# Panic button on car remote
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 29, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183 "2008-03-29T17:29:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/1 "2008-03-29T17:29:14Z")
What is the “panic” button–the one that sets off your horn at an obnoxious volume–on a car’s remote meant to be used for?
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/2 "2008-03-29T17:31:24Z")
I’ve always assumed it was in case you were assaulted or something near your vehicle. Your car starts going apeshit, and maybe your attacker decides to look for another, quieter, target.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/3 "2008-03-29T17:42:30Z")
I’ll second that. Maybe not so much for being attacked, but say you’re walking up to you car and notice someone behind or under it. Not only will it frighten them, but more impotantly, it’ll get everyone else to look over at it. That would be the theory anyways, but I think most everyone is immune to car alarms now.
OTOH, it works great when you can’t find your car. I’ve always found that I can activate the panic button from much further away then the door lock (pushing twice makes the car honk). Does the panic button send out a stronger signal?
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### Author:  [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/4 "2008-03-29T17:53:36Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P]
That would be the theory anyways, but I think most everyone is immune to car alarms now.
[/QUOTE]
I second that, and I think this makes car alarms rather pointless. In city centers, you hear car alarms going off practically every day. Nobody cares about them, unless the alarm goes for several minutes - and in this case, the reaction of most people is being simply annoyed about the noise, not fear that some crime might be going on.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/5 "2008-03-29T18:01:39Z")
[QUOTE=Schnitte]
I second that, and I think this makes car alarms rather pointless. In city centers, you hear car alarms going off practically every day. Nobody cares about them, unless the alarm goes for several minutes - and in this case, the reaction of most people is being simply annoyed about the noise, not fear that some crime might be going on.
[/QUOTE]
Of course OTOH, I’ll bet no one is trying to break into the car with the screeching alarm. Even if no one is looking.
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/6 "2008-03-29T18:10:19Z")
[QUOTE=Schnitte]
I second that, and I think this makes car alarms rather pointless.
[/QUOTE]
Well, the question was “what is it for?” not “does it actually work?”
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### Author:  [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/7 "2008-03-29T18:11:44Z")
It is helpful in emergencies. A couple years ago my Dad fell and broke his hip after tripping when he got out of the car (he’s in his mid 60’s, lifelong smoker with brittle bones).
It was after 10pm and he used the panic button on the remote to alert people in the apt building he needed help. If you press it enough times eventually someone will come to the door or window to see what is going on. Thankfully someone saw him and called an ambulance.
(he’s fine now BTW…he’s even stopped smoking!! 🙂 )
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### Author:  [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2008, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/8 "2008-03-30T08:33:07Z")
[QUOTE=Schnitte]
I second that, and I think this makes car alarms rather pointless. In city centers, you hear car alarms going off practically every day. Nobody cares about them, unless the alarm goes for several minutes - and in this case, the reaction of most people is being simply annoyed about the noise, not fear that some crime might be going on.
[/QUOTE]
When ever I hear one going off within earshot I take a look. I would hope someone would do the same for me.
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### Author:  [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2008, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/9 "2008-03-30T10:06:31Z")
I use it if I am out someplace and forget where I parked.
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### Author:  [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2008, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/10 "2008-03-30T10:54:11Z")
I always figured they should have a different reaction for the emergency car alarm. Something like a recorded loop that says “There is an emergency, the owner has been attacked please call 911.” On a car with the right services it would call your onstar or whatever.
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### Author:  [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/11 "2008-03-30T14:58:01Z")
[QUOTE=squeegee]
I’ve always assumed it was in case you were assaulted or something near your vehicle. Your car starts going apeshit, and maybe your attacker decides to look for another, quieter, target.
[/QUOTE]
That is exactly it. The bad guy wants to do his thing unnoticed by witnesses. If a car horn starts blinking and lights start flashing, people are gonna look.
That’s why, in our self-defense classes, we teach people not to just yell “HELP!”, but to yell “FIRE!” as well. Others won’t look if they hear the first, they will look if they hear the second. It’s all about drawing attention to what is happening.
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/12 "2008-03-30T17:04:46Z")
It’s also useful for testing that the alarm system is at least partially working.
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### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/13 "2008-03-30T17:11:08Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P]
OTOH, it works great when you can’t find your car.
[/QUOTE]
Also when collecting a hire car which is parked somewhere in a long line of identical newly-delivered vehicles.
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### Author:  [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/14 "2008-03-30T17:25:38Z")
[QUOTE=squeegee]
I’ve always assumed it was in case you were assaulted or something near your vehicle. Your car starts going apeshit, and maybe your attacker decides to look for another, quieter, target.
[/QUOTE]
Got it in one.
**Revtim** it is also damn handy when the dealership has 20 new cars and you are trying to find one particular car to do a pre delivery inspection on.
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### Author:  [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/15 "2008-03-30T21:49:07Z")
[QUOTE=Rick]
Got it in one.
**Revtim** it is also damn handy when the dealership has 20 new cars and you are trying to find one particular car to do a pre delivery inspection on.
[/QUOTE]
I bought a new car (Toyota Tacoma pickup, actually) yesterday, and that’s exactly what the salesman did. FWIW, I have also noticed that the panic button seems to work at a much greater range than the other buttons.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panic-button-on-car-remote/443183/16 "2008-03-30T22:18:47Z")
It’s used to wake up other guests in the hotel when it accidentally goes off.
And it’s my fault. Preemptive sorry to everyone.
I hate it.
Mine is set to just flash the parking lights when you lock it. It did save my ass once when I was support for my wife at a triathlon. Hundreds of cars and SUVs parked in a field. And I have to run back to the car to get something for her race.
5am. Dark as dark can be. Press the lock button, flash the lights – there it is.