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I own a fairly decent looking car and live in a not-so-fairly decent neighborhood. My home lacks a driveway or garage so I must park at the curb . This makes my vehicle an easy target so i am am constantly trying to improvise ways to protect my car from theives.
I thought of an interesting
approach to protecting a vehicle or any property for the matter. While alarms and most antitheft devices installed on the vehicle itself can be bypassed or deactivated easily since the vehicle is within public reach, a deterrent system not mounted in the vehicle would make it harder to compromise.
My idea consists of relatively inexpensive items found almost anywhere. All you need for this one is an inexpensive laser pointer (found in many specialty or hobby/academic catalogs or on the web) and a piece of cardboard. Laser pointers cost as low as $5 (cheap one works perfectly). All you have to do is wire it carefully to a 9 volt battery because the three button batteries which come with the unit tend to run out of power after just a few hours. My device using a fresh standard 9v battery kept it power for a continous month . Now simply tape the lasers button down to keep it in the on position whenever you want to 'arm' your vehicle.
The laser pointer should be mounted on a window sill 'in your home' facing the street and simply adjust it to point a spot on your cars dash or door or window. With the cardboard, cut it into a silhoette of a lifesize head and shoulders and tape it to the same house window that the laser pointer is on.
The scenario of the car thief should go as follows. When the thief approaches your vehicle, the first think he will notice is a bright red dot on the cars dash. This may appear to be a standard car alarm LED which may deter the thief. However , it is more likely that the thief will realize that the red dot is actually a laser light and he will instinctively look around to see where its coming from and who is pointing it. This will lead his vision to your house window where he will then notice the faint silhoette of a human head which seems to be staring at him.
Theres no doubt in my mind that the thief will take off immediately and leave your vehicle as is.
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You could just get the word "Diesel" and put it on the back of your car. I think a dedicated thief may figure out the set up if it is experienced more than once, but it may just work if the cardboard is cut out in a shooter's stance. |
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Put the laser in the car, aim it at the house window. If the car moves, you'll see the laser disappear. Of course, it would be fun for a pedestrian just to play mind games...
Or, you could just have a refracting beam. |
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Thief walks along pavement, up to nice looking car. Peers in, sees no red dot, LED or the suchlike, has a shifty look round, elbows window. Funnily enough, he didn't think to look at his back to see whether he'd interrupted a laser beam pointing at the car. Doh. |
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Nice idea, but aside from the above situation, after the first time it would be obvious. Also wouldn't work on a thief that watches the house beforehand, as the silhouette wouldn't move. |
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or circiut city for the matter |
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