarding their cars.

I sleep in my car at night. Anyone who steals the Tahoe also steals me.

[Desertphile]

What the bloody f*ck does that have to do with preventing catalytic converters?

[HeyBub]

Well, a Senate committee is part of the group that mandated we have catalytic converters in the first place. If not for them, this conversation would not be taking place...

[aemeijers]

I stay out of crappy neighborhoods, especially after dark. If your area of your city qualifies as crime-ridden, that is a hint to move elsewhere. It simply isn't a major concern. I got my car broken into several times at work 20+ years ago, so I started getting there early so I could get a spot inside the secure perimeter. I moved out of the apartments that were going section-8 to get away from people like that. Only been broken into at a shopping center once, and they were idiots- used a slap-hammer on the hatchback, when the doors were unlocked. Knock on wood, haven't been a crime victim in over 5 years, since I moved to this blue-collar subdivision with the nosy retirees and the dogs. (Only downside is I have to sit outside on Halloween to pass out candy, because a single guy in a house still gets the fisheye from 'normal' people.)

[Tegger]

SMS wrote in news:4c8e7cf9$0$1623$ [e-mail]:

The federal Clean Air Act was amended by Congress in 1973 to mandate catalytic converters for all 1975 model-year cars. There was talk of delaying the imposition for a year or two past 1975, to give automakers a change to better develop catalytic converters, but they actually delayed it until 1981 (IIRC).

Honda's CVCC system was much more cost-effective than, and just as effective as, a catalytic converter, but with the imposition of the cat law, Honda halted further development of CVCC, since it suddenly became a legal dead-end.

Cats remain mandatory to this day.

[notbob]

Try a bullet hole in a prominent front facing window. I inadvertently lauched a wayward slug through my 2nd story bedroom window overlooking my street side garage/driveway. Only had one theft of two unsecured stainless steel kegs. My fault, as I left them in plain sight. Other than that, no probs in 10 yrs, despite living half a block from a high school.

People used to ask, "Is that a bullet hole?" "Yes", I'd reply. "How did it get there?", they'd invariably follow with. "Kinda makes ya' wonder, don't it!", was my final word on the subject. Worked infinitely better than that lame old sign, "This property protected by Smith and Wesson". ;)

nb

[Jerry - OHIO]

Trip wire & a taiser might work or 220 & ground wire. Fry the bastards. Or a sheet of 3/4 ply with roofing nails. Me ,I,have a pit bull.

Jerry

[HeyBub]

In my state, Texas, vehicle inspection costs about $35 (assuming nothing is wrong). We've got about 17 million vehicles in the state, so that works out to be about $600 million changing hands each year.

Our Department of Public Safety attributes highway accidents as follows:

3% - Defective equipment (i.e., brakes fail) 3% - Road condistions (i.e., "Bridge Out!") 94% - Driver error

So we spend more than a half-billion dollars to keep the "defective equipment" number at a nominal 3%.

[keith]

No, you haven't. Three percent of your accidents are *still* attributable to defective equipment. You have wasted half a Big one, though. .

[keith]

There are 49 other states that will take their used stuff, cheap.

[The Daring Dufas]

I assure you it would be like "The Cash For Clunkers" where perfectly good cars and trucks would be ruined so as to make the parts unusable.

TDD

[Desertphile]

Ah, that's 100% true. :-) Okay, I concede the fact that legislators cause catalytic converter theft. We should put them in prison.

[Cindy Hamilton]

We also get less because we can't come up with matching funds.

Well, that explains why our roads are so lousy.

Who'da thunk I'd end up living in a third-world state?

Still, everybody in Lansing knows that requiring emissions/safety inspections would be the end of their political career, so they're willing to forego the money from Washington.

Cindy Hamilton

[M. Balmer]

George sounds like a tea bagging boy to me

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[M. Balmer]

Really? When? No one noticed. Must have been a very small thought. Did it give you a headache?

[First of One]

Tea bagging, or tea party?